THE public education system has frequently made headlines this year - and not always positive ones. An independent team of experts drafted in to investigate why more than half of the Island's senior school students were failing to graduate concluded that the system as "on the brink of meltdown". The Hopkins Report judged that a quarter of lessons were taught inadequately, the curriculum was inconsistent and principals were failing to ensure quality teaching. There was also controversy following the release of this year's graduation rates, which shot up to 80 per cent, compared to 58 per cent last year. Although Education Minister Randy Horton put the improvement down to hard work on behalf of students and teachers, the Opposition claimed the numbers had been fudged. Not surprisingly, teachers have been criticised for the apparent failure of public schools. Reporter Gareth Finighan spoke to new Bermuda Union of Teachers President Keisha Douglas about the issues those at the sharp end of the system currently face.

Q: What made you want to become a teacher?

A: I believe that for as long as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a teacher of some sort. At first a nursery school teacher when I was very young, but it wasn' until I was a senior student at The Berkeley Institute that I realized my calling was to teach mathematics. At this time the principal, Dr. Clifford Maxwell was my mathematics teacher and I understood him perfectly and enjoyed his classes - Saturdays and all - and it is where were all my friends would say 'Keisha, help us' because most of the concepts went over their heads. I found it so easy and natural to explain things to them and thus my mind was made up.I would teach Mathematics.

Q: When did you become President of the BUT and what made you apply for the position?

A: I became President of the Bermuda Union of Teachers the night of our AGM scheduled on Wednesday, October 11, 2007. Previous to becoming President, I served as Treasurer and I was nominated to become President by the Immediate Past President, Lisa Trott who had decided not to run again and gave me her vote of confidence. I am confident that my educational background and leadership skills make me an excellent candidate for this position. As treasurer of the union, I have solidified our financial standing, incorporated new policies and procedures, as well as secured partnerships with the banks to ensure investment opportunities for our members. Additionally, I have shown initiative, exemplary organisational, analytical and problem-solving skills, as well as creativity and commitment to fostering academic and professional growth amongst young people and adults in a variety of settings. I posses exceptionally strong communication and interpersonal skills and I am capable of operating in a mature and professional manner in an extremely diversified and ever changing educational marketplace.

Q: What you see as the challenges ahead for the BUT, particularly in light of the Hopkins Report?

A: The BUT is in a unique position of being instrumental in the way forward in regards to Education Reform as outlined in the Hopkins Education Report. We are at the crossroads once again with respect to reforming Education in Bermuda. In light of the Hopkins review, we must be seen as the professionals that we are in ensuring that we work collaboratively with all stakeholders to ensure a quality education for all students. I want to see our BUT membership recognised for their significance, expertise, commitment, professionalism and dedication to teaching and learning.

Q: What are the difficulties that teachers face in the classroom today?

A: There are many difficulties that teachers face on a daily basis in the classroom, to name a few - behavioral issues, overall lack of discipline, lack of motivation from some students, students who need special services and students who do not study or readily prepare themselves to work.

Q: People say that teachers have 'an easy job' with good pay and lots of holiday. Is this a fair assessment?

A: Not at all! I dare anyone from the outside to come in and teach just for a day. Then they will know that teaching is a unique profession. Teachers are special people and not anyone can do the job. It is a highly complex skill to be able to transmit knowledge successfully. Teachers not only teach but they obviously play an important role in bringing up children. In an ideal world, parents should play the primary role in bringing up their children. However in many cases the teacher is left solely with this awesome task. Parents are indeed students' first teachers and it is imperative that all parents see their role in promoting excellence among students. Parents need to instill the value of education in their children as well as support teachers and their students every step along the way. Together, teachers and parents can ensure student success.

Q: If unfair, what can the Bermuda Union of Teachers do about it?

A: The BUT is set to launch Teacher Talk on Magic 102.7FM on January 15, 2008. We will celebrate teachers and continue to make the public aware of how unique and special teachers are and all that they do to ensure student success. We will invite anyone with that sentiment to try and teach in Bermuda's classrooms.

Q: Is teaching easier if children come from a disciplined home?

A: Teaching is much easier if students are well-behaved and motivated to learn. The focus in the classroom should be on the academics and not on disciplining students, but teachers find themselves dealing with poor behaviour on a regular basis and undisciplined children disrupt what has the potential of being excellent lessons.

Q: Is there too much pressure on teachers to enforce discipline?

A: Yes. Teachers who have excellent classroom management strategies in place combat discipline quite easily. Students know what they can and cannot do in the classroom setting and it is up to the teacher to report disruptive students to the year heads or administration if the students do not obey their classroom rules or routines.

Q: Do you think teachers are often and unfairly blamed when children behave badly?

A: Yes.

Q: Are some parents neglecting their role?

A: Yes

Q: Why do you think graduation rates are so low? Does a child's background play a part? Is it fair to say that public school children, generally, come

from less advantageous backrounds and does this have an impact?

A: Not all of them. However we have a large segment of our population where parents simply could not imagine paying private school fees because of thier income bracket. Another small segment of our students have to wonder if there will be food on the table or a place to sleep at night. These are the types of serious economic and social issues we are dealing with.

Q: How can the graduation rate be it be improved? In what way will teachers be expected to play a part?

A: We have begun to stop social promotion at the Senior Level. Teachers have always wanted the best for their students - they want them to succeed, so in doing so, they have always provided one-on-one with students, extra classes and/or tutorials - for free, on their own time - to ensure student success.

Q: Do you think the overall standard of teaching in our schools is of a high standard?

A: I do not believe that any teacher wakes up and says they are not going to do their very best every day. The Hopkins Report, which reported negatively that one quarter of teachers were inadequate, should have highlighted that three quarters were adequate, which sheds a more positive light on our teachers.

Q: Is there competition between private and public schools?

A: Private versus Public will always be debated. I feel that it is like comparing apples with oranges. Private schools can hand pick their students and if the students do not toe the line then they are asked to leave. We do not ask them to account for students that leave their system-and more times then not they end up back in our classrooms. Public schools are mandated to take all students, regardless of academic strengths or weaknesses or behavioral challenges. The public has no knowledge of what happens in privae schools - they only report their successes and we never hear about their failures.

Q: Are private schools able to attract better teachers by offering a better pay deal?

A: I do not believe that teachers at the private schools are paid any better than any of our members. However, the private schools continue to recruit some of our best teachers by maybe offering perks to them, such as their children attending the private school at a reduced fee.

Q: So what can be done to keep good teachers in the public school system?

A: I believe that teachers in the public school system are generally happy with their salaries at this stage and many of them believe in public school education as most of them are products of this very same system.

Q: What's the difference between a good and a bad teacher?

A: A good teacher plans well, has excellent classroom management techniques and strategies, cares, is passionate about their craft and emulates this passion in everything they do - just to name a few. A bad teacher, in my opinion simply, shows up to collect a paycheque and does nothing in between. I don't feel we have any truly bad teachers. I believe teachers work hard and some just work harder than others.

Q: Do you think that all schools - both private and public - have a fair share of both good and bad teachers?

A: Like in any profession, there are good and bad employees and since we are not privy to evaluations of teachers, I can't answer the question.

Q: How can bad teachers improve their performance?

A: Through Professional Development and Professional Learning Communities and assistance from Instructional Team Leaders within their schools who are able to model for them best practice.

Q: Is it difficult attracting teachers to the profession?

A: It has proven to be difficult at times, especially in this time of the International Business boom and financial institutions appealing to college bound students. For example, an excellent high school mathematician may decide to become an actuary where they have the potential of making maybe more than $150,000 a year - far more than what an excellent mathematics teacher has the potential of ever making.

Q: Is teaching something that lots of people, particularly Bermudians, want to do or do you have to hire guest workers?

A: Teaching is a noble profession, however there is a teacher shortage all over the world and here in Bermuda we do find ourselves in the position of recruiting many guest workers, especially at the senior school level.

Q: Why are there so few male teachers?

A: Not every young man grows up wanting to be a teacher whereas from the time little girls get their first doll, they are playing either house or teacher with their dolls. Girls are nurturing and always tend to gravitate towards the teaching profession.

Q: So how can you attract more and why is it important to have more?

A: We can begin to attract more males to the system by providing forums for senior school males, offering college placements for them if teaching is the area they are interested in and allowing them to shadow other male teachers who are making a difference. I believe that more males in the system is crucial as many of our students are living without a father figure and in particular we have a huge amount of male students who are being raised by single woman. A male teacher can offer that firm guidance that they may be lacking.

Q: The public school system has two top rate facilities with CedarBridge and Berkeley. How important is it to have facilities of a high standard?

A: We are in our in our second year at the New Berkeley Institute. It is a state of the art facility and of course it is always more convenient to be surrounded by beauty, first class technologies, and air conditioning to name a few. However learning can take place anywhere if students are intrinsically motivated to learn.

Q: Do you agree that the public school system is failing Bermuda's youth?

A: No. I am a product of this system having attended Purvis Primary and The Berkeley Institute. I believe that I am successful and that every student that enters the system has the potential of being successful if they continue to strive for excellence and always do their very best. We know that students have many different issues and some of them may not be serviced as they should. However the majority of students that fail have simply not made the effort to succeed.

Q: Are you confident that the graduation rate will improve?

A: Yes. Now that the senior schools have stopped social promotion and only studenst on track by their Senior 4 year are allowed to graduate, I feel that as time goes on we will see more and more students not wanting to 'stay back' and applying the necessary effort in order to graduate with their class.