Teaching is Not for the Faint-Hearted

Teaching is truly a noble and admirable profession. If you are good in your area of specialization and have a proper understanding of your lesson content, delivering it will be less stressful.

However, beyond classroom activities and mastering your subject, being a teacher requires additional skills and habits that will support you in your daily responsibilities. You need to be extremely patient, observant, and possess counseling skills. You must also develop conflict management abilities, because conflicts are inevitable in the school environment. You need to be a good and tactical listener, and even without a law degree, you will find yourself judging cases, because complaints will always come your way.

I remember a particular day in school when I had to teach three different classes in a row. I moved from the first class to the second, and then to the third. In each of these classes, I found myself solving one issue or another between students. After completing my sessions, I was completely exhausted. I decided to stop by the canteen to get a chilled Coca-Cola to calm myself down. On my way there, a student came running behind me, shouting "Sir, Sir, Sir!" I paused to listen, and as expected, it was another complaint. I calmly returned, resolved the issue, and continued on my way to the canteen. I finally got what I needed.

Just as I was about to take a sip, I noticed another group of students yelling, ready to engage in a fight. I quickly called them over and asked what the problem was. Both parties explained, and I settled that case too.

I returned to the staff room to drop my books and take a moment to relax before heading out again. Just as I was about to sit, I heard the sound of students approaching the staff room. I could tell they had come with another set of complaints. At that moment, I wasn’t mentally ready to attend to yet another issue, and unfortunately, I was the only teacher in the staff room as others were in class.

Hearing them draw closer, I said to myself, "Nsisong, you need to dodge this one, or you might collapse." I quickly stood up to sneak out before they could see me. But just as I reached the door, they arrived. I was caught. Before they could say anything, I asked, "There’s a problem, right?" and they replied, "Yes."

Luckily, I spotted another teacher on his way back to the staff room, though he had been stopped by other students with a complaint. I immediately pointed to him and asked, "Do you see that teacher?" They said yes. I told them, "Go and meet him. Once he finishes handling that matter, he will attend to yours." They all marched off to meet the teacher, and I quickly escaped to a quiet spot within the school to relax.

The teaching profession is not for the weak. This is one of the many reasons we must always celebrate teachers.