Unexpected Reward

Lelani R. Aqui

A teacher’s journey always begins with a single step and as it goes along they may be able to attain the goals they want to achieve. As a beginner, I was puzzled on how will it be to teach in a public school, the more leaving a comfort zone for 18 years is so hard. Before I convince myself to be a public servant there are lots of struggles and unwanted thoughts along my way. Others might say, “Are you sure you are ready?”, “Are you able to make it?”, and even “You will be entering a chaos or somehow related to Jurassic park”. These are some of the many feedbacks and fallacies I have heard. With these words, I motivate myself and choose my calling. I say to myself, “Yes! I am ready to take and face the challenge”. June 1, 2015 was the exact date when I was appointed to be a public school servant. At first, I felt pressured knowing that I’ll be with the teachers whom they called seasoned ones. In line with this, I just took that as a challenge and inspiration so I can be at my best. One school year has ended and another I am proud to say that I have received the best gift, the most unexpected gift for all the hardships and sacrificesmy students personal touching message of gratitude and respect. I did not expect that my advisory class will sent me personal messages about how thankful they were to have me as their adviser. I feel blessed receiving those messages that even money cannot buy. Those simple gifts are my proofs on how I became a teacher in my first year of teaching and this pushed me to my goal and that is “not to be better than others, but to be better than I was yesterday”.

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The author is Teacher III at Information & Communication Technology High

School, Sindalan, City of San Fernando