Hey Teacher! How Friendly are You?

No man is an island of knowledge! However, what you are passionate about becomes easy for you with adequate preparation.

Hey teacher! How friendly are you? It’s been well over 6 years that I fully left classroom teaching. But my students and pupils have not stopped reaching out to me.

Six years, of course is enough to birth a University graduate, Secondary school graduate, or even a primary school graduate.

Howbeit, the least class I taught before finally hanging the boot as a classroom teacher was SS2. So, that means, void of any unwanted and unexpected situation, my students should have been graduates by now. And this is regardless of their course of study. Smiles!

So, I basically hung the classroom teaching boot and picked up the personal teaching kits. Oh, did you think I stopped teaching? Never!

My teaching is not as a result of profession but passion to impact. Just recently, one of my learner had said to me,

‘‘Ma, do you know that if you are a staff in my school, I am sure you would be earning far more than all my teachers?”

Stumped at the expression, I smiled and responded.

‘‘Why did you say so?”

She was not expecting that kind of response. Of course, I understood what she meant but it wasn’t entirely true.

Still, I wanted to know her reason for the immediate thought.

Then she responded,

‘‘Well, because you are very sound and you know so many things. You know almost every question I ask and even the ones that my teacher would struggle to answer. Your fluency amazes me. And with you, I am free to ask as many questions as I have in my head. It doesn’t matter whether it is making sense or not.’’

I kept quiet for some time, trying to process the best way to respond to her own response. Trying to be mindful of not disregarding her class teacher’s uniqueness.

‘‘Smiles! Do you know why I always say that personal development is intentional?” I asked her.

‘‘No ma.’’ She responded.

For every mistake she made, rather than shout at her or even beat her, I only emphasized the need to be more deliberate in her effort to do the right things.

I do not beat my students and pupils but I punish them. In fact, their punishment sometimes could be in long lectures.

Nobody should force you to learn. If you cannot understand why it is important for you to be educated at all cost, then you have failed as an individual. Mind you, education isn’t just about your school work or going to school. Education is simply application of knowledge. And that is why when you’re educated, you are powerful. Because unlike those who just go to school and refuse to be properly educated, you apply the knowledge you gained. So, as a student, whatever you do today has a lasting impact on what you get tomorrow.

I concluded.

“Wow! My teacher is the best.” She smiled as she hugged me.

Mister Teacher/Aunty Teacher/Brother teacher/Madam Teacher,

This matter concerns you! How friendly are you? Whether classroom teacher or private teacher, how is your relationship with your students? How do you respond to your students’ compliment without necessarily demeaning another teacher?

I’ll leave you to answer those questions.