As part of efforts to enhance quality education and promote the development and wellbeing of the Nigerian child, Nigeria’s leading telecom provider and youth-friendly brand, 9mobile, organized a one-day train the trainer workshop for teachers within the Lagos State Education District III comprising Lagos Island and Etiosa local councils.
Themed “Understanding Affirmative Communication and the Emotional and Psychological Needs of a Child”, the workshop was an opportunity to equip teachers with the skills to manage and influence the upcoming generation of students to be future agents of positive change.
Facilitators Emike Oyemade, a trained Counselor and therapist, and John-Mabun Adesoga, a certified life coach and management trainer, identified areas that need improvement in the management of the teacher-student relationship.
According to Oyemade, teachers need to adapt to the new realities of the times. “As teachers, your style of communication must align with modern reality. You must learn to speak and understand your students’ language, use the right words to impact and influence them, and connect to correct where mistakes have been made.
For his part, Mabun highlighted the importance of adopting a communication style that enhances the synergy between teachers and students. He said, “You cannot deliver well if you donot see your students as your children. Understanding the psychological and emotional needs of your students is a skill, and you must be deliberate about it.”
Commenting on the workshop, the Executive Director, Regulator and Corporate Affairs, 9mobile, Mr. Abdulraham Ado, represented by PR Lead, 9mobile, Chineze Amanfo, remarked that 9mobile remains committed to prioritizing the interest of the youths and will continue to invest in initiatives that impact their development.
She said, “Some months ago, we held a career counselling session for students of Akande Dehunsi Senior Secondary School on making career choices. Today, we are back with a train the trainer workshop for teachers. Besides guiding students in academics and extracurricular activities, teachers play a critical role in shaping a child’s future. This has informed the decision to put this session together according to 9mobile’s focus on education as one of its CSR pillars. We recognize the efforts of our teachers, and we are here today to further encourage and equip them with skills that will further enhance their effectiveness and impact.”
Mr. Akande Abideen of Akande Dahunsi Senior School Ikoyi, one of the participants who appreciated 9mobile for the workshop, stated that it was informative, eye-opening, and helpful. He encouraged his colleagues to put to good use all that they have learned from the session to improve their relationship with their students.