Of wider eyes and open doors

       In my previous blog entries, I have mentioned several times as to how I got myself in the education field. This particular experience of mine was really something I could relate to the philosophy of progressivism. Since progressive schools arose from a rebellion against traditional or bookish schooling for it wanted to go against rote memorization, routines and authoritarian management, I saw myself right away in progressivism’s shoes upon reflecting.

       They say that you are your parents’ fruit, pride and joy, but in my case, I could say that I was my parents’ “little me”; my parents’ expected me to become “them”. Both of my parents are in the field of accounting and are working in the banking industry. As far as I could remember, I didn’t really hate math when I was young because hate would be such a strong word to use. I disliked math eventhough I did pretty well in this subject in school. I guess it would be safer to say that I was more interested with subjects other than Math and not to mention, performed better on any subject without numbers of any sort. To add up to this, I had the quiet/snobbish personality when I was a kid. I wasn’t really much of a “people person” like other young children, which I think made my parents hope more that someday I will pursue the same career as them since it was somehow within my personality and abilities.

       I won’t deny that there were a few instances when I tried imagining myself being and working in the same field as my parents. The picture that I created in my mind was that I was working in a quiet office, sitting on my comfortable chair and working all day facing my laptop. It all looked so plain and boring to me. I’m not judging office jobs in any sense but I just think that it isn’t really my thing because it feels such a routinary and tedious job. This is why, maybe, I got into the field of education. I wanted to be part of something dynamic, ever changing, hands-on and interactive. These words perfectly describe progressivism. In its very essence, it is progressing, neither stagnant nor dormant. As I continue to ponder on whether I will strive to be in the teaching force for the rest of my career or venture into another profession, I think the theory of progressivism will always remind me as to what I really wanted.

 Osman (my Grade 3 student) and I

  With Razaq and Rauf (Kinder students)

With Jenera (Prep student)

       I know that I don’t want to go to work everyday feeling like I’m on a routine, that I always have to do step one first, then step two and so forth, and repeat the whole process when I report to work the next day. I know that I want a job where I could express myself more freely, be dynamic, and most of all, I hold great interest in. I want to go to work everyday having fun and not thinking that “I’m working just for the money”. I want a job that speaks to me in a voice that says “I go to school everyday because I love teaching and learning from my students”. As you could see, I look really happy in those photos above :) I know that staying and being in the education field will open a lot of doors for me in the future, especially now that I am pursuing my graduate studies in Ateneo. Perhaps not now, since I’m still in the process of adjusting for it’s just my first year of teaching, but I know it will get me far, and I strongly believe in that.

Quest for Self-Definition

Here are the photos that I promised. These were the students I was talking about on my last blog post:)

Here are Bibbo, Carter, Jasser (all Grade 1 students)

and their Adviser, Teacher Reyn

Here's a photo of me with Bibbo and Carter :)

       Okay, so now let me go on with my next blog post. Upon reading and learning more about Existentialism, I realized a lot of things and more thoughts came into my mind. These lines struck me most: "Man alone is responsible for his self-definition." and "Man's quest for self-definition is through CHOICE."

       While we were having our discussion on Existentialism in class, I was already thinking as to how I would write this blog post. One of the realizations that I had in trying to answer my question was that, the moment I got in the Education program, I knew that it was MY CHOICE to be there. I cannot blame anyone else for that choice, for no one forced me to make it and that it was MY CHOICE ALONE. So I guess it's up to me now to make meaning out of the choice I've made: and that is to become a teacher.

         It also came to me that whatever choices we make in life, we are responsible to find meaning in them. Finding meaning in things means that we have to value the choices that we make in our lives, and I could relate that to my teaching career. Given that I have already made my choice and I'm already in the teaching profession, it is my opportunity now to make the most out of my choices. Valuing and finding meaning in teaching can only be done if I'll put effort in "self-defining" myself as a teacher. In relation to my last blog post, I thought that maybe I could start working on my "self-definition" with my students and how I relate with them. And when I mean "my students", not only those who are easy to teach and manage but also those difficult ones. Maybe in this way, I could slowly realize that I have made the right choice and find essence in what I'm doing.

           How about you? How do you think you could define your own self and find meaning and essence in your chosen profession?