-says her teaching career has been ‘fulfilling’

BECOMING a teacher was not the first career choice for English teacher Bridget Craig, but in the end, it has been a fulfilling one. Moreover, she is happiest about her career choice when she gets to see her pupils excel and accomplish great things.

Recently, she became overjoyed after learning that two of her pupils excelled at this year’s National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA). Gabriella Felix, who had the best NGSA narrative, and Makayla Spencer, who had the best letter, both attended Craig’s private lessons. Their parents have credited Craig for playing a major role in their children’s outstanding performance.

“Miss Bridget had a lot of confidence in Makayla,” commented Marlon Spencer, the father of Makayla Spencer.
He believes that the teaching methods and discipline instilled by Craig, went a far way in keeping Makayla in line and this eventually led to her excelling in her writing.

“She [Craig] was very consistent in making sure that Makayla did her homework and writing and being disciplined. I would overhear the Zoom lesson conversations sometimes and hear how she would pull her [Makayla] up sometimes when she isn’t doing her work, and I think that method really worked well for Makayla,” he noted.

For Craig, she was overjoyed when she found out how well the two did. She is very proud to see that all the hard work she had put in has paid off.
“That was a moment when I felt a sense of satisfaction. I was very pleased because finally the work I was doing behind the scenes was finally reflected. My pupils usually do well, but that was a high point. They represent all of the other students who have the training that I give,” she noted.

She added that: “I would like to give the credit first and foremost to the creator, with whom I have a personal relation, to my husband, to the experience I have received over the many years and finally to the parents who entrust their children in my care.”
Even after pupils would’ve advanced to higher levels of learning, it still brings great joy to Craig when she can hear about how well they have developed.

“I like to say I teach for life, not just for them to pass now. So, when I meet students, I love to talk about how well they continue to perform,” she told this publication.

Craig has over 35 years of teaching experience under her belt. She began her teaching career when she was just 18 years old.
Growing up in Plaisance, Craig had initially thought about becoming a lawyer. However, circumstances did not allow her to pursue that passion. Now, more than three decades later, she has no regrets pursuing a teaching career.

“I would often say teaching actually called me, I didn’t go towards it. I was just sitting at home after my ‘O’ Levels, and one of my mom’s friends that [sic] was aware that I was at home said, ‘well let her go and teach.’ And I became connected to the love of teaching,” she shared.
Her love for teaching was nurtured when she took up her first post at the Sacred Heart Primary School. She credits the then head teacher of the school for what she has become today.

“What really got me into teaching was the headmaster at that school, Mr. Rodrigues. He would have all the young teachers in his office during lunch and he would teach us the principles of teaching. What I would have learnt from him, I was able to apply throughout my years of teaching,” she told this publication.

After her time at Sacred Heart, she would go on to study at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) where she majored in English. She then pursued a bachelor’s degree in English at the University of Guyana (UG).

She would also go on to teach for approximately five years at the St Ambrose Primary School. She subsequently taught at the St George’s High, Queen’s College, Marian Academy, and Mae‘s Primary School before retiring. She would’ve also done independent work with the National Centre for Education Research and Development (NCERD).

The fact that her teaching career led her to English was no surprise to Craig, who noted that English has been a love of hers from a young age.
“I’ve always had a passion for that since secondary school. When i got to college [CPCE], I didn’t have to deliberate.

I knew right away that I wanted to do English. I had one language teacher in particular [who] played an important role in my growing to love the subject,” she recalled.

Now, she is able to pass on the same love for the language that her teachers instilled in her, to her pupils.