WOMAN POWER- Tameika Swaby-Johnson happily follows in her mother’s footsteps – Part I
Published:Sunday | February 9, 2020 | 12:00 AM
Mandeville, Manchester:
“My first love and calling has always been teaching. My passion for teaching was motivated by my mother, Viola Swaby, who has been an early childhood educator for almost 40 years. As a child growing up, I knew I was destined to be a teacher; there were no other plausible options. In 2001, I landed my first opportunity to demonstrate my craft as a pre-trained teacher.”
Tameika Swaby-Johnson has, for approximately two decades, devoted her life to ensuring that thousands of children become the best versions of themselves, all while participating in extracurricula activities, tending to her own family – and doing it all effortlessly.
“I take pride in being an agent of change. I am guided by the philosophy, ‘Be the change that you wish to see in the world’, so I had to do what I needed to. I received my education and training at James Hill Primary, Edwin Allen High, Knox College, Catholic College of Mandeville, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, and National College for Educational Leadership,” said the current principal of the Pratville Primary & Infant School.
Swaby-Johnson has taught at several schools, but has always found time to do more, going beyond the call of duty and injecting value in spaces.
“I have served as culture agent, director of school programmes; fundraising coordinator; parents club co-ordinator; teacher representative on school’s improvement planning committee; lesson planning coordinator; First Global quiz coordinator; mathematics coordinator; inter-house sports coordinator; teacher representative on curriculum implementation team; and grade coordinator.”
CHRISTIAN UPBRINGING
Born and raised on solid Christian principles, Swaby- Johnson says she uses prayer to fortify herself, and be a formidable force against any obstacle likely to befall her.
“I must confess that it was while teaching at Mandeville Primary & Junior High School that I learnt my inner strength. I encountered some students who others thought were un-teachable – I will unapologetically say there are no ‘un-teachable’ students – there are students who have not met the right teacher to reach them. One of the greatest joys about teaching was to see my students succeed. They walked into my classroom with different strengths, weaknesses, backgrounds and beliefs about themselves.”
She said to take them from ‘I can’t’ to ‘I can’ was the moment that made all the hard work sacrifice worth it.
“I speak of sacrifice because I invested in my students’ education. They were always included in my budget. I gave them free extra lessons during the week and also on Saturdays.”
Her flexibility as a leader is evidenced through her roles as a practicum assessor at the Catholic College of Mandeville; an adjunct lecturer at the Church Teachers’ College; and member of the Asia Police Youth Club, among others.
“I take much pride in focusing on the growth and well-being of people and the communities which I serve. The fulfilling feeling of giving back and contributing to society is unparalleled. I hold strongly to the view that ‘the secret to living is giving’. In Salem, Clarendon, I have started a programme where the elderly, sick and shut-ins are visited and presented with special packages during special times of the year. On a mission to formalise this type of distribution, myself and two other executive members, Mr Blake and Mr Hewitt, have formulated and registered a non-profit organisation named – Parish Uplifters Organisation,” ended the philanthropist.
Join us next week when we will find out just how Swaby-Johnson balances these roles as a mother, wife and philanthropist, and what she does to unwind.
– T.B.