....and it's VACATION TIME!

Yay! The Preschool Graduation was held this morning and I am done with my reports, gave my boss a gift for her birthday tomorrow, did a bit of grocery shopping, changed Philippine Pesos to U.S. Dollars, printed our e-tickets and packed my stuffs! I am so ready to go on a vacation and nothing can stop me now.

Although I am suffering from separation anxiety because my kids won't come with me but I know I can manage. Besides, my eldest is also going out of town tomorrow as he and my brother are going to attend our cousin's graduation in Koronadal City. And to watch new movies too -that's his main goal, I think. And my twins are going to be with my dad who like any other grandparent, is a spoiler. Knowing that my kids are going to have fun while I am away keeps me sane and ready to have a blast.

However, I still haven't finished our itinerary and there is just one small detail of the vacation that irks me. I don't like freeloaders and abusive people. Most of all, I don't like big men who doesn't have a job. Okay let's leave it at that.

Going back to the Graduation Ceremony of my pupils, it was rowdy. And when you have VIP guests watching, you wouldn't want to leave a bad impression that my pupils do not know how to behave properly especially in a solemn ceremony. But anyway, it was a success and there were lots of food LOL! Look at the photos closely and you'll have an idea on how they are at their BEST behaviors.

Looking at the photos, I am sure going to miss these kids. They are the noisiest batch but the most intelligent so far. Here's my motto now: With great intelligence comes with a great misbehavior.

The Visit

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.

Why Preschool

Being a preschool educator has its ups and downs. Whenever I go to our division office for transactions, the people there ask me what grade level I am teaching and whenever I say I teach preschool, they will always reply with “WHY PRESCHOOL?” My answer will always be, “Why not? It’s fun.”

Teaching preschool children has more ups than downs. Yes of course your energy will get drained after all that singing, dancing and animations that you do –and I do it twice a day since I am handling two sessions. Physically draining, yes but the fruit of your labor is priceless.

Why Preschool? The kids are genuine people; they are very honest and kind hearted. They will believe whatever it is that you say. Heck, they believe you more than their own parents! Aside from that, I love the look of innocence in their eyes. I love the way when they forget about themselves and suddenly they call me “Mama, Ina or Ma” – that’s priceless.

Why Preschool? I love children and I love to hear stories from their mothers about their progress. A few weeks ago, a mother asked me how come whenever she teaches her child two lines of a poem for the whole day, her child will never get to memorize a line but when the child spends at least an hour in school, she can memorize a stanza of the poem. My answer was, “It’s magic.” LOL

Why Preschool? Because I like it when my pupils tell me that I am beautiful; one pupil of mine was reportedly bragging to her playmates at home that her teacher is beautiful. Her playmates ended up visiting our classroom to confirm if she’s telling the truth or not. LOL. I gave all of them lollipops as a bribe since I looked like a trash that day.

Why Preschool? I can tell you a number of things more but I don’t want to gloat myself.

So, why preschool? This is why...