Life is vast, deep, and inexhaustible in all ramifications. The more we see, the more we realize we haven’t seen it all. Knowledge is a bottomless sea with treasures locked deep down waiting for the daring explorers to reach on to and make novel discoveries.

The present pandemic has created new realities globally. Medical experts, world leaders, corporate giants, and the whole of humanity have been brought down to their knees because no one knows what this is all about.

On a positive note, life demands that we never assume a state of perfect knowledge. We must keep learning and building on what we know in order to make better solutions to our daily questions. The dynamism of life must be constantly respected and treated with awe for when we fail to learn what is new, we cheaply fall with the old and outdated.

In the field of education, managing lives demands updated information on principles, values, and practice of professionalism. Every educational philosophy propagated over the ages remains relevant till today but they require modern adaptations to the realities of this present age. That’s where learning to keep growing becomes our means to remaining relevant and productive.

As a Teacher, the first half of this year has brought with it grave changes in our lives as global citizens. We can never live the same way we lived when the year started. New trends and new patterns must be adopted for functionality and productivity sake.

Personally, I will advise the following short easy considerations for all teachers to become better than we were in the last 6 months.

How to become a better teacher

1. Re- visit your previous personality. Go back to do a thorough self evaluation of your work ethics as a teacher, an employee, a team member or a school team leader. Consider the opinion, feedback and responses from parents and other stakeholders. Appraise yourself and weigh your performance side by side with industry standards. Fill the gaps with new ideas and don’t return with your old self. A teacher that remains static and predictable will never excite learners. Children treasure new ideas and new trends. They switch off when there’s no energy to stir up their spirits. There’s nothing good that can not be better.
2. Re-visit your source. Well, in case you find nothing wrong and you can not reappraise yourself, then you can revisit your channels of growth. By this I mean your teachers, mentors, previous training notes etc. The point is this: you are as valuable as the new ideas that you engage to increase the learning outcomes of your students. When you research the old books and tapes, you find new things you missed out earlier. When you package the missing links you become more effective. Your students already know your style, let them identify new patterns in your teaching sessions.
3. No doubt technology has remolded our world and the teaching profession is equally highly affected. Every teacher must have upgraded his knowledge in the world of virtual learning come resumption. Hence, every teacher must reposition himself. You must stand to speak the language of tech, engage the use of learning applications and communicate what the learners can identify with.
   There is outstanding success available to all in all fields of human endeavour. Vast treasures and secrets abound in every trade , business and career path. The front liners will keep reinventing themselves in order to remain relevant. Large conglomerates like Exon Mobil, Coca Cola, Ford and other corporations with over a hundred years in business have all remained relevant and profitable on the bases of constantly learning and growing. The teaching profession can function same way and continue to make life beautiful for our children in all ages as teachers never stop learning and upgrading their teaching skills. You can be a new teacher come resumption and achieve greater results much more than your previous performances.

I wish you all the best as we prepare to return to school to meet our wonderful learners.