By Brian Kapanga
The prevailing trend across our society has prompted me to write on this issue.
The issue of extra lessons has become a way of life.
Parents feel that what the children are getting in schools is not enough and this has prompted them to engage either the same teacher or others to help give extra work.
Some questions which need quick reflections are as follows:
- What will the teacher teach your child in one hour which was taught in eight hours?
- What numbers of children is the said teacher giving extra lessons?
- Are you sure your child really need extra lessons?
- Who made a recommendation that your child need extra lessons?
The work which professional and committed teacher’s give during learning sessions in school is more than sufficient to help students pass examinations, know how to read and write and handle academic work in general.
Mostly these extra lessons are administered within an hour or two. Children are just given books to copy and marked at the end of the session they are more of day care centres than centres of learning which in my view render them ineffective.
The teacher is tired and the learner is tired too due to the day’s activities.
Children are individuals and have different individual needs .Extra lessons should be given on recommendation from a professional on specific need.
It’s not supposed to be perpetual. The purpose of guiding children should end immediately children become independent learners.
Children shouldn’t be dependent they should become independent so that the skills of research trigger in.
No wonder most students fail to write academic work when they enter University. Not every child need extra lessons. These days extra lesson is a way of life just because everyone is doing it.
Give children some time to rest.
The last point for today is that not everyone who can read and write is a teacher. Having a division 1 in Mathematics at grade 12 does not qualify you to teach mathematics.
There is a thin line line between teaching and confusing. Most children are now confused because different people are engaged to teach them.
Giving them conflicting facts. Shalom for today.
The writer is a holder of Bachelor of Education Degree in History and a Diploma in Religious Education currently working as a Senior Teacher of Academics at Konkola Coper Mines (KCM) Konkola Trust Primary School in Chililabombwe.
