Dear Editor,

Monday morning I woke up and, as part of my usual reading-hour routine, I headed for the newspapers. To my grand surprise, I stumbled upon my name on the front page of the Jamaica Observer.

I made the lead story. An honour? Certainly!

I had anticipated stakeholders from the Teachers’ Colleges of Jamaica (TCJ) to respond to my column published last Friday, but I was not expecting it to be front-page news.

Since the publication of that opinion piece, there have been some serious discussions around the topic of teacher training and preservice teachers’ preparedness to teach up to the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) level.

I learned that many TCJ principals and colleague lecturers were livid about what I wrote. I was not the least surprised; I knew it was a sensitive topic to touch.

I wish to state that I am not attached to any article I write; therefore, whatever feedback I receive — whether positive or negative — does not affect my sleep. Besides, most of the thoughts I share generally in my columns are not personal but collective; they are in the public’s interest.

While I cannot control how anyone feels or reacts to the pieces I write, I found it interesting nonetheless that I did not get much support when I advocated for teachers, which I have done on many occasions. I have been a vocal voice on matters concerning education in this country, but perhaps many of my colleagues are not avid readers of my columns, so they do not know that. Nevertheless, as soon as I say something that does not sit well with them, everybody is riled up.

Some of my colleagues believe that because I work at the university level I am belittling them. Once again, I cannot control how anyone reacts to my pieces. However, sometimes we read to react and not necessarily to understand the intent of the writer. As a linguist and academic literacy lecturer, I see this often among my learners. But we should endeavour to be critical thinkers.

We all work for and within the education system. I studied at a teachers’ college for four years. I am very close with the teachers’ college system and I give support to my discipline and general teacher development as regularly as possible. Teachers reach out to me every week for some kind of support. I am not exaggerating.

Some of the points I raised in last week’s column are from my own experiences while being an undergraduate student. Others are strengthened by experiences shared by some TCJ lecturers themselves, current preservice teachers, and practising classroom teachers.

Therefore, for our experiences to be seen as invalid, it highlights the incapacity of some TCJ stakeholders to accept criticisms. But who is surprised when the system puts them on a pedestal?

I was taught by some qualified and competent lecturers, to whom I am eternally grateful. However, some others were not up to the standard. By highlighting inadequacies in the system, it does not make me bitter nor does it make me a know-it-all. Instead, it shows that I am a reflective educator — nurtured by the very system I have criticiqued — who can think independently and highlight areas for improvement.

The fact that many of our teachers are recruited internationally does not take away from the reality that some are not adequately trained to teach up to/at the CAPE level. I received this response from a Jamaican-trained colleague who now teaches in a British overseas Caribbean territory. She was reacting to the portion of the article she saw on the front page.

“Based on the few lines I read here… after a no lie. Unless things have drastically changed… when I left [teachers’ college]… I couldn’t teach CSEC [Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate]… I was introduced to the CSEC curriculum on the job NOT AT [ teachers’ college]. As such I felt woefully inadequate as like me ago fail d pikney dem. I was soo scared. Even to date… I doan waan venture inna 1 cape class and me a teacher wid degree. Mind you… the onus is on me now to go sharpen those skills… but also those are tools I should have left [teachers’ college] with. And many other colleagues I know out there learning on the job. We just good at what we do and in some cases have good students that in some way save our hides.”

A veteran educator left me lengthy messages. Here are some highlights:

“Well said, Oneil. I couldn’t agree with you more. I have often lamented the absence of properly trained teachers coming out of the teachers’ colleges where they can’t handle CSEC & CAPE programs. The students need to feel that they are in excellent hands when they are preparing for these external exams. I am glad you wrote it, Oneil. I asked [name of teacher trainer] if she saw it because she could start a serious conversation about [X Teachers’ College] training program. I am distraught and I am not in the system anymore. We need to have competent teachers in the system to teach CSEC and CAPE.

“I think what you wrote in that article is very constructive and shouldn’t be seen as condemning. I have been saying for a long time that the teachers’ colleges need to take a more serious look at their own programs and try to develop them in such a way that they can train a cadre of professionals who can deliver the curricula properly at all levels of education… I agree wholeheartedly with you. The inherited curriculum definitely needs to be revisited.”

It is evident that some programmes are taught more effectively than others. At the same time, other stakeholders, including students, parents, and the education ministry, are equally responsible for where we are at as a country. Nonetheless, we should not pretend as though the teachers’ college system is perfect. My position is a call for us to improve on what currently exists.

It is funny that when other notable individuals call into question the quality of our teaching and teachers they are not attacked, but perhaps some grievances are more personal than others.

Oneil Madden

maddenoniel@yahoo.com