How do you feel when you put lots of effort into a task, and it turns out well? That moment is always awe-inspiring, especially when you start receiving commendations from people. That feeling is second to none. This is how I feel anytime I see my efforts pay off. It means everything I applied and did didn't go to waste. It means the time and dedication weren't in vain.
This is something relatable for many of us. Although there might be disappointments, getting to the end and seeing your work pay off is what we focus on in the end, forgetting the pains we went through.
One thing we mostly dislike is seeing how much effort we put into something, only for it not to yield good results. We'd feel like the time we invested was thrown away, and our commitment and sacrifice meant nothing. It's always a sad thing, but that's life for us.
I remember my time teaching some years back when I had these two pupils — both bearing the same name, Joseph. They were in Nursery 2, and by then, I expected them to understand the simple basics of mathematics, like addition and subtraction.
Imagine, as a teacher, applying all methods just to make them understand, but nothing seemed to work. The worst part was teaching them something, only for them to forget it the next minute as if something was draining the information from their brains as soon as it was dropped in.
I always felt they were holding me and the rest of the class back because instead of moving to the next topic, we had to wait until they got it before proceeding. I had to use extra time just to ensure we finished the syllabus for each term, all because these two boys did not seem to appreciate my efforts or even try to understand.
Even so, I remained patient, teaching them slowly, though I wasn’t too patient to avoid using the cane. They were the only ones who received frequent lashes in my class because others were cooperative.
I even devised another class method, mixing them with brilliant pupils who caught up quickly, but nothing changed. Eventually, I decided to volunteer for after-school lessons, where I purposely focused on both of them. For learning addition, I picked and used stones to help them grasp the concept. After a few weeks, I started seeing improvement. They were catching up little by little with their mathematics.
I would go home late in the evening and still resume before 7 am the next day, continuing with my routine. I became even more patient with them, and it paid off. Many times, after getting home, I would watch YouTube videos on different teaching methods and apply them in the classroom the next day. Soon, they started coping much better.
In fact, one of the boys would complete his work by himself and rush to show me at my table. "Miss Busayo, see! I did it myself." I would smile, rub his head, and praise him.
I gave my all and sacrificed my time for them, and yes, it was worth it. The first sign was when their mothers started thanking me whenever they picked up their sons, sometimes slipping naira notes into my hands. I felt so happy, not for the tips or the occasional goodies they gave me, but because my efforts had paid off.
One day, the mother of one of the boys came to pick him up after school and brought gifts for me. I couldn't stop thanking her, but then she said, "Miss Busayo, since Joseph came back home from school yesterday, he hasn't stopped saying I must buy something for his aunty. I had to listen to him so he would let me rest."
I felt so emotional. The most beautiful part was how this little boy always said, "Thank you, Miss Busayo," even at his young age. That experience alone taught me to always do my job well and to put in all the effort because someday, it will pay off. And yes, it did pay off for me then.
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