Thomas "Ted" Dwyer (centre), educator, in humorous conversation with Professor Aggrey Brown (left), director of the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication and educator Hugh Dawes, at Le Meridien Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston, on Thursday night. Mr. Dwyer became the 31st inductee into the Jamaica Teachers' Association's Roll of Honour. - Winston Sill

THOMAS "TED" Dwyer, educator and founding principal of Excelsior Community College, Mountain View Avenue, Kingston, was inducted into the Jamaica Teachers' Association's Roll of Honour on Thursday night.

The 66-year-old actor and playwright became the 31st inductee to the Roll which was initiated in 1977, and which is the highest award the JTA confers on teachers. He has been teaching for more than 40 years and is also well-known for his work in theatre and arts.

In a citation presented to him at Le Meridien Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston, Mr. Dwyer was lauded for his career as an educator and his achievements in culture and the arts.

This synthesis of the pedagogical and the cultural was to be, in a very real sense, the hallmark of Ted's approach to the task of civilising young minds, which is, after all, the ultimate purpose of education," it read.

In his reply, Mr. Dwyer said his love for teaching began when he was 11 years at Mile Gully Elementary School, Manchester, when he was the only student in his class opting for a teaching career.

According to him, becoming "smaddy" then -- climbing the social ladder -- meant passing examinations and going to college, which he said was a great event in rural Jamaica. This achievement, he said, often invited jealousies and animosity coupled with the fact that getting the opportunity to go to college then meant that one was supposed to have "worked obeah".

"My childhood ambition to become a teacher was influenced by the limited options for upward social mobility of the colonial hierarchical power structure, greatly ordered by colour and money," Mr. Dwyer said.

"A teacher was greatly respected [and] a headmaster was god of all he surveyed in the community."

He said he felt humbled to have been inducted into the Roll of Honour with the likes of educators Wesley Powell, Ethlyn Rhodd, W.B.C. Hawthorne, A.G.R. Byfield, U.C. Wolfe, Aubrey Phillips and E.H. Cousins.

"In honouring me in this manner you have placed me among a constellation of very distinguished predecessors," Mr. Dwyer said.

Guest speaker at the ceremony, Professor Aggrey Brown, director of the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication (CARIMAC), criticised the present "schooling" system which he said is based on the principle of instrumental rationality.

"It is market-driven more so today than ever," he said. "So that, whereas at an earlier time we attempted, with some success, to educate our young, today, we train for jobs. We do not educate them for life and for living."

Basing his speech on the theme "Critical Thinking, Common sense and Teaching One's Self", the professor urged teachers to "teach themselves", which he said meant just being one's self.

"We have to have patience, we need to be selfless, thoughtful, considerate, and we need to be humble to know and acknowledge that we don't know it all," he said.

Published The Gleaner Oct. 22, 2001