“It takes a big heart to help shape little minds…” It is really fitting for teachers, considering all they give in order to shape the minds of their students.
Four years in college, a few more years in masters and in some another few year in doctoral, all those years spent to improve the knowledge that they are willing to share to their students. But that is not the end of their sacrifices; they spend sleepless nights working on their lesson plans and materials, and thenexhaust the long hours of the days teaching. Truly, teachers should be considered as heroes, because like Dr. Jose Rizal, they give their lives for the good of many. Maybe not in gun point, but there’s not much of a difference.
But the sad truth is that, while Dr. Jose Rizal is commemorated on his death and birth day, teachers are overlooked and disregarded most of the times.
Today, teachers are treated like another pawn of the chess game, while the government and the public were the players. They move as they are instructed and do what they are deemed, some may look at this as obedience but the darker truth is that, they oblige not because they want to but because they have no choice.
As years past a lot of laws regarding human rights were passed to ensure the well-being of the students inside the school premises. RA 9344 or Juvenile justice and welfare act of 2006 states a child shall be protected physically, morally and spiritually, therefore the act of punishment may it be disciplinary or otherwise is prohibited by the law. This in turn took away the power that the teachers hold up on their students.
Before it is one of the privileges of teachers to discipline their students, in any way they see fit. Thought sometimes that method was used is an abusive maltreatment, but this is not always the case. Actually, if someone will go through the trouble of interviewing people that grew up in that generation, they will most likely say that although it was harsher and stricter back in the day, it was rather calmer and organized then. Now, the new generations of students tend to more wild and out of hand year by year.
And along with the changes, teachers were pushed back and became someone of just a tool to discuss lesson and topics rather than mentor who nurture and guide the students to lighter days ahead of them.
If the system does not change, I is somewhat scary to say the least, what the years will come forth.
By: Medori Laxamana | Teacher III | Lucanin Elementary School | Mariveles, Bataan
