Beacon of Hope

Chantal Anne S. Tulabut

There are two unforgettable moments which I would never forget when I was still a college student. The first experience marks the culmination of my academic studies. This was the experience of receiving my diploma as I wave to my parents while shaking the hand of the Dean of the College of Education. The second one was after the PRC board examinations. I can still vividly recall the experience of scrolling through the PRC results of my board examination and anxiously looking for my name. By the grace of God, I was able to pass the licensure examination for professional Teachers. It was a defining milestone in my life because I knew that it would be the starting point of my teaching career wherein, I would be able to achieve and fulfill all the plans I made when I was still studying.

I believe when we were still students, we always looked at each fleeting day with bliss and hope that accomplishing our dreams and goals would be very easy like how we planned it. But as we progress in our personal careers, we will come to a sensible realization that life is not a bed of roses. The materialization of our goals and aspirations can only be possible if we learn how to be flexible. I realized that the fulfillment of my personal dreams can only be possible if I were to be tested in the crucible of actual day-to-day classroom instruction.

I am currently teaching Araling Panlipunan in the primary level. I am also the adviser of one of the grade 3 classes in San Pablo Integrated School in the Division of City of San Fernando. I always envisioned myself to flourish in my area of specialization which is Secondary Education major in English. But the reality is, the teaching vocation requires a lot of flexibility. From day one, you will learn that to be a teacher means to make drastic adjustments, not for your own comfort but always for the welfare of the learners. As cliché as the saying “Para sa bata” sounds, the reality and gravity of these words cannot be taken for granted. Being a teacher means being a second parent. Being a teacher means taking up not only one responsibility, not only two responsibilities, but multiple responsibilities which will consume most of your time. Being a teacher means having to wake up early in the morning and stay up late to finish school paper works at home. Being a teacher means being a student for the rest of your life because you need to constantly learn and re-learn knowledge and new knowledge before teaching it to the students. Being a teacher means carrying your personal burdens while staying composed for the learners to perceive you as a holistic model. Being a teacher means being flexible at any given opportunity.

There are a lot of definitions which would fully grasp the true essence of being a teacher. But at the end of the day, the true measure of being a teacher is gauged by the kind of lives that your students will embark upon. The culmination of my teaching career will come to its full fruition only if I am able to make a significant and positive change in the lives of my students. The main goal of this vocation is not focused on your accomplishments as a teacher, it is focused on the lives of our students. Because more than the academic and factual knowledge, it is our moral obligation as educators to guide and safeguard the future of our learners by teaching the upright morals and principles of honesty, righteousness, integrity, and prudence. But the most important lesson to teach the students is the value and importance of being able to hope for themselves. We must teach them that their best chance in this life depends on their ability to hope for a better future. As Gabriel Marcel said, “the freest man is the one with most hope”. Manifest flexibility. Be a beacon of hope. That’s what it means to be a teacher.

--oOo-

I at San Pablo Integrated School

The author is Teacher