USE SOCIAL STORIES PLEASE!

Teacher’s Diary

We are in an emergency, with regards to the state of positive and socially appropriate behaviours currently prevalent in our country today. There is presently a dire need for teachers/schools as well as parents, to hone in on the teaching of morals and civically acceptable standards, values, behaviours – whatever you choose to call it.

On Saturday I went into a reputable pharmacy situated on Admiralty Way Lekki to buy some paracetamol tablets.

The attendant whom I noted was eloquent on approach, pointed out the shelf where the different brands of paracetamol were. These were to his left hand side and situated within his cubicle. The different paracetamols were however out of customers’ full view and reach. This attendant picked out three different sizes of paracetamol packets for me to choose from. I chose the biggest of the three, noted that it contained about 32 tabs and confirmed it was within its expiry date. “These are tablets aren’t they”, I asked this attendant and he affirmed that they were. I handed over crisp new naira notes to him in exchange for the paracetamol and hurried towards the door. The door man swung open the door for me and I descended the three or so steps of the building and made for the car. Instinctively as I was getting into the car, I asked the driver not to start the engine yet to back out as I wanted to double check that my paracetamol purchase was tablets and not capsules (because for purely oral-sensory reasons I do not like capsules). Unfortunately they were capsules and I immediately regretted having just taken the attendant’s word for it. Regrettably all I had done was to fixate on the label ‘paracetamol’ and not noted the form of it. So I hurried back into the pharmacy, apologised and regretfully explained that I needed to return the box in exchange for the solid tablet form of their paracetamol. This was when the Naija style drama started and typical ‘Nigerianess’ began. This attendant immediately crisply informed me that they didn’t accept returns. I replied that I had left moments before with this purchase, had not left the premises (if this was the issue), and I was pretty sure no other customer had come in after me. So I just stood there for this to sink in to the attendant and noted that he now wore a stance of obstinacy. After about a solid 10 minute wait where he made no move and I didn’t budge, he reached into the shelf and presented me with two packets of 30 tablets of paracetamol tabs.

He went in to inform me that both were equivalent to the total price of the one I was returning. I countered that I didn’t need 60 tabs of paracetamol, would only take a packet and would need him to please give me my change. He informed me that this would not be possible; and so I replied that it would need to be possible.

Consequently another 10 or so minutes of quiet passive confrontational body language communication ensued between him and me. In the end, he wordlessly mellowed and bent under his desk to rummage in a shelf or so.

He gathered filthy N800 notes and handed them over to me. I relaxed my shoulders and cynically asked him why he wasn’t returning crisp naira notes in change to me. This attendant defiantly grumbled that I should be grateful as he had conceded to give me one box of paracetamol after all and change at that. So I took a deep breath, decided to drop the matter, thanked him, collected my paracetamol plus change and left. What an enigmatically complicated country Nigeria has evolved to become, I mused. In my Corona and St. Saviours teacher-days, reasonable confidentialities observes, this would have become a story for ‘circle time’ or a drama skit for my class’s assembly. The morals and lessons in the experience would have become a task for my students to explore and sieve out. No I had not carefully read the label to take in the medication form, which ironically was only a neighbouring word. This in itself immediately became a learning curve for me. Yes I had been apologetic and regretful when I went back into the shop to request a return. But, why should returns in my circumstance have been an issue? Why should this attendant have attempted to make me buy 2×30 tablets of paracetamol; in order to optimise sales? What would have been the very end of this fiasco if he hadn’t backed out?

Social stories are currently no longer a tool to only teach social skills to people in the autistic spectrum. Mainstream education now generally employ social narratives too. It’s founder – Carol Grey as well as ongoing exponents explain social stories to be useful for: describing a context (such as my pharmacy incident); teaching skills, measuring and celebrating achievements; and for introducing and exploring concepts (almost any concept). Social Stories amongst its many benefits engender and promotes empathy; active listening and respect for one another. A smart teacher of English (or any language at that) can teach literacy skills with social stories. If you can, please do a quick search of what social stories are and see if it’s a tool you can use at work.

Omoru is a freelance writer, education, health and social care advocate