Teaching in an underserved school like mine has been a challenging and rewarding experience - 5 things I learned.

I teach in a low-income farming community called Joga Orile, a small village in the part of Yewa North Ogun state, Nigeria. When I got to this community, I realize that the community only has one public primary school among many private schools. But when checking the private schools here, the numbers of pupils are not many compare to my school but there is this challenge of limited resources to satisfy the large pool of pupils that most times can't afford to buy learning materials like notebooks, textbooks, rulers, etc. At some times in my fellowship here as a Teach For Nigeria fellow I am glad to have received support from friends and some civil society organizations to come to help curb this challenge.

I know there is more work to be done and I will never stop until I drive for better innovation and policies to be designed and implemented to battle this problem. I'm almost getting to the end of my fellowship here in this community and I will like to share 5 things I learned from my time teaching in this underserved community school:

1. Resilience and Adaptability: Working in this underserved community school has taught me the importance of being resilient and adaptable as an educator. I have never been to the Joga Orile community but the Teach For Nigeria fellowship got me there. I was tired of the community at first, but because of the interest to make an impact, I had to adapt and stay. In essence when you don't know your why living or going to a new environment will be frustrating for you. My Resilience and Adaptability is been tested by the challenge of limited resources available in the schools where a large number of pupils with diverse needs often required me to think creatively and find innovative solutions to provide quality education. Thanks to the help from my coach Oluwatomi Abraham and the training available in the Teach For Nigeria fellowship. I have been able to learn to adjust my teaching strategies, materials, and lesson plans to meet the specific needs of my pupils.

2. Empathy and Compassion: Teaching in an underserved school exposed me to the realities of my learners' lives outside the classroom. I am used to visiting the parents of my learners, I am able to see many of them facing significant challenges such as poverty, violence, and unstable home environments. This experience taught me the importance of empathy and compassion in supporting my learners' academic and emotional growth. By understanding their struggles and treating them with kindness, I was able to build strong relationships, gain their trust, and create a safe and inclusive learning environment.

3. Advocacy and Equity: Witnessing the educational disparities faced by pupils in the community school I teach fueled my passion for advocacy and equity in education. I learned to be a strong advocate for my students, ensuring they had access to the necessary resources, support services, and opportunities to succeed. I visit my learner's parents at home discussing the part they need to play in joining hands to support their child's educational progress, engaging with the school administrators, and community members to address systemic issues and promote educational equity, aiming to level the playing field and provide every pupil with equal opportunities to thrive.

4. Culturally Responsive Teaching: Teaching in an underserved school with a diverse pupil population taught me the significance of culturally responsive teaching. Recognizing and valuing the cultural backgrounds, language, and experiences of my learners helped me create a more inclusive and engaging learning environment. By incorporating culturally relevant materials, incorporating pupils' personal experiences, and even communicating my teachings in their mother tongue with all percentage of learners in my class understanding what I'm saying.

5. Celebrating Small Victories: Celebrating small wins is crucial for both my pupils and me. I learned to recognize and appreciate even the smallest achievements, whether it was a learner grasping a challenging concept, demonstrating improved behaviour, or simply showing up and engaging in the learning process. By acknowledging and celebrating these achievements, I built my pupils' confidence, motivation, and a positive classroom culture centred around growth and resilience. I discovered my learner's position to be very happy and willing to do more whenever they do well in the class activity and most times I reward them with gifts like drinks, notebooks, pens, sweets and biscuits that I mostly buy when I go to the city mall.

In summary teaching in an underserved school taught me invaluable lessons about resilience, empathy, advocacy, cultural responsiveness, and the importance of celebrating progress. These lessons have shaped me as an educator and continue to influence my approach to teaching, regardless of the setting I find myself in, and have fuelled my interest to advocate for better innovation and policies to battle this systemic problem in the education system.

Image credit: Adedokun Oluwatoyin