Competent. Effective. Inspirational.
These are some of the remarkable qualities that are expected, or even required, to a teacher. Being a teacher goes far beyond finishing four years of tertiary education, passing the board exams and eventually entering the world of teaching in the school. For me, to be a real teacher is to live a life that would make other lives worth living. To be a fulfilled teacher is to be somebody who can turn students’ lives more fulfilling.
And how could that be?
The school is one of the first places where the future educational success is shaped. The first year of a child in a school is said to be very critical since it is the time where the kids learn the base of their educational life. Teachers, on the other hand, carry the behaviours that would affect student learning either in a positive or negative way. In this regard, the totality of a teacher becomes a great factor in ensuring the proper education that a child would acquire in the portals of the teaching-learning environment – the school. It is very important that we, as teachers possess notable characteristic since these would be reflected to the attitudes and behaviours of our students. Don’t ever forget that a large part of a student’s success was completed by the artistic hands of a teacher.
Teachers, as professionals, basically follow a code of ethics. In particular, we should be aware of our obligations as we embrace this noble profession. We should always consider the expectations of other people to us. In addition, we must also comply with the instructional competence called for us. This could be done by focusing on the curriculum, instruction and assessment which should always be interrelated and congruent to one another. It also involves competence in lesson planning and delivery, providing assistance to co-teachers, improving learner’s achievement and enhancing school – community involvement. At this point, professional competence leads also to teaching effectiveness until the immense objectives of being a teacher would be achieved.
Being a teacher, they say is being a “Jack-of-all-trades”. You could be a model, an actress, a friend, a counsellor, a manager, a mother, a technician, a fixer, a tour guide, a driver, a baby sitter and a judge all rolled into one. As we portray different role to our students, we adapt their individual differences and implement best practices for the sake of their well-being. Our instruction will also be parallel to their needs and intersecting with their skill, abilities and interest. Remember that students have their own learning styles. Their intelligence may come from different aspect so are our choice of strategy must adapt to their preferences and unique needs. The environment where they learn should also be considered. Good class room management involves not only the lesson proper and assessment, but the climate, the discipline and the infusion of values inside the class as well.
To be an effective person is everybody’s hope. But to have an effective teacher is every student’s dream. It is now in our hands whether we would make this dream a reality or a fantasy. After all, the happiness and fulfilment that teachers are ever searching for could only be attained once we have given the same to our students selflessly.
Tired of being a teacher? Think again. Count the reasons why you are staying. Soon you’ll find no reason to be tired anymore.
Just be competent. Just be effective. And you’ll be a dream teacher.
By: Mary Ann S. Valdez | Teacher I | Nagbalayong High School | Morong, Bataan
