Position Paper on: Teachers define our future

Submitted by: Teacher Cris Z. Dela Rosa

A teacher affects eternity. There is no limit to the influence a teacher can have on one, or many, students'
lives, most especially when the teacher is backed up by a strongly supportive and well-educated
administration. As for five days a week, at least eight hours a day, the teacher is poised to truly become
one of the influential, if not the most influential person in any student’s life. In many pivotal moments in
the students’ life, a teacher has always been there after their parents: learning to read, count, write, to
learning how to build and sustain relationships with other people, discovering themselves, up to making
life-changing decisions such as what to pursue in college or where to or whether to practice the degree
they have earned for themselves.

A teacher is there to teach not only what is in the syllabus or the essential knowledge and understanding
expected in the academics and co-curricular programs but also to watch them grow, to guide them
through their struggles, and of course to impart and instill in them some of life’s most important lessons
that will enable them to cope with the increasing demands of the labor market/work force and of life, in
general.

Yes, a teacher’s influence lessens as the students age and eventually mature, however, it is undeniable
that the early lessons given inside and outside of the classroom will still have an effect on how they
interact with others, deal with themselves, whatever predicament or challenge they will face, and how
they will live their lives.

In addition, the teachers are knowledge workers. They, without a doubt add significant value to an
organization most especially when they are able to open to and afford themselves of the continuous
professional development (pursuing post-graduate studies, diligent attendance to seminars, workshops,
and trainings) in order that they are able to provide the students significant 21st century skills such as
personal and social responsibility, critical thinking, digital competence, as well as collaboration and
communication abilities and cope with the changes and the demands of the present life/time.

The understanding, integration, and creative and/or more contextualized use of IT tools (assessment,
teaching, etc) are essential to the teaching-learning process that transpires and in the realization of the set
learning and life competencies.

As a teacher with 18 years of teaching experience, 15 of which have been spent at IMC, I can say that
from its early years to what it has become now, it is noteworthy that majority, if not all of the points
raised in the article by Peter Wallace have been being highly considered and acted upon: allowing ‘aged’
teachers not to just wither away; lessened work load and more free time is evident with the presence of T.
Eden and T. Myrna; while we do not use tablets, our classrooms are equipped with smart TVs, are wifi
enabled/capable, and smartphones are welcomed teaching-learning tools. There have always been
conscious efforts in increasing teachers’ salaries and benefits, in watching over teachers’ welfare, and
given them due recognition and importance not only on Teacher’s Day or Month. Support is evident from
the administration, thus, the teachers are given the opportunities to realize their goals: stated and not
stated in the syllabus, thereby they are able to affect and shape not only the future but eternity.