When Teachers Meet (December 01, 2008)

I had the opportunity to meet one good friend from Australia. An early childhood teacher as well, we had lunch one day and afternoon tea the next. It was a pleasant meet and we exchanged stories of our lives and of our works.

Right after his departure, two lovely friends from New Zealand came for a visit and they are early childhood teachers too. Meeting them for dinner was a welcome change from my everyday routine of school-work-house schedule. The three of us exchanged stories about our experiences and teaching philosophies.

Then another teacher from France arrived and another dinner ensued. Our conversation was centered on the importance of English as a global language. We also exchanged notes regarding teaching preschoolers and primary aged children.

Nowadays, the demands of society dictate for schools to be more academic-based rather than play-based. The demands of society want the children to be more technologically aware, more academically strong and more cognitively challenged. Children will definitely be ahead but the competitiveness and rigidity of schedules and programmes might bring negative consequences in other areas.

I remember playing with duck eggs and bougainvillea flowers and stir them up to make lovely stew. Then I pour some pink juice to many different sized bottles and sell them to my cousins during pretend play. I take care of animals as pets such as chickens, ducks, quails, rabbits, fish, turtles and dogs. I watch my grandfather with cooking, my grandmother with keeping track of sales, and my mom with drawing. And I learn a lot from all these activities.

When I was still schooling, I had never been to tutorial schools and I am always third from the top. And I didn't pursue or compete with my peers to be the first. I am happy to be learning, to be in school, to be with friends and teachers, and having fun.

At present, I make it a point to make my students feel the same way. I make it a point that they feel school as a safe place to play, learn and have fun. I make it a point that each and everyone discover their potentials and use the skills they accumulated when they leave my class. My students are only four and they do not need to be bombarded with tutorials, special lessons, or mind draining academics.

When teachers meet, they can only do little as they are subjected by the dictates of the schools and parents. When teachers meet, they get to share their views and hoping that all these new things will benefit the children of tomorrow. When teachers meet, they renew their spirits and rekindle their flames to teach.