Inside the inspiring world of Nakuru's ECDE teacher
Samuel Githinji is an ECDE teacher in Nakuru.
Samuel Githinji has been an Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) teacher for nine years.
Confidently, he notes that he would choose the career over and over again, if given a chance.
This, despite the challenges of being undermined, underpaid, overworked and a delay of salary in some cases.
Githinji notes that he draws his inspiration from his mother who is a retired ECDE teacher, adding that she did her job wholeheartedly and was always happy.
“It can be very isolating for a man to work in such a female-dominated area. I have worked in an environment where all teachers were female, and while I loved working with them and they were very professional, I still feel quite alone at times,” he notes.
The 30-year-old notes that being a teacher helps him to be a positive role model in children’s lives, since some children may not have other positive male role models around them.
“Children must witness positivity so that they can grow up positive people. When a child sees a male and a female staff member engaging, communicating, laughing, collaborating, and working together respectfully, it can have a positive impact on children and their future,” he notes.
Githinji notes that sometimes it's difficult to deal with some parents whereby some think that it's the teacher's fault that the child does not understand what they are learning, while others it's difficult for them to raise school fees.
He reiterates that ECDE teachers play an important role in the growth of children by nurturing and moulding them for a better future.
Githinji tells anyone thinking of going into this field to do it, since teaching toddlers is like having a blank canvas for you to paint on.
"Don’t forget to have fun. It can be such a great experience and you will have such an impact on these little lives. What better job could there be? Enjoy the moments and see everything as a learning opportunity,” he concludes.