I believe that in life, everyone can make a difference, you just have to decide what you want to do to make a difference.
When I was in Secondary School, Mathematics was a subject I disliked because of the narrative that it is very hard to comprehend and most of all, all the mathematics teachers are always harsh.
When I started my secondary school education, mathematics was still a bit easy for me due to my previous knowledge in primary school. Our mathematics teacher is a female and she tried to groom us in the subject but she doesn't like entertaining questions, she would just prefer we should all nod our head in affirmation if she was to ask if we understand what she had taught us.
Sometimes she doesn't even ask if we understand and if a student were to ask a question, she would reply with ; "we will take that question in the next class" or "There is no time for questions, we have a lot to do". I don't know if she's overworked due to the overpopulation of students in public school or she just doesn't like explaining well.
When she went on maternity leave and another teacher substituted for her, it was a case of "falling from the frying pan and into the fire" as this man was worse in all ramifications. He comes to class with a cane, always wearing a menacing look and not teaching us to our level which made me dislike the subject even more. It continues for a while till a situation made him relax a bit but he still doesn't explain well.
I always wonder if there will be a change in the way I see the subject and in time the real change came in the form of a female teacher. She came for teaching practice ( A practical course all teachers-in-training must pass before they are certified). The first time this woman taught us "DERIVATION OF QUADRATIC FORMULA BY COMPLETING THE SQUARE", I understood so much that it lives rent-free in my brain till now. That very day, we begged her to continue teaching us even after the bell was rung for a break. She made the class so interesting that we were always looking forward to having her in our class.
It saddens us that the teaching practice only lasted for three months but in those few months she spent with us, she made use of any available time to teach us and I love the subject so much, even after she left, I continued practicing more till it became my best subject. She is one of the people who inspired me to become a teacher and I went ahead to study Mathematics in a higher Institution.
Now as a teacher, I also have students who disliked the subject and I try every day to change the narrative that Mathematics teachers are harsh or the subject is too complex. I'm glad I have been imparting positively into the lives of my students and I am always happy when they ask questions because that shows they are interested enough to want to understand better.
Even if my salary as a teacher is not encouraging, the excitement I see on the faces of my students and the praise I get from their parents as they see their children doing well in a subject they used to dislike is enough to motivate me to teach better and make a difference in their lives.
In my prayers, I always say a prayer to those who were my source of inspiration and I know students out there are doing the same for me.
Thank you all for reading.