Teachers inspire former state ward to become educator
Inspired by many teachers who have taught her over the years, 25-year-old Cassia Lecky made a conscious decision to join the profession, and after two years on the job, she believes that she is already making an impact.
She told THE WEEKEND STAR that in her two years of teaching, she has a helped many students which, for her, is the most fulfilling job.
“I get students from a range of different backgrounds, students that require me to go the extra mile, to employ different learning strategies so that they can grasp the content.
And although the process is grueling sometimes, I must say the students that I have worked with make it worth it.”
Lecky, who is a teacher at the Greater Portmore High School in St Catherine, teaches information technology, electronic document preparations and management, data operations and principles of business to students from grades nine to 11. She also helps to prepare students for Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate examinations. “When mi see them really and truly step out there and pass them exam, it makes me feel elated in ways I can’t even properly articulate. It’s a wonderful feeling,” said Lecky, who grew up in state care. Lecky was educated at the Annotto Bay High School in St Mary, and earned a bachelor of education in business and computer studies degree from the University of Technology, Jamaica. “I wanted to carry on the baton of what was given to me through teachers or by teachers. So I chose to become a teacher because of my passion for giving back and because teachers played an integral part in my success,” Lecky said. “They were instrumental in my upbringing so I think teachers played a significant role in who I am today and the successes I’ve gained. So I figured that one way of giving back is to become a teacher.” Lecky also said that growing up in the state’s care also had a strong impact on her career choice. She said that her experience has allowed her to better understand her students because she can relate to many of their challenges. “Students normally want persons that can relate to them … and when they can come to somebody and speak to that person and I can relate to them and speak their language, it’s only because I would have gone through stuff that they’re currently experiencing,” Lecky said.