An essay by Teacher Maybele L. Roa of Nangka High School, Nangka, Marikina City
Even as a child, my older siblings always told me that I’m always curious, a wonder kid, always asking why this and why that, earning my monicker, the Bakit girl in the house. “Are all ladybugs red only?”, “Why we get weak when we don’t eat?, “What happens when we drink softdrinks?” were some questions asked by a five-year old me, that left my family also wondering if I AM really just a kid then. Perhaps, just a “smart” egg among the brood, they say.
Fast forward to high school, my interests go merely beyond the Streptococcus, valence electrons, black hole, and acceleration I heard of. Thanks to my Science (Biology) teacher who shook the life in me, no pun intended. By college, I become a certified Bio-kid, what my block mates used to call ourselves, being Biology majors. A medical degree flew in a farther distance, dragged by financial constraints. Education dropped by to say hello, stayed for good, promised adaptability, therefore, license was on the line. English subject was my first love, but Science became my great constant, so I pursued the latter. Years later as a teacher, seeing the curious, “scientific” looks in my learners brought back the memories of probably how I looked like then. Knowing that my students learn, ask questions, smile after the answers, and that crumpled look of asking question again about the why’s, the wonders, and when they can wander the world, made me realized that I got my career right- being a Science teacher.
Teaching STEM, specifically Science in the Philippines is quite challenging. Motivations are always chased and nurtured, while goals are listed and gazed upon, up until its fruition. Lack of resources improved my creativity. Students’ comprehension is a standard to meet, therefore, unpacking of misconceptions are laid on the table, and labeled for its applications in life.
Our education system may still be experiencing “birth pains” when it comes to Science and Technology, but I’m optimistic that we are getting there. I’m using this optimism to at least deliver my daily teaching goals to the best I can and I have. My current environment is both enabling and limiting. Enabling in such a way it pushes me to seek, collaborate, and engage to other Science teachers for other effective teaching strategies. Somehow, creating professional connections are bonus. I make use of the available resources that we have or resort to alternatives. And whenever I saw that my students appreciated my effort for preparation and learned very well, everything is so worth it. I’m always looking forward to every single day of teaching. Every moment of my teaching life is also a learning experience for me. I emphasized to my students that I, too, can learn from them as well. And more than the topics we are discussing, I want to impart valuable lessons and life-long skills they can practically use. Those are, I think, enough motivations for me to be an educator.
On the other hand, my environment can be limiting too. First, a family support at my students’ end is quite challenging. Most of them come from poor families, living in slum areas, where majority of the people did not finish their studies. I have stories of abuse that hamper my student’s concentration while studying, lest her safety. It’s also very common to have working students, that greatly affect my student’s performance in school, because he is either too tired from work; or no salary, hence, no fare or baon. I accepted that these are way beyond my control, but I always assure them that they can count on me, to whatever help they need, in a way that I can. My students can depend on me giving encouraging words, up to sharing my food or materials with them whenever possible. Second challenge that I encounter is I guess the dilemma of any Science teacher: exposure to international standards of teaching Science along with the equipment and place needed to execute such lessons. Simple trip to planetarium or field study, or anything that needs to go beyond the four-sided classroom are met by various requirements. Mind you, in our school’s population of at least 2,000, we only have one laboratory room, cramped with materials. And we are not yet talking about a space supposedly for, say, specimen collection, or area for Investigatory Project. But I will not lose hope, and I will try to work out some things one at a time. Third, it’s about our curriculum, specifically in Senior High School. I’m not sure if there is duration for the curriculum to change in certain number of years, but I just hope that our education department thoroughly consider the teachers’ evaluation of topics. We, the teachers, are the so-called front liners in delivering the lesson; therefore, we have the say which topics should be emphasized to attain the learning competencies for effective learning. And whenever these challenges are coming up, I just look at my students or to their outputs and remember the precious learning time that we had and will have.
My dream for every Filipino STEM teachers is worldwide collaboration and opportunity, and flexible curriculum. Our society is changing so fast that we need to cope up, much more, to the demands of the world. Filipinos’ ingenuity, diligence, open-mindedness are already there, but we need a ground for exploration of what we can do more, what we can achieve more. STEM teachers never run out of Bakit list themselves, for example, “why am I still teaching?” or “what on Earth am I here for?” Just kidding . And in order to address a thousand and one why’s of their learners, STEM teachers should be steadfast in upholding the wonder of curiosity, and wander on everything around them, which they can pass on to their learners who look upon them like constellations in the sky.
Hypothetically, I will choose myself to be my loved ones’ science teacher. Modesty aside, I see myself as one happy, energetic teacher. And I guess the universe conspire me to be such. I believe in the power of positivity in a learning space. I throw some hugot lines every now and then, or thoughts to ponder, and relate it to our lesson. Your crush is not an axis, thus, your world should not rotate only for them. Or, life is like a tide, it has its high and low. Some laughs won’t hurt a bit if placed accordingly. Of course attaining the learning objectives is very important, but I also accentuated values and practical applications. I just want my students to see Science as fun, useful, and memorable.
As any ordinary educator, I still have my low points, if that’s what you called it. I’m being meticulous to students’ outputs because I want to accelerate their capabilities which sometimes they are not aware of. I’m particular to timeliness, because time is so precious to do other important things which can lead them to a greater distance. I still have a fair share of sermon, because a diamond needs sharpening in order for its brilliance to shine.
I’m lucky enough to have my ikigai: I love teaching, and I’m passionate about teaching and learning Science which I believe I’m good at. What the world needs is a compassionate teacher which I maintain to be. I have a stable profession, a fulfilling vocation that make my life more meaningful, probably answering my previous why I’m still teaching. Yes, I’m far from being a perfect teacher, and I guess no one will be, but I will be just a perfect me for my learners.