I work as a secretary in a nursery and primary school, most time when a teacher is off school or on leave (via illness, emergency situation, or traveled far) I do stand in and keep the class till he or she returns. I've thought almost all the classes in the school but I'm mostly in the upper primary class. Sincerely anytime I'm being called to go and help in the classroom the next thing on my mind is 'The Head Teacher would have gone instead of me since she has better knowledge and experience than I do'. In fact I have little or no experience) I can say teaching is fun too. The one big problem I have is that some of the pupils I teach finds it difficult to assimilate what is being taught, I don't know if it's because I'm the one teaching but sometimes I do hear class teachers complaining to the Head Teacher about children not being really intelligent to get the things that passed to them.
I have this passion for teaching, I always feel like letting the children get knowledge about the things they don't know, I always try to explain the things I know to the children who doesn't understand but I don't seem to get it righ. In a way that when I explain the things I am trying to teach the pupil(s) I'm teaching does not always understand, it's as if I'm confusing the child more but deep within, I'm very sure of what I'm teaching. I once said 'if there is a next life there is nothing that will ever take me close to an educational institution in the name of teaching'. Out of frustration tho.
Yes! I know children have different learning methods and patterns (individual differences) but even after trying all the methods I know, most of the children I teach still won't understand.
Maybe the class is boring and that's why they don't understand (I thought), Then I tried to make the teaching interesting, I tried to explain with our daily life activity like foods, toys, plants, things around, places we go to, friends or anything we come across; but at the end of the lesson it will only look as if I just poured water on a hen's back.
Sometimes I decide to give the child time to rest his brain, I give the child time to play and I also try to make funny expressions so the child will laugh, I give room for communication between I and child at anytime so the child will feel free. Other times when I'm teaching a particular topic and it's as if I'm speaking in tongues or probably parables to the child, I will go back to treat the topic before the one I was supposed to teach.
The child will flow with the lesson and also understand every example. If given one to do while I watch, the channel flow with the lesson understand every example if given a god at the talk rubbish and it's as if I'm speaking in tongues or in parables to the child I will treat the topic before the one I'm supposed to teach. The child will flow with the lesson, and understand every example but if given as a home activity it would be a complete mess up.
Today, I stood in for a teacher who went to the village for an urgent family meeting.
I taught grade four, a small class of 8 pupils (7 boys and one girl; the girl was absent today due to a health issue). I was to continue teaching the topic PLACE VALUE in mathematics, I asked the pupil what they understood so far from what their teacher had taught them but I discovered that they just had like 10% knowledge of the topic.
I reintroduced explained and gave some examples, I gave class activity to be sure they understood what I was saying, but only four pupils out of 7 were able to attempt three questions correctly. I had to use the next subject period just to let them understand the topic; which was about an hour and 30 minutes. Anyway, I'm glad the time paid because they were all able to answer the questions correctly.
I narrated my classroom experience to the headteacher and she gave me some very useful tips, she gave me a step-by-step method that another subject when I used it for another thought topic in another subject. Now, pondering on the things she told me and the results it gave, it made me realise that the passion I have for teaching can be actualized as a career, all I need to do is to probably go to a college of education so I can learn more and be able to give out knowledge effectively.
Indeed teachers are trying.
Second, third and fourth images are mine
KUDOS TO ALL THE TEACHERS OUT THERE.❤️❤️