Cynthia Gayle-Carter - Elgin Taylor photo

Without a doubt, teachers who work in the inner-city areas have a great challenge on their hands, due largely to the volatile nature of these communities.

Cynthia Gayle-Carter, now a mathematics lecturer at the Old Harbour campus of the Portmore Community College (PCC), is one teacher who not only faced such challenges, but came away the better for it.

"Sure, it was a great challenge, both for the teachers and students, but it has made me who I am today," she stated in an interview with THE STAR.

She further explained that she taught for 23 years (1980-2003) at St Anne's High School in western Kingston, and that there were times when she and her students had to take cover under desks and tables when gunshots were being fired in the locality.

She said that, in general, teachers and other professionals were not targeted, but that when gunshots were being fired this 'protection' was of little comfort.

The Coffee Ridge, St Ann-born teacher underscored that, as a country girl, such an experience was very numbing and traumatic. She said that she literally saw communities wither and die, as people moved out of the affected areas by droves, and that she witnessed the dwindling of the school population from a thousand to just over three hundred students.

However, she stuck to the task and now claims that the experience has made her into a more resolute and resilient individual, capable of handling any difficulty that may arise in the teaching/learning situation.

Continuing education

Gayle-Carter got her teacher training at Mico Teacher Training College (1977-1980), with the last year (internship) spent at Norman Gardens All-Age in St Andrew. She holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics education from the University of the West Indies (1987-1989) and a master's degree in adult education from Mount St. Vincent University of Canada (2005-2007).

Since September 2003, she has been a full-time lecturer of mathematics at the Old Harbour campus of PCC.

She explained that her student population are mainly young adults involved in continuing education, with range three or four in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) from high school and desirous of doing better at a re-sit, or those pursuing the associate degree in mathematics.

Her programme includes pre-calculus, calculus, statistics and CSEC mathematics.

She made the distinction between adult and teen learners in this manner: "Adults learn for the reasons of professional development and for self-actualisation. They learn by choice and are self-motivated, whereas, with kids, you have to let them see the need for their learning."

Gayle-Carter is also an accomplished dressmaker. She said that she is lucky to have something to fall back on when retirement beckons. In the meantime, she will continue to "positively impact the lives of Jamaicans."