The teachers in the Cayman Islands are superb. Early years and primary teachers are essential for the early years development of children and significantly impact their long-term skills, work ethic and development.
Amy Miller
Amy Miller, from the UK, is an SEN pre-school teacher at Little Trotters, which was awarded "Excellent" in the May 2021 inspection by the Office of Education Standards.
What inspired you to move into a more SEN focused role?
I have always had a great interest in special needs and love finding strategies to suit each individual child. When given the opportunity to be involved in this, it felt like the perfect move for me. Each child deserves the chance to succeed, and my aim is to help make each child to feel included, heard and supported each day they come to school.
Do you have any tips for parents who struggle to get their children to read at home?
Following a child’s interests is the key, for example; If your child loves to bake, you could find a child’s baking book, making it exciting to find the information in the book! I think allowing time for your child to share thoughts, explore their imagination and adding story time to your routine is always going to be a positive to their learning.
Funniest thing a child has said to you at school?
“Miss Amy, is that a baby in your belly?” After eating a big slice of chocolate cake!
Which of your current or previous colleagues do you admire the most and why?
Without a doubt, it is my lovely colleague and friend Carolyn Jervis. She has worked in early years for many years, has experience from all over and inspires the teachers and children’s minds every day! If she had been my teacher growing up I would probably be an astronaut by now.
Do you think there should be more opportunities to teach outdoors in Cayman?
Yes I think outdoor learning is of huge importance to child development. Some of my favourite memories are from Forest School, using natural resources to support your teaching goals. Here in Cayman we have so much to explore, and it is right on our doorstep. I definitely think we should take as much advantage of that as possible.
Ben Desrosiers
Ben Desrosiers, from the UK, joined Footsteps School as an Inclusion Coordinator in 2020 and says it is the best moment of his career so far!
What’s your best technique for grasping everyone’s attention in class?
When you can get the class on the edge of their seat without saying a word. I come from a background of teaching children with Autism and there is a technique called ‘Attention Autism’ which involves carrying out a multi-sensory demonstration in front of the class. Its purpose is to help children develop their attention skills. Of course, it works well for everyone. I recently acted out a West African creation story using a tray with sand, water, shells, and action figures. You could hear a pin drop!
What’s your favourite way to relax after a long day in the classroom?
I am a keen practitioner of yoga and my absolute favourite thing to do after work is a good hour of yoga in my back yard. I do have three children though so feeding and entertaining them usually takes priority!
Which famous actor would you love to invite into your class to read out loud to the children, and which book would it be?
The British actor Brian Blessed reading anything. He could make the back of a cereal packet sound good.
Do you think there should be more opportunities to teach outdoors in Cayman?
Absolutely. We’re really lucky here at Footsteps because every Thursday the children travel to either Dart Park or Smith Cove for a day of outdoor learning. It’s like Forest School but on the beach. Sometimes I have to pinch myself when I’m teaching Maths under a shady tree looking out across the Caribbean Sea!
Do you have any tips for parents who struggle to get their children to read at home?
Switch off your screens. I mean everyone’s screens. Watching a screen will always be easier than reading a book, but never as rewarding. Books are supposed to be interesting, and children will see that once all of the screens are off.
Steve Coles
Steve Coles is the Deputy Principal at Cayman Prep. He was inspired to become a teacher after assisting in an inner-city school as part of community service programme whilst he was at school in the UK.
How has teaching changed or evolved since you first became a teacher?
We’ve come to realise that good teaching is student-focused. Teaching today nurtures the desire to know and understand and to accomplish this with, but not for, our students. Indeed, while it may come as a shock, teachers don’t know everything! We are constantly learning, often alongside our students.
Your ideal holiday – where, doing what and who with?
Those who know me will know that who (family) and doing what (very little) remains largely unchanged, but in terms of ‘where’, I would have to say either to Little Cayman or the North Norfolk (UK) coast.
Do you have any tips for parents who struggle to get their children to read at home?
For any reluctant reader, another’s involvement in the reading process is key. After all, reading is communication between people much like a movie or a play. This is where parents come in. In many cases our children don’t feel like they’ve fully experienced a book until they’ve shared it with someone. It completes the experience. We do the same thing with other forms of entertainment such as movies, plays and music. So, get involved and share in your child’s reading experiences, and let them also share in yours.
If you hadn’t become a teacher what career might you have chosen?
I dabbled with being part of a land surveying crew in Charleston for a while, but I deemed children as marginally less scary than alligators and poisonous serpents. It was close!
Which of your current or previous colleagues do you admire the most and why?
Having worked with my wife, Colleen Coles, for several years I had better get this right! But honestly, she is an amazing educator and an even more amazing wife and mum. I have no idea how she juggles all that she does and to the level she manages. She takes multitasking to a whole new level.
Dianne Varona
Dianne Varona always wanted to be a teacher and majored in SEN at university. She is currently a year 7-9 teacher at the Lighthouse School.
What has been the best moment of your career so far?
A former student met me in a store and proudly announced in front of everyone that because of me he learned to read and stayed in school. He was thinking about dropping out but had remembered that I always encouraged him to never give up. He hugged me with tears in his eyes and told me that he would love me forever.
Which famous actor would you love to invite into your class to read out loud to the children, and which book would it be?
James Earl Jones. I just love his love voice, with his distinct ‘Basso Profundo’, reading “Roots” by Alex Haley for the older students.
You can take your class anywhere in the world, budget unlimited. Where would you take them and why?
I would take them to Egypt to see the colossal pyramids, great Sphinx and Valley of the Kings’ tombs to indulge in the rich culture and history, and of course to ride on the camels.
Who was your favourite teacher as a young child and why?
My mother! She stressed that education was important and taught me to read at three years old. She is the reason I love books. She taught me many things including that some people may take things away from you but they can’t take away your namesake, your heritage, or the knowledge you attained.
What inspired you to move into a more SEN focused role?
A family member had a son with special needs who didn’t talk. When I was 12 years old I told his parents I was going to teach him to talk. As grown-ups would do they smiled and patted me on the head. Each time I visited him I would pull out flashcards, and sound out and pronounce the words to him. On one occasion I didn’t go and sit with him as I felt unwell. I heard a great yell and came running to find his mother in tears. She stated that he became anxious because he didn’t see me and shouted out “Where is my teacher?” From that day to this, he talks. I would like to thank him for pushing me into SEN.
