Sunday Okobi
An educationist and the convener of The Effective Teacher, a teacher training and school support outfit, Mr. Sylvester Anoma, has developed techniques to help Nigerian teachers regain their passion and enthusiasm for teaching, as well as the impartation of values in their students.
Anoma, who decried the ostensible lack of motivation in some teachers for their jobs due to socio-economic and other situations in the country, noted that his recent work has developed time-tested principles capable of turning any teacher from being ordinary to irresistible.
The University of Benin, English and Literature alumnus, while chatting with THISDAY recently on his latest book: ‘Secrets of an Irresistible Teacher’, among other collections of works and poetry, also regretted the effect of insecurity on the educational system in the country, saying, “learning can only take place in a safe and conducive atmosphere.
“The major issue with this consistent target of students by kidnappers and other criminal elements is that it cripples not just the school, but life itself. Good hands would be scared of working in such a region; parents are scared of losing their jewels to hardened criminals who have little regards for life.”
On ways to bring back life to teachers who have lost hope and love for the teaching profession, Anoma said: “The ‘Secrets of an Irresistible Teacher’ is a collection of excellent teaching practices and guidelines skillfully compiled to help teachers become better in their pursuit for excellence. In this book, the narration moves from what is required to make a good teacher, to the time-tested principles that are capable of turning any teacher from being ordinary to irresistible.
“At an in-house staff training, and through the effective teacher training platforms, I have consistently pursued the goal of training the minds of my listeners in order to make them push for higher professional standards and ideals. This book is birth from a place I am passionately seeking to raise a generation of excellent teachers.
“It is aimed at breeding teachers whose motivation for being excellent is not merely to please their current boss, but also to stand tall in their field. The JAMB result is a call for us to replicate our kinds in the sector. Excellent teachers are needed now more than ever.”
On what inspired his latest work, Anoma said having mentored a few teachers through his platform, the Effective Teacher, “I had been confronted with a lot of issues ranging from incompetence to lack of motivation for the work. I had seen teachers who joined private schools with great passion and enthusiasm, only to discover that their enslaved environment has quenched that flame of passion.
“I wrote this book to address these issues and to stir up that fire in again; I wrote this book to encourage my colleagues that they can become not just good but irresistible. This book wI’ll teach them how to go about it.”
Using the recently released JAMB results as a point of reference, where less than 20 per cent passed, Anoma, who also holds a Master’s degree in English Language from the University of Lagos, said that clearly “is not where we want to be as a nation. This is a regression from what we used to see. The little to no academic activity for over a year occasioned by the pandemic has increased the learning gulf, and this calls for a review of how to help the situation.”
Meanwhile, the Academic Supervisor at the Canadian International School, Surulere, Lagos, commended the state government for introducing STEM and technologies in public schools, which he said are making learning more hands-on.
According to him, “I believe that if all other states give priority to the education sector, we will be raising students who will be ready for the future. When we are still talking about educationally-disadvantaged region/states, we need to wonder what political leaders in such states and local government areas are doing. To improve the system, we need to provide the educators with the needed tools and training to educate the 21st century child.”
