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Story Story: Teachers' voices | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Story Story is a radio drama set in a busy market in the heart of West Africa. The programme is part of Voices, a national public education broadcasting project for Nigeria that is produced by the BBC World Service Trust. Characters and situations in the drama are crafted to stimulate debate and raise awareness of social and developmental issues. In the current series teaching and education form a major strand of the drama's plotline. The character Florence chooses to become a primary school teacher at the local school which is facing a number of challenges common to schools in sub-Saharan Africa. Her enthusiasm for the job gets a boost after she comes across the TESSA website. The story It's a tumultuous season for the 18 year-old Florence as she tries to bring creative new teaching methods to the local community school run by Titus. Her mother Madam Philo is appalled that her daughter is giving up the idea of going to university in favour of teacher training college. Florence is keen to learn and enhance her teaching skills; so on a visit to the city she pops into an internet cafe.
While browsing for teaching information she finds the TESSA website which immediately grabs her attention. The school founder and head, Titus, is a concerned that his school lacks a library and he unsuccessfully tries to get the community to support a fundraising effort. His pleas fall on deaf ears and he is forced to raise the school fees which has parents in uproar. TESSA teaching resources Despite the lack of facilities, Florence, the TESSA-resourced teacher, soldiers on. She begins to invite prominent professionals to talk to the pupils. Her mother, Madam Philo is one of her guests. Madam Philo gives a talk about the concept of democracy. The children love it and Florence decides to apply the practice to the selection of class captain. Political groups and candidates for the post emerge in the classroom, the children are having fun.
But the fun extends beyond politicking, the whole classroom experience becomes fun because Florence is using her TESSA training to make her teaching interactive and interesting. Truancy is a thing of the past in her class and more pupils are register in the school. In trouble at school Her methods are not understood by all and cause consternation among parents and other teachers. Eventually Titus bows to the pressure and suspends the young trainee. The pupils vote with their feet and attendance plummets without Florence there to teach the class. Titus sets the class a test, imagining that they will all fail but of course the opposite is true and Titus is forced to rethink his decision to suspend Florence.
The experienced teacher and the young trainee have a heart-to-heart about the situation. She reveals her TESSA secret to Titus; her enthusiasm combined with the headmaster's experience mark the beginning of the good times for the school. Florence guides the school quiz team to victory which brings the parents out in celebration and support. Whatsmore, they are willing to contribute to the library funding effort, thus the inaugural Parents Teachers Association meeting is held at the school. This series of Story Story was made possible with financial assistance from TESSA |
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Episode 2 - A new teacher at the community school
BBC Network Africa homepage
