By Gabriel Dike
In its quest to provide quality education to students, Lakefield Schools in Badore, Ajah, Lagos, says it adopts differentiated learning method to bridge the gap between fast-learning and slow-learning students.
The school, which is less than a year old, has also revolutionalized education with the introduction of innovation in classrooms as well as teaching methods. It has a standard ICT centre, swimming pool, standard laboratory, interactive whiteboard, equipped library, playground and multipurpose hall.
Lakefield Schools, which was established on October 12, 2020, took the advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic while students were at home to provide free online teaching.
Head of schools, Lakefield Schools, Mrs. Kemi Hamilton, said the school operates the Nigerian and British curriculum with qualified teachers to deliver quality education to the pupils.
Hamilton explained that learning has gone beyond the board in the classroom, stating that “there are many innovations we have introduced in our classrooms and outside. It is no longer about talk and chalk in the classrooms.’’
She said the operation of two curriculums was meant to prepare the students for the future and also to enable them compete favourable with their counterparts in other countries.
“At Lakefield Schools, we practice differentiated learning method. It is a teaching method, which accommodates every child according to their learning ability. We have a teacher per class but in the pre-nursery, play group and nursery classes, we have two teachers in a classroom.
“In education, every child counts. We don’t send away a child that is not doing well in class. It is wrong to write off a child in a class or school. All that a teacher needs is to pay special attend to such pupil and find a way of making him or her catch up with the fast learners in the classroom,” she noted.
She acknowledged that, after the lockdown, most of the students got back to school blank, adding, “We had to prepare revision for them to catch up. Children learn at different pace and, eventually, the students picked up.”
The head of schools, who has spent 21 years in the school system, said the vision of Lakefield Schools is to become one of the best schools grooming students for better future, noting, “We have the facilities and manpower to meet our vision.”
“I didn’t come into the school system for profit. I want to be part of the learning process of the pupils. Some schools are for profit but for us, we are out to prepare children for the future. I don’t work in a readymade school. Our teachers give their best because of our vision.
“We are not driven by profit. We are not passionate about making profit but to deliver quality education. In the next 10 years, we will be among the best schools. We want to produce students with best results in internal and international exams.
“Our teachers have been trained to know that one or two pupils will have learning difficulties and they are expected to address the problem. Every teacher must identify kids that requires special attention and provide solutions to the learning problems, “ she said.
Head of Language Department, Mr. Alexander Ekeamadi, said one unique thing about the school was project-based topics for students, stressing: “Students pick a topic, do research on it, defend the project before teachers and parents. It helps them to build on their public speaking ability.’’
He said the school opened after the lockdown in October but had been taking students online classes and that this attracted the first set of students to Lakefield Schools.
“Some parents after the lockdown wanted to change their children’s schools; they brought the children to Lakefield Schools based on our online teaching performance, conducive learning environment, facilities and well-equipped classroom.”
