To Teachers - A Tribute

CEBU, Philippines - God in His infinite goodness not only created man out of His own image, but also created human beings who are likely to be called that of His very own Son – TEACHER.

Teachers are indispensable in the Teaching-Learning Process. They mold and teach the country’s hopes and future leaders. They build people. Teachers compose one if not the biggest department of the country. Over more than a million mentors in the Philippines take care of our youth, the future generation. Yes, vast as they are, we seldom hear their tiny voices. Maybe the reason why we often read or hear that teachers are unsung heroes. Teaching is a noble profession. Teachers are bearers of the highest ethical standards so we seldom see teachers marching to rally behind their cause. We frequently hear the teachers’ dilemma and we lament about their plight – pushing themselves too hard as to cope up with the demands of living, exhausting themselves, neglecting their health and sacrificing the time for their family. Sometimes they watch their pupils grow and progress, failing to watch their own children grow for the sake of the noble task- TEACHING!

Today, teachers open and close the day with 50-70 pupils in the classroom coming, from 50-70 sets of parents with different upbringing, tradition, family practices, and values. Fifty to seventy pupils with individual differences and over fifty percent of them live below the poverty level. Parents entrust teachers their children for eight hours almost everyday. Imagine the responsibility! Along with the tremendous obligation is the risk because they are not working with inanimate objects but fragile and vulnerable human beings whose hopes and aspirations lie on their mentors. Teaching is a very hard profession, extending up to ten to twelve hours working due to paper works and yet it is an undeniable fact that results are frustrating and are far from expectations.

Teaching is a unique occupation because teachers are not just mere teachers in the classrooms. They are the managers, the Executive Officers, the Superiors, the Boss, the Captains, the Wisest, Leading Men and Ladies, the Talent Scouts, the President of their own company of fifty to seventy employees. The pupils – the product – come from teachers’ wisdom and values. They form pupils in all aspects of development. But, despite this unique tasks, teachers do not achieve the status they deserve. The public and even some people in the education department don’t view them as being anything more than just – TEACHERS. Despite the fact that they don’t receive a pay equivalent that of a Lawyer or a Specialist, they have a deeper sense of humanism, humility, perseverance, and patience unequalled by professionals in other fiedls. What seems to be louder are complaints about teachers, self- explanatory occurrences that sometimes happen in the classrooms. A few undesirable acts committed by teachers are examined on top of all the remarkable deeds and performances, on top of all the humanitarian and parental acts, of the frustrating, disillusioning, exhausting, hazardous, and demanding job, of all the efforts done to love and understand the unlovable and unbearable children entrusted to them.

Why is it hard for Filipinos to recognize little appreciable things? Why does it become an instinct to see the faults and errors? Is it very hard to magnify the tiny good act and improve the weakness, or is there more space for mistakes? Are first impressions really lasting or are they stepping stones for the needed help or milestones?

The advent season is at the doorstep. It is a season of waiting. We prepare with mounting expectation for the coming of Christ with hope and conversion. Christians can practice during Advent to choose a secret “ Christ Kind” or Christ child for whom he or she will perform little acts of love – such as prayer, a small gift, sacrifice, a note or a piece of candy throughout the Advent season.

It’s time to pay tribute to teachers being a secret “ Christ like” as –TEACHER, whom we can perform little acts of love, praise and recognition, or even a little prayer and well wishes. This is a timely tribute for the “ Christ like” TEACHERS – Christ, who put on the flesh and was born of a human body in a miserable stable one cold winter night to preach humanity, kindness and generosity to mankind. This tribute would make our preparations and “ waiting” for the Savior more meaningful.

My salute to all teachers. Kudos! Thanks to you – my teacher, my hero!