A tribute to my mentors who have great impact in me.
It was my childhood dream to become a teacher. During my younger years or during my primary education, in almost every classroom you can read this line: “Be proud you are a teacher, the future depends in you”. Isn’t that a pride? Back then I would always play the teacher in our game with my cousins, I love checking their papers and put 100 as their mark.
As I grow up I realized how difficult it is to be a teacher, most especially if you are assigned in the mountain barangays like ours way back years ago, where there was only one passenger jeep that goes to town every Friday, therefore a teacher in our barangay could only spend Saturdays & Sundays at their home, technically you will leave your family behind. And such is a great sacrifice! I, then change my plan.
Top mentors who had helped me build my identity and my dreams:
- Mrs Deirdre Romarate Arias or simply our Maam Indai
She was my school adviser back in grade three and six. I thought after graduation our connection will stop there, but it didn’t. She helped us (top 5 in our class) apply for a scholarship program at a certain mining company in our town. She was really hands on with it, from our examination then to our interview. She shoulders all the expenses for our requirements and our food also when we stayed in their house prior to examination and interview. Luckily two of us pass the examination & interview and enjoyed the scholarship in high school (among the top 5 in our class, only three of us applied the scholarship).A big thank you Maam Indai. J
2. Sir Proceso Arias or Sir Procy
He was my fourth grade adviser who taught or shall I say give me an idea about computer, when I decided I don’t want to be a teacher anymore when I grow up.
One time in our English class on my fourth grade, we were told to write about our ambition in life for our formal theme. I thought, I don’t wanna be a teacher anymore, so I ask my teacher: Sir Proceso Arias what kind of profession that deals with computer ( note: I haven’t seen one yet that time, only heard it in a radio), then he said just write their computer programming. Without any knowledge of what course is, I wrote I want to be a computer programmer. (Sadly, I wasn’t able to realize that dream, but I did take up Computer Science when I studied in college.)
- Maam Marijean Inion
My class adviser when I was a sophomore student. It was a struggle year for me; it was when our family was on the rocks. There were times when I am physically present in her discussion but mentally absent. Thank God she was very understanding to me.
- Maam Leonarda Ompoc
My teacher in my first grade. Way back in grade one, I was really hard headed, and the most talkative in class but when asked to read so quite (unfortunately because I don’t know how to read..hehe). She really disciplined not only me but the whole class. Now as I look back I am astonished of her technique in handling pupils; imagine teaching two levels in the same classroom. True! She handled grade one and 2 at that time. After our afternoon meal, we are not allowed to play outside, commanded us to practice reading, the grade two pupils will teach the grade one.
Thank you for that discipline Maam Ompoc!
I must say, I was so blessed to have them as my teacher who does not only taught us with our school lessons but also encourage us to dream by sharing us their life and what they had been through to become our teacher. Thanks for that inspiration, it was indeed a great help especially to me. Living in a mountain barangay is no heaven, for us to be in school we had to walk at least 2km everyday, but we made it through the help of our dearest teachers.
HAPPY TEACHERS’ MONTH! A STANDING OVATION TO ALL OF YOU!
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