The Diary Game || 10-06-24 || Introducing a Reward Factor to Impact Learning in a public school

Dear Diary

My day was full of surprises from morning till night. I had the best of days on a Monday morning. I couldn't even imagine what transpired but it was the best and stressful Monday I've ever had in a while. How? The narration below has the description of my day.

It was a Monday morning and I woke up to hear lot of noises in front of my house. I went out to check what was actually happening and saw a beautiful scene. Why I say the scene is beautiful is because it has been a regular occurrence but at different timeframes. A couple was debating words with each other.

From what I heard, the wife complained that the man isn't providing as the head of the family. The man in turn start calling her names saying he's doing his best and that if she disrespects him again, she'll go begging.

It became serious when the woman went close to the man. They were shouting at each other not until the woman held the man by his t-shirt. The mother-in-law also came from where she was and held the man by his shorts.

The fight was intense and the man seemed to be overpowered. I guess he didn't want to create a scene by using his hands otherwise he would have committed murder. They took their family issues and came out on the road to settle with a fight.

No one separated them. It was when the woman and her mother successfully collected the man's phone they freed him. This happened as a result of;

• irresponsibility
• high standard of living in Nigeria
• lack of job
• inability to manage a household as a family head

Here in Nigeria, marriage is becoming free. You just take a woman, impregnate her and then take her to your house. You both have assumed you're married. That's the case that happened with this couple. This was 7 o'clock news in details. The worst way to start one's day. After capturing these couple, I took to preparing for school.

I left the house in no time to the junction where I had to power my phone as it was low and I couldn't take such to school as it may turn off. I just had to charge it for minutes before heading for school. On my way to school, I captured lots of places in my City where people usually visit on a Monday.

	A central hall
	Women centre
	E-library
	State Secretariat

There's this man in the vehicle I was who was just staring at me with great admiration. I was unaware of his reasons not until he told me I look like someone he knows. I quickly declined respectfully because that's one strategy to make one loose focus and then get the person robbed. I became even more alert and minded my business. When I alighted from vehicle I boarded, I headed for the school I was posted to.

I was a bit late though as I had to monitor a teacher while she taught. While in her class, I observed 7 types of students;

• The sick ones
• The carefree
• Men and women association
• The marketers
• The incomplete note and penless gangs
• The lost ones who focus while a teacher teaches but doesn't understand anything taught.
• The noise makers

The teacher on set was less concerned about their behaviour. What she knew was to teach. When her period elapses, she'll leave the class. I ensured I take these behavioural pattern in mind and look for ways to change such imminently. About 5 teachers came to teach and sane behaviour was shown. The most outstanding is the fact that 80% in the class don't write what is taught in their notes. It's either they are making noise, lying down or forming their association.

It was becoming a habit so I had to change such since the system can't change them. I knew force won't really be the best option. So I had to look for other strategies that would be effective. I left the class to rally with my colleagues. We had the best time discussing how to succeed in our stay there. We also took pictures, pictures to remember someday.

They were all shocked by my camera's quality as shown above. After spending much time with them, I took to going back to that class with a new energy. I don't know how I came up with such ideas but I thought of trying - The reward factor.

This reward factor is what I thought of as a teaching strategy to stimulate the learners into taking their studies seriously. How does this reward factor come to play? I saw it as a strategy to stimulate and enhance learning. What I did was to give them 5 questions as a quiz and then promise to give a thousand naira which is 3 steems to the best 3 students who aces the quiz. You need to see how serious these students were. I've never seen them this serious since I was sent to the school.

They were on their books, trying to solve mathematical problems. I then got my strategy from what I saw. If I can employ steemit financial support as a reward factor into this learning process, it would go a long way into helping these students. I then told the class.

I'll be giving quizzes, presentations, challenges, academics debates and writing opportunities to improve their academics and would be rewarding the best from these activities. I also promised to use the money gotten from steemit to sponsor a student in terms of books and other necessities before leaving the school in two weeks time

I stated that all I needed them to maintain decorum anytime they have a class otherwise I would cancel all these opportunities I want to offer them.

This reward factor isn't to make their learning financial dependent but to motivate learning. I've not tried this but I feel for the remaining two weeks, I should be able to create an impact in that class. I should be able to make some changes that wasn't there........

It was closure in the school which drove me home. The strategy did work and I collected all answers in papers home. The students were anticipating the next day of which they'll know their fate. Guess the outcome of the reward strategy I used the next day. It's not all the time force can be applied to enhance learning. Sometimes play way and reward method can be the best option and that's what I want to experiment for 2 weeks before leaving the school finally.

on my way back home	a scene with policemen

On my way back home, I stumbled on another scene where a young guy just dropped by EFCC was blocked by policemen. The guy was furious and nearly slapped one of them for holding him captive. He asked them if they knew what he faced and passed through with the EFCC. I also saw another scene at a checkpoint where some boys dressed like suspects were held captive.