thoughts on teaching

A mother and a father were once talking about their 3 sons. One was popular in school so the couple said, I'll work hard so my son will be a lawyer. The second was very smart so they said: “A, this one will be an engineer, probably even a doctor.” The third grew up to just be a diligent person and wasn't given much attention, and the couple kept saying, oh we won't be too pressured by this one because he'll just be a teacher.

They said that teaching is a noble job but when it comes to choosing careers, I wonder why many veer away from it. In school programs, little children often say, when I grow up I want to be a doctor, etc. but very few would say I want to be a teacher. When you were playing when you were kids, there may only be handful or maybe no one at all who pretended to be a teacher but I remember I played as a little teacher before with my younger sister as my only student. But as time passed, I seem to have forgotten how I enjoyed these role-playing games.

I did not take education in college and I entered an IT company after graduation. After three years in the company, applying the knowledge & skills I learned in school, I felt something was missing and that I would be happier somewhere else. I then tried to reflect some more and I remembered how I liked the tutorials we had in outreach when I was still in high school so much; how I enjoyed my organization in college because we always spend time being with special children and how I would get too excited to end my then 8-hour job so I can go straight to an NGO center focusing on tutoring street kids. I then mustered enough courage to resign from my job and try a formal teaching job.

I have only been teaching for almost five years now and I now know why many don’t consider teaching as their profession. It is not as easy as most people think. It’s always a mental and an emotional challenge. You will be required to touch a child’s mind and heart. You will try to mold not only one but thousands of lives. You will not just check papers; you will also try to correct wrongdoings. Sometimes, you need to function as a parent, a sister, a friend, an assistant, a coach, a counselor and still many other roles. You will encounter different types of students and you need to try to understand each one of them. Sometimes you need to be fast, compassionate, happy and be a child again. Sometimes, you need to slow down, be strict, empathize with one's sadness and act older as you are. With all the pressure and different problems encountered, there were times when I would ask myself: “I remember I was a good student before, shouldn’t I have good karma? Why are they like these now?” But then I always feel relief and contentment afterwards whenever I remember students’ acts of kindness like when they express gratefulness and appreciation for the things that they have learned, that they remember you even when they have moved to the next year level or have already graduated; when they develop to become more respectful, responsible and persevering individuals; when they trust and consider you their friend, too. These are proofs that they are not only learning mathematical concepts, but also lessons in life. Those are enough to keep me going. With those things, I see enjoyment and fulfillment in the work I’m doing.

I know I still have a lot to learn about teaching. I’m still a work in progress. I’m blessed that my former teachers are still here and that I can still learn from them. You may not be aware but you, students are also teaching us, teachers a thing or two.

From all that I've shared, I realized that God will really lead you to where your heart tells you to and you have to learn from each experience along the way. I didn't regret taking MIS nor working in an IT company because aside from the knowledge and skills I gained and which I'm also able to apply in teaching and in my current studies, I also met great friends who I still keep in contact with.

For sure you will encounter hardships in any career. That is why it is very important to choose one that you will really enjoy or a job that will lessen how one dreads Monday mornings.

- Career Orientation, SY2008-2009 (very late post ü)