I woke up with the above image post on my Facebook wall and with kisses from my boys, synchronize kissing me on either cheeks with a Happy World Teachers Day greeting! I sure had a great morning and I drank it all in with the breakfast prepared for me. 🙂 Then I saw tweets from friends and loved ones! I am extremely grateful that God has allowed for us to homeschool my son. Nevermind if this means that I practically threw my professional teacher license down the drain. Because we all know that Home Education does not require a parent to be a licensed teacher. Some see it as a sacrifice, but I see it as an opportunity, a privilege even, that I get to have first hand influence on my own son’s education. How cool is that?

In all those two decades of being in school, there is no doubt, the influence my former teachers had on me is huge. Let me start off with my worst recollection of being treated really bad by a teacher. I’m not surprised that amongst all the teachers I had, her name rings the loudest – Mrs. Nogra, she did not just bully me into thinking that even if I recite the right answer, I’m still no good. I was in Grade 2 or 3 back then. She also repeatedly said that what I have is a roach’s voice (boses ipis). The things she did crushed my little girl’s heart and self esteem all right. But unconsciously I find myself wanting to prove  to her that she’s so wrong. Not a good motivator for a grade schooler, all right. Precisely why even as I am now a professional teacher myself, I vowed never to do that to anyone within the circle of my influence.

Then there came great teachers, starting off with Ms. Muncada. My English teacher back in late grade school or early middle school, I forget. Ms. Muncada was the most encouraging teacher I had back then. Redeeming me from that bad early grade school experience with the other teacher.

Makes me think, teachers who we allow to surround our children within their grade and middle school years have the most impact on our children’s lives. At least, this was how it was for me. Good or bad, I still have my former teachers to thank. You had your own lives apart from teaching, this I now know. But keeping in mind the impact of our influence to our students is always a good place to start and end our teaching professions with – from one teacher to another. 🙂

Happy World Teachers’ Day, Teachers!