Tour de Force

“Every achievement is a servitude. It compels us to a higher achievement”.

Quote Source

According to Cambridge Dictionary, “Tour de Force” means an achievement or performance that shows great skill and attracts admiration.

Ever since I got employed as a class teacher of Nursery 1 & 2, three years ago, I have always put all my mind into teaching these kids and I tried to make an impact even before I leave there. A colleague asked me one day how I got so much interested in teaching because she finds it hard taking the big classes, I smiled and told her “it's a passion”. Once you are passionate about teaching the kids, you will want to give it all your best.

These wonderful kids have been my priority to teach them so they could understand and learn how to read and write. I was the first teacher who introduced them to writing by themselves from the chalkboard as I would only copy a few lines of words for them while I monitor them.

While that kept going, they were improving and from there, I started teaching them how to join two to three words together to read a story in class as I would devote my full attention and time to listening to and correcting their errors.

I warned them sternly but with a smile on my face not to allow anyone at home to do their homework for them except if they do not understand and by the next day, they would come to feed me back on how they got to do their work and no lies, I would tell them.

These children have come to love me and enjoy my company around them and they would always shout and surround me calling my name.

I taught them how to write and spell their names with their surnames and I was glad for the improvement.

Every time we had parents teachers association, I would always receive more gifts than the other teachers as they would always say “My son or daughter is doing so well” “Thank you for teaching my children”. “My children do not allow anyone to help them do their homework. They will say My aunty will beat me, let me do it myself”.

When I hear words like these, I feel elated for I would call this an achievement for me. With this, I intensified in teaching them more and more and I could see great improvement until one day, I got what I would call “A happy and proud achievement”.

We had another PTA meeting that day and the minute book secretary wasn't available, I was told to replace her and record everything that was being said in the meeting. I sat next to my boss while I was doing my job.

After some parents spoke their minds and appreciated the staff's effort, a parent stood up and started her speech, she got to a point I couldn't stop smiling and being proud of myself.

She mentioned in front of other parents how her son could now spell and write his name by himself. A boy of five years old and his name is Jeremiah with a surname between 10-13 letter words as I couldn't remember but I know he has a long surname.

She said “Thank you, Miss Busayo for helping my son”

I felt emotional and happy because it was a great achievement in the presence of every parent and staff on seat that day.

There was a boy I was teaching also in my class, he would always tell his mom every morning to send gifts over to me because I am always nice and friendly to him. I felt good receiving such praise when the mother of the son comes around to explain how the boy would always disturb her to get me gifts.

I consider this my proudest achievement and I can't wait to receive that everywhere I go.

When I left the school for my degree studies in the year 2019, I felt like not leaving and my boss wasn't happy seeing me leave but I just had to since I was given admission at that time.

Thanks for reading

Image by Sebastían on Unsplash

[July 04, 2022] (No 185 articles for the year)