One Year Later

Summer vacation is almost over and the preparation for the incoming school year is just around the corner. I haven’t really taken time to introspect on what had happened to me and how I had evolved after my first year of teaching.

Deciding to be a teacher was not a difficult task. I graduated with such degree, got a professional license for it too. All I lack back then was the courage to take on the challenges of teaching. More than the financial necessity which I had found to be a very good excuse until today, it was really the courage to that I had lacked that’s why it took me a little while to start living one of my dreams- to be a teacher.

This organization had been a very wonderful avenue to start with my journey. I would like to express my warmest gratitude for the opportunity to be part of the pioneer batch for this amazing movement for education for all here in the country.

How shall I describe my first year of teaching? Harry Wong said that teaching has four stages…

Fantasy, Survival, Mastery and Impact.

Fantasy
I was at this stage when I was convincing myself to join.
The joy of being with kids.
The feeling of success when you see them learn.
Later on, the better Philippines.

Survival
Come first few months of my teaching, this is how I had been feeling, every single day.
There were even days I question my own decisions of moving into this field. This has also been the time that those teachers who came before gained my utmost respect. Staying in this profession and keeping the jest and love for kids and the striving to make the not-so-conducive-for-learning environment be child-friendly is such a tiresome effort. As I push myself every day with constant reminder that “this too shall pass” I had found the answer. The innocence in their bright eyes, the crisp laughter from their mouths, and the amazement every time they learn something new—that’s what make those teachers stay I suppose because those are one of the many priceless reasons why I am thankful I am at this job. So, I got the hang of everything. I am past survival stage I guess until a new challenge arises.

Mastery
The “teacher look”. Master the “teacher look” and you are in control. Classroom management is very essential for a cumulative learning to occur. Apart from that, lesson plan is a must. Without it, it’s like going to war without any weapons. Truth be told, I think, in my daily lesson plan, I can only execute around 30 percent of it or up to the Intro to the Lesson Proper. The proceeding approaches will depend on how they will respond to the questions, demonstrations and other preliminaries.

Impact
It doesn't take a while for me to realize the impact these kids had made into my life. Every day they come to school, every time they smile at me, say hello and participate in class, I know I had made an impact in them.

Little steps, I always tell myself. Little steps. Aim for the gold yet make sure not to step on potholes, and if you do, stand up, dust off and start walking again, little by little, towards the pot of betterment.

It’s a cycle. As the school year ends, I am back fantasizing on how my next school year will become. I am eager to do changes, upgrades and new tricks I will apply in class. Get to know new set of kids. Get to gain new stories to share and post. But what will not change is that look in every child’s bright eyes and see their excitement to learn.


A 1-page year-end requirement: Summary of my First Year of teaching.

Comments

  1. Na-imagine kita na matanda na tapos teacher pa rin. *haha* Nangangagat ka na non sa sobrang tapang mo for sure. :)

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    Replies
    1. Argghh... kaloka much... pwede bang ipreserve natin ang mabait na teacher image ko. Lels.

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    2. Mabait na teacher image? Teka meron ka ba nun? *hahaha* Hugs!

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  2. Are you renewing your contract with the org for another year?

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    Replies
    1. Complete fellowship is for a couple of years. I'm on my final year this school opening. As to "I wanna be a full-time public school teacher" is something still I'm thinking about.

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  3. Diba mans mahirap is yung every year ibang set of kids tinuturuan mo? Yung isang taon iba nanaman teacher nila. How's that bhe?

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    Replies
    1. Thats more of a fear than hardship for most of us. You see, we had been so enthusiastic with our kids and teaching, most of them would say, "sana grade three na lang ulit ako." But they cant be.

      The system had made some of the real public school teacher stay in the system not because they love what they do, but because they had bills to pay and loans to pay off. The enthusiasm is lost.

      Im excited to meet new set of kids. But im scared for those that kust left my room. I hope their new teacher would teach them a lot, wont hurt them, discipline them and remind them that they are good kids. I hope their new teacher wont just let them shut up and copy and copy and copy or force them to buy soup or let them clean the room the entire shift. Hay.

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    2. Sabi na mas mabigat ang ganitong situation. Hugs!

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    3. What we can do is leave with them great memories in school :)

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  4. I guess you could add "smile and be proud" as the fifth stage :) I'm sure it's automatic to do so as each school year ends.

    Do share your summary of your first year! :)

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    Replies
    1. Haha.. this is a new one. I had one drafted a few days after the yearend, di ko pa lang napopost. This one was an impromptu.

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  5. It is indeed good to post your reflections so that you can always go back when things are not doing well. It is a reminder why we all went to teaching. It is a guide as to where we wanted to go. It is a mantra that we accepted to chant everyday, to be better, to do good.

    There will be moments of boredom and a year of burnout that's why summer break and other breaks are a must. Do not expect so much because you will feel disappointed. All you have to do is face the coming school year as a continuous journey where you already experienced greatness and you wanted to share that greatness to your students.

    We make diamonds out of them. Be the sculptor. Be the change.

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    Replies
    1. Ive learned not to expect too much. But I cant stop loving this profession and loving the kids at the same time. I can only hope for thr best for the kids and for this country.

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  6. bumili na ako ng gagamitin ko para sa susunod na sem lolz ang aga lang...

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  7. Good luck to the coming school year Cher Kat! ***meow***

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  8. Very remarkable. I salute you and good luck.
    You have what it takes!

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