"Onizuka is always at his happiest when the Principal of the school calls him Onizuka Sensei. He doesn't care that people think he's incompetent for the job, he just knows he loves being one and he always does everything sincerely..."Yesterday my best friend from boarding school gave me a surprise call. We caught up on few stuff, like her new life as a wife, my wedding plans and being the working adults we are now, we of course talked about jobs and things related to it.
Which sort of inspires me to write this blog post. It's a topic I have long kept to myself, maybe just talked or discuss about it with Gruffy or my few close friends but there was something that was said last night, during that phone call that makes me want to finally put down my thoughts.
I hope that I won't offend fellow teachers with this post. I do hope it can be something we could all reflect on, including myself.
I've read, heard and maybe the thought has even crossed my mind once or twice; the thought about people not acknowledging the teaching profession or people don't value it as much and look at teachers as the bottom of the career hierarchy. Often, the dissatisfaction expressed is always about how others, who aren't teachers, do not appreciate the hard work that teachers have put in.
For short, some teachers think that others look down on them just because they think, that others thought that teaching isn't as exclusive or classy as other professions.
While I do sometimes desire the recognition and appreciation for a job well done or my effort at doing my best at school, it has never crossed my mind that teaching is a profession that people do not value. My mom was a teacher before she became a lecturer and a professor, even my dad taught for like a year after finding out engineering market was tough to break at that time. He saw how teaching affected young minds he decided he'd pursue education related career too - at the ministry of education. And I saw how their students, parents and their friends appreciated them and what they do, very much so. I know they knew that they were appreciated too because as long as I could remember, I never heard them said that of the major challenges that come with being a teacher is to change how people perceive the profession.
Because teachers are valued everywhere. And we really don't need people to tell us of their approvals of our profession. Even if they don't approve, it doesn't mean anything.
What I have learned from growing up around people who teach for a living is that teaching is as noble as how a teacher sees and especially how she or he accepts it. If teachers think that people look down on them just by being teachers, now what does really say about the vibe you've been giving your students.
You gotta love what you do, because it will definitely show. But saying you love it and telling the world how noble you think the profession is after you expressed how negative you think others are about your job, I believe that it is nothing more than a desperate plea for reassurance and others to tell you how great they think that you are a teacher.
"One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings."
I know that everyone in the world has at least a memory of a teacher at school. And I think more often than not, it's a good one. Whether they show it, or tell their appreciation to that teacher, it is really isn't a teacher's place to demand them to do so. I think that all individuals, not just teachers, who do their job with the utmost sincerity from the heart, would hardly think or worry about whether people appreciate their work or what they have done.
They just keep on going and do the best they can. Maybe there'd be little grumble here and there and things could be tiring at some point...but after a little rest, they brush off the sweat and pick up where they left off, high spirited as ever.
Of course I am far from being the perfect or ideal teacher I just talked about. But I hope I'll get there, someday. With the support of everyone around me, I know I'll get there. One of the best motivator is when I met my boarding school friends and they ask "How's school?" and listen to my many stories or funny encounters at school.
So fellow teachers...people DO appreciate you. They do think it's a great job and they understand the kind of pressure we face because any career in this world has its fair share of stress and obstacles and whatnot. By telling the world that you think they don't appreciate you isn't the way to gain that appreciation or recognition you so desire.
Appreciate others, always try to eat a slice of humble pie from time to time and keep your sincerity at its best. Because what the teacher is, is more important than what he teaches. You know what they say, good teachers are costly but bad teachers cost more. And a good teacher doesn't only teach, but inspire. To inspire, you need to have it in you, can't find it in the text book.
Don't be the bad one. Be the one, that one special teacher.
Which sort of inspires me to write this blog post. It's a topic I have long kept to myself, maybe just talked or discuss about it with Gruffy or my few close friends but there was something that was said last night, during that phone call that makes me want to finally put down my thoughts.
I hope that I won't offend fellow teachers with this post. I do hope it can be something we could all reflect on, including myself.
I've read, heard and maybe the thought has even crossed my mind once or twice; the thought about people not acknowledging the teaching profession or people don't value it as much and look at teachers as the bottom of the career hierarchy. Often, the dissatisfaction expressed is always about how others, who aren't teachers, do not appreciate the hard work that teachers have put in.
For short, some teachers think that others look down on them just because they think, that others thought that teaching isn't as exclusive or classy as other professions.
While I do sometimes desire the recognition and appreciation for a job well done or my effort at doing my best at school, it has never crossed my mind that teaching is a profession that people do not value. My mom was a teacher before she became a lecturer and a professor, even my dad taught for like a year after finding out engineering market was tough to break at that time. He saw how teaching affected young minds he decided he'd pursue education related career too - at the ministry of education. And I saw how their students, parents and their friends appreciated them and what they do, very much so. I know they knew that they were appreciated too because as long as I could remember, I never heard them said that of the major challenges that come with being a teacher is to change how people perceive the profession.
Because teachers are valued everywhere. And we really don't need people to tell us of their approvals of our profession. Even if they don't approve, it doesn't mean anything.
What I have learned from growing up around people who teach for a living is that teaching is as noble as how a teacher sees and especially how she or he accepts it. If teachers think that people look down on them just by being teachers, now what does really say about the vibe you've been giving your students.
You gotta love what you do, because it will definitely show. But saying you love it and telling the world how noble you think the profession is after you expressed how negative you think others are about your job, I believe that it is nothing more than a desperate plea for reassurance and others to tell you how great they think that you are a teacher.
"One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings."
I know that everyone in the world has at least a memory of a teacher at school. And I think more often than not, it's a good one. Whether they show it, or tell their appreciation to that teacher, it is really isn't a teacher's place to demand them to do so. I think that all individuals, not just teachers, who do their job with the utmost sincerity from the heart, would hardly think or worry about whether people appreciate their work or what they have done.
They just keep on going and do the best they can. Maybe there'd be little grumble here and there and things could be tiring at some point...but after a little rest, they brush off the sweat and pick up where they left off, high spirited as ever.
Of course I am far from being the perfect or ideal teacher I just talked about. But I hope I'll get there, someday. With the support of everyone around me, I know I'll get there. One of the best motivator is when I met my boarding school friends and they ask "How's school?" and listen to my many stories or funny encounters at school.
So fellow teachers...people DO appreciate you. They do think it's a great job and they understand the kind of pressure we face because any career in this world has its fair share of stress and obstacles and whatnot. By telling the world that you think they don't appreciate you isn't the way to gain that appreciation or recognition you so desire.
Appreciate others, always try to eat a slice of humble pie from time to time and keep your sincerity at its best. Because what the teacher is, is more important than what he teaches. You know what they say, good teachers are costly but bad teachers cost more. And a good teacher doesn't only teach, but inspire. To inspire, you need to have it in you, can't find it in the text book.
Don't be the bad one. Be the one, that one special teacher.
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