Teaching As A Talent (TaaT)

---

As a human being born into this world, there are precise characteristics you embody biologically and mostly physically too. These are the ones that would most likely not take long before you manifest all but there exist some features that take time before you as an individual notice them. They may not be revealed or noticed as early as the conventional biological characteristics. These “other” abilities are referred to as Talents. However, some talents are discovered in a certain enabling environment while others could just be naturally. For example, in the case of the latter, a drummer becomes that when a drum is available while a teaching talent does not necessarily have to exist within the four walls of a class although there have to be those who would be taught.

Let’s not wander too far from the scope of the topic...

For me, I will say my talent is teaching. Yes, you can call me a teacher. Thank you! Well, for someone who comes from a nuclear family whose parents have had something to do with teaching both as a job and volunteering at some point in their lives; I guess I can call it hereditary. My dad was once employed as a secondary school teacher just after he graduated from secondary school – when Nigeria was Nigeria. My mother studied a primary education course and taught for many years too.

Besides, growing up, my father was also his children’s Mathematics teacher at home. He teaches us other subjects too but maths was his strong core. But somehow, I enjoyed teaching the most. Perhaps that was because of the age gap between me and my siblings. From the teaching I got from my dad, I was usually ahead of my peers in school, especially in Mathematics. So, most times when my peers seem not to understand some topics that had been taught in class, I volunteer to teach them. Even I, humbly, do correct the teacher’s mistakes at times. Then, I do not do this every time because my mother taught me that sometimes you have to be low-key- humble. I actually started doing this when I came of age when I could really identify my right from my left. That was approximately when I was around eight years old.

How Far?

Moreover, I am a testament to the fact that when you teach others what you know, you know it better with time. I did quite more in secondary school than I did in primary school. Fast forward to the university, at first, I was one of those naïve students who just wants to be in, get good grades and be out of school without any soul knowing.

But at a point at the end of my first year, I decided I do not want that kind of university life. I have got to make my mark somehow. Mind you, I only wanted to be actively involved in things. It was when our final results in the 1st year came in and I sent mine to the academic coordinator of my fellowship that he spoke to me about teaching. He remarked that my results were good and he would love me to be a tutor in his tutorial academy. Well, as if he spoke my love language, I jumped on the opportunity and I have been doing that for about 2 years now.

Sometime last year, I felt I could start up my own tutorial but sadly it didn’t work out. I had to call it off myself due to the fact that I had some other things I was involved in. And so that the other aspects of my being won’t suffer because anything administration is not easy. So instead of the tutorial, I will focus on taking people through the rudiments of applying for scholarships. Maybe, in the long run, we could add international scholarships too. I am still teaching in a way. Right?

Still Far A Journey

Furthermore, I have other plans in my little brain. I believe that the education sector in my country and life generally has to undergo advancements to tally with what life is like at present. And teachers are grossly under-rewarded in today’s system. So, I am definitely venturing into the education sector to change things for the better both students and teachers-wise. But not now. In the nearest future, it is.