RUKUNGIRI – I was profoundly humbled by the recent released UCE exam results where 292 girls were in first grade and the rest 15 students came in second grade. The consistent good performance of Immaculate Heart Girls under administration of a Catholic nun Rev Sr.Gladys Kachope is result of calculated and well thought strategy, dedication of teachers and constant efforts to fulfill the mission and objectives of the school. I have been blessed to be engaged by Sr Headmistress in her modus operandi to keep this school shinning and got a chance to analyse the internal dynamics of the school as Education motivational speaker before Students, parents and teachers. Permit me to unmask some of the strategies employed by Immaculate Heart Girls to make other schools to borrow a leaf.
Immaculate Heart Girls gives individual attention to learners who happen to get academic challenges. I remember when these students were in senior by then and Sr Headmistress observed their end of second term reports with her staff, they discovered that majority of students didn’t have mandatory 60% average to make them promoted to next class( S.4) . Thus, recommended to have Education motivational speaker to talk to these students with their parents at beginning of third term. Sr.Gladys Kachope called me and we harmoniously agreed on topics to talk about (1) HOW TO IMPROVE PERSONAL GRADES ,(2) HOW TO ATTACK ACADEMIC FAILURE . In this workshop, I inspired these students, teachers supplemented and parents understood their role and at the end , the affected students promised to us to improve and cause academic precedence in history of Immaculate Heart. We equally had S.5 students with their parents who had same academic challenges..trust me their senior six exam results will be mob good .The rest now is history.
Secondly, Teachers dedication is superb. I have been to Immaculate Heart Girls for motivational talks often times in weekends but Teachers on duty do their work deligently, teachers organise academic clinics to attend to students about their unique learning problems. Immaculate Heart Girls’ Teachers are eager to learn. I was humbled to see them eager to learn as I present my motivational talks before students and get interested to supplement even. In some other schools, Teachers claim to Know everything and believe their responsibility stops on teaching subject content which is fallaciously wrong.
Students’ spirituality is highly considered. There is stand by school chaplain who attends to spiritual needs of students, prayer is central in lives of students and a special sacred place was erected on the entry of the school where students at all times are free to make intercessory prayers. Never be surprised to find a group of students kneeling down and praying . It’s overtone that the school values student spirituality so much. Indeed Student spirituality and academic excellence are inter-twinned.
Suffice to say; student discipline is unequalled. As a former classroom teacher, a deputy Headmaster , Headmaster and motivational speaker who has moved around very many schools in Uganda , when making presentations , you discover their discipline is very high. They are very attentive, no making noise, respectful and their self belief, self confidence and self esteem is high. Student Discipline is sine qua non for academic excellence in any school.
Immaculate Heart Girls encourages sports which make students to exercise and sweat and get refreshed. Many schools under rate sports’ relationship with academics. It must be observed that students in secondary school are in adolescence who happen to have alot of energy. Thus,subjecting their bodies to physical activity makes them refreshed and relaxed and therefore their concentration rate is improved and academic distractions neutralised psychologically.
Immaculate Heart Girls has Incorporated motivational talks in it’s school programs . The school Administration and staff discovered that positive Student mindset and inspired Student mind is ready to overcome any academic challenge , causes self belief, self esteem, self confidence and self drive in learner. All these Student values and virtues are greatly inculcated by motivational talks at Immaculate Heart Girls. Many schools haven’t known the importance of motivational talks
and their academic value. They forget that subject Teachers are pre-occupied with teaching subject content and syllabus coverage and rarely discover and evaluate what goes in students’ minds, the psycho- Social and emotional instabilities in learner and academic challenges of students. Thus, a student will never perform well when with unprepared mindset. Indeed this Covid 19 world needs more motivational talks to students because non academic issues pre occupy our students and therefore, schools that believe teaching per se will cause academic excellence in school is like sawing sawdust. Covid 19 world needs more systematic teaching- learning approach.
Pertinent to say, the fore-mentioned factors are all supplemented with best learning environment at Immaculate Heart like good library, laboratory and other teaching facilities which make students to unlock their potentiality to fullness.
Inferably, As Great lakes Education motivational Speakers , we extend our sincere Congratulations to School administration , staff, parents upon this consistent academic excellence of Immaculate Heart Girls and we uniquely thank School administration under auspices of Rev Sr.Gladys Kachope for believing in us and engaging us to motivate her students and we promise to give more motivational packages when called upon especially in this Covid 19 world where student mindset needs exigent attention due to academic distractions precipitated by Covid 19 Lockdowns.
The writer, Igambirine III Hillary is a lead Education motivational speaker@Great lakes Education motivational Speakers
