Recently some things have been happening to me that inspired this post. Two instances I would like to share with us all and draw out the lessons from it.
I am currently serving in a college in lagos. It is one of those elite schools with aje-butter kids and stuff. They don’t let Corpers teach fully but we substitute, or ‘cover’ like we call it.
That means that I have had cause to cover almost all the classes. I always thought teaching the senior classes would come naturally to me as I thought I would easily connect with them ‘at that level’. It was not quite the case as I soon realized that despite the fact that they were older, I found it hard to connect at that level. I had spent a lot of my time in Uni tutoring UNIVERSITY BRAINS, explaining complex sociological and psychological concepts to them. It was easy.
Making a switch to teenagers was not as easy as I thought. I enjoyed teaching the JS1’s and 2’s but it was very draining as I had to really really reeeeaaaaaaallllllyyyyy break it down. I don’t know but I couldn’t help but think we had started lowering our educational standards some. But hey, I could be wrong. I use my nieces as a benchmark. As far back as I have recalled, I have helped with homeworks and school projects. Those girls understood me breezily. Now don’t get me wrong ooo, I get along very well teaching and connecting with my students now, at that level because I just had to reach them. This was my job and they loved having Miss E’ in their class naturally so I just had to find a way. I don’t baby them of course. I don’t even know how to baby anyone. But I make sure that I humble myself to the level where they can actually grasp whatever it is that I am saying. I recall having to cover a JSS2 music class because the instructor had to be somewhere else. Shingbai, I don’t know in music. I recall that in feddy girls then, we called it MostUselessSubjectInClass. M.U.S.I.C.
#tick#
Looool.
Well, all I had to do was have them copy a really short note and when he came back, he would explain it to them. I got there and dictated the note on CADENCES to them. No way I was copying it on the board for JSS2 students biko. Let’s just say that the instructor was not very thrilled with me loool.
Teaching Sociology class to SS2 students also came at a great price because I have never had to break my course that I am in love with, down this much. It was fun reducing my rich sociological knowledge to their level though and we flow very well now. Yup, in case you are wondering, sociology is a course here for the social science inclined senior students who have to write and pass same in their IGCSE.
Teaching really younger people is a whole new world I am really enjoying and learning in.
Let’s take this to church for a minute.
Recently, my pastor handed a girl over to me to mentor. She was a little above 20. She was really green. It was so hard going over and over the basics of Christianity for her. Yes, I have always had mentees and stuff but they usually have some knowledge and are growing in the faith. They may question some things or even choose to deny it, but they knew. This chic was a newborn baby. I had to do serious prayers of direction for what to be telling her because at that stage, milk was the only thing she could take. Not the rich milk ooo. Real watery one first. I felt mad at myself because it was somewhat telling that I found it hard to relate at first. ‘Like seriously, Eziaha, that you have grown in your walk with God doesn’t mean you should not be able to reach out and connect at ALL levels of people in the faith. ‘
‘ Thankfully, the girl was easy to work with. She had an open though naïve mind and she was very willing to learn. Today when she hugs me, I feel like I am hugging an Eziaha too. I send her regular passages, bought her a bible (I found it hard to believe that some people don’t have bibles biko nu. Wow!!! There is work to be done o people.), pray with and for her, got her an MP3 and loaded it with messages, and stuff. She is growing and I am so proud of her.
Once she didn’t see me in church and she called me to ask me why I wasn’t in church. Imagine!!! Hello!!! Who is doing the follow up here please? Looooooooool. FABtastic sweetheart, that girl.
I said all that to say this, especially to us who have received such grace and have grown in the faith. We need to stay malleable. We cannot afford to advance so much and become rigid, that we cannot reach a certain level of persons especially for good. You can’t be going to heaven alone biko. Paul says, ‘I became all things to all men…’ I don’t see anyone of us, most especially me, being as advanced as Bro Paul (lol at bro). As we shine our light, we would attract all sorts. Be sure to connect to them even ‘at that level’
Cheers to a malleable, out-reaching, enriching and fruitFULL life,
E’
PS; Special E’ shout-out to my fellow blogger and brother Ike Amadi. I love you though I am even yet to meet you. Your blog and tweets are so inspiring and so fun. You make me feel like a baby Christian. Can’t wait to meet you finally. I don’t even know what you look like loool.
Oh wait *runstoyourblogtofindapicture*
Phew, now i do 🙂
And I love the bible study #la187 you do. I need to start something like that too. Hugsssss darling. Find his blog here
PPS; Confession works!!! I had already gotten an Android thanks to the Jim Ovia foundation and the social media awareness youth seminar. Though the program had ended, I still told my friends that I would also win the laptop. I recall one saying ‘na wa ooo Eziaha, how is that possible?’ So I got tweeted at, I and 9 others. Further email correspondence after and I had gotten/won a laptop. Whoop!!!
I know, I am so blessed. Don’t hate. It’s the God in me. I did a review of the program on my NYSC blog here www.isegreenng.wordpress.com Please read and comment and spread word.
My next set of posts are really exciting. Three topics i have in mind. Nay four. 1. Has anybody noticed?
2. While you are waiting.
3. The SEED principle
4. I am building them NO altars
You wanna keep it locked to Miss E’s blog yo!!!
Muah
Oh E!
Firstly thanks for the mention. I appreciate it.
I’m not going to re-teach your blog psst, but I must say we are very much alike in story.
Like I said and will say a thousand times more, you inspire me and a lot more people.
Me, more so because you are in the real world and are doing something, something we can see and admire.
By the way,I look fresh. Lol. And more importantly, I talk fresh. I might not brag in my looks as much as I’ll brag in my voice, God have me a fresh voice. (but you know the God we serve na : )Haha. But not even half as much as I’ll brag in our God! (ok that was me being E!)
You see you’ve mentored me, alot. Haha; the hitherto shy me now talks like E fresh!
E! Like my Igbo brothers say, “To God!” You’re doing something!
Now I’m plenty things that end with -er but recently God has humbled me by giving me one person to mentor. Come and see frustration. 27 year old Muslim turned Christian. That was when I got to know how impatient I really was. But yea, having humbled myself too and submitted myself to the work, I’m teaching and learning as well. So when you spoke of the lady you had to mentor from scratch, I felt you!
I almost tweeted that, “it is easy to preach to a people of 100 than a people of one.” But God will help us.
God will keep us malleable!
Fine write, Nne. Always blessed by your exuberance for Jesus. You are the simple definition of refreshing.
And yea, this write up was interesting, I saw E get mad…lol.
I’m praying for you. You will shine brighter, and as Jesus dey make you shine so, we go de follow you for back de go : )
On a more serious note, I’m praying for you. We need more of your kind.
Your Nwanne,
Ike Amadi
P.s.
You’ll keep writing, won’t you? And when you’re too busy, record it, give a secretary to type for you.
Blessings, again.
Praying for you!
hAHAHAHA. Ike being E’ indeed.
Please ooo, don’t let me put my eyes on you. Limme alone to be E’ looooool.
Thank you so much for dropping by darling. and the prayers. Means plenty to me.
I will keep writing for sure, as God gives grace too., I love the secretary bit tho.
I can’t even imagine your stunts with the muslim… loooool
Great grace ooo. That is what we have been called to do jare. We can’t be going to heaven alone.
Seriously Ike, i feel you are like the saved brother that i do not have YET…
I really need the prayers. and while you are still not tweeting that, I will tweet it for you, after i have modified it a bit. It is so true.
TALK is cheap ooo. It is in the doing that work is…
God dey… We will do HIM PROUD, AMEN
Cheers darlin’
E’ being E’
Ada di mma! Nne biko Jisie Ike. Indeed чυя blog is refreshing. Oga Amadi thanks 4 bringing this along my way. More Grace 2 the both of u, as u keep doing exploits 4 de Lord.
loool at Ada dinma
thank you dearie
amen ooo…
Bless up Darlin’ Ike
E’
My charmer. *takes deep breath. I was literally drained yerstaday cos a son of mine from school suddenly wants to become a moslem. I was upset with him. Sent him lots of BB messages and went further to call him and kinda lashed out on him. I’m thinking now, did i follow the right approach? Thank God for the Holy Spirit I’m going back to help a fallen child. Thanks for this.
Wow
Thank God I could help…
🙂
My best prayers loool
E’
FIRST OF ALL…IKE AMADI is a HUNK. Me likey. Then to d main issue (*putting on my double lens glasses*),Benjamin Franklin said “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” ..nd he is just on point. And as a 21st century teacher, u just have to keep dt in mind ALL THE TIME. Secondly, the best teacher is not the one who knows most but the one who is most capable of reducing knowledge to that simple compound of the obvious and wonderful. Congrats Ezi, u just joined the Club of Great Extraordinary teachers…like me :d
So, back to mentoring. Mentors are leaders and I feel Leaders should influence others in such a way that it builds people up, encourages and edifies them so they can duplicate this attitude in others. When a young person, even a gifted one, grows up without proximate living examples of what she may aspire to become–whether lawyer, scientist, artist, or leader in any realm–her goal remains abstract. Such models as appear in books or on the news, however inspiring or revered, are ultimately too remote to be real, let alone influential. But a role model in the flesh provides more than inspiration; his or her very existence is confirmation of possibilities one may have every reason to doubt, saying, ‘Yes, someone like me can do this’. Remember that mentor leadership is all about serving. Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).” Mentoring is: Sharing Life’s Experiences and God’s Faithfulness. And I think each of us is given a mentoring opportunity in the hope that when you had somebody to lean on you, you would begin to stand a little steadier yourself, and get manliness and thoughtfulness. I raise my wine glass to all great mentors. I empty my zobo cup to those who will never mentor…for empty are those who can never inspire or influence positive change…kisses and hugs E!
Dumebi oooooooooo
Kai!!!
I raise my 1706 vintage wine full glass to your brilliant comment
Thank you for the welcome into the club… U are my TEACHspiration
Muah muah!!!
E’
fantastic comment. i don’t know if i know you but your comment is soooon point. And ofcourse, not shocked about the write up, Eziaha is Fabtastic like that.
*soooooo*
U don’t know her YET
But u will…
D girl is drama!!!
And I love her for that
And u too sug