ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

Which is one to be blamed: The Educational System or the Teacher?

Teaching is the noblest profession as the old saying says. Teacher is the noblest
person in the world. For which, teacher inculcates lessons and teaches young minds.
And talking about the word “NOBLE”, it really means sacrificing and giving without
expecting in return.

Emphasizing on the phrase “Teaching is the noblest profession”, but others believe the
treatment is ignoble. Teachers are being treated unfairly and unjustly and adding some
various forms of stressors that may affect teacher’s performance. Teachers in the
Philippines have been resigning from work and even worst committing suicide.

This is the issue that some of the teachers are not happy in their their profession even
when they are in the stage of being a professional. They didn’t manage their stress well.

In regards to the letter of Mrs. Catalina Sotto, she adamantly stated her reasons on why
she gave up her profession as a teacher and resigned totally from work. It is not that
she didn’t love her work but because of the of the so many factors that contributed her
to do the aforementioned decision like stress, family problems, school problems, and
her laryngitis just to name a few.

Let’s take on first in the Educational System. Below are the reasons that would support
and will serve as an aegis in accentuating that the Educational System should be
blamed:

The System. Department of Education has been modernizing the flow of operations
and procedures in the system thus, making the works paperless. But why those
teachers are still bombarded with countless works to accomplish? Example, the
Deworming – this shouldn’t be done by the teachers but by the DOH (Department of
Health) instead, the 4Ps monitoring – should be done by the DSWD and others. They
are making paperless routines but teachers have been stressed by the countless works
on the other side. And the worst thing is they already saw but still no solutions at all
given.

The Management. Officials of the high ranks have been imposing orders without taking
accounts the sides and sentiments of the teachers. Thus, implying superiority over the
subordinates and letting them feel fear. Giving works that have an imminent submission
and yet, teachers are now focusing on accomplishing the given work instead on
teaching.

The Work Loads. Supposedly, Teachers are handling more than 35 students per class.
In reality, they are having more than the prescribed numbers of students in a class.
Additionally, teachers are given more number of subject loads to be taught. Thus,
making accrual lesson preparations per day. In other schools, teachers are handling
multi-grade classes. Moreover, teachers are also preparing IMs and other means of aid
for teaching, sometimes which would take out money from their own pockets. Withal,
teachers also have been working more than 8 hours a day and even reporting on
weekends.

The Professional Developments. Teachers are spending money from their own
pockets for the trainings and seminars without even being reimbursed or refunded.

The Working Environment. Working should be productive and efficient. Bad working
environment causes so much on the stress of the teachers. I think, there are two types
of people in a work. These are: the boss and the ones who act like bosses. The ones
who act like bosses drag you down, degrade and even worst is humiliate. Supposedly,
camaraderie and apathy should be evident. It should be working and helping together.
But it was not and it is not.

The Compensation. Teachers are receiving P 20, 179.00 (for T1) per month. But this is
really not enough. Why? Parts of their salary are given to their family, portions for
personal development, an amount to aids in teaching and learning process and others
for personal necessities. Now, tell me, are teachers really deserved that entry salary?
Are they deserved for increase?

On the contrary, the teacher can be blamed also. Why? Below are the reasons to
support the claim:

The Passion. If it is really your passion to teach you can’t really think of resigning from
work or even committing suicide. Teaching is a calling. Then, why did you become a
teacher if you really already know what might happen?

Flexibility. True teachers are flexible. They can handle anything and capable of being
pliant.

Adaptability. Teachers are adaptable. They can easily adapt to situations.

Capability. Teachers are capable of doing something. They are the masters of their
own fields. They are experts of their own specializations. They can teach any subjects.

Influence. Teachers can really influence young minds. If it is really evident in your
class, there is no so much stress in the management of your students in the class.

Professionalism. Teachers act and do in accordance to moral ethics and uphold what
has been taken oath.

Reasons have been stated and laid down. So now, WHICH IS ONE TO BE BLAMED?
The Educational System or the Teacher?

To conclude, THERE IS NONE TO BE BLAMED. The Educational System (Department

of Education) is doing so much in its capacity, influence and resources to bring holistic
development to teachers and to transform the latter in order to bring quality education to
students and clienteles. The Teacher, we cannot say that she should be the one to be
blamed because we did not live the life that she is living, we did not walk in her shoes
and we did not experiences what she has been experiencing. We cannot say that she is
mentally ill because of her decision but truthfully is we are not in the position of judging
someone. She is entitled to her own opinions and decisions. Whether we accept it or
not, teaching is really exhausting and stressing. And if you really love your job and it is
really your passion you can’t think of being tired. After all, our faith and our decisions
really make us. Teaching is not really a lost art. And to end this argumentative essay, I
would like to say, “Don’t lose hope. When the SUN goes, the STARS glow in the night”.
Thank You!