The teaching career continues to attract wide scale criticisms in many parts of the world, especially with the advent of Covid-19. While some teachers are rethinking their decision to continue in the profession, others are seeking ways to in fact use the present circumstances to move their careers to greater heights. While I wouldn't like the teaching profession to lose good hands, this article hopes to help teachers who seek to advance their careers, to achieve their lofty dreams of growing in the profession. This article assumes that teachers reading it already have a teaching qualification or plan to do so soon. All points raised in this article can be summarised in one word - professionalism.

1) Have a desire to succeed as a teacher. This is very important. The size of this desire will really determine how far you go in the profession. To put it mildly, be ambitious.

2) Build your passion for teaching and for the children you teach. My passion for the job drove me into finding out more about it and even writing about it. It also pushed me into getting very involved in teacher training.

3) Take responsibility. Attend relevant courses from time to time. Do a master's degree, and if possible why not even a PhD? Use every newly acquired knowledge as appropriate. Apply your discoveries. Get registered with relevant professional bodies in your state. Get licensed. In short, accept responsibility - be willing to help with committee tasks and other school duties when the opportunities arise.

4) Network with other serious minded teachers. Join relevant teacher groups on Facebook, WhatsApp, telegram etc. Like the saying goes, if you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go with others. It is also said, your network determines your net worth.

5) Develop a formidable CV. As a school administrator, I see quite a lot of CVs. Unfortunately, many of these lack substance. Consult experts to help you put an effective CV together. It's worth the cost. It's also advisable not to jump too quickly from one school to another - this makes employers wonder about your sense of commitment.

6) Prepare yourself for interviews. Find out about a school before you attend their interview. If invited to an interview, be humble but confident. In most cases, interview panels are not necessarily interested in your ability to answer all questions. They want to know how confident and honest you are. Some interviews may include a written test, be prepared.

7) Develop relevant skills. This is the 21st century. Education in this century is way different from that of the 20th century. Teachers must build their time management, critical thinking, communication, teamwork etc skills. These skills pave way for you at the top of the profession. Be open to learning new stuff on the job.

Develop your ICT skills. Especially in this era of online teaching, you will need to familiarize yourself with learning management systems such as G-Classroom, Moodle, Blackboard Learn etc. Learn how to use presentation softwares, and other apps that enliven learning.

9) Be happy. I have discovered that the most progressive teachers are more often than not, happy people. Learn to manage your personal life such that it does not affect your professional life in a negative way. Do things that keep you healthy and happy. Spend time with family and loved ones.

10) Trust God. We can do nothing without God. Many years ago, I was nominated for a higher position at work. It took God's intervention to secure that position. Not everyone will like you! You need God to overcome their schemes. This applies to every profession, not only teaching.

Teacher4Life is a teacher. He is also an author and the initiator of the Learning to Learn 10 STEPS TO SUCCEEDING IN YOUR CAREER AS A 21ST TEACHER.

1) Humour - students love funny teachers but dislike boring ones. Try to douse your lessons with a couple of jokes. Associating learning with jokes makes recall easier.

2) Content - Students know when a teacher knows his onions, and appreciate this too. Such teachers also teach with great confidence.

3) Creativity - Students love creative teachers. A creative teacher uses a wide range of approaches to teach the same concept. How technology is infused into a lesson is particularly important.

4) Caring - Students don't care how much a teacher knows until they know how much he cares. When students know you care about them, they like it and work pretty hard to impress you.

5) Illustrations - Students love teachers who use lots of examples in class. Technology is a useful tool for illustrations.

6) Patience - Most students expect their teachers to be patient and willing to painstakingly reteach tough concepts if necessary. Students don't like easily irritated teachers.

7) Contemporariness - We live in the 21st century. Teachers need to identify with what interests today's child or teenager and use this to reach him. It takes two similar minds to tango. No matter how old a teacher may be, she needs to be young at heart.

Approachability - Students expect their teachers to be easily accessible and willing to help even when it's not during their lesson period.

9) Respect - Students expect teachers to respect them and their parents. They dislike teachers who talk disrespectfully to them or about their parents.

10) Grading - Students like teachers who painstakingly grade their work. They dislike being assigned work that won't be graded by the teacher. They also expect the teacher to provide useful feedback for each assigned work.

©Teacher4Life

Who am I?
To some, I’m a guardian.
To others, I’m just a guide.
An amazing hero without a cape!
A superbeing who knows so much!
Some think I’m a trusted confidant to the child.
Someone who provides wise counsel to the young.
Hmm… they view me as a brilliant coach and mentor.
In fact, this crop of people thinks I’m a super role model.
Still, others feel I’m always looking too strict and stringent.
But there are those who view me as a glowing source of light!
Someone who illuminates our world and equally facilitates learning.
They say I’m an embodiment of great wisdom, knowledge and understanding.
Hmm…the most intelligent individual who knows much more than daddy or mummy.
A strong figure who must be obeyed and who can solve any problems they’re confronted with.
But who am I? What do you say I represent? Can you guess right? I can't wait to hear from you!

By Teacher4Life

Well, Emirett, I agree about passing exams even if you read a night before such exams. But the big question is, are you really learning by doing so? I don't think so. There is a huge difference between passing exams and learning. What you're doing is actually cramming. As a teacher, my goal is to help my students to not just pass exams but also to learn. I hope this answers your question.

Some years ago, while conducting a workshop for a group of educators in Kaduna, I asked a question. "Why do students fail?" The reasons provided by these educators were numerous, but also quite logical. Some of these reasons include poor teaching, laziness on the part of students, inattentiveness, ignorance, social media, parents, exam malpractice, learning disability, peer pressure etc. As I listened to those educators reel out these factors and lots more, it became clear to me that all these reasons had one common denominator, that is, poor learning or no learning at all. Students record poor academic performance when learning is either insufficient or at zero level.

Over time, I came up with a working definition for learning. Learning is the process of converting external ideas or concepts into personal and secure information. Students who thrive well academically have simply learnt how to convert external concepts into personal and secure information. In other words, such students now own the information. Of course, you can convert concepts in a thousand and one ways, depending on individual differences.

Learning is not cramming. In cramming, students secure the information but don't personalise it, and so it never lasts. You can personalise information by paying attention to the why, what, how, where etc. of the concept from which the information is derived, not by cramming. I do not outrightly condemn cramming, however, learning holds greater benefits. Cramming can be done hastily, but true learning takes time. So, learning entails asking relevant questions. In fact, it's a process, not an event.

Teacher4Life

About 3 years ago, I had visited one of the shopping malls in Abuja to buy some groceries for the house. While I was busy shopping, a young man approached me and introduced himself as my student of about 15 years ago. I immediately recognised him, I had taught him mathematics at a secondary school where I was working in Kaduna back then. He was not only a fully grown man now but he was also standing with his wife and beautiful little kid. Both of us were so excited over our unplanned reunion. We exchanged contacts and talked for a bit.

Shock #1
He offered to pay for everything I had bought on that memorable day. The young man wouldn't just take No for an answer. If I recall well, he ended up paying about N15,000 for my purchases. By now, the cashier and other people around were certainly impressed with the spectacle my student and I had created.

Shock #2
Perhaps, the most touching part to me in all this was that this young man also insisted on pushing my cart back to my car. Again, he wouldn't take no for an answer. He treated me just like a king, and most certainly, I felt like one.

I cannot but pray for God to continue to bless this student and his family for the honour he showed me on that particular day at the shopping mall. Seeing my student looking so well and successful after so many years made me feel truly fulfilled as a teacher. My efforts at that school in Kaduna were certainly not in vain.

It pays to be a teacher!

Teacher4Life

Dear Teacher,

My name is The Child and I am one of your pupils. I feel so hurt as I write this letter and I truly hope that my intentions for writing it will not be misconstrued. Please, do not stop reading this letter until you reach its very end. Trust me, I have some very important things to say to you.
First, you are my role model. Keep in mind that I look up to you for direction and exemplary leadership on this planet, even if I’ve never said it. I know I have quite a lot to learn. So, I want you to teach me all I need to know to become wise and successful, just like you. No doubt, it may take plenty of work to teach me, but hey, I always learn in the end. Can I tell you something? I learn better when I’m taught sacrificially, and believe me, I rarely forget teachers who do all to make sure I succeed.

Hmm, of course I know you have your own worries and challenges too. Every adult does. But children appreciate adults who do not make them suffer for their challenges. We love adults who love us despite their difficulties. Oh, by the way, please stop expecting me to think and behave as adults do. It’s unfair because I’m not wired to function as an adult but as a child. Yet I will continue to work hard to impress you, even though you seem to so easily get irritated by my actions most times. Sometimes, you even yell at me and it really hurts. In fact, there are times when you assault me physically, just for behaving like a child. Sometimes, I wonder if it’s a sin being a child?

Have you ever stopped to think that, I was actually designed to be loved and cared for? I love attention, so I yearn for it, especially whenever I feel ignored. Sometimes, I even do naughty things in the hope that you’d notice me. Trust me, I never intend to make your life miserable. I’m only being childish and mean no harm at all. Remember, children will always be children.

We are designed for play. So, do not try to stop us from doing what we love to do most. In fact, if I were you, I’d use play to teach us. Playing is our identity and second nature. We cannot possibly survive without it. Can you please accept us as we are? If you do, we could become your greatest legacy.
Thank you for patiently reading my letter. It really means a lot to me.

Your loving Protégé,
The Child