WHAT EVERY KID TUTOR SHOULD KNOW --by Nickz

“Don’t open it on the road! Wait till you get home before you eat. Teacher says we should not always eat on the road.” Though the young girl really wanted to eat her biscuit, the words of her mate reminded her of what she already knew and reluctantly, she placed the biscuit back in her school bag. They were class mates, about five years in ages, trekking home after school. One had wanted to eat her cookies but because she was reminded of the ethics they were taught by their teacher, she restrained herself, to her displeasure. At such tender age, they were able to constrain their desires, thanks to their class teacher. I fell in admiration for these two and the inspiration to put this down emanated. It goes mainly to nursery school teachers, and then to other individuals who have the privilege of coaching kids.

I’ve observed that most kids between the ages of two and five show great ability of retaining what they’ve seen or heard. My little nephew of four will easily remember how I unlocked my phone and selected Temple Run for him. He would remember a dumb story I formulate to excite him into doing his home work, many weeks after I had forgotten I had said such outrageous fiction. And then when you’re guiding them through home works, you keep getting corrections from them because your approach is different from the “my teacher says…” version.

Back to the main gist; nursery teachers. How well do you impart on kids? Let me share a little story a parent once shared. This parent is a pastor and one day, he hears his four year old daughter reciting the lyrics of a provoking Nigerian dance hall song innocently. He was awestruck and quickly queried the young girl how she learnt such a strange and ungodly song. She said it was through her class teacher’s phone. The father took up the matter to school management level and it was discovered that the girl’s teacher usually played a collection of Nigerian dance hall music in class during break and some students unconsciously picked the lines. It was something she did on daily basis. As far as a parent was concerned, it was offensive.

A nursery school teacher should realize how sensitive her role is. She’s not just a teacher but an object of emulation to the young and magnetic minds watching her. What she says, does, listens to or displays goes many miles into the brains of these kids. Sometimes, these teachers lack the patience and basic psychology to tolerate and groom the kids adequately. Like litmus paper, these children easily absorb the words, gestures, discipline and instructions, reflecting them later at homes or amongst their peers. Being a good nursery teacher requires more than academic qualification and teaching skills. It’s a sensitive form of ministration that requires skilled method of impartation. It requires motherly love, affection, patience and understanding; it’s a form of child adoption.

In conclusion, the role of nursery school teachers is delicate. It is recommended that these employed teachers pass through adequate screening and training so they can be qualified to impart wisdom and sound doctrines to these innocent and absorbent minds.