‘Teaching is my passion’
Whyte stays on track while offering tutoring service
Published:Thursday | October 7, 2021 | 12:10 AMAndrÈ Lowe/Sports Editor
Ronda Whyte has been steadily making a name for herself as an international 400m hurdler, but despite her successes on the track, she has not turned her back on her first love, teaching.
Whyte, who only got involved in competitive running after catching the eye of top-rated coach Maurice Wilson while competing during sports day at her alma mater, G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sports in 2013, has decided to offer private online tutoring services to early-childhood and primary-age children.
The 30-year-old, a trained teacher, pointed to the global pandemic and its impact on the educational development of children from all over the world as a major motivation for her initiative.
“Due to COVID-19, many children are not where they are supposed to be from an educational perspective. My services aid in developing the kid’s educational capabilities, to the level where they need to be,” Whyte told The Gleaner.
OFFERING TUTOR SERVICES
“I am really passionate about education, so I am offering private tutoring services to children from all over the world, ranging from three to 12 years old,” stated Whyte, who added that the response to her programme has been quite impressive.
“I was amazed to see people contacting me so quickly, not only in Jamaica, but also in Europe and in the United States. They expressed feelings of enthusiasm for their children to be a part of this holistic journey,” Whyte shared.
Whyte, who was a member of Jamaica’s team to the Tokyo Olympic Games, and who also represented the country at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar, was quick to point out that this will not affect her athletic pursuits, but is simply giving her an opportunity to apply her training as a teacher and have a positive impact on the lives of the youth, who are displaced from an educational perspective.
“I am a very multifaceted and flexible individual with good time management skills. Therefore, it will not affect my training and competition,” Whyte added. “I considered this a long-term goal, even after my track and field career, because I want to continue imparting my knowledge to the younger generation in order for them to become productive citizens of our country. I’m looking forward to see what more God has in store for me.”
Whyte, who underlined her value on education, also has plans to continue her studies and has identified a masters degree programme that she will be enrolling in shortly at the Lenkeson Global Christian University.
Whyte can be contacted via email at randawhyte@yahoo.com.