I am Just a Teacher but I am Proud Again

As I look back to a few years ago, I didn’t plan to be a teacher. “Me? Becoming a teacher? No way!” I heard myself said. I always wanted to be a doctor of medicine. It had been my cherished ambition. Years later, I couldn’t believe I found myself holding a chalk board, writing lesson plans and teaching students. I got fascinated in the classroom life. At first, it was difficult. To survive the job, I needed to think like philosopher and do my work seriously. Is this really the profession I want to do for my life? I once asked myself. There was conflict inside me. Later on, I comforted myself into thinking that things were under my control. It’s great to be a teacher even if this work entails so much stress and pressure physically and emotionally.

I am one of the millions of teachers nowadays in this country who live to teach and teach to live at the same time. I become enthusiastic and my teaching work keeps me busy and alert. My dealing with people has improved to a higher level. I learned to be nice, kind, friendly, gentle and generous. I never thought I would be this person. I used to be a shy person with no confidence in myself. Now I realize that it is important to socialize with people. I talk to my students everyday and discuss with their parents during parent-teacher conference in school. I learned to find solutions to some bigger problems of my school and students. In my work I learned to manage my time and resources. I’m glad my students are comfortable with me. They love to share their experiences and even like to open up their personal lives. My life seems to revolve around the school and my students.

Much is given and much is required. But the most difficult thing has been finding out that I’m not a perfect teacher. I wasn’t even a perfect student back in school days. Somehow, I expected teaching to be different. It’s good to introduce teaching innovations in the class. Anything that comes in my mind, I am making it real for my students to experience it. Learning doesn’t only happen inside the classrooms so I often device a teaching strategy which is outside the usual class room setting. Learning, at this point, becomes concrete because students would start to ponder upon the real things and learning becomes fun because they will be entertained. Sad to say, for most people, anything new and different is not usually embraced. Sometimes it is treated with a cold shoulder.

A change is really hard and oftentimes impossible if the majority in the academe is resistant for change. I was once bullied with raising eyebrows and brutal criticisms from the school I first taught. But I remained calm and proved my worth because I knew I did my best for my students. It’s true that change doesn’t happen over night.

In this work you will encounter a lot of frustrations and regrets. But teaching introduced me to a different pace of life. I always say to myself, I’m going to work hard and even harder. Teaching allows me to use my intellect and originality. I know how important it is to treat people with kindness and respect especially when they are having difficulties or problems. I bring a fairly broad knowledge in education (I’m pursuing my post graduate program in Master of Science in Science Education). I think the most important contribution I make is making a difference in someone’s life. Positive comments, showing trust in someone taking an action that communicates care and respect can positively change someone’s view of themselves and perhaps their lives as well. My life with problematic students has its peaks and valley. It is very challenging but very rewarding and fulfilling most of the time. It requires a lot of love and patience. It needs a lot of grace. It also requires a lot of support from family, teachers and the school administration. What would be more important? Teachers have both the power and opportunity to do great amount of good for many people. I know that I will take all the opportunities available to nurture, encourage and bring joy to those around me.I think I have much to offer to the teaching field and teaching has much to offer me. To teaching, I will provide my knowledge, inventiveness, and dedication to students. In return, teaching will give me a space to grow intellectually and creatively and a group of people whose growth will provide me with a great sense of reward. I hope this would provide greater heights in my quest for excellence.

My feet are firmly planted in teaching. I don’t know how long I am meant to be here. Maybe until I become old, but not very old enough. It is here where I can pursue my own dreams, and where, against all expectations, I have made a life. I know there is something good waiting to surprise me. But I take great comfort in the thought that for all the bad things that happened, one day I will reap all the happiness and the fruits of my labor. Though, it’s not easy to forget the hurtful moments and discouragements in this noble job, I choose not to give up hoping. I choose to move on further. I still want to learn more out of life. Teaching has brought me a certain measure of stability.

This profession is like doing a lot of seed planting. Sometimes it looks as though none of these seeds are growing, but I should keep planting. When I look back, I know, I will see some trees. I just never know while planting which seeds God has chosen to grow into trees. I have always thought that teaching was one of the most important careers a person could ever undertake. After taking this program for four years in college, I still very much feel that way, but I also realize that there are many factors that go into effective teaching, and I realize now more than ever that being an excellent teacher is something that requires teamwork from a great many number of people. It is truly not a job that can be done alone. It is true that teaching requires strategy, passion and team work, knowing when to be aggressive and when to take defense and looking at challenges as opportunities. This makes me rethink what I already know about the work I chose and I move to review it.

Teaching with students is a lifelong journey of hope, faith and love. The journey for us is still long, with many rough roads ahead. But I will keep taking that journey with them with the hope of helping them enjoy, endure and conquer all that life brings. Thanks to those people who share our difficult roads. I salute and cheer all persons entering into this field with the highest of expectations for what they can do for their students, classrooms, and their schools. If we work collectively and with a common goal, we can continue to teach and improve upon our teaching in such a way that our students will not only excel in our own classrooms, but take with them the skills they need as they further their educations and enter into the communities. We can offer them what they need to offer us the assurance of a productive future. Indeed, I can say, I am just a teacher, but I am proud!