By OGUNBOWALE, TOLULOPE SOBIYE

A new academic session is knocking at the door. But before the first lesson is taught, there is a question every educator should ask: Am I really prepared for the journey ahead?

In my last publication, I reflected on how learners could make use of their holidays through reading, learning new skills, helping at home and engaging in activities that support their growth. As the holiday draws to a close, attention now shifts to the other side of the classroom. If learners are expected to return ready to learn, should teachers not also return ready to teach, guide and inspire?

Preparing for resumption should go beyond arranging lesson notes, checking the timetable and organising teaching materials. It is an opportunity to reflect on the previous session, identify areas for improvement and return with purpose. Every teacher should pause and ask: What worked last session? What challenged me? Which learner needed more support? And what can I do better this time?

Every educator needs a teacher’s survival kit. It may not come in a box, but it should contain knowledge, patience, empathy, flexibility, good communication, resilience, creativity and humour. These qualities can help teachers navigate difficult days.

A good teacher must remain a learner. Before resumption, educators should revisit their subject areas, study the curriculum, refresh their knowledge and explore ways of presenting lessons. The world is changing rapidly, and learners are changing with it. A teacher who continues to learn is better prepared to teach and would be respected for what he teaches.

Hence , knowledge alone is not enough. The teacher must also prepare the heart. Every learner comes to school with a different story. Some return eager and confident; others may be carrying challenges that are not immediately visible. Some understand lessons quickly, while others need patience and encouragement. The prepared teacher looks beyond the struggle and sees potential.

The story of Adebanjo Samuel Oluolamide, LASU’s overall best graduating student for the 2025/2026 academic session, offers a reminder of the influence educators can have. Despite financial difficulties, he received support from people who believed in him, including teachers who reportedly assisted him during difficult periods. Such acts remind us that a small gesture can become significant in a learner’s journey.

This lesson aligns with the story of Rita Pierson, the renowned American educator who, in her popular talk, Every Kid Needs a Champion, emphasised the importance of teacher-learner relationships. Her message is simple but powerful: children need adults who believe in them. They need teachers who look beyond grades and see possibilities.

A struggling child today may become tomorrow’s outstanding graduate, professional or leader.

Flexibility is essential. Not every lesson will follow the plan. A learner may struggle with a topic, a teaching aid may fail, or an unexpected situation may change the programme. A prepared teacher knows when to adjust while keeping the learning objective.

Technology aids the teachers’ research, yet no device can replace a teacher who listens, encourages, corrects and understands learners.

Communication matters just as much. In other words, words can make or mar. A careless statement can weaken confidence, while “I believe in you” can encourage a learner to try again. Teachers should correct without humiliating, discipline without degrading and encourage without unfair comparison.

Finally, teachers must remember that they are human. Teaching can be demanding, and constant giving without rest can lead to exhaustion. Rest, collaboration, support and healthy boundaries are necessary. Self-care is part of staying effective.

Let educators prepare more than their classrooms. Prepare the mind. Refresh the knowledge. Organise the materials. Strengthen the patience. Renew the purpose. Most importantly, prepare the heart.

The learners have had their season of holiday preparation. Now it is the teacher’s turn.

Let every educator return with a survival kit filled with knowledge to teach, patience to understand, empathy to care, courage to encourage, flexibility to adapt and resilience to continue.

Years from now, a learner may forget a lesson or test score, but may never forget the teacher who saw something in them and chose to believe.

•Ogunbowale, Tolulope Sobiye writes from Lagos.