Forgotten Teacher

FOR THE FORGOTTEN TEACHER

How honorable it is to be called a TEACHER. A lot of accolades and praises are given to teachers after death but, these are all words. In the days of old teaching is the noblest of all professions. Perhaps it is not a job but profession for a job is a work that could be done by anybody in return for a certain amount of money. Profession comes from the root word profess and professing has something to do with believing in what one does. Add dedication and devotion to teaching and it becomes a vocation. Thus, teaching is not for personal gains but for others, not monetary but success of the ones being taught. That is why there is no teacher that became a millionaire while serving their students. Teaching has no monetary value as no amount of money could ever pay knowledge. “Knowledge is power,” they say, only if it is properly guided, it is the most precious position that could not be stolen and only the teacher has the privilege to imbue knowledge in the hearts and minds of the learners. To do this Teachers do not use only lectures, assignments inside the classrooms but also through experience in the outside world. Children learn more from experience rather than by words alone. But the best means of teaching is teaching by example.

Teaching is not for those who wish to become rich and famous. Teaching is for the idealists who would like to change the world in their own little way. Because of this idealism, some remained unmarried till they died, sort of marrying their profession. History shows teachers dying alone, teachers that produced the rich and famous men in all fields of endeavors but they remain in the background, unknown and unrecognized. Sad to say only a few could remember their Teachers’ names. There are three kinds of teachers, the good, the bad and the average. The best teacher is remembered for the inspirations he or she shared, the worst teacher is remembered by the challenge he or she gave, the average are left to oblivion, but, all made them who they are today.

Many are interested in teaching because of the idealism to be part of the development of the minds and growth of a society. They “burned candles” for that ambition, took review courses just to get that dreamed license to teach, yet when they passed, they still have to suffer the anguish of being set aside for others who had the right connections not what they have. Some accepted teaching assignment for a minimal salary because of dedication; they ventured in distant places for the hope of making a difference in the lives of the students and the community where they are. At nights when they are supposed to be caring and enjoying the company of their family, they have to stay late just to plan for what to teach the next day. They are rich with friends but they are financially poor, yet, they are already contented with that.

The only time when a teacher receives a bigger amount of money is after retirement. Yet, they are old and sick. This money is already useless for them to enjoy for this is spent for their medicines and other needs inherent to their age. It is so sad that by the time they are supposed to enjoy what they worked so hard they are already incapable of it. They are even given less attention when getting their pensions, they are even snob when demanding their old age privileges; this is the fruit of the teachers’ devotion to their students, but they never complain. This is what one gets from the noblest profession in the world. However, with all the sacrifices a teacher had for their students they are still happy. The only consolation that a teacher could have is that, whatever the position of the person he or she once taught, be it a president, senator, congressmen, doctors, generals, and more, he or she is always addressed by them by their title SIR or MAAM. That is the only thing that could be taken from a teacher. No other profession in the world whose title remains even after death, it is only being a teacher. Perhaps this is the reason why TEACHING is considered as the NOBLEST PROFESSION in the world.

To this FORGOTTEN TEACHER I dedicate these lines.