Yes, I am a teacher and I am proud and happy to be called one. But NO, I think whoever thought of the slogan: “Be proud you are a teacher, the future depends on you.” is WRONG.
These slogans were posted at almost all of the schools in the Philippines when I am still a student. I guess it even lit the fire in me to become a teacher. But now that I look back into it, I have two thoughts in my mind.
First, I believe that the stars of the show in schools must be the students. Please correct me if I am wrong. But why is it that the most prominent text that we can read in schools is that message that is targeted for teachers? Maybe it must have been better if the message says: “Listen to your teachers, they are the key to your future.”
Second, should people, specially us teachers, really be proud to be the holder of someone’s future? I don’t think it is appropriate to get a sense of pride from that. With that slogan being a message to teachers, wouldn’t it be better to say: “Be wary you are a teacher, the future depends on you.”? Why be wary you might ask, I will answer that with a quote from Henry B. Adams:
A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.
Henry B. Adams
In this stage of my life I have been a student, a teacher and now a parent.
As a student I have learned a lot from my teachers. A lot of good and some bad. I thank my teachers for all the good things. For the bad ones, let me just say now that: “I understand.” Teachers are also humans.
As a teacher, I have taught my students a lot. Yet again, I know that I have given my students ideas that are good and bad. I congratulate my students for being able to learn the good and I apologize for all the bad.
As a parent, I am homeschooling our only child. Not really by choice because there is no Philippine school where we are residing now. Yet I know and feel how difficult it could be for parents to send a child to school to be taught by someone they don’t really know but will affect their child for all his life.
I love being a teacher and I plan to be one as long as I can. There is nothing better for me than seeing the faces of my students brighten up every time they become enlightened with the lessons I teach. But yes, I am still wary, because I know that those seeds that I am planting in their mind will be with them for all their lives.
Thank you for spending the time to read about my ideas. Please tell me about your views in the comments.