The outstanding teacher

More than ever before, the educational sector is faced with the urgent characteristic of not only mending a society riddled with holes and almost rending but the responsibility of fashioning the norms that modern civilization would live by. While this burden rests upon the shoulders of our teachers, it is nearly an impossibility to achieve anything worthwhile without the cooperation of the learners.

It becomes expedient therefore to focus on the professional well being of the teacher, their standardization, as well as the psychological and physical preparation of the learner. More than a profession practiced in order to put food on the table, teaching is an urgent calling to safeguard, protect and sculpt the future. The duty of the teacher lies in reliving history with his or her students and making sure they learn from it.

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A teacher is not only a custodian of the past but a bridge between the past and the future. Sadly, many teachers are into the profession by error and would have chosen another path had they been granted the opportunity. These teachers, because they lack the insight and true nature of their position, hardly live up to the expected standards of the office. Many of them abuse their powers by being nonchalant and or simply uninformed. The teaching profession can hardly endure complacence and or mediocrity.

A teacher, like a soldier must see the classroom as a war ground. He or she must be armed to the teeth with a helmet of mastery in their subject, their shield of lesson note and sword of teaching aids. A teachermust be prepared for the missiles of unexpected questions that may come his or her way and therefore must be prepared to give his or her best knowledge, withholding nothing from the inquisitive students.

I must reiterate that the failure of a student is a direct reflection of a teacher’s incompetence, therefore, when a student fails, it is only a foolish teacher that criticises and chastises the student. Instead he or she should go back to the drawing board and seek ways by which the student can improve.

Many teachers fail at their duty because all they do is teach. Teaching is only 5 per cent or less of a teacher’s responsibility. An ideal teacher is a lot more. In this generation, if all a teacher knows to do is teach, then the teacher has failed. Students are more than ever before are more informed and hardly entirely rely on the knowledge from theteacher. I do predict that conventional teaching as it is will be extinct in about two decades from now. It is important to note that before true learning can take place seamlessly, trust must be established. In order for trust to be fully established, there must be friendship.

Efe Ronald Chesterfield,

Oyo State