A Speech Every Teacher Should Deliver To Their Students Before Lessons Begin

Transitions are taking place. Students are moving from one class to another, some are moving to an entirely new environment. They will make new friends, all calibre of persons with unique threats. This new environment will expose them to a lot of new things.

Parents are worried, likewise the students themselves. There seems to be a lot of anxiety. A lot of thoughts are running through their minds both rational and irrational ones. As far as human psyche is concerned, these are absolutely normal.

My dear students, I have a very impressive message for you; To be successful in academia, they're things you should know and consider:

1. Know whom you are.
2. Know where you coming from.
3. Know where you are going.

1. To Know whom you are, just take a mirror look at yourself from head to toe. In the process, ask yourself, what are my strengths and weakness? Ask yourself, which Level am I? Average performer, Low performer or High achiever?

Getting answers to these questions will inform you about how to conduct yourself and the type of friends to make. Remember, there are some of your colleagues you may never see reading/learning, they may decide not to attend classes or pay attention when lessons are going on, but they may do well during exams. Don't just follow blindly. Adjust yourself and always remember individual you are different.

2. Where you come from transcends beyond you village or town. To know where you are coming from as a student, ask yourself, what type of home do I come from? Is my family rich, middle class, average or poor? who pays my school fees, who do I depend on for my needs? How is my feeding structured? Is it (0:0:1), (1:0:1 )or (1:1:1)

Also ask yourself, with or without education, where will I be in future? Remember, some of your colleagues have come just because their parents ask them to come, others too struggled to come by themselves. So, a good basic answers to the above questions will guide you. If you are from rich home, learn hard to keep the status quo.if you are from poor home, learn hard to break the vicious cycle of poverty. Don't forget that you came individually and you will leave individually.

3. Finally, knowing where you are going. In life this life, everybody aspires to reach or achieve a certain level or hieght.

As a student, it is prudent you must have aspirations, goals and objectives, I mean, long and short term.

Are you the "do as I do" type? The type that follows the crowd? That's a dangerous path to tread.

The worst and reheatable thing to as you climb the academic ladder is to choose school, courses or programmes that you do not have interest and doesn't align with what you want to become in future but just because your friends chose and brainwashed you to do same.

Know that no two individuals are the same. Not even twins. Be you. Do what favours you and let them do theirs. You are not in their world to be living to anybody's expectations. You have the ability to define your own reality and make your own choices. The world is full of choices but the type of choice you make will be your destiny.

Last but not th least, you need a counsellor, someone to guide you, not just any counsellor, seek a good one to light up your way, lead you to the right people and the right resources for the achievement of homeostasis.

By Ibrahim Kassim, trainee Counsellor @ UEW and members of Informed Teachers Network.