Meet Mrs. Gobin, an inspiring educator hailing from South America, where she spent 18 years teaching biology before embarking on a new chapter in the Bahamas. In this interview, she shares her journey, her passion for teaching, and her commitment to promoting agriculture among her students.
Mrs. Gobin’s journey into teaching started in a community in Guyana. Fueled by her desire to bring positive change to young lives, she embraced her role as a teacher. Her motivation stemmed from the impactful teachers who had shaped her own life, and she aimed to create a similar positive influence on her students.
“When I see the change occur in the students’ lives, I want to have that smile on my face, just like my teachers did for me”
Mrs. Gobin expresses this emphasizing her commitment to making a difference in her community.
Mrs. Gobin’s commitment to well-being extends beyond the classroom. Her love for fitness, developed from her walks in Guyana, continues in the Bahamas, where she has been attending a gym for nearly a year. Long walks and a fondness for the beach further complement her active lifestyle.
But her interests don’t stop there; Mrs. Gobin is also passionate about farming. Raised in a farming community, she inherited this love from her parents and grandparents. Her journey with agriculture began in high school, and today, she incorporates it into her teaching methods.
At Agape Christian School, Mrs. Gobin spearheads an aquaponics project. This innovative system utilizes fish waste to nourish plants, creating a sustainable cycle. While the hydroponics aspect faces challenges, the aquaponics system is running successfully.
Mrs. Gobin envisions expanding this initiative to benefit all Abaco communities. The project not only teaches students valuable skills but also has the potential to provide fresh produce to households, contributing to food security.
The elective agriculture program Mrs. Gobin leads involves 11 dedicated students. Twice a week, they engage in testing water quality, feeding tilapia fish, and planting seeds in the aquaponics system. Mrs. Gobin emphasizes the importance of maintaining a manageable number of students to ensure everyone has meaningful tasks.
Hydroponics farming at Driftwood Farm
Despite facing challenges like pests and frogs, Mrs. Gobin remains resilient. She dreams of adding chickens to the program and planting permanent fruit trees on the school grounds, providing students with a tangible connection to the food they grow.
The biggest challenge she faces is changing the mindset about agriculture. Many students perceive it as hard labor, unaware of the rewarding benefits. Mrs. Gobin believes that education and practical experiences are key to altering these perceptions.
Mrs. Gobin’s dedication to teaching and agriculture exemplifies her commitment to fostering positive change. By instilling a love for farming in her students, she hopes to transform not only their lives but also the wider community’s perception of agriculture.
As she concludes,
“If we can change minds and educate them on the benefits, we’ll have more students getting into agriculture.”
Mrs. Gobin continues to sow the seeds of change, both in the minds of her students and in the fields she tends.