Antoinette Banton Ellis - elgin taylor

st catherine

It is not the general mode of operation for an educator to move from the classroom to the principal's office.

In the normal scheme of things, a classroom teacher later assumes responsibilities as a senior teacher, head of department or vice principal, before such an appointment. However, this unusual circumstance has characterised the career of Antoinette Banton-Ellis, principal of Beulah All-age School in New Longville, Clarendon.

"Get this straight," the no-nonsense, erudite educator told The Star. "I am not bitter but I am somewhat peeved with the fact that, in our education system, long service takes precedence over performance."

"For 13 years, I worked as a classroom teacher and taught only grade six during that time. In addition to examinations, I was also involved in 4-H and beautification.

Pleased

I am pleased with my effort and happy to see the success of my students. Many of them have become investment bankers, teachers and custom officers."

She also revealed that while at Spanish Town Primary in St. Catherine, she worked both shifts.

grade six prepares students for the national Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT), and Banton-Ellis spoke of hard work that she put in, seven days per week, from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

She said she really enjoyed teaching at grade six because the students kept her on her toes, as she had to be constantly doing research. She said she used technology as a teaching tool.

as a principal, she said she often works on weekends.

Born at Crescent Road in May Pen, Clarendon, Banton-Ellis attended Vere Technical High School in the parish and, from 1992-1995, successfully studied for a teacher's diploma in primary education at St. Joseph's Teacher Training College in St. Andrew.

In 2000, she gained a bachelor's degree in primary education from Northern Caribbean University in Mandeville, Manchester. Her masters degree in Leadership and Supervision was obtained from Western Carolina University in the United States of America in May this year.

Since September 2008, Banton-Ellis has been working in the capacity as principal of Beulah All- age School. The school has an enrolment of 714 students and a staff of 27 teachers.

The other schools that she served include St. Aloysius Primary in Kingston, from 1995 to 2004, and Spanish Town Primary, from September 2004 to August 2008.

Among the awards she has received over the years are Outstanding All-round Teacher Award in 2006, while at Spanish Town Primary, and the Children's Centre Award for outstanding and dedicated service to education in 2008.

Concerned about violence

"I am concerned about the violent nature of some of our students," she said.

"I want to be able to make a difference in their lives. However, I notice that there is a tug of war going on with the values of the school and those that they learn at home. There is a general lack of parental supervision. You would be surprised to know parents are missing from a number of the homes."

Describing herself as a "people person", the young, talented and motivated educator wishes to continue to produce students, who can be productive citizens of society.

"I just want to mould the lives of the children," she said thoughtfully. "And, I also enjoy contributing to the development of my colleagues and parents of my students."