**My Tomato Jos*
Episode 2.
Okon: sir, but noun dey the sentence
Me: I said an example of a sentence with a noun in it, besides this is a English class why would you be speaking Pidgin, Come sit down!!!
Okon: ( sits with a squeezed face) sorry sir
Me: Sorry for yourself, who else can answer my questions, ( I saw no other hands up). You mean no one know how to make an example with a noun in the sentence. Come on class!!! ( I was getting frustrated).
Then, a girl raised up her hand, I was taking aback, the girl looked too Old for the class, she was probably in her early twenties. I was shocked, but I was not no shocked because I also saw some guys with beards in this same class ( Jss3). This is a village school where adult education was the trend, people believed that at a tender age you are supposed to be in the farm helping your parents, you might go to school latter when matured.
Me: Good! You know the rules tell us your name and answer my question.
Student 2: My name is Caroline, Caro for short A.k.a Tomato Jos.
Me: (angrily) I did not ask you to tell us the name of your ancestors!!!
The whole class butted into laughter, I cautioned the class, while telling her proceed with the answer to my question.
Caroline: Emeka won the E******n
Me: Oh my God, you got the answer but it is Election not E******n. What state are you from.
Caroline: I am from Anambra state.
Me: I guess that would be your mother tongue problem. Morphological interference. Okay repeat after me, okay??
Caroline: Okay Sir
Me: Ele C tion ../ elekshion/
Caroline: E******n
Me: ( tired) okay sit down, class clap for her at least she tried.
My first day teaching was very stressful, I met a lot of students. The days work was over I then decided to see the principal for advice on how to handle the students, I was very interested in their success and never wanted to fail in my Job as a teacher.
Me: Good afternoon Ma, ( I greeted as soon as I got to her office)
Mrs.Adibe: Good afternoon Mr. Chika, How was your first day with the students.
Me: ( worried face) Ma, that is why I came to see you.
Mrs. Adibe: (with a serious look) Hope there is no problem.
Me: No ma, it is just that I am worried, the students seem not to be academically sound and grounded, intact there discipline is nothing to write home about. A student fart in my class today, I asked him why and he bluntly told me that one cannot cheat nature!!!
Mrs.Adibe: Is that all?
Me: Ma this is serious, although I corrected him, I also told him if he wants to Fart next time he should take excuse and move outside.
Mrs.Adibe: And I know you noticed some over aged students in the class too??
Me: Yes ma, according to their class captain report the youngest person in their class is 17 yrs old, imagine In Jss3!!
Mrs Adibe: I understand you perfectly, but you have to understand that this is a village school, we had to beg some parents before they could allow their wards come to school. As for the academic sake, those students need strong teaching, I believe you that you can do it. Do not think that they know or they are trying to joke with you, those Jss3 peoples are very daft. The intelligent ones among them are very few, I can’t mention names but Caroline should be part of the bright ones.
Me: This is serious!!!
Mrs. Adibe: You know this is a government school, Education here is almost free, so you would met different kind of students. You should take it easy with them.
Me: Yes ma, thank you very much.
Mrs. Adibe: Also, this is a chance for you to prove yourself, we need a tremendous result from that Jss3 set.
Me: Yes ma
I was so tired after the days work. I had a lot of things in my mind, I had a lot of work to do on these student they literally know nothing.
I got home Ada visited me as usual but I was too tired to chat with her.
To be continued, for the next episode comment E******n…
E******n 🙂