Byron Burrell - Elgin Taylor

It is the general feeling in the education sector that many students shy away from the subject of mathematics. This phobia is reflected yearly in the poor performance seen in the Grade Four Numeracy Test and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate Examination (CSEC).

In a recent interview with The Star, Byron Burrell, mathematics teacher at St Catherine High School in Spanish Town, shared his thoughts on the matter.

"I believe what they are afraid of is the challenge (of the subject) and this comes down to motivation. I do not get the sense that there is a fear in my class, as I try to get them relaxed and motivated to the point where they become enthused about the subject," he explained.

He went on further to state that, as a teacher, he relates all maths concepts to real-life situations, and often impresses on his students that there is no mechanism in life which can work without a mathematical concept, formula or rule.

He also spoke of the importance of positive reinforcement by encouraging and praising students when they do well, and by enabling them to feel a sense of belonging so that they participate willingly in class activities.

Burrell, who joined the staff at St Catherine High in September 1985, teaches maths to grades 7-13 students. This takes in the Reform of Secondary Education (ROSE), Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) curricula.

"I have no problem with the ROSE curriculum. In fact I see it as a well-constructed, detailed layout of the areas to be covered. It serves as a good lead-up to CSEC. Our exam results for CSEC have been good, and I would say that, for CAPE, we have seen 70 per cent passes," he noted.

Born in Woodhall, Clarendon, he attended Kingston Technical High School and at one time harboured thoughts of becoming a physics teacher. However the technical nature of the school's curriculum did not provide the scope for this development.

He enrolled at Mico Teachers' College (now The Mico University College) from 1998-2000, and graduated with a teacher's diploma in mathematics and science. Then, in 2006 he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics education from Central Connecticut University (USA), through a scholarship from the Organisation of American States (OAS). Eager to be more competent in his field, in 2009 he successfully completed a two-year postgraduate Diploma in Mathematics Education at the University of Technology (UTech).

Burrell taught at two other schools during his 30 years in the profession. They are Clarendon College, from 1981 - 1983, and Charlemont High School (St Catherine), from September 1983 - August 1987.

The calm and calculated educator said that it was his belief that the challenge of getting students interested in mathematics comes right down to the teacher - especially when dealing with students at the lower level of the education spectrum.