My name is Gloria. I am a teacher from Nigeria with 14 years’ teaching experience. I am the founder of two initiatives: the children’s journalism club named ‘Kiddie Press Club’ and ‘A Walk Through Education’, which is an online learning platform that helps gather and share educational tools to help enhance learning and teaching in the classroom.
Growing up, I was what a lot of people would consider introverted – shy, softly spoken and even more – and because of this, I really did not have the easiest time in school or in public. I was always that kid who sat at the back of the classroom and never spoke or raised her hand to answer or ask questions, because of fear of making mistakes and being laughed at by other students. I was constantly bullied and harassed at any slightest opportunity yet I couldn’t speak out. I was afraid, depressed and withdrawn and all this affected my academic studies. I give thanks to my teacher who noticed all my challenges and was able to redirect me towards the right path.
There are millions of children in the world today who are facing similar challenges of low self-esteem and lack of confidence. Many children live with low self-esteem and are vulnerable. This leads to depression and might end up in suicide. The current rate of suicide in Nigeria is 9.5% out of every 100,000 people (Premium Times, 2022). And according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), approximately 800,000 people die by suicide each year worldwide (Vanguard, 2019), which equates to around one person every 40 seconds. Most vulnerable populations are likely to experience barriers to digital access as a result of poverty and limited access to education which can lead to the feelings of fear, anxiety and depression.
However, one can overcome these challenges through positive exposure to the right skills. We need to catch our children young. They need support to learn how to use their voices, whether to advocate for themselves, express their opinions, fight for their rights or stand up for a friend.
This is the reason why I founded Kiddie Press Club. Kiddie Press Club is an organisation for children journalists, creative writers and news casters who are engaged in the production and dissemination of information. The activities of the club concentrate mainly on enhancing the student’s communication skills and empowering them to express their feelings through writing. It is an avenue to promote students’ voices, gender equality and quality education.
Through Kiddie Press Club, I create opportunities for authentic conversations with the students which will build up their confidence and empower them to tell their stories – and then I amplify their voices and give them a safe environment to share their stories. It also helps to bring attention to issues that might have otherwise been overlooked, and these have helped to create a more inclusive and diverse public dialogue.
Kiddie Press Club improves key digital learning skills, and encourages student leadership through creative writing, creative art, journalism and news casting. It is a more sustainable pattern of production and consumption, which encourages children to take action directed towards change and a more sustainable future. Thanks to the internet, information and ideas can travel around the world at the speed of light.
As teachers, we have a profound impact on the lives of our students. We are not just imparting knowledge and skills; we are shaping the future leaders of our communities and our world. That’s why it’s so important that we prioritise gender equality, equity and quality education in our schools and communities.
Creating and building up my website and platform ‘A Walk Through Education’ is another way I am trying to promote SDG 4 and sdg 5, (quality education, equity and gender equality.) This is an online learning platform that gathers and shares educational tools to enhance learning and teaching in the classroom.
As we all know, gender equality means ensuring that all students, regardless of their gender identity or expression, have the same opportunities and resources to succeed. Equity on the other hand means recognising and addressing the ways in which gender-based discrimination and bias can impact students’ experiences and outcomes. And quality education means providing a rigorous and engaging academic experience that prepares students for success in college, career and life.
Unfortunately, too many schools still fall short when it comes to these goals. Girls and nonbinary students are often subject to stereotypes and bias, which can impact their academic performance and self-esteem. Boys are often pressured to conform to rigid expectations of masculinity, which can limit their emotional expression and interpersonal skills.
As teachers, we all have a significant role to play in ensuring that every student who enters our classrooms feels welcome, supported and valued. But too often we inadvertently perpetuate systems of inequity that leave some students behind.
It’s not enough to say that we treat all students equally; we must actively work to dismantle the barriers that prevent some students from achieving their full potential. This means acknowledging the ways in which our own biases and assumptions may be impacting our teaching, and taking steps to address them.
It means creating a classroom environment where all students feel seen, heard and valued. It means prioritising the needs of historically marginalised students and ensuring that they have the same opportunities for success as their peers.
There are many ways we can work towards equity in our classrooms. We can start by examining our own practices and biases, seeking out professional development opportunities, and engaging in ongoing self-reflection. We can make sure our curricula are inclusive and culturally responsive, and we can create opportunities for all students to see themselves reflected in the material we teach.
We can also work to build relationships with our students and their families, creating a sense of community and trust that helps every student feel supported and valued.
As educators, we have the power to change things. We can create a classroom environment that celebrates diversity and promotes gender equity. We can ensure that our curricula are inclusive and nonstereotypical, and that all students have access to the same opportunities and resources.
We can also work to challenge gender-based discrimination and bias in our schools and our communities. We can model respectful and equitable behaviour in our own interactions with students and colleagues, and we can teach our students to do the same.
And most importantly, we can empower our students to be agents of change in their own lives and communities. We can help them develop the skills and confidence they need to stand up for themselves and for others, and to advocate for gender equality, equity and quality education.
I know that this work is not always easy. It can be challenging to confront our own biases and to navigate complex issues like gender identity and expression. But by prioritising gender equality, equity and quality education in our schools, we can make a real difference in the lives of our students and in the world around us.
For me, there’s no job more important than teaching the future leaders of our world the information they need to know, especially showing them their worth, potential and ability to form their own opinions by thinking critically and observing the world around them.
‘Adetutu and suicide on Third Mainland Bridge’.(2022) Premium Times. Available from https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/567337-adetutu-and-suicide-on-third-mainland-bridge-by-zayd-ibn-isah.html?tztc=1 (Last accessed 31 July 2023).
‘More Nigerians to die by suicide if. . . ’. (2019) Vanguard. Available from https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/05/more-nigerians-to-die-by-suicide-if/ (Last accessed 31 July 2023).
‘Suicide in Nigeria’. Wikipedia. Available from https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_in_Nigeria (Last accessed 31 July 2023).
Gloria Ifeyinwa Auogu is an educator with over 14 years of experience in teaching. She is a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert, HHMS11SDG Cohort 2 and a member of the 1 Million Teachers Black Belt Community. Passionate about helping students learn and grow, she has a strong belief in the power of education to change lives, and is committed to providing her students with the tools and resources they need to succeed.