Inspirational Teachers Magazine

VOL.1 | MAY 2020

Inspirational Teachers Building a strong community

Courage!

Learn how to be courageous

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Inspirational Teachers Network A VIBRANT ONLINE LEARNING COMMUNITY

Building a strong community

SOPHIA'S NOTES

Sophia Ovonlen, FCCT Founder, Inspirational Teachers School Leader, Inspirational Teachers Network Lead consultant, Oakleigh Education

Many people learn by doing. I am no different. I like to experiment and tweak as I go along. This is what we have been doing

with the Inspirational Teachers brand. As a new teacher, although I was surrounded with experienced colleagues, I felt

terribly alone. I remember that on my first day, I was so nervous and picked up a permanent pen without realising it. I wrote

the date on the board with the pen and for the next 5 years, it was up there as a reminder of my growth journey. I made a

resolve that day to always look out for and support teachers. This is why we have Inspirational Teachers. Our aim is to build a

strong community of inspirational and excellent teachers.

People discuss endlessly about the state of education in Africa and how things must change. It is good to talk and spread

ideas, but it is best to take action. Our education is only as good as our teachers. To get the best education, we must place

the best minds in front of our young ones in schools. This is our driving force as a brand.

We believe that as we work

together as a community of teachers, we will drive change to cause the ripple effect required. And we have started. As a

professional

community,

we

are

constantly

having

discussions,

learning,

and

trying

out

new

ideas,

clarifying

things,

celebrating our successes, pushing ourselves in ways we never thought possible. Yet this is only the beginning! The current

pandemic

has

helped

us

become

stronger

and

more

closely-knit

than

we

thought

possible.

We

are

not

wasting

the

moments at all, we are pushing boundaries despite the challenges.

This e-magazine is a snapshot of us -Inspirational Teachers. I know you will like what you see and read.

You can join us. I hope you do.

Sophia Ovonlen

Our network is open for registration only in the first week of each month. Browse to this link to register at the next

opening: https://www.inspirationalteachersschool.org/network

Our teachers’ school is open for registration always. Browse to this link to find your online course and change your life:

https://www.inspirationalteachersschool.org/online-store

page | 02

Courage!

"COURAGE IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF FEAR"

We live in a world where there is something to fear everywhere.

People constantly think that other people possess some magical button that rids them of fear.

The truth is courageous people carry on in the face of fear. You find the courage to escape the claws of fear and carry on.

The fear is still there, but you can override it with action.We grow up aspiring to bravery, admiring people who display it in their day to day lives.

We wish to be brave ourselves, but Franklin Roosevelt’s quote above brings up an interesting and common misconception in the way we think about bravery.

Does being brave mean not being afraid, as it simply appears on the surface?

Franklin Roosevelt argued that it was the exact opposite.

Bravery is not having any fear, but rather having fear and choosing to overcome it for something that one considers greater.

Adaobi Collette Ikegwuonu

Adaobi is an active educator studying at the Inspirational Teacher School. She is currently taking the EYFS Comprehensive Course.

Early Years Foundation Stage Comprehensive Course.

This Comprehensive Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) online course gives you everything you need to know about becoming an effective EYFS teacher. At the end of this online course, you would have gained tools that will help to set up an EYFS setting and confidently pursue a career in early years education. You will be equipped with essential knowledge, grounding and insight required from early years practitioners.

Call 09055918100 to register

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REACHING FOR READING

Stories are a treat for your children and a great opportunity to spark a lifelong love of learning! By sharing books and tales with your children everyday, you can help build imagination, creativity and the love for reading. To get your child started on an adventure in reading and storytelling, try these handy activities.

SIDEWALK STORIES - stories don't have to be told with written words. you can take advantage of a nice weather to improve on your child's creativity by getting them to tell a story using pictures of the nice weather.

TAKE PICTURES - take pictures of different scenes and objects and prompt your child to write down stories using the picture prompts.

CHARACTER STORY - imagine having all the different characters from different stories all in one story. Get your child to read several stories with a variety of characters. Then try to write an imaginative piece with all the characters in one single story.

Remember, reading supports learning. That's why there are different books for different topics and themes. Make reading as exciting as you can and you have built the love for reading in your child for life.

Odoh Chinwe Barinem

Chinwe is an active educator studying at the Inspirational Teacher School. She is currently taking the Reading Comprehension Course.

Reading Comprehension Course This course is a complete guide to a wide range of practical and creative approaches to develop pupils' comprehension strategies in the classroom.

Call 09055918100 to register page | 04

PROMOTING CREATIVITY MARY OKUNLOYE AS LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD.

My love for 'The Little Red Riding Hood.

As an early years practitioner who often reads stories, I noticed I enjoyed reading and retelling the story of The Little Red Riding Hood .

MARY IS ON THE CREATIVE WRITING COURSE

Every year, no child in my care can escape the story. So why do you love the story so much, you ask?

1. It reminds me of how innocent I used to be so I see myself in that character.

2. I often use the lesson to teach the children how to use good manners in greeting other people especially adults and to beware of strangers.

3. It helps me to explain how innocence can be abused.

4. Lastly, it helps me to remind the children to obey their parents and teachers.

Little Red Riding Hood is my Heroine

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Grab a book A song by Oluwakemi Odetola Join me flip the pages of a book, Let's go on a tour through the world.

Join me read the pages of a book, Together we can learn something new.

Chorus: Grab a book, o o o Flip a book, o o o Read a book, o o o It makes you wiser, Brightens up your world everyday.

If you flip the pages of a book, You can get a clue to your quest.

If you read the pages of a book,

Oluwakemi is an alumnus of Inspirational Teachers School.

She now owns a Youtube channel for children.

Find her on Youtube @Oluwakemi Odetola

You can be the best among the rest.

Written by Charles Chukwu, an active alumnus of Inspirational Teachers School.

"I GOT EXCITED ABOUT THE IDEA OF PAYING FOR MY OWN COURSE" —IFY ONYEKABA

I was tutored like a child because my teacher was always there for me. She gives an assignment and comes behind the scene to help out. She was simply amazing. I graduated from the online school with a merit. I have not stopped telling anyone that cares to know about this amazing school.

My knowledge of Creative writing has kept growing and I get amazed at the excitement it creates in my pupils as they look forward to Creative writing lessons. I am very proud to say that their writing skills are getting better by the day.

I am totally hooked on this group.

I am a graduate of Creative Writing from The Inspirational Teachers Online School. My journey with the Inspirational Teachers group started in 2018. I got to know about them through some colleagues and they encouraged me to attend their workshop for teachers that year.

I got excited about the idea of paying for my own course and i attended. It was a three-day workshop which I found really full of valuable information. Afterwards, I made sure that I attended any workshop they were putting up.

Getting to know Mrs. O was one of the best things that happened to me. She has affected my career in ways she doesn’t even know. I became one of the first students of their online school and I took a course in Creative Writing.

The period of the course was a tough but very fulfilling journey for me.

Thank you Mrs. O and your team. I recommend Inspirational teachers school to anybody who wants to grow in their teaching career.

Thank you.

Creative Writing Masterclass for Teachers This online course is designed to make you an expert Creative Writing Teacher in 90 days. At the end of this course, you will have developed confidence about the teaching of creative writing.You will be delighted about the possibilities that this new knowledge presents.

Just like Ify, many of our graduates have gone on to set up things for themselves and received promotion at work due to the new level of expertise received on this course.

Call 09055918100 to register page | 03

The open invitation to become a better teacher.

Ruth Adekoya

Alumus, Inspirational Teachers School Member, Inspirational Teachers Network A teacher is a continuous learner. John Cotton says "He who dares to teach must never cease to learn" . If there ever was a time to authenticate the veracity of this saying, it is now. In the face of exploded exposure, this generation has so much to gain.

Every opportunity to learn something new must be embraced. Being an effective teacher goes beyond being certified. How current are you? Always remember that knowledge increases by the second. To be effective, you must be updated to avoid being outdated.

Oakleigh Education Consult is one training ground I can recommend to any teacher who wishes to remain relevant in this ever changing world.

They offer varieties of high impact teacher training programmes. You can even benefit from their online Inspirational Teachers School where robust and updated 21st century courses are available at extremely affordable prices. The most exciting part of it is that, you train at your pace and you are awarded an internationally recognised certificate.

What are you waiting for, my dear teachers? Moreover, there are teacher training WhatsApp platforms you can join where enriching and hands-on training are organised.

Further information are enclosed in this magazine.

Be part of these engaging platforms.

I have been there and I am still undergoing some more courses.

My teaching career has taken commendable leaps since I joined the online school as well as the other platforms. Most importantly, a teacher cannot thrive unless with ample knowledge in his or her subject matter. If you want to be taken as a serious minded person who knows his onions, go for more and more knowledge. Be a master of your field and know a little more about every other subject. To the learners, a teacher is "a god'. Be a knowing "god'. A teacher who keeps learning will always be better than those who are reluctant to fine-tune their skills and these are they who end up being bitter teachers in the end. Be wise.

Ruth is an outstanding teacher an inspirational school leader. graduated with distinctions in Leadership Development Course Creative Writing Course.

and She the and

Inspirational Teachers Network A VIBRANT ONLINE LEARNING COMMUNITY

The April and May sessions on the Inspirational Teachers Network were defining and enlightening moments for me. They came at a time when I didn't know which direction to head as regards the online learning that everyone was talking about. The training Mrs. O gave on the Google Classroom helped me to start up and navigate with more clarity. As she shared daily online teaching tips, it became clearer what was expected of me as a teacher and having her own Google Classroom as a source of inspiration has really helped too.

What particularly stood out for me was when she said we should focus on 'quality not quantity'. This has been our watchword as we navigate through the online learning, keeping it fun, simple, engaging and pacy.

Thank you for all you do Mrs. O. You are truly making a difference.

Evelyn Karika Member Inspirational Teachers Network

The lockdown due to Covid - 19 brought about so many uncertainties. Schools went digital and this became a bit cumbersome and frustrating. The May training on video animation which I had longed to learn brought about a ray of light in a dark tunnel. I learnt it without having to pay any fees. Thanks to ITN, now I can create an animated video.

Kenechukwu Royal Member, Inspirational Teachers Network

Up until now I had never heard about plotagon, kahoot, zoom, Google classroom and the rest.

The few weeks I've spent in the network have been an eye opener to what I've been missing as a teacher. Thank you so much because you've impacted me in ways I cannot begin to explain.

Joy N Member, Inspirational Teachers Network

STAYING RELEVANT IN THE MIDST OF A CRISIS It is hard to deny that the COVID-19 pandemic did not shake all of us. It definitely did. Some more than others. As a learning community, we adapted and pulled together to ensure everyone within the network was up-skilled to meet the current demands on teaching and learning. But that was not all. In times like these, mental well-being matters. We know there have been salary cuts, job losses and even loss of lives. But we also know that leaning on each other is crucial to get through tough times. So we did a lot! Here is a snapshot.

This was the first of many to come. Many members went on to set up personal classrooms and training others within their schools.

Animation training using Plotagon was a blast. We explored, persevered and created magical animations.

We took on Kahoot and nailed it! We have been creating quizzes ever since!

As part of our drive for building a close knit community, we started one to one mentoring sessions on Saturdays! This has been extraordinary. The impact is beyond words.

ONLINE STUDY GROUP We registered for an online course with the University of Birmingham in United Kingdom.

We have started studying the course together and meet online via Google Meet for a study group session.

For us pandemic or not, we will continue to learn and develop.

Join our learning community and transform your life.

Call Eloho on 09055191800

Members speak! ... adrenaline pumping, really.

Thanks Mrs O and every teacher who I used Kahoot during a class on Zoom on Friday. participated. Today's discussion on Didn't think the It was fun. At the end of character education course could be that the day, we created a was awesome. I have interesting. collage via another tool learnt a lot.

That's what you called mentimeter #charactereducationi get when you learn skey

from the best.

I was able to play both links. I have just finished going through it.

I really loved snipping..đ&#x;˜‰ It's an awesome feeling belonging to this community.

Basically all my burdens concerning teaching is always unburdened HERE. Thank you for this

This group is one of

the

best

things that

has happened

this

season. I

to

me in

would

forever remember my foray into Instagram because it led me

this unique

to

group!

I couldn't come online because I busy at read

was

quite

the time.

through &

I just

have

created my kahoot successfully already!

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Thank you for being such valuable members of the Inspirational Teachers Network!