Reflections on Teachers and Teaching

Teaching is not just an ordinary word. It maybe a verb, a noun, or an adjective but it has some significance. For how do we learn and teach others when we were not taught ourselves? What's the first step of learning? Understanding. What's the key to better understanding? Keen Listening. Whom do we listen to? Teachers play a very important role. Its because of them that we get to take the very first steps. Imagine life without school. How would we invent, innovate and interact?

Know Your School Day, or KYSD gave us a chance to feel what is it like to be a teacher, and how much pressure does it take to be one. Here, we are like the teachers' substitutes. In this way, we could sharpen ourselves to be more sensitive because we know that it isn't easy to teach advance lessons to a very stubborn class. Also, the interview with the teachers themselves gave us chills. We knew we couldn't be that witty and professional, but luckily, everything went good.

Teachers teaching us is a custom for me. But students teaching us seems a bit odd. It gave me a challenging and sarcastic character when this happens. I thought I could always challenge them, after all, they're just students. I'm a teacher for Social Studies II. Last year, I was a Science C teacher. Mrs Logarta gave us a very challenging activity. No matter the case, I was ready for some action. The story goes on...

I thought everything will go just the way I wanted. Tomorrow came and its time to show some action. Honestly, I couldn't wait for the Social Studies challenge! Finally the awaited time came and I was so much nervous and excited. We were to discuss about the ASEAN Summit. Its follow-ups, people involved, effects and of course its accomplishments. Wow! This is going to be tough!

I think there were six of us. We expected complete cooperation of the class. But the first, say, 15 minutes was like a football match with only 70 watchers in a big stadium! I was so discouraged and I was like nuts. We had to do something. Luck poured on us when the class seems to show some interest. They started sharing and giving out ideas and insights. There was a big and good interaction for the last minutes.

We discussed about the broken and imported lampposts which costs almost eighty thousand. We talked about the energy conservation and hit the lampposts issue. We questioned about the CICC's use now that the ASEAN is over as well as the building's reported leaks. We acted like we were in a courtroom debating on a very intriguing case.

Everything was so fun and we learned a lot. We were teachers but it seemed we were like the press, paparazzi and journalists interacting with the crowd regarding the issue. Only, it wasn't clear though who we were siding. Nevertheless, we have brainstormed everything we felt and thought. I thought I would want another day like this.

Through that opportunity, I learned not only the truths and possibilities but also values. I realized that we should respect the teacher discussing because its never easy to be one. When you go up the platform and look at the class and then you start discussing but nobody's listening, you feel insulted.

I also learned that we should greet our teachers politely and treat them with utmost respect because they are so pressured and tired. We owe them a lot. They sacrificed almost everything just to make us knowledgeable and ready for the world. I can't imagine the stress and sweat! Its just too much for me. The activities, the agenda, the lesson plans and progress reports... ah, I give up!

Its really heating the hell out of me and I would never in my entire life want to be a teacher. Its not that I disrespect being one its just that I can't take it and I pretty had enough of school so why add the bulk up? I mean I even feel like giving up being a student how much more being a teacher?! I just can't but I admit that when you're one you're definitely strong, patient, understanding and of course, just like a parent!

I may not be a teacher and it sounds unfair 'cause you wouldn't be able to teach others yourself, but there's something I can do.. I could help others. I could prove to them that my teachers didn't waste their time on me and that thanks to them, I am like this.

KYSD really made me grew more mature. I believe that teaching is a responsibility. Its something good you can give to others, but its the most difficult especially when these teachings hit you back or when you don't even made it or had it. This reflection is not really my point of view, but more of an essay why we should and why should not.

We have thank our teachers so much but are we just up to that? Or are we still going to show them that the failures are worth it for a change? Are we going to see them how good we are right now because of them? Or are we going to show them the values that may somehow helped us?