Feature Story

"nag-teacher na lang ako"

"Ang hirap humanap ng trabaho kaya nag-teacher na lang ako!"

Do you experience it or do you hear anything like this?

Teaching is a noble profession that requires hard work and patience. For others, teaching is one of the easiest profession and it is one of the many professions that you can easily apply for. Because nowadays, our country is lacking of teachers, most of the graduates that cannot find jobs in their field decided to take units for them to be able to enter the teaching profession.

WE, educators, are wondering why is there an existence of Continuing Professional Teacher Education. If you are a graduate of any four-year course and suddenly have a change of mind and want to be a teacher, you can just take that course and then after just one semester, you will be able to teach. While WE, teachers, we don't have that kind of privilege, that after 4 years of teaching course we will be able to become a doctor, a nurse, a lawyer or any other profession after just a semester if we suddenly have a change of heart. We are just wondering if they really do possessed those characteristics of a teacher and if they are really dedicated to this profession or they just need a job for their living. I heard this not just once, "ang hirap humanap ng trabaho kaya nag teacher na lang ako!" It made me think that isn't it unfair to view our profession as an easy job to get money.

Yes, maybe there is money in teaching but having the dedication and love for your job are the most important things in teaching. You will encounter different types of students that will become your children. They might do something to make you happy or worst, they might do something that will exasperate you. Just like their parents, you have to do something about it not just by nagging them but you have to understand them deeply in their holistic aspect. Yes, you might get mad, but do remember that those children are now part of your life and you, as their parent, have to understand, protect and love them. There may be a lot of trials in teaching just like the other professions, but I think that the teachers are more capable of dealing with those dilemmas than those who just viewed teaching as an easy job.

Remember that being a teacher is having a big heart to love and accept your students as your own children. Secondly, you must be prepared for any difficulties inside and outside your classroom because you will become the captain of the ship to the point that you will always be the one to solve those problems and worst, you will always be the one to blame to what might happen.

To teach is to build a strong and great foundation in every child
for the children are the future of the next generation.