To Every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction
~Isaac Newton.
Don't know how the above saying relates to this article. Just read on. You might figure that out
This here might just be a repetitive story. It never gets stale to me and I don’t think it ever will.
Sometime back, while I still held home lessons, my kids all performed excellently. It was work, hard work.
There were days when it felt like we were moving in circles. There were days when a childs inability to provide answers to a question I throw at him/her brings low my spirit.
Starting out with each child was a struggle. And as is the case in getting to handle young kids, different strategies were employed. There is no one-size-fits-all. Kids and their gimmicks too! I felt different emotions. I played different roles...sometimes I had to be a friend, sometimes, a playmate, sometimes, I was not the teacher and friend they knew. I punished, I praised, I gifted. I learnt too.
Those times were In no
way easy. I'd neglect personal agendas because I needed to attend to these kids and had become bonded with them. There’s more to teaching than curriculum too, you know? I sometimes think that I did more than I should. But whatever little to big effort I put in paid off. Big time! It was worth every sweat and time...everything.
On the flip side.....
sometimes we try our best and it endsfutility.
Before I got into the university, I had written the JAMB exam a couple times and had put in as much as effort as I did and thought should
get me my desired course.
One time that stood out for me was once when I had studied long and hard. Even had personal lesssons with different teachers. I'd awake really early in the day and sleep late at night. I would neglect my personal duties and care because I had to study. The end result was most hurtful to me because my immediate big brother was greatly Invested in it. He took me on Physics lesson. He put in; time, resource, prayers, everything, and anything that anyone could have.
There was no material I needed which he did not provide. He would stay awakea with me all through the nights and studied patiently with me.
Remember the post I made sometime on here about choosing to teach physics over any other subjects? He's a reason behind it. Physics was my least favorite subject until stepped in. Never seen anyone who teachs so good as he does. He made me love calculations and study.
Then, I spent at least 10 - 16hrs studying everyday. Dusted at least three different textbooks/materials in Physics. He even got tutors in other areas for me. Myself and him took english questionnaires together and marked each other's scripts. I studied like I would run mad if I didn't. Lost track of time and events.
When finally I sat for the exam and the result came out, i was disgusted. Did not, could not tell him my score. Kept it a secret. I don’t know how he got to know, till date. All I could think of when I saw my result with him. Heck! You cannot even imagine the work we put in. He called it a Marathon. I wanted him to be proud of his time and efforts but it was all underwhelming.
While the rest people saw it as a good result, I did not. When paralleled with the work, sleepless nights, efforts put in, it was unworthy.
But i don't regret anything. I learned lessons. Stuff just happened.
Thanks for gracing this post.
Greetings!