THE BEST GIFT

Some people want to gain fortune. They wish to own material things especially if they can afford to acquire them. These luxuries give them happiness. They consider them as their status symbols. For some, wealth may be a measure of success. However, for me as a teacher, beyond essentials may give temporary pleasure but will never be a fulfillment that last forever.

Whenever I go to school and attend my classes, the smile on the faces of my students as they greet me make me feel so beautiful inside and out. When I start discussing the concepts and the practicalities contained in the subject I am teaching, I begin to feel happy for I know that the learning my students will have for a short period of time may change them for a lifetime. When I talk to my students in private because they have done something wrong, I feel fulfilled for I have played my role as their second mother. When I talk to their parents during parent-teacher conferences, I feel enthusiastic to tell them the progress of their children. When I prepare my DLLs and instructional materials, I feel joyful for I know that the planning of my activities will help my students gain understanding of the lessons which later on lead them to realizing good values that can be utilized by them in real-life situations. When I am about to leave the classroom and see once more the smile on the faces of my students, I feel very glad for I am certain that they have enjoyed my presence and the many things I have taught them. These are the classroom episodes that I am so grateful for and which I consider a heavenly gift. These are the greatest gifts I receive as I fulfill my duties and responsibilities as a classroom teacher.

When my students have touched down the reality of being an adult as they begin battling with what life offers, the best gift of teaching to me does not end. This is because most of my students who have graduated and have started working, still remember me. As they reminisce each chapter of their books as a student, my heart is always filled with so much happiness because they have appreciated my efforts as their second mother. I almost cry in gladness for I have realized how important I have been in their lives. In the end, I have seen my worth as a wonderful creation of God who have become an instrument in the formation and transformation of the young. Do you see teaching as the best gift just like how I perceive it?

— oOo—

The author is Teacher III at Pampanga High School