ULOG 05- Original Story: The Success Story of being an Educator

Hello everyone that today my uncle who is a teacher is awarded as one of the outstanding teachers in Mindanao by the Department of education. So I asked him if he could share to us his story and he did. So I have the privilege to share to everyone here his story as a teacher.

Outstanding Teacher Awarding

This is his story as an Educator who experienced struggle finding that missing piece in his passion for teaching.

Struggle and Sacrifice

​I couldn’t clearly see the small road as the sweat from my forehead poured directly to my right eye. I took a deep breath and looked up. The sun was high as the eagle flying around. Everything around here was just so vibrant. I see this every day, but hardly observed it. I listened to the sweet calls of the birds. The crisp of cold air lifted my spirit as I continued to walk.

​It has been 1 year and 5 months since I was assigned here in a small village in Bondoc. Thinking about walking for almost an hour to the school was drastically tiring and torturing. These were just some of my small sacrifices. I reached the big shady tree, marked as the waiting area and a sign that I was near to school. I rolled my eyes as I catch my breath; I sat down at the tree and rested for a while…

Transition in Teaching

“It had been a long journey for me”-I murmured as I continued reminiscing my experience. Honestly, teaching was not the profession that I wanted in the first place before. I was not born rich and my parents could not afford to send me to big cities and took up nursing or tourism. I spent four years in taking up AB in which people belittled it asking where I could go with my course. I don’t actually mind them, and continued my schooling with units of Education which later paid off after I was hired as an Instructor in a private school. For a moment, I closed my eyes again and start remembering… I was incredibly nervous on my first day of teaching because first of all this was not the profession that I was heartily committed at first. As a freshman in the school of education, my experience gave me a view of what potentially be doing few years from now in teaching. Most of my students in the private school were coming from middle class and wealthy family. Parents who could afford the expensive tuition fee. Everything went well while I was teaching in private school. I was much respected by my students.

Teaching is very challenging

Teaching is a very demanding profession as there were times when students could seem uninterested in learning new things and could be easily disrupted to the classroom environment. Time flies so fast, after three long years in teaching, I decided to apply in public school. That was a different decision for me, leaving my much easier life. At times I realized that there was really something lacking in my professional career. For the first time in many years I tried to keep it sort. I was lucky that I was hired and later assigned in Bondoc High School. I never thought that this decision would become the life changing moment not only in my career but in my entire life.

Remember the first time teaching

First day in Bondoc was very memorable. My first walk to school was probably one of the longest walk I had taken. An hour of trekking to the muddy road and rocky lane just to reach the school. I shook my head in disbelief and hesitantly asked myself, “What am I into?”
The students were not in their uniforms. I even noticed some of them were in their slippers filled with mud.
As days gone by, I was getting used to the cold weather and some new things. I had realized that this was completely new experience and I needed to adjust. The common facility I could use in teaching was chalkboard and very rare technical stuffs in here. In one of the classes, I got a chance to talk to my students. I was surprised to find out that most of them had to walk 3 hours or more doubling the hours I had walked or rode in a motorcycle. It was a completely opposite to the students in private where majority of the students were picked up by cars and vehicles. The students sacrificed and gave their all efforts just to attend to school. This became a reason and a motivation for me to do the best that I can in molding them to become better individuals.

One thing I observed from them was they cannot concentrate listening to my discussion. To my concern I asked them. I was completely surprised and dazed with their response. “Sir wala man gud mi kaon ug pamahaw mu skwela, usahay saging ra.” I felt like my heart crushed to pieces upon hearing that. I made some small sacrifices as well as in terms of my financial budget. I bought some foods and we ate together at lunch. I was distinct with new experiences which I never thought I would even experience. Other unforgettable thing was when I was able to change the misbehaviour of one my students.

Joel was one of the older students in my class. I had noticed that he was always absent and had an impulsive control and anger issues. I found out he was living alone and no support from his parents. I talked to him heartily. I learned so many things, a new perspective came to my mind- although I am a teacher I am still learning. I asked him to be my assistant and gave the attention which he had never experienced. He went to school on time and became close to his classmates. What was surprising was that the fast improvement in his behaviour. For a teacher, I believe that there was nothing fulfilling than being able to inspire and put an impact to the lives of students.

I was at the mere point of my concentration when I heard a voice, “Sir did you wait too long’? “No, it’s okay”. He carried my bag and other stuffs. “Today is another day to be productive”, I told myself and smile. In the midst, hectic and stressful lives, we failed to think about anything other than few priorities.
“Good morning class”, I greeted my students with full smile as I entered the room and said to myself in silent, “These students will surely be successful”.

Reflection

Their optimistic outlook and proven ability to rise above life challenges will be their key. At the back of my mind I said, “I am more committed to my profession. I became more human. I understood life better. These students taught me what life is with its all varied dimensions. I realized that teaching was not only a profession and a mission but it had always been a vision. And this is the missing piece which is now filled in.”

Thank you so much for reading , I hope you get inspired by my uncle's story.