The Kind of Teacher I Aspire to Be

"Scientia potentia est" (Knowledge is power) - Francis Bacon

True enough, knowledge really is power. It is very evident with today's innovation in different sectors which helps every community worldwide. On the personal level, knowledge can make you become who you want to be, it helps you to have a voice, and it gives you so much opportunity to help others. That is why I want to become a teacher; I want to empower others, especially the future generation, by instilling the proper and enough knowledge that will sharpen their minds. While the future is in the next generation's hands, the foundation in making the future good is in the hands of the teachers. Hence, I need to be equipped with certain qualities to become "that teacher."

A teacher that I aspire to be.

I want to carry the qualities of a globally competent, innovative, inspiring, ethical, and law-abiding teacher.  These qualities are vital to fulfilling the standards mentioned in the PPST or the Philippine Professional Standards for Teacher that explains the detailed and intricate qualities that every professional teacher must possess. On the other hand, I know that these qualities are hyper idealistic views of becoming a teacher since, first and foremost, teachers are also human; they commit mistakes. However, this shall not stop us from pursuing development either on work ethics or personality. Needless to say, as teachers, as we aspire to become better professionals, we shall not forget our core on pursuing this career because, at the end of the day, our purpose and passion will be the driving force to commit to this career. As I aspire to become a better professional, I will uphold the values I learned from the university, compassion, and missionary principles. And this brings me to the remarkable characteristics that I want my students to remember.

I liked to be remembered as:

1. A teacher who always cares for the well-being, especially the mental health of students;

2. A teacher who considers different opinions, views, and perspectives on specific issues or topics;

3. A kind teacher.

These characteristics are the ones that make me remember my teachers, and I will always maintain that these are the qualities that I want to possess. I believe that the excellent qualities of the teacher do not just lie in their academic and professional achievement; these are attached to the behavioral and interpersonal aspects of teaching. I am not saying that professional qualities shall be sacrificed over anything else, such as behavior; I am saying that the balance between personality and professional qualities shall be maintained. And I think I would rather become an inspirational and motivational teacher than possess all the standards of professionalism without having the principle of compassion. Having said those statements, I know that working towards fulfilling development has its own hurdles and struggles.

How should I work?

Dedication and passion are not enough to fulfill all these qualities. Practically speaking, I need a stable financial status to continue developing in my profession; literally, nothing in this world comes free. Another struggle could be the “existential crisis” that is very uncontrollable, especially for students and other young professionals. Nevertheless, I believe that struggles are inevitable, and it depends on us, on how we shall deal with those problems.

To fulfill professional qualities, I will continue engaging myself with learning, may it be in pursuing a master's or Ph.D. or attending seminars and other events that could help me attain the necessary knowledge to develop. Also, I wanted to earn work experiences from the international community, either directly in my field or any other connected jobs available, because I know that nothing beats an experienced teacher.

In the end, I believe that the harder the work gets, the more fulfilling we could feel. As Theodore Roosevelt said,

“Nothing worth having comes easy.”