By A few years ago, I worked as a full-time teacher in a private secondary school in Ibadan.
Apart from my duty as a subject teacher, I had some other responsibilities, part of which was being the class teacher of one of the classes in JSS1.
Titilope Ogundele
Some time later, the school came up with a rule; all class teachers for the junior classes should vacate the staff room and move their tables to their classes.
We were mandated to sit with our pupils in the classroom.
Naturally, the instruction didn’t go down well with the teachers. It was an extra burden for us.
Moreso, we were used to the camaraderie of the staff room. Why will the management think of isolating each of us?
I was one of the teachers that kicked against the instruction, but then we had to obey it.
While the staffroom was on the ground floor, my class was on the first floor.
I moved my table to the class and stayed with my children; well, they were my children.
Staying in the class with the pupils created a strong bond between them and me.
I began to study them; I developed a new affection for them. In no time, the pupils turned me to their mother and counsellor.
They kept their little secrets with me; some even shared their family secrets with me.
Eventually, I became a counsellor, a mother, a gist partner, a pastor, a prayer partner, a confidant, and many more.
It was at this time I got to know of the struggles many of these little ones were going through. Who says children are without troubles?
For my personal development, I had time to write my lesson notes; I had time for personal study and meditation.
Guess what? While the other teachers went back to the staff room after some weeks, I did not go back to the staff room. I stayed with my children; they needed me more.
Children have struggles too. Many of them are going through serious issues that their parents are not aware of.
Many of them have deep secrets they cannot share with their family. They need attention; they need love and protection.
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