There are good teachers in general, so many of them actually. But only one stands out among the lot for me and that person is Mr. Seth Okantey, aka Researcher. My name is Abdul Rahim Shaibu and this is “My Teacher Story”
Growing up in Takoradi, my father ensured my siblings and I had access to the best of education. We attended Young Christian Basic School, which was one of the top private schools in Takoradi that time. It was very competitive with my colleagues and me striving to outdo each other every term.
The seriousness of the students was directly proportional to the level of seriousness exhibited by the teachers of the school. Mr. Seth Okantey a.k.a Researcher was no exception. All our seniors painted horrid stories of the monster he was. How we should brace ourselves for the very worst when we would become his students in junior high school.
I remember peering out the window of my classroom and seeing Mr. Seth Okantey as he seriously strutted down the hall of the junior high division of the school with his big books- the reason he was nicknamed “Researcher”- and cane in hand. At that moment I said to myself “I wouldn’t want to be a student of this man at all”. Alas, this prayer was not answered and before I knew it, it was time to be his student. The image of a man who was always carrying heavy books and a cane had now become a reality.
I didn’t have a lot of self-confidence growing up, so there were a lot of things I didn’t believe I could ever excel in, Mathematics was one of those things. Due to this, I also towed along the line of “Math is difficult”. Truth be told, I was not the biggest fan of Mathematics before I became his student. I‘Researcher’ took up the challenge of dispelling those claims with utmost ease. He made my colleagues and I realize we could actually solve Math problems. Mr.Okantey would take his time and go step by step. He made references to our environment so that you could relate to the Maths problem.
His style of teaching was excellent such that I lost the interest in “chew and pour.” He entreated us to understand and apply what we understood in our own way. Also, the fair balance between being friendly and still strict was admirable. With time, he didn’t seem like the scary monster we were introduced to anymore. His classes were mostly fun and exciting. I recall some instances where he used some scientific terms to make fun of us like: “I will disintegrate you!” He was jovial, but never spared the opportunity to discipline us when the need arose.
During the BECE, it was a breeze to write the Mathematics paper and I managed to get a “1”. That was a turning point in my life because in such a short time, my self-doubt and low self-esteem were a thing of the past and I was certain that there was nothing I couldn’t achieve once I set my mind to it.
Fast forward to Senior high school where I studied General Science, some of my colleagues and I came back to ‘Researcher’ for extra classes which he gladly did. We even had the added bonus of a three in one class session which consisted of Physics, Elective and Core Mathematics. I’m glad I grew to love Math as it has become an integral part of my life as a Business developer and business/ Data Analyst and Digital Marketer.
To anyone reading this, it is natural to think you do not like your teacher or vice versa because they discipline you. Try to see life from your teacher’s perspective as someone who would love to see you prosper and open your mind and accommodate them. Also do not say there is a subject you do not like; anyone can do whatever they set their mind to, including you!
To Mr. Seth Okantey; “The little things you did made such a huge impact on me and I owe a huge part of my life story to you. I will keep mentioning your name anywhere I go. You have made the world a better place through me. Thank you”
Abdul Rahim completed Young Christian Basic School in 2006. Did you attend Young Christian Basic School too? Were you a student of Mr. Seth Okantey a.k.a. Researcher? Share your experience about how he impacted your life in the comments section. Also, don’t hesitate to let us know what you think of Mr. Seth Okantey a.k.a. Researcher methods? Do you have a teacher who motivated and impacted your life in a way that made you who you are today? Share with us on “My Teacher Story”. Share this story, give it a like and do follow us on our social media handles @We Go Innovate on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube and LinkedIn