Thursday, March 28, 2024

Reward – spur for further growth

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Everyone wants to be appreciated, so if you appreciate someone, don’t keep it a secret. – Mary Kay Ash.
AT APPROXIMATELY 9:15 P.M. on October 20, 2011, a secret was revealed in the Ballroom Restaurant of Hilton Barbados. It was there that Royal Fidelity Merchant Bank and Trust showed its appreciation for ten Barbadian teachers.
Of course, as a teacher my mind immediately transformed that ballroom into a classroom while waiting to be bestowed a National Distinguished Teachers’ Award and be inducted into the NDTA Hall of Fame for 2011.
By now the question being asked is, what does Royal Fidelity Merchant Bank have to do with healing herbs?  
The gesture made by this bank has provided powerful spiritual fortification to help with my continued growth.  
Scanning the room, I began extracting the special spiritual fortifiers that I could reinforce in my classroom to improve delivery and enhance education.
I thank my Creator.  
My first layer of fortification occurred when the president of Royal Fidelity, Michael Anderson, and managing director Charles Chambers applied large doses of love and appreciation by honouring me.
This type of love is unconditional. They have positively reinforced that true love always returns to those who share it. That love is embedded in my heart to be shared with all my students.
The Minister of Education, Mr Ronald Jones, reminded me of reinforcing confidence as he spoke.
As he looked in my direction, I said: “Annette, be reminded when delivering to your students, look each one directly in the eye.” It will instil confidence.
Later that night Editor-in-Chief Kaymar Jordan of the Nation Publishing Company displayed supreme support and appreciation. She came to my table, patted me on the shoulder and spoke to me with her alluring personality.
She said: “Mrs Maynard-Watson, I see that one of my columnists is being rewarded as a National Distinguished Teacher tonight – congratulations!”
Those words of support illuminated my soul. I know that I must continue to recognize my students when I see them off campus. It felt good to be acknowledged.
The blue ribbon panel of judges: principal Matthew Farley, Mac Fingall, Charles Chambers, Grace Pilgrim, Joy Gittens (DCEO), who sat beside me and chatted about “silent doctors” and her love of tea, and Keith Miller, who expanded my horizon about the importance of teachers.
The judges demonstrated the need to be true, fair, impartial and honest in the school environment.
Photographer Russel Watson demonstrated dedication to duty and the needed virtue of patience. Alex Jordan, marketing and public relations coordinator of Royal Fidelity, livened up the place – a living example of how to stay bubbly and still in touch when in the classroom.   
Finally to my nominator, my social studies student Ryesha Pinder. She inspired hope for the future.
When I said: “Ryesha, I am nervous,” she stared with her bubbly eyes and said: “M’am! You are going to be alright. M’am, the other students love you but I adore you!”
Her kind words will always remain imprinted on my heart.  
• Annette Maynard-Watson, a teacher and herbal educator, may be contacted via silentdoctors @gmail.com or by telephone 250-6450.

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