Remember your favourite teacher at school?
The teacher who believed in you even when you didn’t believe in yourself. She or he who had a profound impact on the adult you became.
Teachers come with a full set of superpowers almost undetectable to muggles. The power to not only educate but mediate, counsel and inspire…
The single greatest superpower of a teacher is the ability to instil self-belief. Once a child believes they can, they can learn anything and this will take them to places they never thought they’d go.
The Chazuka Project strongly believes that teachers have the most important job in the world. So this week, in order to celebrate teachers and the wonderful work they do, we are going to run down the top 4 qualities that make a great teacher.
1.A smile
A teacher’s knowing and caring smile is all that is needed to melt away a child’s stinging tears. Remaining a positive and welcoming presence can be challenging for teachers to maintain but their smile really can change the world. Even if chaos is erupting all around, teachers seem to just close their eyes, inhale and engage a sense of calm. They can control a room with simply a smile.
2. Organisation
Depending on where they are in the world, teachers can have between 25-200 pairs of eyes staring at them expectantly, every single day. They need to be prepared for every possible scenario. Come rain or shine, tantrums or tears, a teacher’s preparation must cover all eventualities.
3. A huge heart
Teachers are there to nurture. They spend a minimum of 6 hours per day with their pupils, 5 days a week. That is often more time than they spend with their own families: their own children in fact. When children know that they are safe and loved, they are ready to learn. Teachers quietly go about their day changing lives, one lesson at a time, and the true impact of a good teacher will always be immeasurable.
4. Creativity
Teaching shapes using twigs. Learning numbers by drawing on rocks. Using sticks to practise numbers in the sand. Making dens before settling down for story-time. Lying down, facing the sky and watching the clouds together to teach the weather.
A teacher’s creative genius really is a thing of beauty.
Our teachers
Teacher Grace and Teacher Ashia never find their limited teaching resources a hindrance. It is merely a barrier which they must leap over. They engage with the environment, use natural resources and play to promote a love of learning.
Grace and Ashia are the beating heart of daily life at the The Chazuka School. They are role models to 25 young people and we are in awe of the astonishing work they do. We would like to take this opportunity to thank both of them for their spirit, determination and joy.
We could not do this without you.
To support Teachers Grace and Ashia, please donate to The Chazuka Project, today. With your donations we can provide additional training to empower them to be the best that they can be and we can buy extra resources so they can bring learning to life for the children.
Zikomo … Thank you.
thechazukaproject.org 