Bittersweet legacy

LUCKY are the teachers who have the value of maximum tolerance for they shall be saved from the wrath of parents. And luckier are those who have the ability to tolerate the tantrums of their pupils for they shall overcome whatever unruliness their learners display.

It is undeniable that today’s children, who are referred to as the digital natives, behave differently as compared to children who were born in the 90’s. As the world experiences climate change, teachers also experience a great change in the classroom.

Teachers before were regarded with the highest respect. When you meet one along the road, it is a must to greet her. And when you see a teacher carrying a heavy load, you have to run as fast as you can and extend a helping hand. When a teacher raise her brows, learners keep quiet. Teachers in the past can punish their learners without being sued. After class, children ran home to do household chores. What was the outcome? Professionals exhibiting good moral values.

Today, it is impossible for teachers to even touch a single strand of their learners’ hair without being sued. It is a known fact that some teachers were dismissed from their job because of child abuse.

Learners today behave in such a way that sometimes, they cannot be tolerated by their teachers. They carry gadgets which for them is more valuable than listening to their teacher. You let them copy their assignment in their notebook and they will just snapshot it using their smartphone. You give them an assignment and they will copy paste from the net. After class, the children go directly to computer shops. What was the outcome? More out of school youth and less graduate.

These are the only few changes the modern learners exhibit. Lawmakers pass laws to protect learners but they do not pass one protecting the teachers. It is then of great importance for teachers to have maximum tolerance in dealing with the modern learners.

Teaching can be stressing but it can be overcome easily just by accepting the learners as your own. Loving them as your own children lessens the stress. Showing affection to the digital natives is the greatest weapon a teacher can have. Who knows, the worst child in the room may just be seeking attention which was not provided at home. Give it to him and someday he will realize that her grade school teacher is the best thing that happened to him.

“A teacher affects eternity, he can never tell where his influence stops.” This inspiring quote by Henry Adams supports the fact that teachers were instruments to the accomplishment of every successful professional.

By Assandra Grace M. Nginsayan