21 QUESTIONS

Dear teachers,

In the course of my journey, especially over the past few years, I have been asked a myriad of questions. Some have touched on my personal life, while the majority have been about the professional side. I have answered quite a number, but I have come to realize that doing this has become repetitive and time-consuming, hence the need for today's newsletter. So, instead of answering the same set of questions a thousand times, I would answer them here, hoping it helps as many teachers as possible. I have curated these 21 questions from my direct messages. I hope they help.

Have you always wanted to be a teacher?

No! It was an emphatic NO until I went for my National Youth Service Corps in Katsina State. I had the character traits while growing up but despised the disregard accorded the profession. I wanted to be a broadcaster... in fact, I was a broadcaster before teaching snatched me. For the first three years of my career, I did not let many people know I was a teacher because I knew I would be dragged from Lagos to my hometown due to my outspokenness about the profession. Thank God for the anointing.

2. Do you regret joining the profession?

Not at all. I love being a teacher. I think... no... I believe teaching is the most fulfilling career choice ever. Besides, I find teaching intriguing and challenging, which are the core ingredients to keep someone like me engaged. The truth is, I get bored easily, and teaching has been the only job that challenges me enough to stay put. The joy of being the vessel of helping another human BECOME cannot be quantified. I love my students and always look forward to what they have up their sleeves. I enjoy how teaching helps me redefine success and growth. It is not perfect, but I will take being the channel of fulfilled dreams over any other profession.

3. What do you not like about the job?

The bureaucracy—the complicated bureaucracy in the education system, in my opinion, is a bottleneck that stifles creativity and the implementation of innovative teaching methods. It can be tiring because Teacher Autonomy is often lost in the process, and what we have are teachers fulfilling all righteousness. I have found some respite, though. I have learned to understand my circle of influence. I may not be able to change the curriculum or certain realities, but I am in charge of my class activities and resources, and by extension, assessment. These factors definitely go a long way in helping my students acquire the skills and values they need to navigate and contribute to the ever-evolving world. If Mohammed does not go to the mountain, the mountain must come to Mohammed.

4. What part of the job description do you find difficult?

Marking and lesson planning. For the first two, technology has been a saving grace, but for the latter, uhm!

5. As an English Teacher, what educational applications do you enjoy the most?

Google Classroom, Padlet, Kahoot, Duolingo, and Quizlet. Chef's kiss to the creators of the first two.

6. How do you navigate a large class?

Three things—grouping, engaging, and building. First, I create my class groups strategically. I make sure I put my students in groups considering their strengths and weaknesses. At the beginning of the session, I test them on different aspects—grammar, writing, speaking, handwriting... to ensure everyone's strengths is captured. The grouping is to help everyone grow. So, you may be good at writing essays but not so well in handwriting legibility; there will be somebody in the group to help. They know they are responsible for one another, and the grouping extends beyond the class—it is a class family.

For the second one, it is about the activities. I ensure that my class activities are engaging and differentiated. A large class signals different learners. You do not want to carry some along while leaving others behind. Lastly, building. This is about building a genuine relationship with your students, INDIVIDUALLY. Show you care; they will reciprocate and not make you tear your hair out in class. Something as simple as knowing their names will keep them in check.

7. How come you have achieved so much in such a short time?

I think it is beyond me. I cannot attribute it to anything but GRACE. I know teachers better than I am and with more experience. In all honesty, it is beyond me. This is not to say that I have been cruising all along. It has been 11 years of raw determination and hard work. When I believe in something, I go all out. What if I told you I had no savings until last year? My account balance was reading ZERO because I expended everything I had on making sure my students and mentees were well catered for. All my projects were funded from my purse, my parents', and that of my best friends—Wale and Chinaka.

I want to believe God heard the silent and loud prayers of my students, their parents, and their community.

8. Are you passionate about awards?

No! I was a slow burner—a person that takes a while to gain recognition or success but eventually becomes successful through steady effort and perseverance. If you knew my story, the awards would not shock you. It only seems so because everything happened at about the same time. TIME and SEASON, I guess. It will amaze you to know that a very good number of my awards came from nominations and push from my mummies on the job. I am of the school of thought that I should be awarded for doing something right, and applications feel like pleading to be seen (this is not true, though).

I need to add that I also have unconventional persistence. I do not believe in the concept of failure. I see life in the binary of win or learn. So if I do not get something the first time, I garner experience and try again. You should see the number of NOs I have received while trying to develop myself professionally. CRY? No! I actually get really hungry for food and another attempt at every disappointment.

9. What do you wish was not in existence?

Death, illnesses, Facebook, and WhatsApp.

10. As an individual, what do you wish to change about yourself?

Change? Nothing. I just want to get better. Whatever component with defects is part of my makeup.

11. It seems you find interviews quite easy; how did you learn this?

Interviews are interviews; they do not get better for you; you get better for them. Practice makes perfect, and the more you put yourself out there, the better you become. Also, there is a difference between obsession and drive. You feel less pressured when you are not obsessed with winning.

I am still not perfect. I am spontaneous, but I sometimes lack clarity of thought because my brain moves faster than my mouth. I am a work in progress but on my schedule. No pressure.

12. What advice will you give to educators?

Live! Learn! Laugh!

Life is short for you not to LIVE. You will be left behind if you do not LEARN. Everything is not a duel, LAUGH.

Do not be an imitation—be authentic and true to yourself. You do not have to do what everyone is doing—do not be a TOWER OF BABEL. This profession is not a battlefield; sheath your sword. COLLABORATION over COMPETITION.

14. It seems you travel a lot; how can I get the same opportunity?

There will be a workshop on the 27th of June, 2024, at Government College, Agege, by 9 am. I will be there to bare my all. Please, be there.

If you cannot, make sure you join the online class; you can register via the link below.

https://forms.gle/ftX5hFAYijaYEzmPA

I guess I will have to take a break now; we will continue in the next edition.

Yours seriously,

Adeola Adefemi