MINDFUL

By Jay Ledesma

To Sir and Ma’am, with love

October 26, 2020, 5:18 pm

ASK any group of children what they want to become when they grow up, and the majority will reply... “I want to be a Teacher!” It’s a dream profession for many, including this writer.

Ask any group of teenagers who their first crush was, and the majority will shyly confess... “It’s my grade or high school teacher”. Our teachers are our idols, we are their fans, this writer included.

Ask any group of adults who had the greatest influence on their lives other than their parents, and again the majority will say...”It’s my ___ grade/year teacher or “It’s my _____ subject teacher”. In one way or another, our teachers helped mold us to who we are now, again including this writer.

Our teachers are the immediate constants in our lives, next to our families. From pre-school to college (for some, to graduate school), 5 days a week, 8 hours a day, we were in the presence and company of our teachers.

And through all those years, they were not only our educators. They played different roles as needed.

They were our disciplinarians. They tend to be strict that most of the time, kids are more afraid of their teachers than their parents. Our teachers made sure that we are always in our best manners and right conduct, that we follow rules and regulations, that we prepare for our lessons. Looking back, I learned more from my strict teachers!

They were our talent scouts and cheerleaders. How many of us discovered our dancing, singing, acting, and declamation talents because our teachers made us participate in school programs and activities? They will make us explore until we discover our talents and cheerfully clap while we perform on stage. Sometimes, our teachers believe in us more than we believe in ourselves!

They were our guidance counselors. While they can be strict, our teachers are always there to lend a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on for their students. May it be problems with studies, families, barkadas, love life, sometimes even with money problems, our teachers are there willing to guide, counsel, and comfort us.

They were our coaches and motivators. Our teachers will never tire to make us reach our potentials. They will patiently train and practice us, assuringly challenge and stretch us to do our best! They are generous with their praises and quick with their words of encouragement. They will never give up on us even if we sometimes do.

The pandemic has brought a new normal to our education system. The online class is a major challenge for most of our teachers because of so many reasons. But despite and in spite of all these challenges, we have seen and read how our teachers today embraced the changes and accepted the sacrifices that come with the changes because of their commitment and love for their profession and for their students.

This article may come a little bit late as the celebration of the National Teachers’ Month ended last October 5, but still, I want to give tribute to the men and women who played a crucial role in our lives... our sirs and ma’ams, our beloved Teachers.

If our OFWs are our modern-day heroes, I say that our Teachers are our All-Time Heroes! Our hats off to you Sirs and Ma’am’s, with love! 

 

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About the Columnist

Image of Jay Ledesma

Ms. Jay Ledesma writes about local tourism and business bits that delve on investments and insurance.