Called to teach preschoolers

On the first day of the second week at school last Monday, children aged about five and under trickled into Tinah Nambogo’s kindergarten class at Malcom Pre-School and Daycare in Kitikifumba, a dusty burgeoning neighbourhood in Kira municipality, Wakiso District.
Some children had just stepped off the school van for the first time, toting backpacks. Others said goodbye to parents who dropped them off. One little boy whom Nambogo described as very active, minutes later escaped from class and started playing in the head teacher’s office, and many of his classmates seemed to be taking in the newness of the whole situation with awe and apprehension. Ready or not, here they were. These are the several preschoolers whom Nambogo has been handling for a pay for eight years. She loves her job.
“If feels cool to be there for them,” she says. “The moment where a child accomplishes a chore on their own is amazing.”

Calling
Nambogo, who also serves as the deputy head teacher started her career in Early Childhood Education at YMCA, Mukono graduating with a certificate before pursuing a diploma at Kyambogo University.
The mother of two worked fulltime at Twinkles Nursery and Daycare Centre, Kiwatule for five years until 2015.
“Right from childhood, my perceptions of teaching children were written in stone, and I did not want to be doing anything different.”
Her transformation began with duties at church and her childhood that encouraged self-reflection. She reminisced on her own background and culture growing up in a modest household at Kazinga in Bweyogerere at the current home of Bakhresa Grain Milling which inspired her.
The ninth of 11 siblings, is among the six teachers in the family. Four of her sisters, Jennifer Nankabirwa, Victoria Namukwaya, Dora Namagembe and Sarah Nantume are all teachers, so is their elder brother Henry Kabanda.
She learned to embrace the culture of children from the community learning from each other. She then connected with several children in the village, something that earned her the nickname Madam Nambogo. “Some people call me by that title until today,” she says.

Her trick
In her classes, she reads books to toddlers passionately because her area of specialisation is reading and writing. “I love children. They are fun and honest,” she says. With her playful personality and infectious laughter, at 33, Nambogo looks younger than her age. Her youthfulness goes beyond appearance. “You cannot grow old when you are with these learners. These children are jolly and lovely. They keep me looking younger,” she says.
She says letting the learners lead is key to her success. “These little ones need lots of love so when one is acting out or having a bad day, I contact the parents to ask for their input and advice. Many times you find the family had a late night and the child did not have enough sleep. Knowing the problem helps me know how to handle them.”
Difficult part of the job
“To some people, we are babysitters. That is not meant to be an insult but it is demeaning because it shows a lack of understanding about the role we play.”
She insists that she is qualified and a professional teacher who has chosen pre-schooling as her occupation. “I spend valuable time planning, preparing and doing bookwork.”
But in her work, a teacher ought to be patient and loving. “Children grow and develop at their own pace. You cannot force development. Some things are learned when children are exposed to it the first time. Others it is after the 10th time. I need to have fun, be patient and love them.”

Big plans
Nambogo is on a mission to become a tutor and has already enrolled at Kyambogo University ready to start classes this August.
She is thankful for all the support she has received along the way and is ready to put her education to use. At Kazinga SDA Church, she handles a Sabbath School class every Saturday.
But what Nambogo does not love is the pay. She does not want any of her children to pursue teaching as a career. “I want Paul and Praise Musiitwa to become doctors or lawyers. We need a change,” she says.