To the teacher (2)

Oftentimes a teacher is enmeshed in the technicalities of teaching such as curriculum implementation, methodology exposure, lesson materials production, and a host of others that she loses touch with what is called the mystical dimension of her profession. The following reminders are relevant to this concern:

"Chosen to Teach. You are a child of the universe," says the Desiderata, "no less than the trees and the stars." Yes, you are a child of nature, and you came into being for a purpose. A tree yields fruits, gives shades, cleanses the air for humans to inhale. A star brightens the sky, guides the mariners, gives hope to a broken heart.

You - what are you supposed to do? To teach, of course, you would answer. To teach… what a task! You are not teaching subjects, you are teaching people. You are not imparting concepts, you are awakening hopes, building dreams, inspiring love.

Right from the start, you were destined to be a teacher. You did not decide it. Nor did your parents. God decided it for you. From among the hundreds, nay, thousands of people, he chose you to be in the classroom with his dear little ones. He needs you to show them the magic of sunrise, the rhythm of the seasons, the magnificence of butterflies.

From you he expects his children to learn the art of righteous living, courage in the face of adversities, and the unyielding desire to become the best and serve the best. That a person is not an island in himself but a part of the larger domain of humanity, that beyond this place of strife and tears a promise land awaits - these are what God wants you to teach His little ones. Are you doing this?

"A Guardian Angel. Don't forget: You are the guardian angel of all your children. You are their protector. You are their champion. Each of these little ones looks up to you for your motherly love and care. To the extent you respond to their expectation, to that extent too will they be drawn towards you.

As a "mother" to the children, you are expected to be solicitous of their welfare. At the start of the day's class, you are to ask yourself: Are all my children OK? Have they eaten breakfast? Are they all ready to learn? You take a close look at each of them, and if you find that one of them needs a medical attention (perhaps a child has a slight fever, or a swelling in one of his legs), you will immediately do something for that child.

"Teacherhood a Mission. To develop that state of mind when you genuinely feel you are the "mother" of all your children is difficult. Even if your children do not give you any headaches because they are well-behaved, that feeling is still hard to come by. How then are you to acquire this disposition?

A firm resolve to become a "mother" to your children could be the start of it all. But a resolution without the help of an outside force would have little effect. That outside force could come from your coworkers, especially your superiors.

If your relationship with your coworkers is a congenial one, you are likely to be happy in your job, and such state of mind makes you well disposed to love your children.

But a greater and more important force is your relationship with the Lord. If you are close to him because you have tried to live as he wants you to live, then you cannot help but treat your children as your own.

When you are in this frame of mind, your teacherhood becomes a personal mission. In everything you do in the classroom, the interest of each and every child therein becomes your paramount concern.

Whether you are teaching the academic subjects or the non-academic ones, your focus is always on the children: their growth and formation into good individuals, well-equipped in basic learning and motivated to use that learning for the good of their fellowmen.