Kenrick — A Conversation with Kenrick Mark Coleman Features Dr. Karim Juan
The Kenrick Mark Coleman Foundation
Kenrick — A Conversation with Kenrick Mark Coleman Features Dr. Karim Juan
1. Tell us a little about yourself.
I am a [Cayo bway], who was raised in San Ignacio Town. I have been married to Vany for the past 14 years, and we have two awesome kids, Anna who is 11 years old and Assad who is 8 years old. After studying, I have worked at Sacred Heart College for the past 15 years. I am a basketball enthusiast who has invested countless hours conducting basketball camps and basketball tournaments.
I graduated from Sacred Heart College in 1994, after which I moved on to St. John’s College, obtaining my Associates Degree in Mathematics and Physics. I then obtained my Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Belize in 1998, with a major in Mathematics Education. In 2009, I obtained my Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of North Florida, and in December 2015, I received my Doctorate Degree from the University of Florida, in Curriculum and Instruction. My thesis was on the “Effects on Interactive Software on Student Achievement and Student Engagement in Four Secondary School Geometry Classes, Compared to Two Classes with no Technology Integration.”
2. You are a renowned & dedicated vice principal & educator in Cayo. What do you believe is important in this your role?
As an educator it is crucial to understand our students and to value them. Our clients should always be priority. We need to offer an educational experience that is relevant to our young people, to make them equipped with the necessary skills to become functional, with a global mindset. Education must now surpass book knowledge, as students should be trained to think. The hidden curriculum seems to be playing a more crucial role in secondary education now, as teachers must be able to motivate students to learn, while teaching them to value their education. With changing times and changing students, there must be a changing educational system that aligns with such a phenomenon.
3. Tell us more about your career (little history, et al)? Why did you choose to venture into this? What are the experiences like?
I have taught mathematics at high school for 10 years, after which I moved over to Sacred Heart Junior College to teach mathematics for two additional years. For the past five years, I have been the academic vice principal at Sacred Heart College. I love the field of education because I get the opportunity to touch lives every day, and to have an impact on a lot of young people.
4. What are the challenges of your career? Opportunities?
The greatest challenge is getting confined to the status quo and by the “system” that defines us. Schools have lost its relevance, yet transitioning is next to impossible due to the “system” that ties us down to traditional instructional designs, assessment strategies and syllabus. Secondly, my biggest challenge is to sell the vision to 50 teachers, that change is important and inevitable. Getting people to leave their comfort zones can become challenging at times, but it is surely worth the energy.
As an administrator, one of my greatest opportunities is to implement new policies and practices at our institution. I have the latitude to conduct many studies at our school and to implement non-traditional practices and policies.
5. Describe your best moments. What about your worse? What’s a classic day like with Karim Juan? What are your preparations like on a daily basis?
My best moment is when I am able to instill positive change at our institution, via a smooth transition. Having my faculty embracing change at our school, and forging new paths in education, for others to follow, is surely one of my best moments. Erecting a culture of excellence at Sacred Heart College, from a holistic viewpoint, is also what I strive to accomplish every day. Having the best facilities and resources, most equipped teaching staff, hard working students and an overall sense of excellence are goals I strive to reach every school year.
As an administrator, my worse moment is when I am unable to convince my staff to attempt something new. To venture out into the unknown, while leaving traditional practices, is challenging to relay to my faculty, at times.
A classic day at work involves sending e-mails, answering phone calls, and addressing day-to-day issues that arise. Given that we have over 60 employees at SHC, the work load and demands can be daunting some days.
Preparation involves a lot of documentation and paper work, typing up letters, doing weekly calendars and ensuring that all school activities are planned ahead of time. It involves being organized and keep both students and teachers informed.
6. As a vice principal, how do you ensure that the materials being taught are important to the overall development of our young people?
Unfortunately, we have limited leverage in this area, due to the fact that students are prepared for the regional CSEC examinations. Given that students are granted scholarships based on CSEC passes, we are obligated to prepare them for this regional exam. We do have some flexibility in first and second form to introduce courses like Life Skills, Music, Technical Drawing and Art that we believe are foundational to the complete development of a child and his or her mental faculties.
7. Do you believe the education system in Belize needs to re-structured? Why? Is there a need for the proper fusion of a “Cultures & History of Belize” section in the educational curriculum?
I would be the first to advocate for educational reform. However, reform is progressive in nature and must be properly initiated. I think Belize needs to first conduct a Needs Analysis of our country, so as to know what fields we should be focusing on. We must first be aware of the caliber of students we need in our country, and the skill-set required of them, then make adjustments to our curriculum to reflect such outcomes. However, this will surely come with some alienation from CXC, which again, would become a political erosion of regional commitments.
However, as a country we must be willing to become exclusively independent of these regional bodies, if we want to devise a system that is relevant to our country. Unfortunately, we have no identity in our educational system. We use a copy-cat system that we expect to work here, while we have unique needs. However, such revamping would require a serious paradigm shift and cultural change, and many policy-makers are not prepared to expend energy on such a transition. Hence, the status quo remains untouched, with poor academic results year in, year out. Our one constant is mediocrity, with an indifference to effect change.
8. If there was a list of the Top 10 Most Dedicated Vice Principals in Belize, you would be on it. Given that you lead a busy school life, how do you find time for family and loved ones? Apart from being a vice principal, are you involved in any other institutions?
Balance is one of the greatest mantras that has steered my career and my life. With a wife and two children, it is paramount that I make time to be with them and to invest in their lives. I work to make them happy and to provide and serve them. My life would become dysfunctional if my work habits rob me from the very purpose of why I work. At times I need to remind myself of this. My wife and two children are very outgoing, so we always move as a family. We attend school functions as a family, and we attend sporting events as a family. It is also crucial to set time aside to be with my wife and children, and this requires a conscious effort of constantly analyzing my priorities and endorsing the value system that governs my life. It is always a battle, but a very winnable one.
I am a basketball enthusiast, serving as the vice president of the Belize Basketball Federation and as the commissioner of the National Elite Basketball League (NEBL). I am also a member of the San Ignacio and Santa Elena Basketball Association (SSBA) where I assist in conducting basketball camps and tournaments in San Ignacio Town. I fellowship at Life Net Church, as well.
9. What advice do you have for aspiring vice principals & educators?
One of my greatest advice for any aspiring administrator is to create an institution of excellence that you would like your child to attend. Change must be the norm. We must all be pioneers in the educational system, challenging the status quo and willing to lead in this venture. Great leaders must be servants. We should lead the way, rather than point out the way. Value those entrusted to work with you, and focus on their strengths, rather than their weaknesses.
10. What three words do you have to say to young Belizeans?
My greatest advice to all young Belizeans would be “Possibilities are Limitless”.
