| Although being a teacher is a noble career,Authentic Bojan Bogdanovic Nets Jersey, it is often described as a major challenge to many. But to Gillian Layne McFarlane,Authentic Victor Oladipo Thunder Jersey, the challenges associated with her teaching career by far outweigh those of the average teacher.Teacher Gillian, as she is known by many,Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Pistons Jersey, has been at the job for the past 15 years, despite being visually impaired.She is completely blind in her left eye,Stephon Marbury USA Jersey, but has 10 per cent vision in her right eye, through which she is able to see mere shadows. She has, however, skilfully used her limited vision over the years to decipher her surroundings.With the added aid of her other senses, the 34-year-old claims that she has been able to defy the odds of her physical impairment and has struggled with every fibre of her being to make something of herself.According to the passionate woman, as a little girl, her parents had told her that the impairment was caused by excess pressure on her eyes when she was placed in an incubator soon after birth. She was a premature baby.Gillian McFarlane and her daughter, BriannaHowever, it was some time after her birth that her parents became aware that she was visually impaired. Her level of impairment did not keep the young Gillian from showcasing that she had immense potential.In fact, her potential was significantly boosted when,Harrison Barnes Mavericks Jersey, at the age of six, she was enrolled at the Resource Unit for the blind and visually impaired students, which was at the time housed at the David Rose School for the Handicapped.According to Gillian, she was among the first batch of students to graduate from that institution, which was later relocated to the St Rose’s High School Compound. After completing the primary level of schooling, Gillian was promoted to St Rose’s High and was even allowed to write CXC.She said that she was restricted to writing two subjects because of her impairment, but she did the best that she could.She said that during her secondary years of schooling she was nicknamed ‘The Great Historian’ because she was always able to remember the names of persons, places and the dates that historical events occurred.It was for this attribute, according to the jovial young woman, that she was advised to take up a career in teaching.She explained that as a young child she had always wanted to become a writer, but the thought of being a teacher was most intriguing.And while one would think that she would be thrust into the unit for the blind and visually impaired,Enes Kanter Thunder Jersey, Gillian was instead posted at the Dolphin Community High School, where she taught primarily music, one of the subjects she had passed at CXC. One of her students at that school is the now renowned West Indies cricketer Ramnaresh Sarwan.Her stint at that school, though short, helped to build her confidence level, Gillian disclosed, and this considerably boosted her teaching ability when she was transferred to the St Mary’s Community High in 1994. She would remain there until 1998,Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Pistons Swingman Jersey, when a request was made for her to lend her skills to the unit for the blind and visually impaired, because there was a shortage of teachers there.She divulged, though,John Stockton USA Jersey, that she was forced to leave that institution in 2003 because of personal problems. She has since been placed at the Lodge Nursery School.But teaching children is no easy task for a visually impaired person. She explained that there are instances when children would take her for granted and may believe that she is not fully aware of what is going on around her.For this reason, she said, the presence of other teachers is required to ensure that there is order when she teaches.Nonetheless, Gillian has been constantly trying to upgrade herself academically. She said that she has been able to pursue courses at the Critchlow Labour College and the Institute for Distance and Continuing Education.She believes that with the added qualifications, she will be able to be a more efficient teacher and at the same time earn the respect of persons anywhere.Her endeavours over the years and her impairment have in no way hindered Gillian from marrying the love of her life, Aubrey McFarlane, for whom she has borne three children — Nicholas, Joshua and Brianna. They reside at 22 D’Urban Street, Lodge, Georgetown.According to Gillian,Kyrie Irving Cavaliers Swingman Jersey, it is her hope that her achievements and her desire to get all that she can out of life will inspire other persons that are visually impaired, or even blind, to be all that they can be. |
