During our Teacher's Training programs or seminars, we often hear words like “Teaching Is A Calling”. Not everyone can impart knowledge effectively. For some people who end up going to colleges of education, if you ask them,they will tell you that wasn't their first choice, they just had no choice because they don't want to sit home waiting year after year to get into the university of their choice.
Some people go into teaching because it is the “easiest” job to get around. What with private schools paying peanuts to teachers, some teachers just do it for the sake of having a source of income. But what many of us fail to know is that we teachers have a great role to play in the life of children's academics. We have to not sometimes ignore the less pay and teach because we enjoy doing it. Else, we might end up taking out our frustrations on our students and they will end up resenting us.
I also had my own fair share of teachers that I “resented” when I was in school. While I couldn't remember much about my teachers in Primary school, I remember almost all my secondary school teachers even though it's been way more than a decade.
I attended a public school where the population of students is on the high side and knowing what I know now, I would say it wasn't really easy for the teachers back then. When I was in junior secondary school, my teachers were amazing save for my Home Economics teacher who once during a doughnut practical(which we paid for) decided to only fry that of herself and the other teachers, leaving us all alone to sort out the rest of the dough ourselves.
I admit when I saw her personally frying some batches, I was already salivating as I couldn't wait for her to start sharing our own portion to us. Only to have her take them away, leaving us to do “whatever we like”. The kerosene we were using got exhausted and some students started looking for nylon and just scooping out fresh dough into it saying they would go home to fry it.
I resented this teacher for so long because not only did I pay for the practical like everyone else, I also begged my mum to please allow me to carry the only stove we had at the time to school. I also went with two perforated stainless steel spoons and a large tray. It was even my tray she used to take the doughnuts away while I didn't get to take anything home except the things I went with.
The other teacher I resented in school was our substitute Maths teacher. Then I just moved into Senior Secondary School. Back then, I was in the Arts department and this man takes the science students Further Maths and Physics I guess.
I remember our Maths teacher was transferred and this man was told to take our Maths class. Damn!I don't even know how to describe this man. Not only does he talk fast but I don't think he understands the concept of humans because he expects our brain to work like a computer and just grab what he is saying.
I mean it may work for his science students but for some of us our brain is just booting and he wants it to work at full capacity. The worst part is when he asks a question and you can't get him the answer within a minute, you are done for.
I resented him because he made me hate the subject for so long. I was glad when it was finally over and we got ourselves a new Maths teacher. This woman brought back that interest I had initially and I began to love the subject all over again.
That's why as a teacher myself, I try so hard to ensure that my students don't hate me which will lead to them hating my subject. Though I'm not perfect, I always let them know that any correction I give to them is to help them become better.
Images used are mine