We Are Only Misunderstood But Never Dullards

By Henry Esomchi

Education and learning have evolved a whole lot better in the 21st century. What was an issue during the years before now, is no longer an issue as there is a name for every learning disorder we witness now in the education sector. 

Things are becoming clearer now, although some would say the education system in Nigeria is structured for hardship and pain. The conversation I have had with some students I have taught who have gone on to try other frontiers outside of Nigeria, call back saying the education system is so easy. They expressed their gratitude for how the education system here in Nigeria helped them to get prepared for the life ahead. 

A conversation with a former student whom I taught International Relations at the University Foundation Programme, made tears of joy slide down my face when she appreciated me for teaching and explaining all the complex details of the course in such a simplified way and easy for her to understand, as most of what she has done while at the college is currently what she is being taught at the University in Canada, and she is flying in high grade on the Global Development courses. 

After the conversation, a nerving cord struck me at the back of my head, taking me through memory lane to my secondary school days when my teachers didn’t understand my learning style I learned better but often got agitated and angry if I wasn’t participating in class or failing in some subjects (By failing I don’t mean F, I mean below the A between B and C’s ).  Hence the reports I get in some of my report cards oftentimes have meanings such as “He needs to do better in class, or he is weak in these subjects, you should consider getting him to lesson teachers (as it is often called then, but now home tutor). 

My parents did it, but the results often are the same thing with little or no improvement. I resolved within myself to prove my teacher and the school wrong. I appreciate my parents who never gave up on me, but to their knowledge, they didn’t know what the issue was with me, and it took me almost 15 years now to discover what is wrong with me, hence penning this down for others to learn from.

“Your child or student is a failed student or a dullard” Indeed this is the caption of the post, and the reason for this post now is to let other teachers and parents understand that learning has evolved beyond the classroom reading and understanding system, learning has grown to be personalized and structured for the needs of the individual child. The answer to what everyone wanted to know if I truly had a disorder or if I was just a weak student rests on what I came to understand while working as a teacher. It is called V.A.R.K (Visual, Auditory, Read & Write, and Kinesthetic). 

Visual: Some students learn a whole lot better when they watch video representations of such topics in any form it would appear. These students or children are attracted to pictures in slides and videos educating them on the same topic being taught in the classroom. 

Aural students learn so much better when items are broken down in small bites and explained by the teacher or instructor. When left alone to handle the task, they might encounter difficulty with learning what has been taught.

Read &Write students are often independent study students who can be given a task to read and make their notes using their language. They tend to understand when they are learning alone. 

Kinesthetic students learn perfectly well through simple tasks involved in the topic or subject. This kind of student would require regular tasks to be included in the teaching plan and class activities. 

Growing up, I was so structured in just assimilating what the teacher had stated and forced to learn on my own by reading, which I found very confusing and difficult to accomplish. As a child, I found it difficult to read books without picture illustrations in them, and I excelled more in subjects that had practical illustrations (This I discovered recently and was able to link back to my childhood memories). 

I excelled in History in secondary school because I was able to practice some of the case studies in the course. I can understand how cumbersome it is for some teachers to personalize the teaching structures in their classes, especially teachers in public schools whose anger on the salaries is not commensurate to the work they do, who have more than three side jobs to sustain the pay in the teaching profession, but I believe that anything worth doing is worth doing well. 

It will be in the best interest of the teacher to maximize the opportunity by learning how best their students learn and then imploring such techniques into their teaching. Now to our able parents, with whom God blessed us as children, I would wish to implore you before you dash off to the school to scold your child over the number of fees you have paid expecting the best from them, please take out time and also study your children, so you can understand how best they wish to learn, what manner of learning approach gets them the best result so as not to hurt them with our words and scare them for life. 

The main reason I have the confidence I do now comes from the fact that while I was failing the system, my parents never used hurtful words on me, they never called me the name “OLODO” or  DULLARD.

It becomes imperative for parents to work now alongside their children and with the support of the school to understand how best their child learns and assimilates information. As not everything can be healed through the “Power Prayer Crusade” as we see in Nigeria. 

Attached to this is a good comprehension for self-diagnostics of the Learning Style that best describes you. I will advise you to use it credibly and be honest when administering it, so as to understand your child in the best way possible. 

Edited by: Adeyiga Abisoye