(Conclusion)
By Ernesto T. Lumaoang
Defining
dignity
Dignity
in the profession? What is dignity per
se? Dignity is an intrinsic personal
attribute and is associated with honour, worthiness, respect and high regard of
and for a person.
Unfortunately, dignity is, for the most
part, earned or is not given away for the asking. In the masteral course on Trends and
Innovations in Education this past trimester at our NU School of Graduate
Studies, I posed a question to my students with the end in view of eliciting
their position as to whether or not they still consider the teaching profession
as dignified. The individual responses
or positions I received are as varied as their own personal experiences or
observations. While some presented
positions to the contrary, the final tally revealed that these contrary
positions are the exceptions rather than the norm or rule—in other words, they
are just trickles in a big bucket. The
preponderant stand affirms that yes, teaching is still a dignified profession.
How can we, teachers, maintain and sustain
dignity in the profession? Nothing can
rival the idea of modelling. Teachers,
more than any other group of professionals, are held in very high esteem. They are looked upon as role models, as
exemplars of good behaviour, conduct and high standards of ethical and moral
values. This is a tall expectation from
society and as I indicated earlier, teachers are humans and being such, have
limitations, thereby making the expectation hard to fulfil or live up to. This notwithstanding, the fact remains
inalienable that no amount of preaching, lip-servicing or one-sided advocating
can ever replace modelling. As they say, act what you preach. There is no place for double standards here
where the teacher will say do this or don’t do that and yet he himself is doing
the exact opposite—in which case, his credibility is brought to full scrutiny.
Apropos to the maintenance of dignity,
teachers play a pivotal role—that is the role or inherent responsibility of
arming oneself with a high degree of pedagogical skills, knowledge and
expertise. How is this achieved? Through
constant in-servicing, training or schooling.
After all, did not we not say education and educating is a continuous
process or life-long learning? Be
abreast with innovations and trends. Be
open-minded. Recognize that there is no
such thing as permanent except change itself.
The global climate in education is changing. Rather than live in isolation, be interested
in how teachers here and elsewhere deliver education in the name of competitiveness
where excellence is the end result. We
are talking here about teaching techniques, strategies, styles and
methodologies that make the teaching-learning process fun, interesting and
effective. Resourcefulness and
inventiveness define the respectable teacher.
Exhibit or manifest mastery and skill.
Let me be clear, though, by saying that teachers need not be the
know-it-all professional. But there is a
big difference in being the best facilitator of learning in the classroom or
any learning setting. The skill for
being one is a tall demand.
External
“dignity vestors”
Then
there is the responsibility of outside forces or other stakeholders in
education to make sure we have teachers who are dignified and worthy of our
respect. And I am talking about our
tertiary schools, particularly teacher-training schools. The only way we can produce high-quality and
excellent teachers is for teaching-training or normal schools to impose a
stricter admission standards to guarantee we weed out misfit teachers before
they put their feet into the classroom.
Stricter admission standards take the form of higher entrance academic
average, above average psychological tests and aptitude tests, among others—just
like what institutions in Canada and the U.S. are doing where they also limit
enrolment in teacher-training schools.
Another stakeholder, in fact considered a
major stakeholder in education and one which can considerably vest teachers of
the dignity that is acutely necessary in the profession is the government. How can the government put back the lustre
and dignity in a noble calling like teaching?
By guaranteeing a respectable remuneration package of decent, liveable
salary, benefits and other perks commensurate to the work that they do. Wishful thinking you may say but it’s about
time the government seriously consider this side of the equation—the equation
of economics.
Teaching is ideal and noble, no doubt, but
the government should be able to strike a happy balance between idealism and
harsh reality. Teachers need to survive
after all; they have families to support and they are supposed to keep their
dignity intact. A study of compensation
rates of teachers all over the world places teachers from the Philippines
pitifully wallowing somewhere at the bottom part of the list. Individually or collectively, we can do
something by rallying our legislators and lawmakers. I am sure there are nice
legislations and enactments already there or are in the drawing boards but
let’s keep the teeth grinding and implement these. Sometimes I am tempted to believe what a
friend of mine told me—that dignity is wallet size. Societal attitude and basis for respect seem
to be securely anchored upon how well lined your pocket is. Or to put it more succinctly, how fat one’s
bank book is.
Teaching,
ROI material?
Having
said this, if you had taken or are contemplating to take up teaching as a
profession and expect a substantial ROI, I am truly sorry to disappoint you and
to tell you that you’ve chosen or are choosing the wrong career path. Because teaching is some ROI and then
some. Then some translates into
unqualified feeling of fulfilment touching and shaping lives and justifiable
pride in imparting positive knowledge and enduring wisdom that keep on rolling
and transferring from one generation to the next!
Teachers, you play a crucial role in the
future of our country and the world. As
shapers of men and future leaders, I exhort you to continue to discharge your
duties and role with missionary zeal and dedication. As teachers, you will not be contented with
what is or just the bare minimum. You
will work for what ought to be. You will
not despair even under spirit-crushing challenges and stresses which are familiar
elements in this kind of work. Rather,
you will because you must possess the faith and determination that you can’t
afford to lose in this profession called teaching. This brings to the fore the one guiding
principle espoused by the presentor: Believe in yourself; in your capability to
turn failures into shining successes. No, you will not be defeated. As William Faulkner once solemnly declared,
“Man will prevail.” “If,” countered Paul Tillich, “he has the courage to be.” Teachers, may I ask you point-blank: If you don’t have what it takes or the
courage to be in this profession, why are you even here?
(Reaction
Speech delivered during the Education Forum 2014 sponsored by the Vedasto J.
Samonte School of Graduate Studies, Northwestern University, February 8, 2014
at the New Media Hall and organized as one of the major highlights of the
institution’s 82nd Foundation Anniversary.)
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