EDVADA YEARWOOD can be described as fair but firm. A teacher for the past 36 years, he said that over time he has seen a lot of changes.
“When I came in I would have been very young, and looking at it from a young perspective I was challenged. People tended to think, ‘Look at this young teacher, though. Let me see if he is an easy walkover or if he could handle himself’,” he recalled.
Adding that “children tested you back then”, he said that today they “doubly test you” as there are more challenges being faced today as a teacher in the system: “What I faced 36 years ago was to establish myself as a teacher to make sure I was assertive and to reinforce that I knew what I was teaching. Children in the newer secondary schools are rougher than the ones in the older secondary schools, who are more cultured, so I had to prove myself.”
Yearwood, who began teaching at age 18, said he had to further prove himself as he was teaching students who were at most two years younger than him. Adding that he is a very strict person who does not tolerate any level of foolishness, he said he had no choice but to be strict.
“I am small and short in stature, being a mere five feet six inches. There were some students who were taller than me and who thought they could test me so I had to prove myself from day one.”
His first place of employment was St George Secondary in 1979, where he taught for a year, before moving on to Roebuck Secondary where he spent a short six weeks. “The teacher who was teaching metal work at Ellerslie Secondary won a scholarship and needed to go overseas.
“I had never taught to exam level before but the education officer at the time said to me that there was a class at Ellerslie who were preparing for the exam. It didn’t make sense having those students not being prepared for the exam so I was to be transferred there and someone would take up my post at Roebuck Secondary.”
And so in October 1980, Ellerslie Secondary became his new home.
Describing the experience as being thrown into the deep end of the pool, the industrial arts tutor, who teaches technical drawing and mechanical engineering technology, noted that it was a teething process for him.
“I had to establish my authority and having done that everything else ran smoothly.
“Having not taught to exam level up to that point, I did feel my way through the process initially. Thankfully, my hard work paid off and we did get a few passes that year, and as time progressed I became versed in that type of teaching.”
Now, as the senior teacher responsible for the fourth years, and although his duties are more administrative, Yearwood still teaches a few classes. Initially, in 2006, most of his time as senior teacher was dedicated to the upper school. Shortly thereafter, the principal decided to try something new and gave him a first year. He has since taken them from the lower school and will stay with them until their graduation from the institution.
“Dealing with senior students, my approach would have been strong as we know children can begin to do foolishness at that age. Coming down to first year, however, I realised I needed to tone down a bit, as much as some do try to test me.
“The laws of Barbados still give senior teachers and principals the authority to flog. And being equipped with that authority, if my bamboo comes out it means someone would get lashes.
“However, let me state that all offences do not warrant lashes and in some instances I have to investigate. I go through a thorough investigation to establish guilt. If the person is guilty then and shows no remorse and the offence warrants lashes, then the student would get lashes,” he stated matter of factly.
The husband and father of four said that teaching gives a person a lot of different experiences and his most rewarding one is passing through Bridgetown and meeting past students who would shake his hand and say, “Sir, thank you for the contribution you made to me, for getting me where I am today. It makes me feel really good knowing that I contributed to the well-being of all these people,” he said smiling.
Asked about the legacy he would like to leave behind, he mused, “Students know me to be fair and firm and I would like to leave knowing that the students understood that Mr Yearwood was here and gave of his all to help improve their lives. I have had both good and bad students pass through my hands and some I have been able to help, others not.
“I just want the students to understand that this is training and preparation for survival when they are out there alone. Here we work as a group and a team and we put our heads together to ensure that there is a benefit for all, especially the students.”
Before the EASY magazine interview ended, Yearwood offered this piece of advice to all students: “School is there to benefit you. When you go to school, pay attention because what you learn in school would stay with you for the rest of your life. So go to school, don’t waste time, and take what you have learnt to make yourself better.” (RA)