Renisa Baldeo - The Heart of a Teacher

VALDEEN SHEARS

“I never teach my pupils, I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.”

― Albert Einstein

One general consensus stood out during WMN's interview with 26-year-old, Renisa Baldeo: her approach is not to merely teach but to offer her students an environment conducive to learning.

The petite young woman explained how she turned a simple hobby into a sustainable career at her Oropune Gardens, Piarco home.

A self-confessed introvert, Baldeo recounted her journey from two students around a small glass table in her parents’ gallery, to a classroom equipped to teach up to 12 students at a time at Renisa's SEA and CSEC Centre.

At that time, she had been pursuing a BSc in Physics with minors in environmental and material Physics at the University of the West Indies.

"I had intentions to further my studies by acquiring my Master’s in Petroleum engineering at UTT (University of Trinidad and Tobago). However, my intentions were not of God's."

Baldeo recalled sitting with her siblings, studying for exams and a neighbour asking if she would consider tutoring her child.

"I seized the opportunity and gladly offered my assistance. In that moment I had an idea that I did not know would have impacted so many lives. My notion was to teach students, help with homework and projects as a part time job while completing my degree. Little did I know that my career path was changing its course," she said shaking her head.

Baldeo decided not to pursue her masters, but rather to take a risk, "with something I knew I definitely loved doing".

Less than one year later her classes quickly grew in numbers. She got accolades from parents following the successes of her students at both school term tests and the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) exam.

When asked if she was ever afraid of having the power to mould the minds of so many, being so young herself, she boldly stated, "Not at all. The beauty of building these children into leaders is that it's the little things you do to invest in them everyday day that will mould them into the adults they will become. Seeing my students grow and having a positive impact on their lives is nothing to be afraid of, but to be inspired by."

As for treating with students close to her age group, Baldeo said for her discipline is simply a way to guide and manage behaviour.

"Before attending my classes students and parents are notified of the rules and a contract is also signed. Consequences are explained in detail and are very well executed when necessary. Thank God, I have yet to really warrant using any sort of stringent measures," she said.

Baldeo also tries to also maintain a unique relationship with her parent body.

"I do not see this as a job but a profession that I love, within which I can help change the lives of many. If a parent is facing financial difficulties, as we all do, from time to time... we work it out. Money cannot buy the fact that you are educating the future and leaving knowledge permanently behind with generations. "

She laughed and threw her long plait over one shoulder as she recalled the growth of her classes both in students and in surroundings.

"It’s funny now I look back, I remember my mom's small glass table in our gallery and my first two students... but I have not changed… in fact I think that that journey and faith is what drove me to improve to be able to offer parents and my students something better… an environment more conducive to them learning," she stated.

Baldeo uses a combination of resources acquired through past teachers and her siblings, as well as generating her own notes. She also utilises the Ministry of Education's syllabus.

"There are a variety of factors that prevent students from reaching their full potential. Lack of motivation, ambition, fear of failure, low self-esteem complacency, lack of supportive environment from teachers, parents and friends. For me, if I see a child struggling in any subject area I try to identify the reasons why that child is struggling.

Baldeo's method proved sound during SEA 2018, with nine of her 14 students passing for their first and second choice secondary schools.

But the former St Francois Girls College student said high results rates cannot replace her feeling of fulfilment when she sees a child simply improving academically and striving to do even better. She firmly believes that it takes educators to look for the potential in students, nurture it and engage both student and parent towards self-improvement. Support she said, is key.

"The greatest feeling of achievement is meeting students who are at a critical point in their life and I am given an opportunity to build into their lives and have a positive impact. I have tutored and worked together with students whose grades were no more than 20 per cent and was able to help get their grades up to 70 per cent within eight months’ time. Results like this gives me a great sense of purpose and reassures me that this is my spiritual calling."

Her advice to students? "Procrastination happens, we can all relate to that. However, don't let it take over your life. Pay attention to what causes you to procrastinate and try to avoid these setbacks. Plan your time to include doing things that you enjoy as no one wants to study all the time. Find a quiet, comfortable place to study. Now when I say comfortable, I am not referring to your bed, as your body associates your bed with sleeping. Summarise and take notes in your own words to help you retain information. Eat healthily, get enough rest and exercise."

BOX:

What The Kids Say

Mone Leveau and Dimali Boodoo, sat the SEA examinations on May 3, 2018 and both passed for their first choice schools. Leveau will go on to St Francoise Girls College, Belmont, while Boodoo begins Form 1 at St Joseph's Convent, St Joseph, come September.

"Miss was patient... she took the time to ask if things were ok, outside of our school work. We were able to get individual attention and I needed that when I first came here... I was a grade C student, now I am at a consistent B overall and an A in Maths," said the dimpled Leveau. The 12-year-old, who aspires to be both a vocalist and a social worker, will continue on as a student at Renisa's SEA and CSEC Centre.

Boodoo, also 12, on the other hand, while also planning to pursue a singing career, has dreams of becoming an interior decorator.

Jovanna Scott, 9 and Micah Eyeadelrosiyhia, 11 are both entering Std 4 for the new school term.

Scott started classes at Renisa's earlier this year, with a Grade C and said her parents saw a marked improvement almost immediately. She is now a consistent Grade B.

Eyeadelrosiyhia, who has been tutored by Baldeo for the past two years, was at a Grade D, when he first started. He has graduated to a Grade B and intends to be either a zoologist or footballer in the near future.

Both said because of the size, Baldeo's classes lacked the distractions they faced at their respective schools.

Jean-Micah Hercules, 15 and Heston Greenidge, 14 are both past SEA students at Renisa's. The two young men recalled their tutor's ability to anticipate which subject areas were troubling to them.

"She just took her time and went through it with us, over and over if she had too, unlike most times in school... they do a subject and move on after a short while, said Hercules, as aspiring civil engineer.

Greenidge, whose interest lies in architecture, said even his teachers at his primary school commented on his quick improvement after he begun classes in 2017.

Alexia Ashton, Shania Harding and Natalia Maharaj are Form 4 students at different schools, but when at Renisa's they know they are being armed with educational tools sometimes ahead of the classmates at their respective secondary schools.

For Jalila Balewa, 15, her ability to have gone from Grades D and C to a Grade B overall and Grade A in Mathematics can certainly attest to this.

All four young women reiterated that the atmosphere set for learning made it far easier for them to apply themselves more and improve their grades.

Mich Earle, 18, attained three subjects and CSEC and is presently repeating six subjects, two of which she already secured passes in.

However, Earle said she wanted to live up to Baldeo's expectations.

"I see how much she invests in us... I wanted to and still intend to make her proud. So I know this time around I will do much better. Earle had been at Renisa's shortly before entering Form 5 and went from a Grade C student to grade B and A within the first two months, she said.