TIME OF YOUR LIFE
LIZA T. TAPNIO
The life battle of teachers begins as a school year starts. However, before the academic year is brought into being, teachers prepare themselves. The almost two remaining months of the year which should be intended for the vacation to be enjoyed by the teachers with their family, are being utilized for such preparation. This is a part of the greatest challenge teachers have for their chosen vocation. This is the real time on their lives they need to face.
At the middle of the month of May, the teachers are requested to report at school for the Brigada Eskwela. It is a school program initiated to make the classrooms and the educational environment ready for teaching-learning episodes within the school year. Moreover, the educators are asked to attend trainings and seminars to equip their minds and hearts with skills and values necessary for communicating significant learning to pupils and students.
During the first quarter of the school year, the teachers are very busy assessing the performances of the learners through various evaluation tools such as written works, performance tasks and quarter exam. All of which continue towards the end of the academic year. But aside from this, teachers are tasked to make school related reports that add to the bulk of work they have.
Further, they are busy communicating the performances of their students with the parents and guardians. Sometimes, they conduct home visitations especially to the students who are not reporting to school and whose parents and guardians are found to be difficult to communicate with. See how hectic the schedule of the teachers is all year round. Their time is mostly dedicated to their work at school instead of devoting themselves at home to fulfill their obligations to their husbands or wives and to their children as well.
If you are a dedicated and committed teacher, I am very much sure that it is also how you describe the time of your life. However, may I ask you to reflect on this, “Is it really worthy to spend much of your time at school?”
— oOo—
The author is Teacher III at Pampanga High School