The Teacher Chronicles

Dahil sa paglalaro namin noong mga bata pa kami ng aking mga friendship dito sa amin ay hindi papasok sa utak ko na "balang araw, magiging teacher din ako!" Isang hapon din noon, na-inspire ako sa adviser ko noong Grade 2 kaya pag-uwi ko sa bahay, nagmala-teacher ako. Good thing, mayroon akong maliit na blackboard (na ginagamit noon sa pagso-score ng darts) ay may malaking-malaking illustration board ako. Nagtuloy-tuloy ang imagination kong ako ay isang teacher noong high school ako. Tuwang-tuwa kasi ako sa mga class records ng mga teachers ko dahil ang taba-taba at ang daming pagsusulatan ng mga names. Another thing, depende ang kulay na gagamitin mong pang-cover ng lesson plan sa year level na handle mo. Green for first year, yellow for second year, blue for third year and red naman for fourth year. Dahil diyan, bumibili-bili ako ng dalawang class record sa Lily's sa may San Vicente sa San Pedro at yes, gumagawa-gawa ako ng pangalan ng magiging students ko. Sa imagination ko, second year adviser ako at ang subject na hawak ko, kunwari, ay Filipino. Tapos siyempre, star section adviser ako. Tapos, the following school year raw, naging third year adviser ako, star section pa rin at Filipino pa rin raw ang hawak ko, second year and third year. Mas pinili ko raw ang third year dahil sa tinatawag na "transition period." Going to college, tama lang talaga ang pinili kong course as first choice sa Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Communication Arts English (kami yata ang may pinakamahabang pangalan na course sa buong university!). Nagbalak din akong magpalit ng course kasi parang hindi masaya sa simula and I also thought na parang nakaka-boring ang course ng education. Pero dahil na rin sa mga kaibigan ko and sa mga taong nakapalibot sa akin, at sa current issues about education, nagpasya akong mag-stay muna. In 2008, I graduated (maski paano with flying colors) and that same year, I acquired my very first license to teach. Professional teacher ang tawag na sa akin at dahil lamang sa teacher-teacheran na ang hawak kong subject ay English hanggang sa naging kunwa-kunwaring Filipino teacher ako sa imagination ko hanggang sa naging English major ako sa PLM at hanggang sa English and Civics teacher for Grades 3, 4, 5 and 6 sa present institution ko ngayon, I could say that it's more fun to be a teacher!

They say that being a teacher is having a noble kind of profession. No one can become a president, a lawyer, an engineer, an architect, a doctor, even an actor or actress if the teacher is not around. Kumbaga, dapat talaga ang may pinakamalaking suweldo sa lahat ng profession ay teacher. Can you imagine Steve Jobs na hindi niya magagawa ang iPod, iPhone at iPad if most of his idea came from another person, and that would be his teacher. Can you imagine Albert Einstein's idea of the theory of relativity na hindi magiging possible kung wala siyang natutunan sa mga teachers niya! Can you imagine Meryl Streep winning an Oscar Best Actress trophy not because of herself I guess kung hindi dahil na rin sa naging teacher niya sa acting school! Can you imagine the greatest leaders in the greatest countries today; they can't have what they know if not because of one person, their teacher. Kaya every time I go inside of my classroom, bigla ko na lang naiisip na "ano kayang mangyayari sa mga estudyante kong ito?" "One day kaya kapag naging sikat na sila, matatandaan pa kaya nila ako?" "Balang araw kaya pasasalamatan nila ako?" Hopefully yes pero may mga tao talagang nakalasap lang ng tagumpay, they have the best of both worlds: money and fame, ayan nakakalimutan nang magpasalamat sa mga taong nag-aruga at nag-nurture sa kanila. Pero may iba pa rin talaga na they make the most out of their lives just to look for their teachers that once became part of their daily lives.

Siyempre, dumaan rin naman ako sa pagiging estudyante at may mga pagkakataon talagang may katatakutan kang teacher at may mamahalin kang teacher! In fairness naman, tanda ko pa ang mga naging teachers ko simula noong nagsimula akong mag-aral hanggang sa nagtapos.

Pre-Elementary: Mrs. Josephine Brusola and Mrs. Alma Tacsuan
Elementary: Mrs. Emilyn Kua, Mrs. Lorna Montalbo, Mrs. Leticia Mendoza, Mrs. Lanie Pura, Mrs. Rebecca Cabilar, Ms. Ma. Magdalena Reyes, Ms. Lea Orijuela, Mrs. Gloria Santiago, Ms. Janet Guieb, Mr. Lyndon Marfil, Ms. Eloisa Ingua, Ms. Adelia Loresca, Ms. Armi Lopez, Ms. Edwina Villaflor
High School: Ms. Juanita Abarquez, Ms. Arletta Alora, Ms. Aimee Baldovino, Mr. Romeo Bautista, Mrs. Lorabel Borgonia, Mr. Lolito Cejero, Jr., Ms. Wilhelmina De Grato, Mr. Nestor Del Rio, Jr., Mr. Julius Edrosalam, Mrs. Marie Jane Escobin, Mrs. Fe Esquillo (+), Ms. Myrna Fajardo (now Montecillo), Mrs. Marietta Gallardo, Mrs. Ruth Herrera, Mr. Francisco Lacuesta, Ms. Ma. Cecilia Lagundino (now Suinan), Ms. Mercy Rasdas, Ms. Girlie Rellosa, Mrs. Rosanna Remoquillo, Mr. Eduardo Remudo, Mrs. Lita Remudo, Mrs. Janette Salazar, Bro. Ador Salen, Mrs. Gina Valencia, Ms. Radaly Victor, Ms. Ana Victoria Yorro
College: Mr. Victor Alac, Mr. Christopher Bandojo, Ms. Iza Anchustegui, Mrs. Zenaida Pegtuan, Ms. Loida Escamillas, Mrs. Christine Tuano, Prof. Divina Bumatay, Dr. Daisy Hicarte, Dr. Myrna Gil, Ms. Jeannifer Ramos, Ms. Nerissa Gabelo, Dr. Annie Gallardo, Mr. Roberto Ines.

Kung napapansin ninyong may mga underline na pangalan, sila po ang masasabi kong inspirasyon ko kung bakit ako nangarap, at nagpatuloy na maging isang magaling na guro. Ewan ko lang kung sa ngayon, masasabi kong magaling ako hangga't may nagsasabi sa akin na bata, magulang at kapwa ko teachers, pero base na rin sa mga naririnig ko at nararamdaman ko, oo nga, siguro magaling ako.

Sometimes, I feel the ups and the downs of becoming an educator. Hindi rin kasi lahat ng mga estudyante, pabor sa mga pinapagawa mo, and lalo na kapag almost everyday, nagagalit ang isang teacher sa kanila. Nasasaktan ako kapag may nababalitaan akong mga teacher na nirereklamo ng pananakit sa mga students nila. Kaya tuloy minsan, naaapektuhan not only with their profession but also with their personal life. Masakit isipin na laging kapakanan ng mga bata ang naiisip pero kung tutuusin, sa halos araw-araw mong pakikisama sa kanila at kung anu-ano na ang ginagawa nila, mawawalan ka rin talaga ng pasensya. Yes, I also became a student, I became part of the problems of the teachers, and even I became the paranoia of the teachers that
ano kaya ang iniisip naming mga estudyante sa kanila. I became a pasaway to my teachers, I lambasted them behind their back, I did not follow some of their instructions because I wanted my own way, I even answered my teachers back. Yes, siguro lahat ng mga iyan, balik sa akin ngayong nagtuturo na ako, at ganoon pala ang feeling ng nababastos, ng naneneglect, ng hindi nasusunod. Masakit pala, and the worst thing, ikaw pa ang biktima ng sitwasyon. That's why there were moments that you wanted to stop, you wanted to quit and you wanted to venture to another career path. Minsan talaga masasabi mo na lang that you're burned out of the situation. Kasi halos araw-araw, ganoon at ganoon na lang ang ginagawa mo. You'll be doing this because it's your task, it's your duty, it's part of your job. Magtuturo oo, magpapagawa ng seat work, yes, kukuha ng mga projects and all that, yes. Motivated, I don't think so? Rewards, hopefully! Appreciation, wala!

But despite those things that I've reported, one thing is for sure, teaching is the noblest of all! Wala man motivation, rewards and appreciation, well-appreciated ka by Him! Rewarded ka pa by almost all of your students and co-teachers! Motivation, by a simple smile from your student means so much to you! Ang ayaw ko lang ang tingin sa mga teachers, mas maliit pa sa daga. And I really hate the idea na "walang yumayaman sa pagiging teacher!" Are we talking about business here, the profits, the supplies and demands, the stocks here? Hindi naman, and as far as I remember, we're talking about touching and molding lives here! Hindi man yumaman ang teacher by means like house and lot, gadgets, round-trip tickets to anywhere in the world, mayaman naman kami sa inspiration. We inspire people, and when we inspire, we become rich!

And I don't like also the idea that they don't need teachers anymore to be educated. Teaching them I guess it's a passe but to educate them is classic. Kailangan niyo pa rin kaming mga teachers, mga anak! Believe me, nothing beats the greatness of somebody standing in front of you saying nasty things and then on, you would say, "oo nga! Tama si Ma'am/Sir!"

So this World Teacher's Day, we are all happy for a simple greeting made my the students and other people who sees us the highest. The people looking at us being the greatest people lived in this kind of world. We are teachers and we are here not to teach, to mold, to nurture, to care and to speak but to inspire. We are here to inspire, whether you like it or not!

I am proud to be called Sir Zieg!

Toodles!