If a doctor, lawyer, or dentist had 40 people in his office at one time, all of whom had different needs, and some of whom didn’t want to be there and were causing trouble, and the doctor, lawyer, or dentist, without assistance, had to treat them all with professional excellence for nine months, then he might have some conception of the classroom teacher’s job. ~Donald D. Quinn
A quote that really means a lot for a teacher like me – us. Maybe for some reasons, the people around us or possibly the person besides us really thinks we’re useless after all. Well, teaching pupils how to read and write are not easy tasks. Especially if you’re hardly trying to let your pupils learn before the period ends or just at least they able to write one letter and read one syllable of a word. Teachers don’t deserve to be blamed for what you so called useless and ineffective teaching, but rather deserve to salute and praise. Trying to ask why?
First reason, most of the teachers get low salaries unlike other professions. Teachers don’t earn as much as other professions earn, we don’t earn two-time, three-time, four-time or even hundred-
time higher than others – engineer, doctor, lawyer and what so ever. Since we talk about salary slash money, haven’t you considered the very fact that you never paid off the efforts we exerted, the sweat we exuded and the patience we prolonged? Yes, we complain on this matter but this doesn’t affect our teaching. Even sometimes we go to school only having fifty pesos in our wallet, still it doesn’t affect our daily routines. Perhaps, once you have realized it you would just say, “Ma’am you’re efforts, sweat and patience are truly incomparable.”
Second reason, teachers surely prepare much time just to provide knowledge for a numerous number of learners inside a classroom. It comes to a point that we’re having trouble to sleepless nights just to finish our lesson plans, our teaching materials and the unexpected rush reports. How much more the teachers having their own family? Didn’t you consider the hardship they put onto this profession? They give more time to school and teaching other children while somebody is teaching and caring for their own sons and daughters. You crazily thought we are earning money anyway, but money would never measure the dedication and commitment we all teachers have. And it turns us crazier once we handle worst section with worst pupils aside from the worst salary we’re earning and with matching paper works.
Third reason, teachers never give up and do what’s best for the children’s sanity as well. In spite of low salary, greater number of naughty pupils, paper works and insensitive parents, still we love our pupils with a passion. We work not just to earn money, not just to be promoted but mainly because we work for pupils to learn and to produce effective, efficient, and better persons for every next generation. A kind of profession like this becomes harder and harder to work on. You won’t understand unless you become one.
“Teachers, I believe, are the most responsible and important members of society because their professional efforts affect the fate of the earth.” ― Helen Caldicott
It really takes courage to become a teacher. You are also expected to sacrifice a little for your pupils’ welfare. We are here to take care of the pupils, to build pupils’ dreams and goals, to defend pupils’ in times of need. Through this, we teach pupils how to care, build, and most importantly to teach the lessons of life. We’re continuously and confidently teaching with pride, with honor and with a HEART.
By: Hannaelei B. Bracia | T-I | General Lim Elementary School
