Teaching: My First Job

In life, there is always a first time for everything. There is a first time to attend a particular event, try out a recipe, get a job, woo a girl or give(n) birth to - that happens only once though, else supernaturally. Being a first-timer comes with it that triggering sensation be it a good or bad deed.

Photo by Katerina Holmes:

One of the very first of mine was getting a job. I was a young school leaver who just graduated from secondary school and had also taken the entrance examination to a university. I was awaiting the admission list from the school and, as usual, there is no timeline to follow to know when exactly the list will be out. We all just waited blindly. So, instead of sitting at home doing nothing, I was advised to get something done. I had no idea of what I wanted to do but considering the financial situation at home then. I decided to get a job related to what I thought I could do better - teaching.

The Search Begins

For the next couple of days, I went to some secondary schools closer to my home but most said they could not allow a young school leaver to teach a secondary school. And I do not want primary school. I believed I still had fresh ideas. In the long run, I ended up with a school that had just 4 (science) students in its senior secondary school. I was to teach Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. The pay was just 8000 naira but I wasn't bothered because I knew I was still going to do what I loved to do.

The Real Deal

Being a teacher and employee wasn't too hard. I woke up early and left school by 4-5 pm. But I could understand what 9-5 workers, parents especially, go through daily just to cater for their children well well-being.

Moreover, being a teacher of just 4 students was not as easy as it sounds. I could decipher that the students didn’t have a good foundation to build on. So, most times, I had to go through with the basics first which they should have learned in lower levels, before reaching the major deal. The situation taught me patience and people management. Honestly, I realised teachers are hardworking people and I believe they should be properly remunerated, as anybody who does his job well.

Going Back?

However, at this point in my life, I can’t go back to that environment. This is nothing related to the stress or perhaps it was a bad experience. No. Presently, even in my tertiary institution, I take tutorial classes, and I will always pick tutorials that work well with my time rather than taking a full-time teaching job. My time is precious to me.

Most private schools in my country do not offer proper rewards for teaching jobs, except for private tertiary institutions. Being a tutor is nothing related to getting a huge pay, but it still allows more freedom for the tutor and sometimes better pay comes with it.