WHY TEACHING?

I always ponder about my purpose; what should I do for the next chapter of my life? Should I be that wealthy person? And by wealthy, I mean billionaire. But no, I am not that type of person. Should I be that normal person who in his 30’s settle and have a family? Again, no. That is so boring. I have nothing against those who choose to have a normal life. But then again, I wanted to pursue something significant, something impactful, and something that would help better my understanding of life. These words are so cliché to people who are still in this position, who still do not see their direction in life. I am one of them. That is why I wanted to enter other doors that welcome me, and I see teaching as one.

To elaborate, I shall discuss my reasons for choosing teaching as a path according to its three concepts: profession, vocation, and mission.

Profession

Practically speaking, teaching is an excellent career to pursue since, as professionals, teachers are being paid good salary grades. There are excellent chances for the Licensure Exam for Teachers (LET) passers to get a job since demand and the number of schools are high. And as Political Science students, teaching careers could be a great option for us, as we are also trained to serve the public for the welfare and development of society, which brings me to the next reason: as a vocation.

Vocation

Teaching is not just about the career per se, but it is about one’s commitment to educate and be the instrument of learning. Not seeing teaching as a vocation could significantly affect the commitments of the teachers as well as their purpose. Because if one’s perspective only revolved around teaching as a source of income, the essence of becoming a teacher (to inspire, to make your students learn, and to help them beyond academic purposes) will not manifest and will not develop. As for my perspective, one shall connect profession and purpose in life to attain your mission.

Mission

Teaching is a very wholesome job. Teaching is not just about being able to mold the behavior or cognitive capacity of learners but also creating a stepping stone for them to achieve their purpose in life. What has been portrayed in tv shows or mainstream media is the ideal picture of being a teacher. Still, I am also aware of what has been happening to the education system, especially in the Philippines. And I think that is my main drive in pursuing this career. I always wanted to make an impact on people, and that is something I always see to the teachers of remote or far-flung areas. Something that is not normal and something that would teach me what life is all about. As a future political scientist and educator, I want to see myself pursuing this mission of changing society starting from the grassroots. And I think my characteristics as a political scientist of the 21st century are not enough without proper training of teaching to attain excellence.