WHAT DO TEACHERS WISH FOR?
ANALYN C. ESTANDIAN, LPT, MAED
Teaching is not a profession for the faint-hearted. It takes a lot of time and energy to face 40-50 students, per subject, all day. And take note, a teacher’s job does not stop at school – it goes on at home, when she prepares lesson plans and grades papers.
Teachers don’t really get paid enough for this gargantuan task, but they go on and on every day for the love of teaching – and so that their students get to be productive citizens in the future.
But after all that has been said and done, have teachers reached their dreams too? Teachers, after all, also have hopes and dreams. As much as they are passionate about fulfilling their duties, they also want to be able to earn enough for themselves and their families.
There are admittedly unforeseen expenses which make it hard for teachers to make ends meet. They try to save for the future, however difficult, so they can give their loved ones a worry-free life.
They wish to get a better and more stable compensation which would be just enough to save for their family’s future.
There is also the goal of fulfilling life beyond the classroom walls, like better health and fitness through sports, and spending more time with loved ones.
Teachers are also learners. They learn a thing or two every day, but they also learn through professional development activities and seminars, which is beneficial to them in the long run. They love to teach, and they love to learn, not just for their own sake but for the sake of their students.
A post-grad education is also the goal of every teacher, but not everyone can take it because of the financial costs. The problem is, when teachers don’t take the risk, there is a tendency for them to be labelled as “old school” or “outdated”. What’s wrong with that, right? As long as teachers are committed to learn for their students, and for themselves.
There are many educational strategies, practices, at designs out there which teachers can utilize to deepen their knowledge and broaden their experiences.
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The author is Teacher III at Calantas Elementary School, Floridablanca West District