During my elementary and high school years at St. Paul College of Parañaque, I acquired a very nasty reputation. Teachers considered me an average student while batchmates saw me as a weirdo. I was lucky I wasn’t kicked out.

I was one of those who spelled trouble for both teachers and schoolmates.

In high school, I was once asked by the teacher to stand for the rest of the English class period. The reason? I wasn’t able to give the correct answer when she asked me about how Achilles was killed! I also made it a point to go out of the classroom whenever we are having classes because I never seem to stay put! I really enjoyed those times I wander along the corridors.

When I went to college, I tried to improve on my little “craft”. My elementary/ high school antics were marked by spontaneity. In college, I decided to put method in my madness.

Students felt the school administration and some student leaders were really oppressive with their policies. I felt I had a mission to expose some issues. I once offended the library assistant when I questioned his/ her being “unfair”.

There was also a column I wrote for the school paper which got the ire of some student leaders.

One of my teachers underestimated my intellectual capacity. She said I had no future. She believed I would never finish a college course.

That attitude only proved she wasn’t doing her homework. A look at my school records would have revealed that I have above-average communication skills, that I got high in the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE), and, passed the State University’s (University of the Philippines) entrance exam too. And I know she would faint if she found out that I took a Master’s degree.

So, I guess it’s really a great irony that I’m into teaching.

I’m a college instructor, and I really enjoy my job. I don’t have morning blues.

Before I got into teaching, I hated going to work. I always hoped I would get caught up in traffic. Now, I’m really annoyed by morning traffic. I can’t wait to go to class. I always want to be inside the classroom.

Though teaching pays little, I get a lot of other rewards. I’m always stimulated intellectually. I get paid to read books, something I really like doing. I’m the boss inside the classroom since I control what’s happening in class.

Teaching also satisfies my ego. Since I was a little girl, I’ve always wanted to be an entertainer. Well, teaching is also a lot like show biz. You perform before an audience. And it really makes my heart leap whenever my students learn something or laugh at my jokes.

My students truly make my life complete. Students for me are potential friends. Being a teacher also entails a lot of responsibility. I feel really blessed that I have a great set of students. Most of them are intelligent and vocal, and this makes my job a lot easier. Class discussions flow smoothly most of the time.

Teaching is always challenging. I always have to be a way ahead of my students. Though there were times when I was stumped. That is one of the hardest things in teaching: thinking on your feet, being able to come up with credible and convincing answers since students think it’s your job to know everything.

Teaching is seldom boring. Something new always happens. A sister of a former suitor became my student, putting me in a really awkward situation. There was an instance when a student cried in class because I gave her a failing grade.

It is really a strange feeling, being on the other side. I’m still not used to being addressed as “Miss”. I like the ring of “Mom” more. The troublemaker is still inside me, but I think that is what makes me love teaching.

I’ve seen both sides of the fence. I know that my students also teach me a lot of things.