This was a speech that I wrote after I got hired as a public school teacher. I never delivered it. First of all, it's cringy. Sentimental. Even trying to be emotional.
It shows my naivete. My idealism. I don't regret writing it because as I said that's the point of this blog. Some of the things I wrote I don't believe anymore. I've grown cynical even. I don't believe that the woes of the Philippine educational system can be solved in a decade. I don't even know if I care to fix it.
But my love for math is still there. That's a constant, at least. Nonetheless, here it is. The introductory speech that never happened.
Hello everyone! Good morning! I am your new teacher. I will be teaching you mathematics. But before we start with our lessons, I will ask you to answer a few questions about yourself.
I know that math is not everyone's favorite subject; some of you may like it, most of you may not. Some people like a subject because it's easy. It is relatable. It's fun.
Others like a subject that's challenging. They want a problem to solve. That although it may seem impossible or difficult at first, they know that if they work hard enough and try harder, they can solve it. And that will be worth the effort.
So which kind of student are you? Do you want something because it's easy? Or do you want something because it's hard?
Do you think math is easy? Or do you think it's hard?
So why am I here?
I'm here because it's my job to teach mathematics. I'm getting paid for it. Not yet anyway. But I will get paid for it. But aside from that, I also really love math. And I find it challenging but exciting. I also want to understand why other people, other students like you, struggle with math. Why do students struggle with math? And I may not be able to answer that question in the next ten years. But I will observe and try to come up with activities that will make you appreciate math. Make it more fun and less boring.
So I was just telling you that I'm getting paid to do this. Who do you think my employer is?
The government?
Who pays the government?
The president?
Who pays the president?
The people
Your parents
Your mother and father and brother and sister and lola and lolo and auntie and uncle.
They're the ones paying the government and they are the ones PAYING ME to teach YOU.
So I hope you take your education very seriously. Don't take it for granted. Ayaw balewalaa. Don't be absent if you have no valid reason. Don't cut classes. Because every time you do that, you are wasting the money that your parents are paying for you to get an education.
Kung buhaton na ninyo, ginabalewala ninyo ang paningkamot sa inyong mama'g papa na makaeskwela mo. After all, they're the ones paying us teachers. They're the ones who made this system possible in the first place.
So what I want you to do when you get home after school is tell your parents THANK YOU. Thank you for sending me to school. Thank you for giving me baon everyday. Thank you for giving me gadgets to play with. Thank you for allowing me to use the computer. And I promise to do my best to use these gadgets not only for facebook or instagram, but also to help me learn my lessons at school.
That's what I want you to do today. Write a short letter to your parents thanking them for sending you to school, for paying your sinak-an. If you don't have a parent then thank your guardian: Lola, Lolo, Ate, Kuya or Auntie or Uncle. Kung kinsa man, pasalamati sila.
This has nothing to do with math. But I just want you to realize that you're very lucky to have supportive parents or guardians.
It shows my naivete. My idealism. I don't regret writing it because as I said that's the point of this blog. Some of the things I wrote I don't believe anymore. I've grown cynical even. I don't believe that the woes of the Philippine educational system can be solved in a decade. I don't even know if I care to fix it.
But my love for math is still there. That's a constant, at least. Nonetheless, here it is. The introductory speech that never happened.
Hello everyone! Good morning! I am your new teacher. I will be teaching you mathematics. But before we start with our lessons, I will ask you to answer a few questions about yourself.
I know that math is not everyone's favorite subject; some of you may like it, most of you may not. Some people like a subject because it's easy. It is relatable. It's fun.
Others like a subject that's challenging. They want a problem to solve. That although it may seem impossible or difficult at first, they know that if they work hard enough and try harder, they can solve it. And that will be worth the effort.
So which kind of student are you? Do you want something because it's easy? Or do you want something because it's hard?
Do you think math is easy? Or do you think it's hard?
So why am I here?
I'm here because it's my job to teach mathematics. I'm getting paid for it. Not yet anyway. But I will get paid for it. But aside from that, I also really love math. And I find it challenging but exciting. I also want to understand why other people, other students like you, struggle with math. Why do students struggle with math? And I may not be able to answer that question in the next ten years. But I will observe and try to come up with activities that will make you appreciate math. Make it more fun and less boring.
So I was just telling you that I'm getting paid to do this. Who do you think my employer is?
The government?
Who pays the government?
The president?
Who pays the president?
The people
Your parents
Your mother and father and brother and sister and lola and lolo and auntie and uncle.
They're the ones paying the government and they are the ones PAYING ME to teach YOU.
So I hope you take your education very seriously. Don't take it for granted. Ayaw balewalaa. Don't be absent if you have no valid reason. Don't cut classes. Because every time you do that, you are wasting the money that your parents are paying for you to get an education.
Kung buhaton na ninyo, ginabalewala ninyo ang paningkamot sa inyong mama'g papa na makaeskwela mo. After all, they're the ones paying us teachers. They're the ones who made this system possible in the first place.
So what I want you to do when you get home after school is tell your parents THANK YOU. Thank you for sending me to school. Thank you for giving me baon everyday. Thank you for giving me gadgets to play with. Thank you for allowing me to use the computer. And I promise to do my best to use these gadgets not only for facebook or instagram, but also to help me learn my lessons at school.
That's what I want you to do today. Write a short letter to your parents thanking them for sending you to school, for paying your sinak-an. If you don't have a parent then thank your guardian: Lola, Lolo, Ate, Kuya or Auntie or Uncle. Kung kinsa man, pasalamati sila.
This has nothing to do with math. But I just want you to realize that you're very lucky to have supportive parents or guardians.
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