As you all know, M, our youngest daughter, started schooling just this year. I “home-schooled” her last year as I felt she was not yet ready to be in a formal school. We were successful at learning the colors, shapes and alphabet to name a few. But before we achieved that stage, M and I went through a lot. She is a very playful kid with very short attention span like any other kid. I, it is my first time to kick-start a child’s “formal” learning process. We did not go through such with A, our eldest, as she attended school at 2.8 years-old. So yeah, I always get “I am not yet done playing” when I tell her that it is study time, until maybe after six months.

Thankfully, my sister Toni, who is a pre-school teacher, is always there. She was the one who keeps on coaching me what to do and how to do it. She does so until now, on the sideline of her own classroom. Now, M, can already read CV syllables.

Recently, I read a Facebook post about what teachers do and how little they make. I was so teary-eyed while reading that post and just remembering it now makes my eyes cloudy. That post hit a spot. How can the people who give so much #husayatmalasakit be so neglected specially in this country?

Our teachers give their all each day as they enter their classrooms; exactly why they are called our children’s mom in school. They do not only teach our children academics, more importantly, they teach our children how to be good people, and I believe, they do so because they have so much malasakit and love for our children like we parents do. Have you ever seen a teacher who neglects a kid’s misbehavior? I have not. Have you seen a parent who ignores a child’s misbehavior? I have, many times, in varying cases. Actually, in this generation, there are a lot of instances when children behave better in school than when they are home.

I am so thankful to all the teachers out there for choosing their profession. For choosing to shape young minds and make a difference, in exchange of bright smiles, happy giggles, hugs and kisses.

Toni, like all the teachers I know, is my unsung hero. Because of her, I strive to be more patient when teaching A and M. She exercises patience when dealing with her students. How can I not do the same when I only have 2. I strive to be more understanding that lessons will not be learned when taught just once. I have to keep repeating until the lesson has been learned and I cannot give up, just like what teachers do. I strive to make learning fun in every way, giving all my creativity to it, just like what the teachers do, to make learning a positive memorable experience. Because of the teachers who strive to inculcate different values to our children, I as a parent, also strive to exercise those values for my children to see.

I really wish that teachers and the teaching profession will be given more attention because they have so much responsibility in their hands, specially here in the Philippines. Without them, who will help us shape young minds?

Proverbs 22:6 | Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.