Dear Hive Family,
it's @jachy
Trust you all are doing fine. During the week, I was wondering and thinking about what should I write about. Then I remember a particular scene in my life. I remember telling you guys about an epidemic that always happens every year in Nigeria which is called ASUU STRIKE (Academic Staff Union of Universities).
Well, this year's epidemic started on February 14th. I came back home, and I was at home for a month doing nothing, just sleeping, doing house chores, and pressing my phone, then I thought to myself "Take a teaching job" at first it was crazy but still made sense.
I had to prepare for an interview, and compile my C.V. I looked for a corporate gown to get ready for my interview. On March 14th, I stormed out for the interview for the teaching job.
Luckily for me, I found a vacancy for a primary school teacher close to my house(just a stone's throw). The questions I was asked were quite easy, the only difficult part was the micro-teaching which I did my best. The next day I was called to resume as a teacher for primary two class. I was thrilled with a touch of anxiety. Well, this is how my journey as a teacher started.
Teaching is not a lame man's work at all. I feel teachers should have the highest pay than other professions in Nigeria. Teaching is not just mere writing on the board, marking notes, writing lesson plans, or explaining, trust me it is beyond that. Being a teacher comes with sacrifices, creativity, different methods of teaching(because children have different ways of learning), modesty, gentility, and many more.
If you are temperamental I can boldly tell you that you can't be a teacher cause you might get frustrated or easily provoked by their little mistakes. Patience is very important in the field of teaching.
During my days of teaching, I found out that children love creativity, their favorite subject or subject they are eager to learn was creative art. The process of using papers to make stuff out of it is called ORIGAMI, they love sports, demonstrations, and stories.
Well, a little advice for those that are aspiring to be a teacher when explaining try as much as possible to make it interesting, you can link the topic to stories by doing so it helps them remember easily.
Every child has their length, try as much as possible to study every student in that class.No child is a dullard you just need to know them.
Now let's move to the side effect of being a teacher
1. Constant headaches
I experienced this, during the process of telling them to stop making noise and write their notes, where are your assignment? This stress can cause headaches. You all can see more reasons why teachers should earn more.
2. Body-aches
The act of demonstrating to enable them to understand better brings about body aches. Most times when I get home, I just eat and take pain relievers and I am off to bed. To be candid it's not easy.
The advantage of being a teacher from my own experience is the joy you feel when your student remembers all you have taught them or the excitement you see on their faces when you come to work, It's touching, I have experienced this.
My five month as a teacher has taught me patience and added to my knowledge. Well, here is my experience of being a teacher. Learn to appreciate teachers, it takes tolerance Teachers are the ones who nurture the leaders of tomorrow.
With no iota of doubt, I knows I have a shade more light on teaching as a profession and its sacrifices. Thank you.