Esther Oluwatayo

Esther is an experienced teacher, having been in the profession for over five years. However, she only started teaching at Bridge, Oloto Ring Road a couple of months ago. It’s been going great so far she says, “Bridge makes teaching very interesting!”

Despite having worked as a teacher before, Esther had to receive training from Bridge before she could begin teaching at her academy. She describes how it made all the difference to her outlook, and that, “the training was wonderful.” New methods were introduced such as “cold calling,” which means that the teacher doesn’t wait for pupils to put their hands up to answer a question, but instead can call on any pupil at any time. “They all have to be ready,” Esther explains. It’s a method that really builds confidence.

Another focus for Bridge teachers is on ‘narrating the positive’, wherein they celebrate individual good behaviour in class. This encourages other pupils to follow suit. For Esther, this “helps the pupils concentrate more,” and also makes the classroom a less stressful environment for pupils and teachers alike.

“I feel good about my work as a teacher,” Esther concludes. “My job is very important—I have to equip pupils with the knowledge they’ll need for later life.”