KINGSTON, Jamaica — It is undeniable that teachers are the pillars of society.

They equip us with the right tools to work towards achieving our dreams. They train the doctors, nurses, engineers, lawyers, security forces and most importantly, future teachers.

For Yvonne Nesbeth, who started teaching at age 25, it’s no different.

Having spent the last 36 impacting the lives of children she encounters, Nesbeth is very aware of the key role she plays in society. She currently teaches at Moneague Primary and Junior High School in St Ann.

“It’s the teachers who started the foundation, the basic. We’re there as mothers, and caregivers and when students are not able to afford the tuition or the exam fees, the teachers are always the financial source for them. So, we’re not just teachers. We’re mentors, we’re resource personnel. It’s just a role that helps to create our society and make it what it is in a positive way,” she shared with OBSERVER ONLINE.

Nesbeth, who at first wanted to become a journalist, said she was influenced to join this profession by a principal who had inspired her fifth form class to become teachers.

“I went and I did the interview and I got through, and from that time until now…I think teaching is such a rewarding and satisfying job, making an impact on the students that you teach,” she explained.

“In my community, wherever I go, I hear my name being called and I have to say ‘no wait, wait’. There are students everywhere. I cannot go into a community near Moneague and don’t have somebody recognising me and I think it speaks to the hard work and commitment over the years,” she continued.

The educator, who started her three-decade-long career fresh out of college, said she remains focused on her aspirations in the career field.

“My greatest hope is to make them (children) literate and numerate and to make them worthy citizens of their community, country and the global village at large. There is a saying that is always written, especially during Teacher’s Day – ‘If you can read this, thank a teacher’ – and I’m always considerate of the overall holistic development of the student. So, it’s not just about their academics, but it’s their social well-being, their physical well-being, their emotional well-being.”

Nesbeth started out teaching grade five students but quickly found her love for nurturing grade one children at Moneague Primary and Junior High.

“When I would go to the basic schools to do story hours, motivational talks or sharing devotion, the children are always saying ‘I am coming to your class next year’. So, from the basic school, they point me out and if I see them in the supermarket they come and they hit me ‘I’m coming to your class next year’ and over the years, I always anticipate that so I just continue,” she said.

But teaching grade one students is no easy plight as it is at this stage that teachers are critical in mounding them

Nesbeth says teachers are the foundation.

“The foundation. The foundation. You have to set the foundation, academically and help them to be good writers, penmanship, to improve on their penmanship,” she said, while noting the importance of proper guidance for younger students.

“It’s not just teaching but the physical being there for them — tying their shoelaces, taking them to the bathroom, helping them when they have accidents happening, just being there for them. It makes such a difference,” she continued.

Sharing her fondest memory as a teacher with OBSERVER ONLINE, Nesbeth said: “I remember I was pregnant with my second child, and, being a grade one teacher, the children are very, very affectionate. One day I was walking and they just came down on me as if they were lifting me up. I had to literally sit on the ground. I sat on the ground because when one saw what was happening, they all bundled and everybody was trying to lift me up. I had to sit on the ground to avoid it. I’ve had many, many different experiences but I’ve always had to smile at that one incident.”

Moments like these, and the sheer joy and satisfaction from helping students at critical stages of their lives keep Nesbeth motivated to continue her work as an educator.

“My students, they have matriculated to various levels in society. They have held various posts and positions in society and to know I had an impact, I had an influence on where they are at, that’s my motivation.

“I am a lover of my country, I love my people and I just think that we should all occupy this space knowing that we have interdependency — whatever I do impacts your life, it influences your life. So, I love recognising that we have to live in this world, live in peace, live in love and try to be one,” she added.