I have been teaching for more than two decades! That I realized only recently. If I have to look back, there is no single moment I regret that I am a teacher though becoming one was not my real dream job.
When I was young, I would have wanted to become a broadcast journalist. How I admired broadcast journalists I saw on TV, like Tina Monzon-Palma and Harry Gasser during my time. But because I didn't know where to study Mass Communications when I enrolled in college here in Manila, I settled to taking up education, major in English (this calls for another blog entry). I chose language-related course simply because I was am poor in Math!
On being a teacher, I got to embrace this profession only after 10 years of teaching. I knew deep in my heart that I didn't want to be called a teacher. I didn't want anyone to know that I was a teacher. But don't get me wrong; I was committed to what I was doing. That's just what I am - I always see to it that I give my 100% in anything I do, whether it is convenient or not.
As a teacher, little did I know that I had positively influenced one or two of my students' life. As they say the real joy of being a teacher comes when your students come back to you and say "thank you."
As a teacher, little did I know that I had positively influenced one or two of my students' life. As they say the real joy of being a teacher comes when your students come back to you and say "thank you."
A year ago, I received a note from one of my previous students. This note really touches my heart that I had it framed! This note has inspired to do more and to give more for my students. This note has moved me to shift my paradigm in terms of my job of being a teacher. Particular names and places are reduced in acronyms for confidentiality, but the contents are intact. Here goes:
Hello, Ms. Badeth, hope your fine. Isa ako sa mga students mo noon sa PCS. Well introduce ko lang sarili ko, I'am M.A.. Sana tanda mo pa ako, ako po yung nag take ng summer class sa PCS then I was the one who always YAWN at my desk (Well sorry for that) Then I remember na may daily activity tayo non na magsusulatan tayo sa class in english, and ako yung partner mo that time. Sana na recall mo na kung sino ako.
Ayun nangungumusta lang po ako sayo. Nagulat talaga ako noong nakita ko yung blog mo, Medyo matagal na kasi na wala akong balita sayo. OO nga pala before ko makalimutan, the real reason behind this letter. bukod sa nangungumusta... I would like to say "THANK YOU"
Well may be your wondering why I said Thank you, well going back to high school days sa PCS, I admit na di ko talaga ginalingan or sineryoso ang mga bagay-bagay, and because of that I was kicked out of the school (at di ko po yun ikinahihiya). after that tragic moment sa life ko, it's like a wake up call to me, so nagsimula po ulit ako, di ako nakipag communicate sa mga ka batch ko sa pcs. everyday was so painful to me and to my family, kasi nakikita nila na di ako happy sa mga nangyari, pero wala naman ako magagawa, eh ako rin naman ang may kasalanan, may mga oras na binabasa ko yung mga sulat na galing sa mga classmate ko (yung binibigay pag recollection) then nabasa ko yung sulat mo sa akin, I remember that your asking me, to include you to my prayers. syempre that time di ko pa gets yung talagang ibig sabihin non. Late ko na nalaman yung real meaning ng lahat ng mga sinulat mo noon sa akin, Its like a can opener to me, and because of that I work hard, nagseryoso na po ako. Right now i could say na (medyo) okay na po ako sa buhay. Im working now in a US base Album manufacturer, and MIS/IT Manager po yung position ko. could you believe that? alam ko na mostly ng ka batch ko alam na kick out ako sa school, and mahina ako noon sa academics. But I know with prayers and proper guidance, nagbabago naman lahat. And thanks sa mga naisulat mo noon sa akin. It really help me a lot.
So yun lang po. hope that your always in good health, sana one day we could meet.
Again Ms. Badeth. Thank you so much
ciao!
M.A.
Ayun nangungumusta lang po ako sayo. Nagulat talaga ako noong nakita ko yung blog mo, Medyo matagal na kasi na wala akong balita sayo. OO nga pala before ko makalimutan, the real reason behind this letter. bukod sa nangungumusta... I would like to say "THANK YOU"
Well may be your wondering why I said Thank you, well going back to high school days sa PCS, I admit na di ko talaga ginalingan or sineryoso ang mga bagay-bagay, and because of that I was kicked out of the school (at di ko po yun ikinahihiya). after that tragic moment sa life ko, it's like a wake up call to me, so nagsimula po ulit ako, di ako nakipag communicate sa mga ka batch ko sa pcs. everyday was so painful to me and to my family, kasi nakikita nila na di ako happy sa mga nangyari, pero wala naman ako magagawa, eh ako rin naman ang may kasalanan, may mga oras na binabasa ko yung mga sulat na galing sa mga classmate ko (yung binibigay pag recollection) then nabasa ko yung sulat mo sa akin, I remember that your asking me, to include you to my prayers. syempre that time di ko pa gets yung talagang ibig sabihin non. Late ko na nalaman yung real meaning ng lahat ng mga sinulat mo noon sa akin, Its like a can opener to me, and because of that I work hard, nagseryoso na po ako. Right now i could say na (medyo) okay na po ako sa buhay. Im working now in a US base Album manufacturer, and MIS/IT Manager po yung position ko. could you believe that? alam ko na mostly ng ka batch ko alam na kick out ako sa school, and mahina ako noon sa academics. But I know with prayers and proper guidance, nagbabago naman lahat. And thanks sa mga naisulat mo noon sa akin. It really help me a lot.
So yun lang po. hope that your always in good health, sana one day we could meet.
Again Ms. Badeth. Thank you so much
ciao!
M.A.
So there! What more can I say? This is only of the many "thank yous" I have received. I may not be a renowned broadcast journalist like the ones I see on TV everyday, but I am grateful that somehow I have touched one soul. I am grateful that somehow I have made one person's life better. I am sure that M.A. is doing his part in making this world a better place.
The framed note that I received from M.A.
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