To be a TEACHER:
T-- Teaching
E-- Essential
A-- Attitude
C-- Challenge
H-- Heal
E-- Effort
R-- Reality

That's the words I came up with the letters of the word TEACHER. Why so?
Let me explain my thought about the teacher.

Everyone may not know how much hard to work as a teacher because some don't understand us in terms of delivering our lessons and coping with the different attitudes and interests of students. It's not new to us that not all people will be pleased with our kind of homing individual and we are sometimes criticized yet we won't like to quit because we know that there are lives that need us. To be a teacher we need the characteristics of patience and understanding even if we don't get anything in return.

TEACHING
Teaching is not easy, especially with the diverse culture and nature of a child. Admit it or not, even an only child is hard to deal with in teaching, and how much more if you'll handle a class with diverse attitudes because they came from different families. And families have a different ways of nurturing children. But because it's our profession, we teachers are willing to give our whole in our profession of teaching. We open our minds and hearts for our students to be an individual in our society whom we know will have a good impact on our future.

ESSENTIAL
Our profession is essential no matter how we think twice and more. Without us, teachers, there's no future for everyone who will stand and make a better future. There will be no other professions without having teachers. And even those not professional without teachers, won't know how to hone their skills about their jobs now. That's why I am grateful to my previous teachers because they help me into what I am today. The essence of being a teacher is to have a good production of skillful people and humane personalities in society.

ATTITUDE
As a teacher, we have a vital role in society. We need to show an attitude that will contribute to spreading it like a virus. That's why we see to it that our attitude is humane and good not only for ourselves but for others. And having a good attitude toward others (like students and co-workers) will come back to you. Being a respectful person will always mirror you and will bring you to the height of satisfaction that you are doing good because they tend to respect you back.

CHALLENGE
The life of a teacher will always be a challenge not only inside the four walls of a classroom and the fence of the school. Because even outside of school, we need to bring our profession. We should act always as a teacher. The challenge will be every day just to do our responsibility. Everything we do for our students is a challenge especially nowadays when children need our help. Let's admit that students now are not as good as our grandparents and the gap is way far. We don't only teach numbers and grammar but we also need to teach them the reality of life. The challenge on how to put in our student's minds and hearts that life outside the classroom is cruel. And we need to make them ready for the real battle of life. And handling our students now is kind of hard because of the new generations that built. Our generation before is not as same as theirs, and the reason we need to put our shoes in theirs is to understand where their behavior came from.

HEAL
We teachers can heal every soul. We know that every student has different steps and challenges in life. We don't know what they've been through that's why we should not be harsh with them. If they did a mistake, reprimand, and advice them the right way without them feeling degraded especially in front of others. Let us broaden our kind of thinking and understanding to heal what needs to be healed.

EFFORT
Teachers should have an effort in their job. Not because we are receiving our salary but because we want to help our students. The effort of a teacher will always be seen inside and outside the classroom. We need to exert effort to give our student's needs. And our effort will always have a great impact on our student's life that they will bring until they grow into better people. And our effort will be in their minds until they get old which will remind them about what we did for them.

REALITY
The reality of a teacher's job will test how much you have a passion for teaching. The reality of the job given to you in honing someone's life will test how passionate you are about teaching. Teaching is not my first option in terms of having a job. It's my parent's choice because I want to be a seaman before. Why? Because what's in my mind is about the salary they got every month in which I can have to be of help to them. But I don't have a choice because they can't afford such a course that's why I accepted the course of teaching. I admit that even during college, I was having a hard time, especially with projects but I didn't regret the course and the major I took. It was a challenge and never seen myself teaching but here I am, 3 years in service. And reality slaps me for three consecutive years of hardships but fulfilling my duty. It was hard and tiresome but being with my students, I felt that I can make it through because I can see how my students improved and our connection was intact. That even those who graduated already still knew me. I am not that strict with my students because I know how hard for a student to indulge in class if the teacher is strict. I am 50% kind and 50% strict. I need to show that I am strict but affectionate to them to let them know that they need to respect me and at the same time can be their friend.

They gave me a surprise Teacher's Day celebration.

Their simple gestures and surprise touched me. My grade 10 advisory was also my grade 7 students before when I was still a substitute teacher. And because of them, I was able to hire because according to the principal, the reason that she'll give me the item is that the students liked me and I was doing good in teaching. I am just fortunate that there's an item in the said school and I am the second rank. I still remember them crying when my teaching substitution was done during our send-off. And just after a week, I was hired. And same with my first celebration of teacher's day, they still gave me a touching surprise.

I went to my classroom around 7:30 am and found out that my students are outside. And then when they saw me, some of them run towards me and greeted me with a Happy Teacher's Day. Even those, not my advisory, did greet me which made me feel alive that moment because I felt the sincere happiness of my students. I also greeted my co-teachers and friends in our school. When we get inside the classroom, my students gave me letters, flowers, and a cake. I never thought they will make this for me. And I am touched by their messages on the board. True to what they said, they're naughty but can be handled. And yes, the day went so amazing.

And during the afternoon, we had our teacher's program and we, teachers, appreciate the student's efforts for us. After the program, we also had our teacher bond time the reason I went home late. But of course, I went home at 5 pm to give my wife and son their snacks and viand for their dinner. I told my wife that I'll be late because we have a little bond with my co-teachers.

During Teacher's Day, we will feel how our students appreciate our effort by teaching them every day. And this day is one of the best days which we always are reminded that our profession is noble and powerful. Powerful because we will be one of the reasons for the good future of the world through having a good production of good people.

Teacher Jeff👨‍🏫