On Being A Teacher

I've been teaching for a little more than four years. And I'm still loving it. My first year was a blast. "I was born to teach." That I held in my heart. I was so fired up! Every moment was as if living a dream. Standing in a room filled with hungry minds just made me so eager to be at my best always. The styles of teaching and the values I learned from my teachers were my weapons. I had nothing more. And as the years passed, I learned how to be a teacher on my own.

But those four years were not all shining moments. There was one year (the 3rd year) when I questioned this path. I got tired. I got so used up that I thought the best thing was to give up and find another career as early as then so I wouldn't have to regret sticking to something I don't really love.

Those were dark times. I didn't find any joy in anything. In the classroom. In making my lessons, exams, grades. Everything seemed to be a burden. It was hard waking up in the morning. I always had my shoulders sagged and my feet seemed to be very heavy when it was time to go to work. I was always wishing for holidays. I had several plans of skipping classes. I was deeply convincing myself that it was for me but I found no affirmation at all. My heart was so dry for teaching.

I didn't know exactly what was the turning point of loving it back. But I'm so glad I'm loving it back! :) Now, I again am saying, "I was born to be a teacher." Now, I am better! :)

1. I prepare my lessons well and so ahead of time.
2. I'm looking for ways to make my students enjoy my class, learn my lessons, and not just learn them but retain them.
3. It's not about what I know but how I am able to make them know.
4. It's how I love math that I'm able to make them love it also.
5. It's how I value my profession so they'll be inspired to be educators, too.
6. I always make sure that I start my day right so I'll feel good about myself and that I can share the joyful experience with my students.

My fulfillment as a teacher is that my students would go out of my classroom with a smile in their hearts and that they'll desire to come back the next meeting not because they have to but because they'd love to.