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As a teacher, there is no single method of learning in an effective way. Since I have different types of students with their individual differences; a facilitator should know different ways to make learners learn in effective ways.
As a facilitator or teacher, every student cannot learn in the same ways because there are slow learners and fast learners. Some learners need time to learn a specific concept while some learners grap the meaning at once.
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Motivation
After introducing the topic for the day, you have to motivate the learners for five minutes.
I motivated my learners every time I entered class with a different story.
For instance, when I wanted to teach the skeletal and muscular system. I asked my students, how many of you want to become a doctor, nurse and other biology related courses. More than 50% of the learners raised up their hands.
I said, why?
One of the learners said, “my parents want me to become a doctor so that I can treat my family, and community when they are ill. Moreover, the doctors are really enjoying their profession and I love everything about them.”
You are well said! But, if you want to become a doctor or other related discipline, you need to know this topic. What I'm teaching you here is a basic or foundation; if you don't get it right you may not know it again. That is the reason every topic is important.
When you get to university, Human anatomy is a course on itself that you have to pass. Study of human bones is a course in itself! Therefore, I charge you this morning to listen very well, ask questions, write something down because you might not find most of what I'm telling you in your note.
The moment you get it right here, you just need to continue building it up by reading your notes and textbooks.
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You have to inspire your students
Create a sense of confidence in them; create a sense of excitement, enthusiasm and happiness in them. They will be very happy to attend your class.
There were many learners who were running away from certain subjects because of the teachers. The moment they knew that those teachers were coming to their classes, they ran away.
When I caught those students, I asked them why do you always run away? They couldn't tell me because if they tell, they might be in big trouble.
When I discovered that, I sent my closest student; they told her everything and that was how I knew that the behaviors of some teachers made the students run away from their classes.
If a facilitator's characters are bad, such facilitators cannot inspire.
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Positivity
When I was posted to that particular school, 75% of the students found it difficult to understand mathematics. They said “mathematics is very hard".
I was positive every time I heard such words from them; I kept on saying that the simplest subject is mathematics. If you can study mathematics for three hours everyday, you will become one of the best mathematicians.
The students that were very motivated by my words kept on studying mathematics. At the end of a section, some of those students that were serious scored above 70%, why the others scored above 60.
Though, some of them scored below 60 but I added marks to make 60.
3 of them were picked for mathematics competition, though they didn't make it to the last round, but they were happy to be nominated. They were given gifts such as laptops, and textbooks.
The gifts three of them were given motivated the rest of the students to be selected in the next time. The competition for the next mathematics competition became tough. There were 10 students competing for first position in one class. That was how competitive it was in all classes because everyone wants to go for the next competition.
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Readiness
I used the following words to motivate them.
“Readiness is when your desire is stronger than your distraction.” - Skip Prichard
“He who failed to prepare, is prepared to fail.” Anonymous
Those who were ready in their times are leaders today.
Be ready to learn from everyone; be ready to explore new things; be ready to compete with others; be ready for your future; be ready in your academics.
You can't be ready and not get it; you can't be ready and not know it; you can't be ready for your exam and fail.
Always be ready to learn both in the classroom and outside the classroom.
No subject is hard except you do not pay full attention. If you give yourself to it, you will know it.
I was like you when I was in secondary school. I was very poor in English. My parents bought different English textbooks; I thank God! I got ‘B’ in WAEC and ‘C’ in NECO. I passed the English language Final Exam, which was my toughest subject.
I believe nothing is tough except you see it in that way.
I stand up for success, and success is not achieved by merely making mouth, No room for laziness, no room for idleness. Success comes to the people who are desperately and consciously searching for it. When it seems unsuccessful or you smell failure around you, never discourage yourself from being successful.
“Discouragement and failure are the two surest stepping stones to success.” - Dale.
This is #aprilinleo Day 28