Mary Cuffy is an Early Childhood Curriculum Programme Facilitator at the Ministry of Education and a storyteller whose work focuses on literacy and music in early childhood. She is very passionate about early childhood education. Cuffy believes that the best investment anyone can make is in their early years, as what happens in the first six years of someone’s life sets the skills and coping competence for life.
Cuffy is the author of the ladybug book series, Lola and the Dancing Ladybugs, Lola and the Magic Sticks, and a recipe book Bake the Cocoa Cookie with Lola.
Her latest publication is Dara, Ms Mae & The Oil Down. It could be her most relevant work to date about the humble breadfruit for children and adults alike in these uncertain times of food security during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking to the Sunday Guardian Cuffy said “This year, I shifted from book to screen with my latest production–Lola and the Battle of the Bugs.
“I believe learning in drama aligns with, supports and reinforces students’ development of literacy as they imagine and participate in explorations of their worlds, individually and collaboratively.
“Why I write for children? The nation’s children are our greatest resource; that is where I would like to make my investment.
“What a child is exposed to in their formative years will definitely have a lasting impression on their life. I write because I would like children to become more culturally aware and responsive.”
She said a large part of being culturally responsive should come from the literature children are exposed to.
Cuffy explained the intention was to bring about national pride, that feeling of belongingness, love and pride towards their county and value it highly.
People are blessed, she said, to live among diverse cultures; a rich history made up the beautiful twin island of T&T.
She firmly believes that one of the major ways to instil cultural awareness is through storytelling. Hence, all of her stories incorporated some aspect of T&T’s culture. Each book answered the call for culturally relevant reading material for young readers in the country.
Cuffy said that to empower students as readers, they need to be provided with culturally relevant literature that they can see themselves in.
As Independence Day is coming up, she wants to encourage parents to let their children know about national festivals and the significance of the day.
The author exhorted them to tell their children about the history of events holding national importance so that it becomes seeded deep into their minds. She also wants parents to inculcate in them the responsibilities of a good citizen, tell them about proper garbage disposal. Cuffy urged them to respect the national flag and national symbols; to tell them the meaning of the flag and colours and the significance of the national emblems and the national anthem.
Regarding the reference to breadfruit in her book, she said that the fruit was filled with vitamins, and the talking point now was about food security.
Cuffy explained when someone planted a tree now, several years down the line they will have food.
According to Cuffy, the world is in unprecedented times, and if people have a tree around, it would inculcate that sense of community spirit and sharing they had before. She believes that this sense of community spiritedness needs to return for the children to embrace that warmness of being Trini. And that is her major goal of being an author.
On August 1, Cuffy was featured among eight award-winning Black authors for children’s books, Amina Blackwood Meeks, Ekiuwa Aire, Ayana Francis, Juleus Ghunta, Marjuan Canady, Ann G Harris and Eleanor Wint in the event Together We Rise: 8 Black Authors Tell Us Why They Write.
Together We Rise is an initiative that recognises Black authors for children’s books in their commitment to writing for children and young adults. These award-winning Black authors use poems, songs, games, and stories to remember their cultural history and document their memories of childhood.
Cuffy’s Bio
Cuffy’s educational background includes a Bachelor’s degree in education with a concentration in Early Childhood Care Education (ECCE), and Masters of Education in Literacy Instructions from the University of the West Indies.
She is an adjunct lecturer at the University of the West Indies, Open Campus, in the Certificate and Bachelor in Education in Early Childhood Development and Family Studies programme.
Cuffy was instrumental in the introduction of the ‘Pan in the Preschool Project’ as she believes in the importance of preserving the cultural legacy of our steelpan through education.
Literacy in drama
Learning in drama aligns with, supports and reinforces students’ development of literacy as they imagine and participate in explorations of their worlds, individually and collaboratively. Students use movement and voice, language, and ideas to explore roles, characters, relationships, and situations. The literacy skills that students develop through drama assist them to learn, to think, move, speak and act with confidence. Engagement with literature as text (script) and pre-text (stimulus) is an important component of drama learning. It provides opportunities for students to build vocabulary, awareness of language structures, grammatical and syntactical knowledge and builds their capacity to question, debate, challenge, and imagine.
