Gud2No

I LOVE MY CHILD AND MY TEACHERS

The recent and continuing fuss about a sensationalized case of a teacher who let a student stand outside the classroom to correct a misbehavior, has somehow compelled me to give my unwarranted (maybe unimportant) one cent of idea.

I am both a teacher and a parent. However, I don't see any point or any valid ground to bring such case over a TV program for the viewers to feast upon. I'll touch not on the grounds why the anchor acted in a way dislakable, but on the merits of values surrounding the reason why it was brought upon in the first place.

As parents, we should know that sometimes the set of behavior that our children display at home (that the child is silent, meek, mild and obedient) might not be the same set of behaviors he/she displays at school. It is sometimes a fact that what we see on the child at home may surprisingly be a bit or completely different of what he/she displays at school. Thus, we sometimes say or hear parents say, "Hindi naman po sya ganyan sa bahay, eh."

As a parent, it may be embarrassing to me to see my child or hear my child being scolded or punished at school. At first, I might rush to the school and confront the teacher why such was done. However, I understand the fact that teachers don't resort to such measures if matters are still controllable. It is even embarrassing to know if my child has displayed erratic behaviors at school, putting my stature as a parent to question. Personal questions such as, "Have I brought up this child the way he/she should be?" or, "Have I failed in my part of instilling values to my child?"

As a teacher (though my teaching stint is quite short-lived), I wouldn't resort to such kind of measures if everything in the classroom is still controllable. Teaching is not just about imparting what you know, especially when you are in the public school system. Imagine teaching 50 to 70 students, with tons of upbringing styles, with different learning curves, with different behaviors both good and bad, in one classroom, every day, for the rest of the day and for the rest of the school year. If parents cannot perform instilling to them values, the burden now goes to the teacher whom the students get to see 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. I always believe that whatever you display outside of home, is definitely influenced (if not developed) inside of home.

The thing about harassing the teacher, even threatening of license removal, does not compensate the teacher's concern to correct a child's misbehavior.

Our current educational system and education laws put too much of entitlement to the learners. However, our educators get a little to none of sympathy and protection. One cannot become whoever he/she is today without a teacher, whether from a formal or informal education set up. The years that the teachers spent learning all those theories, laws, and skills to teach is at the brink of complete disregard if we support this kind of public exposure and shaming.

Charity begins at home, so the saying goes.

There's always a proper forum for everything, and it takes a conscientious mind to tap on the available avenue to bring upon our concerns and even grievances. Bringing things to the national podium, letting people see our vulnerabilities, and unruffling our derailed values, defeats the purpose of employing curative actions to this ailing society.

I love my child and I love teachers. But I don't dare condoning my child's erratic behavior any less just for her to become a worthy part of the society.

Sometimes life brings us the most painful experience, not to hurt us but to let us ponder and learn.

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