Capital of Life

by: Samuel Babiano Jr.

            “I’m sorry class. This is not my major. This was just given to me. Since, I can’t refuse so I just accept it. How many times did you hear this? Was it once, twice or uncountable.  Most of the times, this words are the defense mechanisms of several teachers to deny their deficient knowledge about teaching. Since, its insisted, that’s why they take it. A hoary alibi but until now I can’t understand why they keep on using it. It’s exasperating. How about our students nowadays? What will be the worth of the class if the teacher himself needs to be taught? Is there a captain who do not know how to navigate a ship or a pilot who illiterate to fly an airplane. I’m pretty sure it will sink or crash or maybe it will not reach its terminus.

            According to famous authors (and even just the common sense), one of the premier elements in effective teaching is the “mastery of the subject”. As a teacher, he must have an excellence in teaching. Meaning, he had reached already the profound side of it, so that the deeper he has learned the deeper the knowledge he can bestow. That is the right. But why it’s not followed? There are some educators who teach “subjects” away from the alignment of their forte. What learning can they provide to students who paid exactly school fees? Where is the so called “quality education”

           I asked many whiles the teachers in high school and college about that. And what they said was just alike. “We can do nothing. What was given to us was not our choice. I inquired also some administrators and they answered- “Since, we are in need of a teacher, that’s why we are giving that task”. And they added, “If we hire more teachers, it means, a demand of tuition hike”.

           And the big question now. Is that a valid reason? What they want us to do? Wait and just assume everything is at ease? Is that what you mean? Candidly, I rather suffer in carrying the loads of my tuition fee than wasting money in a “half-baked” learning.

           Across everything, I still do believe that we can give a quality education, especially for the poor like us. I still do believe that tomorrow and coming tomorrows, students like us will be given a clearer outcome about our education-the capital of our lives. That’s why you all should understand us. So, don’t entomb the entities of our future, our very own priceless DREAMS.