Teaching, regardless of the educational level, presents a myriad of challenges. These range from a shortage of instructional materials to a lack of student engagement and seriousness. It is an incontrovertible truth that every teacher faces unique challenges in their profession.
Allaboutschools undertakes the responsibility of reaching out to educators to gather insights regarding the obstacles they encounter in their professional duties. This initiative provides valuable data that can help school administrators better equip their teachers to deliver high-quality education.
In this weekend series with Akeem Alao, several teachers from diverse schools shared the challenges they face as teachers and expounded on their strategies for overcoming these hurdles.
Qudus Ibrahim: Head of Humanities, Atlantic Hall Educational Trust Council, Epe
Qudus Ibrahim shared, “Teaching Government and Civic Education, while rewarding, is fraught with challenges. A significant issue is the waning sense of patriotism among students. Many students are acutely aware of the absurdities within the Nigerian state, which diminishes their patriotic fervour. This has led to a decline in their enthusiasm for the subject, as they perceive my teachings to be at odds with their realities.
“To rekindle their patriotic spirit, I organized a session titled ‘Made in Nigeria’ (MIN), where we celebrated the stories of exceptional Nigerians. This initiative helped students realize that for every corrupt politician, there is a dedicated hero. This approach has significantly stimulated their interest and enhanced their willingness to learn.
“Another challenge is the comprehensive content coverage, exacerbated by some students’ poor reading habits. Most students lack a consistent study routine, and given that my subjects rely heavily on facts and concepts, this can be overwhelming. To address this, I have implemented a scaffolding approach to their learning. I provide individualized support at the beginning of the course, breaking down the content into small, manageable segments. This foundational support allows them to build proficiency and eventually become independent learners.
“For students struggling with remembering dates and events, I have found the timeline approach to be highly effective. Using timelines has helped students plot historical developments, understand the relationships between small details and larger narratives, and grasp the chronological order of events in the country.”
Vivian Utulu: History Teacher, Supreme Education Foundation, Magodo
Vivian Utulu, who teaches History at the Junior Secondary School level, stated, “Having taught History for five years, I have witnessed significant changes in my pedagogical approach. Initially, students struggled with the voluminous information and numerous dates in History. Complaints such as ‘Miss Vivian, the dates and years in History are too many’ were common.
“To mitigate this, I now utilize digital tools like AI PowerPoint to create concise slides that highlight key topics. I provide students with detailed PDF notes for further reading, which they do not need to write down. This approach has made the subject more digestible and has helped students better assimilate the material. Additionally, I emphasize that while technology can simplify note-taking, certain essential information cannot be abbreviated without losing crucial context.
“To maintain student engagement, I incorporate YouTube videos and documentaries into my lessons. Visual aids help students connect with the material and foster a more interactive learning environment. I also use gamification apps like Kahoot and Quizizz to make learning more enjoyable and assess their understanding.
“Field trips to historical sites would greatly enhance students’ learning experiences. However, due to security concerns, we often cannot organize these excursions. To compensate, I plan to implement digital field trips to provide virtual tours of historical sites, which will serve as a valuable alternative.”
Celestinah Akerele: Yorùbá Language Tutor, Valencia Schools, Ibadan
Celestinah Akerele highlighted the cultural and institutional challenges she faces as a Yorùbá language educator. “Many parents do not encourage their children to speak their mother tongue, which hinders language development and cultural connection. Additionally, the government’s restriction of Yorùbá language studies to the junior secondary level limits its potential for growth.
“The current curriculum is stereotypical and fails to capture the language’s richness and diversity, making it challenging to engage students meaningfully. Despite these obstacles, I am committed to promoting the beauty and importance of the Yorùbá language.”
Tawakalitu Azeez: Language Instructor, Nifty Steps College, Ikorodu
Tawakalitu Azeez discussed the challenges she faces as an English Studies teachers. “The primary challenge is the workload, especially given the extensive English syllabus, making it difficult to complete the scheme of work. Additionally, some topics are complex and require extra effort to explain effectively.
“On the part of the students, teachers are often expected to perform miracles, and parents frequently attribute their children’s failures to the teachers. Furthermore, some textbooks do not align with the curriculum, necessitating additional effort to find suitable materials.”
Wasilat Sijuara: Zytoon Montessori Schools, Ikorodu
Wasilat Sijuara remarked, “Teaching is both fun and challenging. As someone passionate about shaping young minds, I strive to turn every challenge into a strength. Maintaining pupils’ focus during sensory activities is particularly challenging due to their age and short attention spans. I employ the play-way method to capture their attention.
“Encouraging participation in group activities is tough, especially with shy or introverted pupils. Striking a balance between developing listening and speaking skills requires careful planning tailored to individual needs.
“Teaching young pupils demands a high level of patience and perseverance. As a teacher, I must bring my explanations down to their level to ensure comprehension.”
Babatunde ADEGUNJU: Mind Builders High School
The Head of Languages Department at Mind Builders High School, Babatunde Adegunju, shared, “In an English classroom, students often exhibit varying levels of English proficiency, stemming from different language backgrounds and prior knowledge. This diversity can make it challenging to address the needs of all students effectively. To cater to these diverse needs, I employ differentiated instruction techniques. Some of the strategies I use include tiered assignments, which are designed at varying levels of difficulty to match the students’ proficiency levels, and flexible grouping, where students are grouped dynamically based on their current understanding and learning needs. I also provide multiple entry points to the content, ensuring that each student can connect with the material. Regular formative assessments help me understand individual needs and adjust lessons accordingly.
“Maintaining students’ engagement and motivation to read and analyze literary texts is challenging, particularly with the rise of digital distractions. To foster engagement, I incorporate interactive and multimodal activities such as discussions and debates that encourage students to voice their opinions and engage critically with the texts. Dramatization activities, where students perform scenes from the texts, help them empathize with characters and understand the narrative more deeply. I also utilize technology to create multimedia presentations that bring the texts to life and encourage creative writing tasks that allow students to make personal connections with the texts and relate them to their own experiences.
“Teaching students to develop critical thinking and analytical skills, essential for interpreting and evaluating literary works, can be complex. I address this by providing explicit instruction and modeling on critical analysis techniques. This includes teaching students to conduct close readings, where they pay attention to detail and understand deeper meanings, and helping them recognize and analyze literary devices. I encourage students to make inferences and draw conclusions based on evidence within the text. Activities that require students to synthesize information from various sources and evaluate different viewpoints are also incorporated. Additionally, I introduce thought-provoking questions on trending societal events, encouraging students to contribute their thoughts and link literature to real-world scenarios.
“Many students, regardless of their proficiency level, often make simple spelling mistakes in their essays. To improve spelling accuracy, I incorporate engaging activities such as spelling games that make learning spelling enjoyable and effective. Regular dictation exercises help students develop auditory discrimination and spelling accuracy. I also create word walls, which are visual displays of high-frequency words or spelling patterns, providing constant exposure and reinforcement.
“Through these approaches, I strive to create an inclusive, engaging, and challenging learning environment that caters to the diverse needs of my students while fostering their love for English Language and Literature.”
The experiences shared by these educators illuminate the diverse challenges faced by teachers across different subjects and educational levels. By understanding and addressing these challenges, school administrators and policymakers can create a more supportive environment that enables teachers to provide high-quality education, thereby fostering a more effective and engaging learning experience for students.