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Arlene Wint-Thorpe - Elgin Taylor
Irrespective of the national picture of low performing students at the primary level, the fact remains that there are scores of capable and dedicated teachers within the system. One such individual is Arlene Wint-Thorpe, music teacher at Naggo Head Primary School in Portmore, St Catherine.
In a recent interview with The Star, she revealed that at first she contemplated choosing a career in medicine, but later found herself drawn to teaching, based on the motivation received from her parents who were both educators.
She got her first teaching job at Ensom City All Age School in Portmore from 1985 to 1986 where she taught general subjects as well as being involved with 4-H activities. As a result of this involvement, she represented Jamaica at a 4-H Drug-awareness conference in Barbados.
On her return she took up the position of Mathematics teacher at her alma mater, the Queen's School in St Andrew. At, she was able to make a significant impact on the lives of individuals who later became prominent persons in the Jamaican society.
"During my tenure I had outstanding students like Lisa Hanna, Denise Hunt and Denise Johnston, among many others. I also assisted with music for devotions and prepared graduates for their school-leaving ceremony," she noted.
She again represented the country at the 1986 International Four-H Youth Exchange (IFYE) in the United States of America where she was introduced to computers.
She continued teaching at the Queen's College until July 1989 when she was once again called upon to represent her country, this time as a member of the Jamaica Council of Churches Youth Commis-sion's peace mission to North Korea.
Wint-Thorpe rejoined the staff at Ensom City Primary School in September 1989 and was given a very challenging grade nine class to teach. However she persevered with them.
The end result was that many turned out to be executive chefs, educators, international relations specialists, among other skilled professionals
In 1993 she joined the staff at Campion College as a math teacher. While there, she was seconded to the Ministry of Health as assistant to the public-relations officer. Her job included organising meetings for CARICOM ministers of health, setting up the MIS Department and putting together the first computerised patient-administrative system.
She returned to the classroom in January 1999 at Waterford High School and taught music and computer technology. In September 1999, she joined the staff at Naggo Head Primary as an information-technology teacher.
She was trained at Shortwood Teachers' College, the Royal School of Music, London, England and the Jamaica School of Music. She has served as organist and pianist at different Anglican churches in the island. She has come under the tutelage of musical luminaries such as Paulette Bellamy, Lloyd Hall, Trevor Beckford and David Johns. Her students have also won many awards at the annual national festival.
Respected by colleagues, the versatile and talented Wint-Thorpe is characterised by Shift A vice-principal, Franklin Jarrett, as a "very, very, good teacher". Her philosophy is, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
