By Cecelia Campbell Livingston
Mrs. Jacqueline Hunter, a sixth grade teacher at the Free Town Primary School in Clarendon, has taken teaching to another level. A Christian for about 30 years, she said she incorporates her faith into the classroom and looks to God to guide her in administering knowledge.
This formula seems to be working, as over the years she has had students placed in schools such as Calabar, Georges’, Immaculate, Glenmuir, St. Jago High, St. Catherine High, and Old Harbour High, among other traditional high schools.
Her formula doesn’t change no matter what batch she has gotten to work with each year.
“I call their names every morning during devotional prayer. Most times devotion should be 15 minutes, but it goes up to a half hour as I have to mention their names in prayer,” she shared with Freedom Come Rain.
Commenting on the need to involve the Lord in her daily teaching routine, Hunter said that in the new school year, 90 percent of the students she receives are not at mastery level. After conducting the diagnostic tests, she often wonders how she is going to teach them.
“But I know I have the maker when I invite him into my situation. He is able to make a change. And I have seen growth from September onward, and the growth has been significant. Through a lot of motivation and consistency in motivation, the students have grown, and as such, the exam result was excellent; the students even performed better than I thought,” she shared, speaking of this year’s batch.
She said some of the non-mastery students she got with really low grades passed for traditional high schools.
Though delighted, she is not surprised, as she said from day one she taught them the motto “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). She said she ensures they repeat it every day.
“They have to say it and believe it, and I lead them in how to pray; so I don’t just tell them to pray, but I lead them into how to pray and believe God. An example that I used is that I tell them that if a farmer plants pumpkin, they will not get pepper, so what you sew, you shall reap, and what I encourage them to do is to sew into prayer and with prayer put the work in it,” she related.
Zahra Pryce, who, come September, will be attending Glenmuir High School, said Mrs. Hunter played a big role in her believing in herself. She said that although she was a confident person, the prayer and the daily motto saw her uttering a prayer each time she had an exam to sit.
Randomly, when I am studying, I just pray to God to help me understand, and before any exam I take, I just pray. I never used to do that before, but now I do, and I will continue the practise when I go to Glenmuir,” she shared.
Lissandra Miller, who will head to Old Harbour High in the new school year, said she is happy to get her dream school considering she was one of those non-mastery students Mrs. Hunter got. “She let me believe in myself more. She helped me bring my scores up, and she helped me to be placed at the school of my choice,” were her grateful words.
Andreanna Peters, who ended up with her third choice, is not allowing that to dampen her spirit as she gives credit to her teacher. Being in class, she said she enjoys hearing her name on Mrs. Hunter’s lips and knowing she has a lot of faith in them.
“She gives us this wonderful motto, and I do believe it,” she shared.
Sharing on her passion for teaching, Mrs Hunter said she was inspired to spend her life in the classroom because of her desire to impart knowledge. She said she loved seeing children and adult learn as she has been teaching both.
“My whole aim and desire is to see a change in society through education. Because through education we can change the world. So that is my greatest desire that led me into teaching. I want to change the world through education,” she noted.
For Mrs Hunter, when persons are educated, they can in turn impact their own family and make a change.
And as she now looks forward to saying goodbye to the group, she anticipates those coming to her in the new school year. For those moving on, she said the one thing she wants them to remember is that Jesus is only a prayer away.