Something interesting and heartrending happened today. I was at my wit’s end in conducting a long and hard exam to my pupils when I saw a familiar figure standing by our classroom door. I can recognize that man even if I haven’t seen him for two years. He was my pupil’s father. He was this stage father I have encountered during my first year in teaching wherein his daughter was our first honor that school year. After graduation, they moved to another city and haven’t been in town since then. Until today. I was so happy to see him because I miss his little girl so much. See, that little girl knows how to cheer me up especially when I am having a bad day. She’s smart, cheerful and intelligent. She even promised to build me a swimming pool once she becomes a CPA. Those are just sweet talks but it’s really touching.When I talked to her father, I asked how she is doing in her new school. I learned that my former pupil is still on top of her class but is having a hard time in their Arabic lessons although she copes up pretty well. And then the father said something that really melts my heart. He said, “Nandito lang ako ma’am para bumisita sa iyo at magpasalamat sa lahat ng kabutihan na ginawa mo sa anak ko.” (I am here just to visit and thank you for all the goodness you have done to my child) I didn’t mind it then but now that I think about it, it really meant something. I swear I can cry happy tears right this moment.
Teaching is not a thankless job especially when you see your former pupils visit you from time
to time and smile at you. I swear I am even more moved when those pupils who were troublemakers come up to you and say: “You used to teach me this, right ma’am?”
Whenever my co-teachers and I convene and share stories about the pains and hardships of being educators, we always rant that whenever we compute grades or make reports we have this same notion of filing a resignation letter BUT whenever we see our pupils go up the stage to perform or receive an award, we are taken to a different kind of high that makes us love our job a hundred times.
I am a preschool teacher where 70% of my pupils have no resources to buy papers, pencils, notebooks or books. Most of my pupils’ parents do not know how to read so they cannot teach their children at home for further follow up. And knowing that I have imparted something genuine to the kids is more than enough to make me love my job and my profession more and more each day. I am in a cloud nine.
