That was the question I had to answer when I realized that I wanted to become an educator few months before I graduated from UP. At first, I wanted to become a lecturer in College but because I do not have a Master's Degree yet nor was I a Cum Laude it was not easy for a fresh graduate to be hired, so as soon as my baby-thesis was graded (meaning I will finally march on the stage to get my diploma) I enrolled in the Masters Program of History right before our graduation. I though this might give me a cutting edge. Some of my friends asked, What's the rush? Well for me I know wanted to finish as soon as possible, I wanted to become a professor someday. Now, where did teaching history come into the picture? Simultaneously I also applied for teaching positions in several preparatory schools for college. The application was very exciting for someone who was about to graduate the pursuit of a real job in the real world outside the comfort zone of our University. Then the good news came when I was hired to become a part of Miriam High school Faculty along with some of my friends. A well known preparatory school for young girls. Then it dawned on me, History, how shall i teach thee? After the excitement, the reality started sinking in, along with some of the responsibilities of being an educator. How can a fresh graduate like myself mold the young minds of my students? How do I balance learning and teaching.
First teaching job as a teacher at MCHS. I handled Sophomores
and taught Asian Civilizations
As College Instructor at San Beda College, Alabang. This was with my CMS students.
I handled freshmen students and taught Philippine History
The picture I had in mind was that learning and teaching is like peanut butter and jelly, like salt and pepper or maybe like black and white. Why? because they are two fields that complement each other. Yet along the process it can be very different from each other as well. Because what is interesting for the teacher may not be as interesting for the students, or what is interesting for the students may not always be as interesting for their teacher. Therefore I have to be creative and daring in order to keep the attention of my students. One thing that pains me at the beginning was the idea that my students think that History is a subject about memorizing events, about memorizing places and people hence they hated it. What antagonized me more was the idea that because they hated the subject they might hate me was well. Thankfully, for the past months that I have been teaching I can say that I was able to maintain a professional yet pleasing relationship with them.
In order to cumminicate History well with the students, it is important that the teacher also has a positive disposition towards the subject and I am happy and proud to say that I have learned to love History not because I find it easy but because it challenges me, it makes me learn from the past, apply it to the present and in the future.
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