My 2018 - This is my Hobby: Teaching

gracefavour (51)in #my2018 • 6 years ago (edited)

Thank you to @anomadsoul for this contest.

Hobby is regarded as something you are passionate about. I love children and I am very passionate about them, my passion for kids grew more after college. Children are really unique and exceptional gift from God and as a psychologist, I have always been interested in developmental psychology, because it is originally concerned with children. When I tell people I want to be a teacher, they would be like “oh Grace! A teacher? With all other opportunities, you choose to be a teacher? This statement always make me smile, because it is something I love to do and it gives me exceeding joy.

I once taught in a school and I made sure that I inculcated a positive behavior in the life of the children, I made sure there was discipline and fun at the same time. Everything does not have to be about discipline because lots of teachers are guilty of this, I made sure I create an environment where this kids can talk and relate with me because most times their parents are not always there for them and most of them seek advice and counselling from their teachers to help and assist them. The second institution that trains up a child after the home is the school, I try as much as possible to inculcate this positive behavior in the life of the child.

I remembered the day I resigned from the school, my students were so sad, the headmistress was so proud of me that I was given gifts and commendation. It was not about the gifts but about making an impact, I want this children to grow up someday and say, “This teacher impacted my life”. I have come across people who coincidentally meet some of their teachers in school and they won’t say hi because of the things the teacher did to them.

I am privileged to also be a Sunday school teacher in church, I practically wake up as early as 5am- 5:30 am so I can leave by 6am and resume by 7am. And I would be telling you my experiences. the first thing you would be asked to do before becoming a teacher is to spend 2 weeks in every section, for instance you spend two weeks in the 6 months-2 years class, then another 2 weeks in 3-5 years and so on. In each section, I felt the warmth of the children, from the babies who practically cried throughout when their parents left them for few hours and I practically have to pet and console 5 babies at the same time, lol, I enjoyed it, although my ears were totally blocked, lol, I remembered how a parent wanted to tip me the first time I went there. I can assure you that when the love is there, the joy and reward would flow.

I was through with that section and I moved to 3-5 years, these ones do not cry but very hard to control and you have to do all kind of gestures to get their attention, you have to dance, jump, sing and act all the characters because they can be easily distracted. But the fact that when you ask a question and they respond gives a joy that what you are teaching is having an impact in the life of this children.

Then the next was 5-8, this section are a little matured and I enjoyed this section too. I remembered a parent coming to meet me that her daughter does not write anything and she was a little bit worried and I assured her not to worry that her daughter would write today, being my first time there, they had taught them for few weeks and the day I went there was the day for the test. So I made sure I monitored her all through, while the “strong ones” would leave their seat and move to the board to copy, because they could not see well from their seat, others would go and push them to leave the board that they were blocking them and so many dramas were unfolding. But this girl is so quiet, when she cannot see, she would not talk or write. So i noticed this and practically told everyone to go back to their seat. The test was over and it was time to mark, I practically sat in their midst to mark. So I marked hers and she performed excellently well. I called her and asked her why she does not write and she said they were always blocking her and she could barely see. Now I was able to figure out the problem.

As a teacher, I get involved with them once in a while. I remembered 3 little girls discussing and laughing and I asked them why they were laughing that I want to be involved in their discussion, even though it was so funny to them but not to me, I made sure I laughed, I remembered learning French from one of my children. As a teacher, i take note of all the kids in my class, I tend to find out their strength and know their weakness and always commend their little effort. I love it when children are excited to go to school and not sad to go to school. Being a teacher for the money and not the money and the passion can be very dangerous to the kids. I remembered teaching one day and I heard a beautiful statement from a child and she said, Aunt my brother always insult me but from today, I won’t insult him again. My joy was immeasurable. Okay, back to my experiences, I rounded up all the classes and I remembered how I was being persuaded to come to a particular section. Most section were hopeful that I would come back, I had to make a choice which was not easy at all.

As a psychologist, I intend further my career in developmental psychology so I can know more about children and know how to help them in the possible way I can. My name is Grace and i love to impact the life of children.