Henry Adam said, “a teacher affects eternity; no one can tell where his influence stops.”
Now, if that’s not a SUPER POWER, then I don’t know what it is.
Surviving the everyday struggle of waking up early in the morning, keeping their tempers at naughty students, and the same time worrying about the flow of lesson plans, they even go to work when the weather is ill. It has always been said that teaching is a noble profession…. But more than a profession, it is a vocation. Therefore, the greatest role of every teacher is not just to teach minds, but also to build the characters of his students, the characters of every student: one has to touch their hearts. to inspire them… to influence them to do their best and be the best person God intends them to be.
To be a one of them means to sacrifice a lot time, money and resources, even if this sacrifice takes its toll on his own family. The teacher has to use her personal resources to support and provide the necessary materials needed in his or her classroom (a fact that is true to many teachers) She personally believes that for effective learning to happen, a conducive place and functional teaching aids should be made available to students. Aside from financial sacrifice, personal time was most of the time being sacrificed by a teacher. After a six-hour teaching load, preparation of lesson plans and teaching aids is next. It cannot be done in the classroom and should be taken home. More or less three hours is needed to finish his eight daily lesson plans. The time for the family is being lessened because of this. But then, she is a teacher and she is proud to be.
Teachers have power; the power to influence, to guide, and to develop self-confidence in their students. The power that comes with teaching is accompanied by great responsibility. Teachers have the ability to use their power in a positive or negative way. Students around the world are influenced by their teachers as they learn concrete skills and strategies or simple life lessons. It is the teacher’s power that enables them to impact students of all levels and instill in them the awareness that they can be successful individuals. Students who are empowered in school, light up with the realization that they can accomplish something is truly challenging. Teachers have great power, stemming not from money, but from their ability to change the world through empowering our future generation.
Truly, a hero shouldn’t be defined as a being with superpowers, but rather be perceived as strong and competent individuals as teaching is a profession wherein other professions are created. There is no limit, no bound to the distance or time your influence can travel. When my days as a teacher are through, I know that the good I have done will live on in my students and everyone they touch along their own journeys. To me, that’s power.
By: Mrs. Arlene Q. Agustin | Teacher I – Social Studies | BATAAN NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL – SHS | Balanga City, Bataan
