Zooming in on a Day in the Life of a Jamaican Creative Educator

TRANSFORMATIONAL DESTINY STATEMENTS

1.  I help  billions of young entrepreneurs enjoy good success through the utilization of their God-given talents and genius to create a sustainable world

Need help retaining   top quality educators?  Let me help you reboot, celebrate and rejuvenate your teacher team. VISION A new generation of   young entrepreneurs infused with an anointing of creativity The Genesis of the Creative Educator’s Journey In the beginning, God created Educators, males and females created He them.  He wired them to be global influencers, kingdom ambassadors and nation builders.  On the anvil, with tender hands, He moulded them to be our children’s daily cheerleaders and destiny carriers.  Educators can be likened to caterpillars who gently nurture the children entrusted in their care, transforming them into colourful butterflies.  These servant leaders are destined to ENGAGE and EMPOWER others, they do it all!  How do I know?  Having spent over 24 years in Jamaica’s most intense dream factory, I know too well the ebbs and flow of being a Creative Educator. Creativity Meets Entrepreneurship

Precious Beginnings is an all-inclusive management firm located in our tropical paradise, Jamaica.  This enterprise is owned and led by business savvy Creative Director, Michelle Carpenter.  As a Business Educator, this creative genius is   assigned by God, her Master Teacher to commission youth entrepreneurs to unleash their gifts to create a sustainable world by providing innovative business solutions. As an Educators Celebration Coach, she is   extremely passionate about helping time-strapped school leaders celebrate demotivated and overwhelmed educators in order to maximize teacher retention and create top-performing schools.

Michelle is the proud recipient of Jamaica’s National Housing Trust Entrepreneurial Grant Award, 2015 (Budding Category).  She holds a Masters Degree in Educational Administration from Northern Caribbean University, a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Education from the University of Technology. the Professional Qualification for Principalship Certification from the  National College for Educational Leadership (NCEL),  and recently completed the M3 Mastermind Coaching Programme offered by Fullerton Management Group. Coupled with over twenty four years as a Business Educator, she is a trained florist and interior decorator with a keen eye for details, one inspired by elegance and originality.  Regardless of the client’s tastes and preference, Michelle has the natural ability to create exquisite, customized floral designs,   gift baskets and décor accents with a unique flair to meet every need.

(Tourism Linkage Network Christmas In July Tradeshow, 2019)

As creative director, events planner and florist at Precious Beginnings, Michelle is responsible for organizing and coordinating virtual and off-line events, managing logistics for all events as well as events flow, including scheduling of special events.  In her capacity as florist, she purposefully identifies, selects and designs awe-inspiring floral arrangements and gift baskets which complement the nature of every event to delight customers.                            

Destiny Vision of   a Creative Business Educator

Jamaica’s 2030 National Vision:  ‘Jamaica, the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business.’

William Shakespeare reminds us that the entire world is a stage and all men and women are mere players.  What a timely reminder   creatives, especially those   who work in the Education Industry. Michelle is convinced that she plays a distinct and creative role in helping Jamaica achieve its national mandate.  According to Jamaica’s National Development Plan, two   of our key strategic goals are:  ’the Jamaican society is secure, cohesive and just, to empower everyone to achieve their full potential.’   The view among many is that education is the cornerstone of national development, as it is through this lifelong process that we are able to develop reflective, rational and productive citizens.  However, when we do an   environmental scan of our paradise home, Jamaica, it often   sparks images of gloom and doom.  ‘Young and Dangerous Teenage Gangsters Driving Up the Crime Rate.’  This is just one of the many frightening bulletins exhibited in the Jamaican media today. During her journey within the classroom, Michelle   has observed that one of Jamaica’s major social problems is the high rate of unemployment, especially among our youths.    She   is convinced that this has contributed significantly   to the high levels of criminal activities and poverty being experienced by some young persons .    Despite the challenges,   this creative imagineer   and problem solver is   not one to lament.  As a vision 2030 country, she   believes that ‘world class education”   and training are vital keys   to national transformation.   Michelle is   also well aware that today’s youths are tomorrow’s adults.  To this end, in her mind the purpose of education within the Jamaican context is to equip our nation’s children to maximize their full potential, as well as to promote prosperity.   This is why she is gainfully engaged in empowering thousands of   youth entrepreneurs in Jamaica to use their full God given   genius to make Jamaica a place to live, raise families and do business. From as long as she   can remember, Michelle   has always wanted to teach.  As a lifelong learner she believes that when you have learnt something, you should share from your wellspring of wisdom.  Driven by her   passion to transform the lives of billions of children, she embarked on a three years teacher training at Church Teachers College, Mandeville, Jamaica in 1995, where she specialized in Business Education and Science.  Fast forward to twenty four years later, she has blossomed from a timid teacher into a creative Business Educator, Florist, events planner and   Educators Celebration Coach.  What does a day in the life of a creative Business educator look like?  What does it sound like? As a teacher and a creative, each day,   this teacher and entrepreneur  works assiduously at mastering the ‘juggling game’ of taking off one hat and   putting on another.  Her creativity packed day begins   promptly at 4:15 a.m.  This is the time where most of her students, and many of the world’s   business establishments are still   asleep.    In order to ensure that her spiritual well is kept balanced, she spends the first portion of   quiet time with her Master Teacher, Abba God.  By 5:15 a.m.  she is galloping  through  her  door with  teaching tools, lunch and clients  deliveries to begin the one hour commute to the citadel on the hill , Clarendon College. Upon arrival, she   spends another hour   grading papers, completing lesson plans, preparing for grade   meetings   and workshops with the teachers and students that she supervises in the upper school. Her day is always   driven by the needs of   her young entrepreneurs,   and so each day she has to ensure that the learning environment offers that vision 2030 experience for all   students, while maintaining sanity within the noisy and stressful corridors of the classroom.     Each day provides a new opportunity to build a healthy and productive learning environment for young entrepreneurs.   What does her Principles of Business   class look like?    Each   class begins with a Break-Out Session dubbed ‘Circle Time”. The first five minutes is used for prayer, group norming and teambuilding. This helps to create an atmosphere charged with enthusiasm, creative expressions and movements.   Students then transition to their cooperative groups. In order to maintain order,   each   entrepreneur is then reminded of their   post of responsibility – materials manager, recorder, reporter, social skills manager, time- keeper and quiz master.  As the creative director of   her class, she has to find new uncommon ways to add new levels of innovations that   engage the students daily.  She believes that when the classroom environment is student-centred, it not only eliminates boredom but increases content retention.    To this end, Michelle uses a lot of cooperative learning strategies to promote teambuilding and help students become accountable for their learning.  These structures involve Group Jigsaw, Peer Square and Share, Infographics, KWL Charts, Three Minutes Pause, Cross Peer Tutoring and   interactive group discussion. This creative believes   that teaching extends far beyond the transmission of knowledge; hence   as the day unfolds she   continues to work on   her   canvass –  creating an environment where youth entrepreneurs learn not only how to live, but how to think for themselves.  Like Dr.  Myles   Munroe she believes that   our youths ‘have many selves within them that lie dormant, untapped and unused.’  With this in mind, her core focus each day becomes helping Jamaica to achieve her vision by unlocking students potential and developing lifelong learners for the future.  In order to expose students to real business experiences, she brings the world of business into the classroom. WHAT DOES HER CLASSROOM SOUND LIKE? Advancements in technology, coupled with the information revolution has completely changed   the rhythm of   her grades ten and eleven business classes.  Information communication technology, smart phones, tablets, wattsapp, budgeting applications are abuzz in this teacher’s classroom.  With the high levels of unemployment experienced by some youth, exposing her students to the operational side of business is seen as their only ray of hope.  Michelle understands that teaching emerging entrepreneurs about the principles of business is just the rehearsal stage on    their journey to becoming successful.   This means her   classroom is ringing daily with practical principles and experiences where students are called to action to create income generating projects.  Having the students apply the principles is what helps them to   effectively master the knowledge that they have garnered. In order to make students experience richer learning environment , the greater portion of Michelle’s day is spent engaging students in experiential learning.  This is done through live tradeshows  where  students are challenged  to apply immediately   what they have learnt by   setting up and operating   mini businesses through   Entrepreneurship Lunch Hour where students produce Jamaican products using our local resources such as bamboo, wood, shells, beads and agricultural inputs for sale to their school  and home communities. Young entrepreneur Amoy Drummond  ( above, right) showcasing her bamboo product during students Lunch and learn /dress for success session. The young entrepreneurs are encouraged to set up different business structures such as sole traders, partnerships and private limited companies.  Again, students work in groups and assume various business roles such as managers, accountants, human resource management, and production.   Other practical activities take the  form of Business  Mix and Mingle  where she invites business personnel from outside the school community to come in and train the students in areas such as Business Ethics, Customer Service, Social Media Marketing,  Financial Literacy and how to dress for success      Mastermind Coach and Chief Inspirational Officer, Geoffrey Fullerton (above) of Fullerton Management Group sharing success principles with young entrepreneurs during Lunch and Learn/Dress for Success Session. Financial Literacy is a daily buzz word in Michelle’s   world.  All students participate in   a Coin Multiplier Drive at the beginning of each month where they are encouraged to save twenty dollars (JA$) each day to be used as seed capital for their mini business ventures.  This approach allows students to understand the value of   a dollar and helps them to develop an appreciation for savings and investing        

Successful entrepreneur, Internet Marketer, trainer and author, Layten Pryce teaching young entrepreneurs to create their own online businesses during a  Money Making Master classes 

After a gruelling training   session, she breathes a sigh of relief at the sound of the bell, it’s lunch time!  As a creative, Michelle   is well aware that her health is her wealth, and so a good portion of this time is spent savouring home-made meals and interacting with her colleagues. Michelle is a firm believer of the biblical principle: “train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.’  This rings true even amidst the Corona pandemic.  Despite   having to move online and being physically separated from her young entrepreneurs, her students continue to ‘persevere and excel’.   Recently, one of her young entrepreneurs, Shevaun Walters (ten grader) partnered with his grandmother to create protective masks for sale to community members.  This young entrepreneur understands clearly that focusing on money will not generate earnings.  Solving problems for people is what earns money.                                 Michelle sees her young entrepreneurs as an   heritage from God.  As this creative educator and her next generation of innovators embrace the new era, amidst its highs and lows, she is excited about the  new  trail ahead.  She hears her Heavenly father beckoning:  ‘who will go and prepare my children for eternal impact?  Is the creative platform for you? Yes, Lord, here I am, send Michelle! TESTIMONIALS  Young Entrepreneurs and Customers Speak “Ms. Carpenter, you have changed my life forever!  I did not have a clue as what I wanted to do upon leaving high school.  However, after being in your class, my mind has opened up to so many business ideas.  As a future entrepreneur, I am grateful for the many practical lessons that you have taught me.  Continue to inspire young entrepreneurs!  “ Sherneil Edwards, youth entrepreneur “Ms. Carpenter, you have changed my life as I did not know what I wanted to do after leaving school.  However, since being in your class for two years, you have opened up my mind to so many possibilities.  You have helped me to understand that I need to create opportunities for myself and   others through owning my business.  Thank you   for all that you have done for me, continue to inspire young entrepreneurs. David Thomas, student entrepreneur Customers Creative Commentary Corner Precious Beginnings, warming hearts with authenticity… How can I not ntroduce Precious Beginnings to other potential customers so that they too can benefit from the production of the exceptionally rare, eye-popping and authentic gift items that suit so many celebratory occasions: Best graduation and educational inventions for all categories, professional events, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, births, special pixie treats, house warming; you name it, Precious Beginnings have it.  The adroitness that is placed into the invention of these delightful products make this joyful delivery business a trailblazing one where Things Jamaican a registry of treasured Jamaican memories made space on its shelves to showcase items from Precious Beginnings authentic creations indeed. Thanks to Michelle Carpenter, Educator, Entrepreneur and CEO of Precious Beginnings who Has sponsored adorable gift items for my guest speakers and presenters at the UWI Mona, Mona Information Technology Services (MITS) – User Support Services signature service excellence, annual professional training seminar. Sponsorship was gracefully received for two consecutive years, 2017 and 2018. Janice Brown-Roberts Manager, IT & Customer Support Services, University of the West Indies, Jamaica John C. Maxwell Certified Professional & Life Coach, Trainer & Speaker I am always pleasantly surprised whenever I receive baskets ordered from Precious Beginnings.  I am always satisfied with the arrangement, the courteous service and the catering to my individual needs with a smile.  Michelle is efficient, creative and thoughtful. Hats off to her! Precious Beginnings products are indeed ‘precious’.  They evoke strong desires to attain, claim and be associated with such reflection of beauty and creativity.  The products are personalized and the time spent to perfect   each product makes the clients feel valued.  Every owner of a Precious Beginnings product is the envy of those who have not yet received   the precious touch.  Thank you Precious Beginnings! “I am so thankful to   Michelle of Precious Beginnings for her expertise and professional attention to detail that allowed me to enjoy my wedding day.  The centrepieces were unique and beautifully designed.  Michelle is so understanding and caring that even at the last minute when I called on her at the last moment to create my bridal bouquet, she ensured everything went smoothly.  Thanks a million, continue to deliver high quality professional service.” Mrs. Symone Lewin, newlywed  Mrs. Symone Lewin ensuring that her home is florally fit amidst COVID-19 Michelle Carpenter May, 2020