A NEW ZONE

It’s been awhile here. I am very sure you have been wondering where I have been and what I have been up to.

I have been learning, unlearning and relearning.

The year 2020 was indeed a challenging and tough year but at the same time, it was a year that helped me move out of my comfort zone.

During the end of the year, September to be precise, I decided to take a bold step, something I have been longing to do but do not have enough courage to do because of fear of the unknown (working in a new place). I resigned from a place of work I have been working for four years. I was just playing around job vacancies on Facebook though my inner man wants to move forward but I was scared of stepping on toes because the people I was about to leave have been exceptional in their behaviours towards me.  I did got a new job but so sudden, I resigned emergently and that made me step on toes. The truth been said, I had to move on.

My last place of work was  a training ground, there were so many opportunities available to utilise and increase in capacity. Most of the ideas I brought to the table were acknowledged and utilised. This help me to really grow, I left there a person and the place got better than when I got there. I am super grateful to God and the entire team of Great Omega International Schools.

My new place of work is also a learning ground, I am always to learn wherever I find myself and I am always seeking for any available means to add my little quota to the growth of any person or place I find myself. Within thesre few months I have spent here, my perception to life , people , my tyeaching career and the world at large has really been affected positively. We hold weekly meetings to help us guide us on our work and we bhave been made to understand that the culture of a place is very important. No matter your level of experience, when you get to a new place of work, youn will need to acquaint yourself with their culture and work the culture or else it spits you out sooner than you least expected.

Something fantastic happened in my first four months there as a class teacher. I was recognised and appreciated for a good collaborative teaching with my class partner and for creating colourful slides and engaging online lessons. Super grateful to God , my teacher ( Akpan Emmanuel) and my colleagues for an enabling environment.

Fast forward back to 2020, November to be precise, I was given the privilege to speak at a conference – 21^st Century Teachers International Conference. I spread the news about Empatico. Guess what? I finally conquered my fear on ‘public speaking’. I still can’t believe it. Funke stood in front of over one thousand teachers and spoke to them without jittering. It was an awesome and impactful moment.

Talking about Empatico (www.empatico.org), apart from being a video conferencing tool used to connect classrooms from around the globe, it can be used to shape lives. Empatico helped me to touch the soul of my pupils (2019/2020). They are one of the pupils I won’t forget in a lifetime and I trust they won’t. During the holiday, they were still talking about their Empatico Kindness experience and wished it won’t come to an end.

In order for such not to happen, Empatico is working on a new feature which will allow clases to keep connecting remotely via the Empatico platform. I have been graced to be a part of the Empatico Pilot Testing Community, isn’t that great?

Something fantastic happened, like I said, 2020 brought me out of my comfort zone. I ended 2020 as a Vlogger, now I have a YouTube Channel. The first weeks weren’t easy you know but I got backed up by my lovely husband.

I noticed that only the Christian adults were catered for during the online Sunday School Class and been a Sundayb School Teacher in my church (R.CC.G), I needed to solve a problem. So, I started an online Sunday School Class called ‘Jesus Jewels’ Sunday School Class with Teacher Funke’. We met virtually via the ZOOM app every Sunday and the replay could be watched on YouTube. I share gospel stories and songs.

The year 2021 is in motion already with so many opportunities for growth and making impacts. All I want to do in this year 2021 (by God’s grace) is to make IMPACT. I want to impact the world, hence working more on been a PROBLEM SOLVER!

Watch Out for more from Teacher Funke in this new year. GOD is with me, I can do exceedingly great things!