Mr. Toastmasters, ladies and gentlemen:
Good evening!
Imagine yourself entering a room with more than 30 people inside. At the back of the room you see handsome twins dancing the remix of the most popular dance music. A group of five are playing game cards. A girl runs after a boy teasing her. Some others pillowed the arm of their chairs wetting it in the process. Except for a moustached guy who since you entered the room examined you from head to toe, to everyone you are invisible.
You are invisible, until a paper plane landed on your shoulder.
Mr toastmasters, ladies and gentlemen, It was Wednesday, October 16, 1996 when I entered that classroom—my first day day in teaching. On that day alone, so many ugly things happened from one room to another. So much to convince me that a teacher is either a fool or a martyr.
Ladies and gentlemen, I will spare you from hearing the other ugly things. I am here to tell you why, after eight years, I am still a high school teacher. I have so many reasons, but due to time constrains, I will share few three reasons for this evening.
A teacher encourages you to give your best shot!.
There was a speech choir contest in the school billed “best of the best”. For the students, specially those belonging to the first section, what is at stake is pride. There were two speech choir contest events before this big one. The first section of the seniors almost got a perfect score the first time. So, this time, everyone is just aiming for the second prize. The juniors, especially the first section, does not believe that they can win.In the last contest, they were beaten by the last section which I coached. They have to fight. The school forced them. They got me to coach them.
With three weeks to go before the contest, I told them that the best way for them to win is to fight as a batch. One team for one batch. While the best of the seniors were perfecting their piece, I was conducting an audition for the third year. I told them that we shall use the piece “I am a Filipino” of Carlos P Romulo previously use by the first section. The students protested, they said it was not a good piece. I told them “we shall interpret it in a new way.”
I updated the essay. Romulo ended his in our liberation from the japanese. I continued the story. I added the first quarter storm, the martial law, and the march of the people towards EDSA.
I have to make the students believe that what we are doing is not just for pride, not just for winning. Whatever we do, we do it to undestand to have a beeter view of ourselves.
So instead of practicing at once, I lectured them on the history of the Philippines. They have to undestand everything before they can internalize a role. They have to know the feeling of a peace –loving native when the conquerors went inside his house, plundered their cofffers, raped his mother and sisters, and killed his father. A girl has to feel the suffering of the nun when the japanese soldiers, one after the other, shattered her purity and dreams. They have to understand why the mass has to rally against its leaders and eventually toppled down the dictatorship. They have to understand why they have to present the piece to the people.
After three weeks of daily practice, sometimes ending until 8 pm, the morning of the contest came. I requested the students not to watch the other groups. They will be the last to present. I ask them to always be together. Not to practice anymore but just to be together in a room.
I have seen everything. True to expectation all the five groups were great. The seniors were even better than the first time. When it was about time for the group to present, I told them that whatever will be the result of the contest, they have already won. The lessons that we learned together as a team is bigger than the trophy they will receive. For more than anyone else, they know that this will be an expereince we shall never forget. “just give it your best shot! Then we prayed.
I cannot tell you how they presented, ladies and gentlemen. I can only say that the audience laughed, fell into complete silence, cried, felt pride when the students sang the national anthem in Spanish, English, then in Filipino. The students recived the standing ovation they never expected.
Just give it your best shot! Until now ladies and gentlemen, every time I meet any of the student who was in that group still remembers it. Just give it your best shot! Every time we are together, say in a birthday party of one, they would always talk about what and how it happened. They never get tired of it. Because we all know, on that they, we had proven that is an opinion, not a fact. It is an illusion, not a reality. Whe someone gives his best shot, impossible becomes nothing.
After the result of the contest was announced, it was the student’s time to cry. Their parents, who for so many times discouraged them to attend our practices, embraced their children, so much proud of what they have seen. I, too, am so proud of them.
Since October 16, 1996 until June 14, 2004, ladies and gentlemen, I have seen a thousand of ugly things about teaching. Maybe, more than enough for other souls to search for another profession. I am not saying that the other profession is less noble. Much more, I am not saying that I am one of the greatest teacher you have ever seen. Far from it ladies and gentlemen.
What I have been saying is this: I am a teacher because I am a molder of dreams. I make every student reach hope for tomorrow by believing today. I did not write a book. I did not command an army. I did not I did not build an empire. I did not do those things which accompany greatness.
I, like your teachers of long ago, see not the coal, but the diamond in each of the students. These diamonds are my reasons to stay teaching in high school.
Jef Menguin
Jef Menguin facilitates people skills seminars and teambuilding and leadership workshops in Metro Manila, Philippines. Visit his website at http://jefmenguin.com to learn more about his seminars.
Good evening!
Imagine yourself entering a room with more than 30 people inside. At the back of the room you see handsome twins dancing the remix of the most popular dance music. A group of five are playing game cards. A girl runs after a boy teasing her. Some others pillowed the arm of their chairs wetting it in the process. Except for a moustached guy who since you entered the room examined you from head to toe, to everyone you are invisible.
You are invisible, until a paper plane landed on your shoulder.
Mr toastmasters, ladies and gentlemen, It was Wednesday, October 16, 1996 when I entered that classroom—my first day day in teaching. On that day alone, so many ugly things happened from one room to another. So much to convince me that a teacher is either a fool or a martyr.
Ladies and gentlemen, I will spare you from hearing the other ugly things. I am here to tell you why, after eight years, I am still a high school teacher. I have so many reasons, but due to time constrains, I will share few three reasons for this evening.
A teacher encourages you to give your best shot!.
There was a speech choir contest in the school billed “best of the best”. For the students, specially those belonging to the first section, what is at stake is pride. There were two speech choir contest events before this big one. The first section of the seniors almost got a perfect score the first time. So, this time, everyone is just aiming for the second prize. The juniors, especially the first section, does not believe that they can win.In the last contest, they were beaten by the last section which I coached. They have to fight. The school forced them. They got me to coach them.
With three weeks to go before the contest, I told them that the best way for them to win is to fight as a batch. One team for one batch. While the best of the seniors were perfecting their piece, I was conducting an audition for the third year. I told them that we shall use the piece “I am a Filipino” of Carlos P Romulo previously use by the first section. The students protested, they said it was not a good piece. I told them “we shall interpret it in a new way.”
I updated the essay. Romulo ended his in our liberation from the japanese. I continued the story. I added the first quarter storm, the martial law, and the march of the people towards EDSA.
I have to make the students believe that what we are doing is not just for pride, not just for winning. Whatever we do, we do it to undestand to have a beeter view of ourselves.
So instead of practicing at once, I lectured them on the history of the Philippines. They have to undestand everything before they can internalize a role. They have to know the feeling of a peace –loving native when the conquerors went inside his house, plundered their cofffers, raped his mother and sisters, and killed his father. A girl has to feel the suffering of the nun when the japanese soldiers, one after the other, shattered her purity and dreams. They have to understand why the mass has to rally against its leaders and eventually toppled down the dictatorship. They have to understand why they have to present the piece to the people.
After three weeks of daily practice, sometimes ending until 8 pm, the morning of the contest came. I requested the students not to watch the other groups. They will be the last to present. I ask them to always be together. Not to practice anymore but just to be together in a room.
I have seen everything. True to expectation all the five groups were great. The seniors were even better than the first time. When it was about time for the group to present, I told them that whatever will be the result of the contest, they have already won. The lessons that we learned together as a team is bigger than the trophy they will receive. For more than anyone else, they know that this will be an expereince we shall never forget. “just give it your best shot! Then we prayed.
I cannot tell you how they presented, ladies and gentlemen. I can only say that the audience laughed, fell into complete silence, cried, felt pride when the students sang the national anthem in Spanish, English, then in Filipino. The students recived the standing ovation they never expected.
Just give it your best shot! Until now ladies and gentlemen, every time I meet any of the student who was in that group still remembers it. Just give it your best shot! Every time we are together, say in a birthday party of one, they would always talk about what and how it happened. They never get tired of it. Because we all know, on that they, we had proven that is an opinion, not a fact. It is an illusion, not a reality. Whe someone gives his best shot, impossible becomes nothing.
After the result of the contest was announced, it was the student’s time to cry. Their parents, who for so many times discouraged them to attend our practices, embraced their children, so much proud of what they have seen. I, too, am so proud of them.
Since October 16, 1996 until June 14, 2004, ladies and gentlemen, I have seen a thousand of ugly things about teaching. Maybe, more than enough for other souls to search for another profession. I am not saying that the other profession is less noble. Much more, I am not saying that I am one of the greatest teacher you have ever seen. Far from it ladies and gentlemen.
What I have been saying is this: I am a teacher because I am a molder of dreams. I make every student reach hope for tomorrow by believing today. I did not write a book. I did not command an army. I did not I did not build an empire. I did not do those things which accompany greatness.
I, like your teachers of long ago, see not the coal, but the diamond in each of the students. These diamonds are my reasons to stay teaching in high school.
Jef Menguin
Jef Menguin facilitates people skills seminars and teambuilding and leadership workshops in Metro Manila, Philippines. Visit his website at http://jefmenguin.com to learn more about his seminars.
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