Give Me a Chance to Grow Up

About the Book

As a concerned teacher, I have observed over the last twenty (20) years of teaching children between the ages of seven to fifteen (7–15) years that children have experienced abuse sexually and otherwise. They were usually too ashamed or unsure of what to do, so they hid their problems. As a result, there is maladapted behavior in the form of violence, petty crimes, suicide, and promiscuity.

The problem of incest was also brought to the forum as a root cause of maladaptive behavior, which ultimately ended in teenage pregnancies and other related issues. Although with the intervention of the law in the form of the police and other interest groups, many times these interventions are too slow and too late in coming. Hence, the damage has already been done.

Children have been known to be turned away from school because of the lack of birth certificate. They have a right to their existence. The intention of this project is to present relevant information to these students in simple terms to make them aware of self and their rights.

The information provided can be used as a social studies supplement or guidance sessions. It also includes words meaning, simple sentences for reenforcement, find the words, brain teasers, and syllabication of words that are unfamiliar. Each page picture/s is used to depict situations.

Thanks in advance.

About the Author

I have been a teacher for twenty years. I was inspired to teach when my son was underperforming in school, and there wasn’t much I could do to assist him. I started as a pretrained teacher, then pursued a diploma in primary education in Jamaica. The knowledge I gained wasn’t sufficient to handle the reading challenges in my classroom, hence I attained a bachelor’s degree in education (majoring in Literacy Studies) from the University of the West Indies. This has helped in developing my students’ reading abilities.

Jimmy Cliff’s song “You Can Get It If You Really Want” inspired me and is incorporated in morning devotions to remind students they can succeed through determination and perseverance.

I notice a lack of relevant and vital information required to shape the young minds and lives; that would make them more aware and knowledgeable, hence my reason for writing this article.