Why do you want to teach at this school?

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Well, by "this school", I'm not sure whether you're referring to a specific school or maybe it was a typographical error or maybe you are referring to teaching in schools at a general level. It's really important that we are clear as regards the question asked because it is a determinant factor in ensuring that the question is correctly answered. Teachers are people who help others to acquire knowledge, values and competence in any field. This could be carried out in a formal or an informal context. Teachers are very key in the life of every person. Their roles in our society cannot be overemphasized. They produce every professional of every field. No doctor, lawyer, pharmacist, engineer, musical artist, and even farmers who didn't pass through a teacher. Shouldn't people saddled with this responsibility be encouraged to even do better?

Despite the roles and responsibilities of teachers, it's amazing that a lot of teachers are under paid in most countries. In some places too, teachers are owed salaries for several months. For this sole reason, a lot of teachers have abandoned their duty post in search of greener pastures. I mean, they have families to cater for. Some others have not taken their jobs seriously that's why we see their products are not commendable. We see and hear kids these days, it tells us that there's a crack in the building department that is, schools. So talking about teaching, I've taught before for about six years. I'd love to teach again because of the experiences I gathered coupled with other things I got to learn. When I think about the benefits that comes with teaching, I'd love to do it one more time.

Teaching is passing across the information, ideas, knowledge and skills that you have learnt to someone else. The aim of teaching is to make someone else know the things we know and understand the things we do understand. In other to be an effective teacher, it means I have to study. Teaching affords us the opportunity to learn for ourselves first and then for the sake of another. You can't give what you don't have. Teaching causes you to be observant and current with recent happenings in the society so that you can give the right information.

Teaching is reproducing ourselves in another person. It's easier communicating your thoughts to another when you know the type of learning method(s) that suits that person. You'd go the extra mile because you want to affect the person's life for a long time. Teachers are role models. A lot of time, their students look forward to being like them. They learn not just the things they say but the way they say them and try to mimic same. The gestures are useful as it helps them to remember what they've heard. I've often seen my nieces and nephew during one of their play sessions, decide to take it the school way. One acts as a teacher and the other as students. You hear the teacher representative among them try to mimic their teacher at school. They represent what they hear and see others do.

To teach is to guide another person, to help point someone else in the direction he or she should be headed. Teachers are saddled with the responsibility of guiding, correcting and leadership. It's always a joy as a teacher to see the kids we guided get to the peak of their dreams. The kids I thought some years ago are now in the university. Each time I think about them, I'm just so excited. They call me from time and fill me in on their progress and challenges and i still give them counsel.

Teachers are forces and icon of respect. For this reason, parents entrust their kids to teachers to be tutored, mentored and instilled correct discipline. That's why children believe almost everything that comes from their teacher. They may not take it from their parents or anyone else even if these people are correct except their teacher confirms it first. Few years ago, my little niece who was three years old returned from school. While guiding her through her assignment. I told her the correct pronunciation of a word. She insisted that my pronunciation was wrong because that wasn't what her teacher told her and as long as it isn't coming from her teacher, she refused to accept that it was correct from me.

A Parent reported her son who happened to be in my class to me. She sent him on an errand and he refused to go. When she told the child he was going to report to him to me, the child started to plead that he didn't mean that he wasn't going to run the errand. He only wanted to do that in the evening because the sun was still very hot. It's a great thing to know that someone believes in you. That the thought of you compels someone to do the right thing or follow the right process.

Thinking about the years I spent teaching, I consider that as an investment. It's beautiful working with kids. They not only learn from you, you also get to learn from them. I learnt patience from them. I learnt productivity from them. My day is fulfilled only haven imparted them with knowledge and see them reproduce same when asked questions. A lot of them loved me and tried to mimic the way I speak. I believe that our institution of learning will produce more values and results if the key players; teachers are better rewarded. I'd love to teach again but not at the primary levels.