Paying tribute to teachers of the 21st century

It is that time of the year when schools in the Philippines and around the world come together to honor teachers. Students from private and public schools are planning for programs and other surprises, parents and faculty officers meet and prepare for teacher celebration gatherings. While all of these are ongoing, I can’t help but ask myself the question, “How do we truly honor our teachers of the 21st century?”

The teaching profession. By virtue of the Republic Act No. 7836 which is known as the Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994, the state recognizes the vital role of teachers in nation-building and development through a responsible and literate citizenry. The noble mission of preparing and shaping the minds of the youth to be the next torchbearer of the society is a heavy task because knowing that being an educator, no matter what level you teach, entails doing things such as taking the role of a teacher, a guidance counselor, a nurse, a writer, a sports coach, and being a parent. Because of these noble and varying roles, teachers are treated with high regard.

The challenge of being a teacher in the 21st century. Teaching in the present is indeed challenging. Before, you only had to deal with teaching the lesson and how to deepen the students’ learning experiences about the topic. Now, with the volume of paper works and other ancillary tasks that we teachers needed to accomplish and submit, it is becoming next to impossible to enjoy the vocation we once dreamed of having. Next, the challenge to create a learning environment which aligns to the 21st-century educational requirements can also prove to be very difficult. Teachers needed to improvise from what they have or worse use the money out of their own pockets to provide for the instructional materials they will need to make learning more relevant and exciting. In addition, and this is really very important, the evolving behavior and attitude of the learners are becoming a threat to our job should we deal with a classroom situation in a way that will make us appear the ultimate oppressor of the student whom we just wanted to discipline and train well. Further, the advent of technological advancements like taking of videos can put us teachers in a difficult situation especially if a video footage is taken where we appear to be abusing our authorities.

The diaspora of teachers. Since the 2010s, a great number of Filipino teachers are seeking employment abroad. The reason to go abroad for teachers are different from one another. There are those who leave the Philippines for a greener pasture, and there are those who just wanted to have an adventure. They are offered better compensation packages for the same service they offer here in our home country. Countries like, the United States, China, Canada, Indonesia, and UAE are some of the favorite destinations for teaching opportunities. Teachers who wish to teach abroad have the same sentiments which are opportunity to receive a competitive pay, better benefits, and most importantly a conducive working environment. The promise of bringing their family abroad is also one of the many things that entice our heroes to render their valuable service abroad.

The attempt to improve working conditions. We are grateful to the present administration’s promulgation and the signing of the Executive Order No. 64, s. 2024 which updates the salary schedule for civilian government personnel and authorizing the grant of an additional allowance, and for other purposes. This executive order gradually increases the public school teachers’ pay following a four-tranche schedule. We also welcome the increase in the chalk allowance which we can use to buy the materials needed to improve the way we teach.

Finally, saying “Thank you teachers” can be done in many ways and not just the usual programs and tangible gifts we usually receive and enjoy. A simple genuine appreciation by way of gratitude and acknowledgment will go a long way and can be something that can be sweet and memorable. First, the Department of Education may continuously propose and implement policies which will help alleviate the burden of our teachers, like those brought about by too much paperwork. Next, I recommend teachers be given more venue where they can air their concerns so that pressing issues pertaining to their workloads may be given workable and practical solutions. Third, seminar-workshops and other fora and programs with the objective to help teachers cope with their stress and problems be prioritized. Finally, we welcome the proposal to provide financial assistance to teachers who wish to pursue their graduate degrees. We have to make sure that we are taking care of the very beacon of light of our country so that the future generations will always find their way to a successful and meaningful life. With these in mind, I join the nation in greeting my fellow teachers around the country a Happy Teachers’ Month. Mabuhay ang gurong Filipino!

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Reynald Alfred A. Recede is a master teacher I at Marikina High School.