THE JOYS OF TEACHING

 From square one, this idea was a means to an end.  I never aspired to be a teacher nor did I believe I would ever truly enjoy doing it.  But, I wanted to travel and to live in foreign countries.  I shocked myself when I found that I actually enjoyed it more than I ever expected.

I would describe teaching as rewarding, challenging, frustrating, and disappointing.  If you’re a teacher, you probably have this smug look on your face, smiling, because you know already exactly why I’ve chosen these four adjectives.  If you’re not a teacher, let me explain.

 I never taught and was given no time to work things out on my own.  At the time, I felt like I was drowning. Now I realize it was a blessing that my two students were as new and as fresh as me.

Teaching is rewarding when each week, during my lesson, I able to see what my students have learned in the small amount of time i’ve spent with them.

My Japanese student Adrian (Japanese Student) came into my class not knowing anything.  Literally.  The first week(s) I taught him how to say “Hello, how are you?”, “My name is….”, “I’m ten years old”.  Over one exhausting months I taught him these basic phrases, numbers, colors, and animals.  This wasn’t enough time to have my students throwing temper tantrums in English, but it was enough for him to go to the zoo and tell him the names of the animals and whether or not those animals can run, jump, swim, or fly.

The moments when my student stops asking for my help to spell “elephant” or he finally ask to go to the bathroom in English, with correct grammar, rather than grunting and pointing is an indescribably rewarding moment.  

This moment is very personal, and can’t really be shared with anyone, except for maybe the teacher in the classroom next door trying to accomplish the same thing. My students are too young to realize they couldn’t say these simple things only a few months prior, but I see it, and it makes me proud.

With my youngest students, everything he say, spell, do, read, and know is from me. I’m so proud of my students and the ideas he can express when I consider he could barely tell me how old he is.  Teaching is the most rewarding work experience I’ve encountered.

Being a teacher is challenging each and every day because students don’t give you anything.

They’re not there to help you.  They sit, and wait, for you to give them something meaningful. It’s up to you to provide something worthwhile.  Beginning a lesson with a set of new vocabulary or with complicated grammar rules generally send back some lost, confused, mouth gaping, empty expressions.

The quick realization that it is now my responsibility to not only describe and explain the new concepts, but that I also have to bring them to a deep enough understanding that they are then able to independently use this new information in the future is enough to make my head spin just planning the lesson.  Being a teacher is rewarding when i realize the successes at the end of a long day, but to bring my students to this point of success is the most difficult task I’ve ever faced.

When i was standing in front of them, i see a lot of things.  My studenyante ako na lazy magsulat at magbasa sabihin nya pagod na sya, hungry, or distracted, and bihira lang mg-eager and willing na mag-aral . Minsan they learn by doing, sometimes by listening, sometimes by speaking aloud and learning from their mistakes, and still they want to learn most through writing.  Working with two different nationality of students in one environment is often frustrating more than anything.  It’s impossible to meet everyone’s needs as you feel you should.

They don’t feel frustrated, but you sure do trying to be exactly what each student needs at the time they need it.

After teaching the same students for an extended period of time, I started to grow emotionally attached to some of them.  I looked forward to seeing them each week and I thoroughly enjoyed teaching them as they often made my job easy.  Then it was time for me to leave.  Do adults engrain their relationships a little deeper than young children, or is this a personal trait?  When it was time to say goodbye, I didn’t know what to say or how to handle myself.

It was difficult for me to let go, but the students didn’t seem to have any qualms about it. 

They wrote me adorable little notes saying thank you and that I was “the best English teacher they’ve ever had”, napakasarap pakinggan mula sa aking studyante.

Teaching is rewarding.  It’s challenging.  Frustrating is often an understatement.  Letting go is especially difficult on the few days i've faced with it.  Whether it’s an room or classroom, it doesn’t matter, the job i have as a teacher is anything but easy.  But, in reality, none of this matters.  I’ve barely begun my life in the work force and I can tell you now, teaching may be one of the most influential, life altering positions I could have ever accepted.

My Japanese Student

My Korean Student