Teaching for me right now is defined as learning.
My name is Mark Harold Custodio, a teacher who imparts knowledge to my students. At the same time, I am a student, a student of my life experiences and adventure on my profession.
I never thought it would feel like this. The feeling of being a father to 41 people who are under my advisory class plus those learners I handle from other section is unexplainable. These are the persons who are not even related to my blood yet closely linked to my heart. To be honest, handling almost two hundred students with totally different behaviors and personalities is no joke. But when I started connecting myself with them and giving them a part of my life, it is something real that I want to cherish everyday. Few years more, I believe, all of them will be successful professionals. That is why I want to fill also their minds and hearts with the values they need to armor themselves not only to protect them but to protect others as well.
Indeed, it is heartwarming to hear from my students that they remember me not only because of the learning from the subjects but more importantly from how I treated them and by how I made them feel my love and concern for them.
There are surprising moments such as Teachers’ day, birthday, and sometimes when they did something wrong, showering me with their apology letters, which made me love my job more. Not because of the things they give me, but for the love I receive in return.
Karma is digital. Every little thing we do for others, it bounces back to us. If you do good, goodness will get back to you. Our students’ behavior is the reflection of how we honed them up the way we wanted it to be.
When stress is about to kick me out, I go to my room and read the letters from them. Suddenly, anxiety, sadness and burn out fade way. Everytime I am burdened by the tons of works at school, I just reminisce how my father persistently worked hard for my education and future. This is my inspiration and enlightenment when negative moments come my way.
Being a father to them, I make sure that every one of them discovers and appreciates their talents and potentials. All of them have their capabilities and skills which make them special and unique. Giving them the drive to persevere and be diligent is one of my targets every start of the class.
Little by little I see how my father gets sad when I am sad, and cheers when I am happy. I feel the same way with my “children”. When one is sad, I am sad too. When one achieves something I feel so proud. I know all of them have their biological father but some do not experience having a real one, right? Making them feel my presence and my support in every step of their way is a good chance for me to stand as their father. I see to it they feel loved and appreciated, from a real father, the Father of all humans- our God Almighty.
Now I am a professional teacher, more than the oath that I pledged, I let them experience the warmth of this statement,” My child, I am Your Father, your good, good Father.”
With this, I may say that I am a teacher and a father, at your service.J
By: Mr. Mark Harold D. Custodio | Teacher II | Bataan National High School | Balanga, Bataan
