Why I Wanted to Become a Teacher

I told myself at the beginning of writing this article that I could actually write a lot of reasons why I chose to be a teacher aside from caring about Filipino children’s future.  I was actually thinking of writing all the anecdotes there are just to show you how much I wanted to become a teacher.  But along the way of writing this, I suddenly doubted myself as to whether I have any right sharing what I have shared above as my main reason for wanting to become a teacher.  Well, it’s because, ironically, I’m here in Australia right now and just this morning of the 25th of August (as the Aussies like to say the date), I started teaching (or actually being paid to play with) Pre-kindy or Pre-school Aussie kids. 

So much for wanting to teach Filipino kids others might think, but here I am.  I am coming out clean.  I’m pursuing my dream of financial stability in another country because my own country couldn’t give it to me. 

Nevertheless, right now, I would like everybody to know the following:

·        I actually went to school at four years old, but stopped going after the fourth day.  Why?  First of all, my classmates were mean (So what if you have longer pencils?!) and the teacher would only teach us “upo-tayo (sit and stand up).”  My mother justifies my action then by saying that I knew at a very young age how important excitement and discipline in a classroom are.  I had the calling, you see.

·        When I was in elementary and high school, I went to school even during the strongest of typhoons, such that I had to be stopped by my uncles from walking to school and my high school bus service had to take me back home after an hour’s worth of travelling. 

·        My love affair with school and learning started so early that when I reached third year high school I couldn’t think of anything else that I would love most to do (aside from writing) that would also give me money aside from teaching.

·        I was actually inspired by some of my teachers in high school to be a teacher myself.  Just like any other high school, there were great the teachers and the not-so-good ones, but I was lucky to have most of the intelligent and dedicated teachers around then.  Our principal Mr. Romulo Triguero is to be thanked too for he actually believed in me, calling me “Ang Karangalan Ko (My Honor),” and sent me to inter-school competitions that made me enjoy high school so much (and wanted to come back for more).

·        If only I could stay in the Philippines and continue teaching Pinoys, I would.  Just as I told my students in UPIS, I believe I have served my country well during the six years that I stayed with the educational system.  Who knows?  I might just come back someday and try my hands on teaching again.

One of my UPIS students summarized my teaching career for me before I left for Australia this way: 

“There’s a beauty in a woman who’s lived a little, laughed a lot…

And loved every minute of her life.

It shows in her walk, it rings in her laugh—

I see it in you.”

I guess why I wanted to become a teacher was evident after all.  I just hope there will come a time that no Filipino teacher had to leave for another country to be able to fulfill her dreams of a better life.