TEACHING METHODOLOGIES; THE ESSENCE OF VARIETIES

‘Variety is the spice of life’ so the sages say and the essence of using various or different methodologies to teach does not only makes learning more interesting but also better enhanced. According to Longman Active Studies Dictionary 5th Edition ‘education is the process of teaching and learning.’ According to Wikipedia education is a form of learning in which knowledge skills and habit of a group of people are transferred from one generation to the next through teaching, training, and research or simply through auto didacticism. It occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way we think, feel or act. We have various methods of teaching can be divided according to the age of man. These notwithstanding affect the learning process and are all important. Learning according to experts has not taken place except it affects the three domains which are the Affective, Cognitive and Psyco-motor domain. The early age of man, the learning methodology was SELF-REFLECTING approach. This approach allows the early man to think on his own. The later age, SOCRATIC METHOD OF ELENCHUS, was employed. It can also be inquiry, debate, questioning method. This allows the learner learn through questions posed by the teacher. In the early 18th Century man employed CLASS PARTICIPATION or group discussion, also called COLLABORATING, Group or project work. This builds the team leadership skill, presentation abilities in student. It can be called fishbowl discussion or well Learning by teaching. This can take various shapes (Where the students have their take on the topic and the leader is the guide). DEMONSTRATION also called connective learning. This has equally taken diverse shapes and can be through practical or experiment, storytelling or acting. Other method used for ages are RECITATION, MEMORIZATION or ROTE MEMORIZATION, EXPLAINING OR LECTURE METHODS which is factual presentation to the students. This helps the teacher to cover a wide range of curriculum in short time. INQUIRY LEARNING METHOD featured in United State National Science Education Standard in 1996, investigation, collection of data, application in other subject areas where people are developing critical thinking and investigation skill. Robert Bain proposed through inquiry people will develop skills and factual knowledge that answers to a question. They will form a hypothesis, collect and consider information and revisit their hypothesis as they evaluate. This is also called OPEN LEARNING. If one takes a critical look at the diverse methodologies, one can be said to be absolutely independent of the other as they are complementary. Learning may not be complete if on dogmatically uses just one of this teaching methodologies. While some are more important at some age grade and subjects others cannot but be emphasises in other fields. While Mathematics needs more of demonstration or solving the sum independently, Agricultural Science’s farm work needs more of group discussion as English is more prone to Lecture method. Yet these subjects are best when the methods are combined and used interdependently. This will make learning better, easier more interesting to both the teacher and the student. Any teacher that is stereotyped with one method creates room for boredom in the class. Variety is indeed the spice of life, and the classroom is not an exception. MR. ONI AFOLABI AJIBOLA ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHER EDIDOT SCHOOL AWOYAYA, LAGOS 08036126690 oniafolabiajibola@yahoo.com

Eulogy to Dr. Mrs. Edith Okubanjo

A eulogy to Dr. Mrs. Edith Okubanjo Isn’t she a diamond? That glows beyond comprehension Isn’t she a mountain? Never shaken despite ocean surge Death murdered her husband Yet she remains a mother Even more caring than ever And look more elegant than the latest bride down town We welcome back our hero Who started from zero Who took no short cut in life’s race And rose to grace We all at the college in Edidot, That I represent right on the spot We say welcome back to Edidot Indeed we missed you Welcome ma, Doctor Mrs. Edith Okubanjo We love you ma, Sincerely, we do. Composed by ONI Afolabi Ajibola 16:20pm, 02/10/12, Edidot School

SEVENTY VIRGINS

‘Salam lakun,, ya yane, nna samani kana seri yee?’ Sakih Abdurrahman A. Abdurrahman was conversingwith one of his loyal students and Islamic faithful. He continued hisconversation in Hausa, ‘Sure you are ready, don’t be discouraged, Allah is alreadywith your reward, it is a holy war.’ with this Sakih ended the telephoneconversation. Abdulwarith’s faith wasundaunted and unshaken. He took another look at the locally improvisedexplosive as it laid on the floor. He cast his mind back to the reward healready got and spent from Sakih, N20, 000, meant for carrying out the suicidebombing that will end his life. ‘Is it worth it?’ he thought.His life had been the most miserable ever since he was born in Maiduguri thestate capital of Bornu State North-east of Nigeria. His parents left him in the streetwith no education, more so, food was from any caring being or remnant from localfood vendors. He joined the dreaded Boko Haram after being insulted by one ofhis age mate as useless. Sakih was convincing in arguing the fact that God isagainst education and westernization. Sakih gave him a life and value for his life.With Sakih, he was useful for the first time in his life. Haven being with Sakihfor ten years and his ideology of holy war, he was sent down to Jalingo toexplode the Government house and ensure that Gov. Danbaba Suntai was one of thedeceased after the Government house was razed courtesy of the explosion. With this, Abdul saidhis prayers and was no more on 30th April 2012, and had no burial.