I write this letter in response to the letter from Evelyn Giles about literacy, published in the September 15 edition of the Gleaner. I am not sure what field she is in but I dare say she is like the "rest of us Jamaicans", who are on a crusade to demoralise teachers at any cost.

I know that teaching "nowadays" students is very difficult. These children have a myriad of problems including cognitive development. There are social, emotional and behavioural problems which the classroom teacher and principals alone cannot solve.

Unmanageable

I am not for a minute saying teachers do not have a responsibility to educate the Jamaican child but I want to point out that most teachers try and work hard. Have you ever really been in a classroom of boisterous, unruly students? Well, I have. These are often the uninterested ones whose parents are seen only on occasions when there is a conflict. These children are unmanageable and are hard to teach. Guidance counsellors are over-whelmed with these students and it does not matter whether the school has a population of 30 or 300.

We need to face facts. Jamaica's children are in a crisis and its not the teachers' fault. Retraining, retooling, firing and hiring the "best" will not help until stakeholders face the fact that some of the problems affecting learning is not for the teacher to solve. The teachers themselves often need psychological support after dealing with some of these students.

Speak out

I also take this opportunity to ask teachers to stand and speak out against some of the atrocities they face in the classroom and I don't mean poor salaries or even lack of resources. I'm referring to the "type of children" and I don't mean the slow one, but the abusive and disruptive ones who are increasing on a daily basis.

You critics should come and take over the jobs since you have all the answers. You solve it.

With regards to her saying many teachers have first degrees, this is a necessity to earn a bit more so leave the teachers alone.

I am, etc.,

JANET KERR

jan_kerr71@yahoo.com