by Marcia Davis-Dawkins | Jul 30, 2026 | Education, Parents, Teachers
So Nice, I Had to Do It Twice!
By Dr Marci
I decided to become Marcia the Explorer once again! This was certainly a different kind of vacation adventure.
My journey began with a JUTC bus ride to Downtown Kingston, where I walked to the National Library of Jamaica to drop off a poster. Since it was still early, I decided not to head straight home. Instead, I took the opportunity to visit the National Museum of Jamaica.
To my pleasant surprise, I discovered that as both a local and a senior citizen, I qualified for a discounted admission fee. đ
Part of the museum tour included the National Music Museum, which showcases the rich legacy of Jamaica’s early musicians and highlights the work of the Institute of Jamaica. One exhibit that especially captured my attention was the vintage jukebox. It instantly brought back fond memories of my childhood.
Overall, the tour was both enlightening and inspiring, and I felt proud of myself for taking this solo adventure. Good rich history and a sense of satisfaction,
When it was time to head home, finding the correct bus stop proved to be a bit of a challenge. I took a short break, enjoyed a snack at Island Grill, and then made my way to the bus stop to join the queue. The ride home was during the busy rush hour, filled with lively conversations and plenty of chatty passengers.
Another successful adventureâmission accomplished! đ
by webmaster | Mar 13, 2026 | Education, Kids, Parents, Teachers, Teens
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By Dr. MarciaÂ
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The Swing
Recently, our family experienced the sudden loss of a loved one. Although it came as a shock, we gathered the strength and courage to lay him to rest in our native land. The expenses we incurred were enormous, but our love and respect for him compelled us to do so.
Even in the midst of our grief, we found moments to cherish being together as a family. We shared memories, and through tears we also found laughter. As Ecclesiastes 3:4 reminds us, âa time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.â This verse beautifully reflects the balance that life brings.
In many ways, the swing symbolizes that balanceâfreedom, renewal, and a gentle reminder of the joys of childhood. It offers a simple pleasure that allows us to pause, breathe, and find a moment of peace and happiness.
The swing encourages us to find the right balance in life. When we allow ourselves to embrace the motionâboth the ups and the downsâit carries us forward. Lifeâs adventures are always better when we share them with others, and love is finding someone who pushes you higher on the swing.
As the saying goes, âLife is like a swing; the ups and downs make it worthwhile.â In the end, it is about finding balance and continuing to move forward, regardless of what others may think or say.
by Marcia Davis-Dawkins | Dec 1, 2025 | Education, Kids, Parents, Teachers, Teens
It Only Takes a Spark
By Dr. Marci D
When I was a little girl, I learned a simple, yet powerful song written by Kurt Kaiser. The opening line still lingers in my memory:
âIt only takes a spark to get a fire going,
And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing;
Thatâs how it is with Godâs love, once youâve experienced it,
You spread His love to everyone; you want to pass it on.â
Even as a child, I didnât fully grasp the depth of those words. Yet now, as I reflect on the life of a remarkable woman who touched me deeply, I see how true they are.
From the age of four, she was part of my life. She was the one who taught me letters of the alphabet and my very first Bible verseâRuth 1:16:
âIntreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge.â
At the time, I had no idea what loyalty, faithfulness, or sacrifice really meant. But as I grew older, her example gave that verse life. She embodied it. Her kindness was infectious, her faith unwavering, and her love for God poured out into everyone she met.
She and I shared countless moments togetherâsinging hymns, lifting prayers, laughing through the hard times, and even shopping side by side. When illness came, I stayed close, singing her favorite songs and reminding her that she was not alone. My faithfulness to her was born in childhood but carried through to her final days.
Her heart was like her gardenâalways blooming with beauty, always giving life. Even when she was unwell, she longed to plant flowers, to see color and growth flourish around her. She often reminded me, âPrayer changes things,â and she lived by those words. She was my prayer partner, my encourager, my friend.
Because of her, I understand what it means to âpass it on.â Godâs love, shining so brightly in her, lit a spark in me that still burns today. Her life was a song of faithfulness, joy, and devotionâand I will forever carry her melody in my heart.
Rest well, my dear friend. I will miss being able to sit at your feet and learn some more of your wise teachings.
You have run your race with grace. Your spark still glows in me, and I will pass it on.
by Marcia Davis-Dawkins | Mar 24, 2025 | Education, Kids, Parents, Teachers
Unsung Heroes in the Classrooms as Teachers and Students
By Dr. Marci
 In classrooms, there are countless unsung heroes â teachers and students whose contributions often to unnoticed but are vital to the fabric of learning. Teachers who work tirelessly behind the scenes, fostering creativity, offering encouragement, and adapting to every studentâs needs, shaping futures with patience and passion. Likewise, students who quietly support their peers, overcome personal struggles, or go above and beyond to create a positive, inclusive environment, all play crucial roles. These unsung heroes may not always be in the spotlight, but their impact is felt every day, as they help cultivate a space of growth, compassion, and resilience.
It seems as if people are always being left out and or ignored and for one reason or other. For Womenâs History Month, I had my students research Women Scientists who were forgotten or ignored at some point or other. We even got a chance to watch and discuss, the movie, âHidden Figuresâ. An article was written about the project that the students did.
The link is below:-
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/rahway/sections/education/articles/rahway-s-roosevelt-elementary-5th-grade-students-round-up-history-s-hidden-heroes-female-scientists-take-center-stage-in-wild-west-wanted-posters
by Marcia Davis-Dawkins | Mar 10, 2025 | Education, Parents, Teachers
Itâs the Little Thing
By Dr. Marci D
March 6, 2025
Recently our school celebrated Music In Our School Week and we dressed up each day just to show our musical spirits. One of the days we dressed to represent various genres of music, so some people (staff and students) represented pop, hip hop, classical, country and I of course represented reggae music. During my class, I decided to use the idea as a Social Emotional Learning activity and included questions like âWhatâs your favorite type of music and why? Why do you listen to music? I was surprised to hear students respond that they didnât listen to music. I went on to explain that music is a way of life and can relieve stress as listening to music can put us in a better mood. It can also help to put us in a better mood. We had a healthy discussion about the benefits of listening to music and the positive impact it can have on our brain depending on the type of music we listen to. 
Another thing that we did was that we discussed the quote from Bob Marleyâs âTrench Town Rockâ â âOne good thing about music when it hits you, you feel no pain.â I told them that Bob Marley was from Jamaica and that I was representing reggae music genre of music. I even played the Trench Town Rock song for them. This set the mood for our class for the day. As we got into our lesson and the project that we were working on, one of the students who is from Peru and an English Language Learner came to me with his chromebook in his hand. I thought he was coming to clarify the assignment he was working on. Well, I was pleasantly surprised when he came to show me that he had done a Google translate statement which read âmi papa es muy fan de Bob Marley y le puso a mi hermana Marley por elâ. Which was translated as, âMy dad is a big Bob Marley fan and named my sister Marley after him.â I grinned as if I had just won a lump sum of money. I was so excited that I had connected with him just because of my discussion of the genre of music that I was representing. I felt proud and so did he. In fact, he too was grinning! I knew that we had both struck gold for the day. Soon three other students were saying that their mom, aunt, and uncle loved to listen to Bob Marleyâs music. It was also a game changer for the day.
A day later, a student bought me a snack from the cafeteria because he said that I looked sad and needed cheering up and his way of cheering me up was to treat me with a snack!  I am grateful that another “little thing” came into my space to encourage me and let me know that I am still valuable as a teacher and a person. I will not take any of it for granted.  It is simply the little things that can make a big difference. With so many issues that I may face during a school day, what are some of the little things that have helped to make the day bearable or even to put a smile on my face? I  must count it as joy when they come.
by Marcia Davis-Dawkins | Apr 4, 2024 | Education, Kids, Parents, Teachers
Donât Let Your Light Go Out
By Dr. Marci
April 2, 2024
âThis little light of mine, Iâm gonna to let it shineâ. Those are the words of a little song I learned as a young girl, and it has been coming to me every day recently. It hit me even more a few days ago when I shared with a friend (or who I thought was a friend), how I was observed by a supervisor and that she gave me such a beautiful. I was overly excited about the wonderful words I had read about me that I wanted to share with everyone. The written words gave me added light and confidence, I wanted to shine even more in my capacity of a teacher.
My bubble burst, my bulb blew when the person, after reading the feedback, said âIs that all she had to say?â âWhat right does she have to observe you?â My light was beginning to dim as he went on and on, just demeaning me and I felt weak and less than my real value. My only response was to ask if that was all he had to say. I wasnât expecting a response, but I took my feedback paper and sheepishly put it in my binder and closed it. My tears were close, but I held it together and somehow, I perked up and thought about how close he came to bury me but then I realized that it was my light that he was trying to dim instead of trying to celebrate my accomplishment and my win. Then I started celebrating me, I picked myself up and dust me off â my light wonât go out. This one person shouldnât put out my light, he is just one dimmer, and I can think of many people who will help and have helped to radiate my light. I will surround myself with like minded people and those who will celebrate my light. My light is important even when others canât see. Praise is so much more important rather than criticism. Criticism can only deflate and yes, dim lights. How can we help to radiate others and create goodness and mercy? I know that I wonât abandon me, but I will continue to grow since there is no growth without pain. It is important to encourage myself and think positively about myself. There will definitely be people who want me to shine. I cannot let someone elseâs opinion of me, determine who I am. I will learn to grow even from the light dimmers. Some people will never value my light.
The song goes on to say, âEverywhere I go, Iâm gonna to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.â That will be my advice to me, and I will encourage you to do the same.
Let your light shine so others can see!
