The conversation about teacher motivation has been on the front burner for as long as possible. Enormous research supports that teachers need some level of encouragement for them to be able to stay motivated and inspired. Other reports posit that teachers who are motivated are likely to pass it on to their students, improving students’ academic outcomes.
“As teachers, one of the problems we face is inadequate motivation through conferences, workshop and training,” says Mrs Tundun.
Mrs Olatundun Okion is a teacher in the iLEAD fellowship at Army Government Secondary School, Asokoro, Abuja, where she monitors and mentors iLEAD students through the entire one-year programme cycle. As part of the programme element, Mrs Tundun was part of the teachers trained in LEAP Africa’s Leadership and Life Skills curriculum.
The LEAP Africa iLEAD fellowship sponsored by Citi Foundation provides a platform for select teachers to have the opportunity to gain the necessary skills and knowledge required to advance their career and support the development of their students.
For over 20 years, Mrs Tundun has nurtured a passion to become a change agent in her students and consequently society. However, she did not have the requisite knowledge and opportunity to explore her passion within her community. According to her, the iLEAD Fellowship is an amazing opportunity for her to finally achieve her dreams of becoming a positive force.
After the Training of Trainers (ToT) which takes participants through modules like Leadership, Art and Act of Leadership, Creative Teaching Methods, etc, Mrs Tundun describes her experience as impactful. “After the training, I felt like I could conquer the world. I felt like I could do anything I set my heart to do,” says Mrs Tundun.
Appraising the ToT further, Mrs Tundun stated that the training is the bests she has attended in her 20 years of teaching experience.
As a woman, society provides you with little opportunity to explore and become what you want to be. After I attended the LEAP Africa training, it expanded my mental capacity to aspire for more and do more. Now, I have an unquenched hunger for reading and solving problems. I now know that I am not just a woman; I am a force for positive change.
This brings to the fore the importance of training and retraining teachers. The flawed notion that teachers can only be relevant within the four walls of the school only exists in an environment of stereotypes and lacks merit. The government and other key stakeholders must always provide opportunities for teachers to be trained and retrained through exchange programmes, relevant workshops, etc. This has implications for developing their capacity for community development. Only better Teachers can produce Better Students and consequently, a Better Society
Mrs Tundun now teaches leadership skills in a small group in her church. She has also developed a renewed passion for community development. Recently, she donated some of her children’s old clothes to the less privileged in a small community in Abuja and she hopes to do even more. “When there is a positive change in one person, it impacts everyone in society,” says Mrs Tundun.
Mrs Olatundun Okion is a teacher in the #iLEADfellowship at Army Government Secondary School, Asokoro, Abuja, where she monitors and mentors #iLEAD students through the programme cycle.
For over 20 years, Mrs Tundun had a burning desire and passion to be a change agent and positively influence her students and consequently society. However, she did not know how to explore her passion or where to start because she lacked the requisite knowledge.
“As a woman, society provides you with little opportunity to explore and become what you want to be. After attending the LEAP Africa training of trainers, it opened my mind and expanded my mental capacity to aspire for more and also do more.” – Mrs Olatundun Okion
Now, I have an unquenched hunger for reading and solving problems. I can now confidently say that I am not just a woman; I am a force for positive change.
Mrs Tundun now teaches leadership skills in a small group in her church. She has also developed a renewed passion for community development. Recently, she donated some of her children’s old clothes to the less privileged in a small community in Abuja and she hopes to continue to do more.
“When there is a positive change in one person, it impacts everyone in society,” says Mrs Tundun.
