STUDENT LIFE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NAMIBIA (MAIN CAMPUS)
As a child, I always wanted to become a teacher. I imagined myself standing in front of the learners reading a storybook. I developed a passion for education, mainly because it has to do with helping learners acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue. “Learners are quite interesting human beings”, I said to myself. As a teacher, I will play a crucial role in shaping the lives of young people by encouraging a new generation and guiding them to make a positive impact in the world around them. Therefore, studying at the University of Namibia is a dream come true.
Teaching is a great career choice for anyone who wants to make a difference in the lives of young people; teachers serve many roles within a school environment and the community. Moreover, teachers are often passionate and dedicated individuals with a strong desire for lifelong learning. As a student teacher, I inspire, motivate, and educate learners from different backgrounds and of any age. Furthermore, I spend a lot of time with learners in the classroom during Teaching Practice; not only as their educator, but as their mentor who provides a good example, meaningful direction, and guidance to them.
Knowledge
is indeed power. I help the learners to understand the content. On the other
hand, I have developed different strategies on how to assist learners who have
learning difficulties; this means I need to be highly flexible with my lesson
plan. Being a clinical psychology graduate from UNAM, it is much easier to work
with learners as I am able to identify various behavioral and emotional
patterns in them. Learners respond differently
in the same situations and their thoughts vary greatly. I am always interested
in knowing why one child would think one way and not the other.
Opportunities
I
am always occupied with academic work like group discussions, assignments,
projects, practicals, and tests. We have classes on a daily basis with
excellent lecturers- they are committed and dedicated to work. Our lecturers
are very kind and open-minded. I get a chance to interact with students from
various parts of the country and abroad. I spend most of the time in the
library; reading and doing research. I get to buy food on campus at the DH or
the Grub, buy stationaries at the bookshops, and print documents in the library.
I have several friends on campus; we get to study together and update each
other on the latest news of academics. In addition, we engage in productive
conversations and are always there to support one another.
On
graduation days, outstanding performing learners are awarded with certificates
for working hard in their studies. Parents and guardians are invited to
witness this special occasion where speeches are read, and photos are taken.
Most
importantly, each student at the university is given a SIM card for the internet. Thus, we can search for information, write online tests, and submit assignments. The school
environment is clean and conducive to study.
This year, we had a Geography field trip with our lecturers, and we visited different geographical areas, such as the Namib Naukluft National Park, Deadvlei, Jetty, Walvis Bay Municipality, Sesriem Canyon, Namib Sand Sea, Sossusvlei Dunes and Etosha National Park. We got to experience the reality of diverse cultural heritage, flora, and fauna. We had so much fun and enjoyed participating in different activities like dune climbing and hiking, and learned about geographical sites.
Moreover, as education students, we do teaching practice at various schools. We are evaluated by the
teachers based on the delivery of the subject content. We also got to do research in the Otjomuise informal settlement, where we were exposed to how to use various research methods and tools to collect data and select the
participants. We got to attend the student-lecturer forum where relevant issues were discussed pertaining to our studies.
Social life
Besides
academic life, I get to socialize with my friends and colleagues at various
spots, such as the DH, Grub, or Cafeteria on campus. We play games like cards or pool. On campus, there are shows that we get to attend and enjoy
ourselves, for instance, cultural festivals, Mr & Mrs UNAM, music festivals,
UNAM choir, or SCM singing competitions. Furthermore, the university offers
sports like soccer, rugby or netball. I get to watch these games once in a
while.
Challenges
As a student, I struggle with transport fees for school. Thus, I am most likely not to attend some classes on certain days. Due to the load of school tasks, I find it difficult to complete some activities before the due date. There are certain temptations I face, for instance, being looked down on by others because of the dress code and not being popular in the school groups. One is labeled as a “nerd or bookworm”. Sadly, some students spend their time engaging in risky events like smoking or being absent from lessons. Peer pressure is real and some students are forced to neglect their schoolwork. All in all, as a student, I have learned to be disciplined, responsible, and stay out of trouble.
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