Vagrants

Chapter 36

I gave out the test results to the students after Mr. Akinola had reviewed and told me to record them.

The students were exhilarated by this. For the record, it was the simplest test in the history of their school.

"Why do you think you had such scores?" The Principal asked. He had walked in the class while I was teaching and he randomly asked students to show their results.

"Miss Adeola taught us well."

"And how did she teach?" The Principal turned to me. "Did you leak the questions?"

"No sir, I..." I tried to defend myself.

"Sir, she would never do that." Mr. Akinola said. "She has a different and unique way of teaching her students."

"Is that so?" The Principal asked.

"Yes sir. I thought I would never know anything in school because most students say Economics is hard but she made it easier." One of the students said.

"We'll see about that." The Principal was surely in doubt.

I carried on teaching my class while the Principal took a seat and watched me.

With time, he began to enjoy the class and after a while he got up and left.

*

I didn't expect what I met one morning. I got to the school late and I met the last bit of the assembly where the Principal was making an announcement.

"If I knew people like this existed, I'd have carried out tests to assess teachers before employing them." The Principal said.

"Good morning." Cassandra whispered.

"Good morning." I smiled. "What is he talking about?"

"I don't know yet. Let's listen."

"I'd like to commend the SS1 students for their attentiveness during their classes because without paying attention, they couldn't have had such results."

"Thank you sir!"

"Then to the reason of this announcement, An ex-corper who is a First class graduate in Economics from the University of Lagos. Miss Adeola Taiwo, being commended for her incredible teaching skills, I hope you'd keep this up and ensure the students ace their exams too."

Everyone turned to me while he spoke and I bowed my head slightly. I even felt Cassandra's gaze on me. They stared in awe and I wasn't feeling quite comfortable.

After the assembly ended, Cassandra pulled me aside.

"So you graduated with a first class? Boss!" She hailed me.

"Stop jare. It's nothing."

"Nothing?" One of our colleagues came. "Some of us struggled for second class sef."

"How did you do it? Those students, how were you able to handle them?"

"I didn't handle them." I sighed. "Mr. Akinola was there so they comported themselves."

"And teaching? How did you do it?"

I shrugged. "I just taught in a way they would understand. That's how I read. I break things down into smaller terms so anyone would understand."

"Wow! That's very incredible."

*

The school didn't feel the same after the announcement. It was just a test and uncalled for but Mr. Akinola didn't find it that way. He was more than impressed and so were other teachers. The students began to like me more as I've given them hope. I had explained to them how to understand subjects even if the teachers didn't explain things well.

Their class used to have few astute students but now that I've woken them up and made them compete among eachother, I was sure that new top students will soon debouch rather than the regular proud ones who always held disregard to other students because they knew more.

If the class continued this way, they'd be better after I leave and hopefully if they miss me, they'd put more efforts into their external examinations and break whatever records their past seniors had set for them.