I am a Licensed Teacher, But I Opt Not to Teach

People who know me since 2009 know that I don't want to be a teacher. 

I graduated from PUP where, during freshman enrollment, you had to battle for a program slot with other enrollees. I was supposed to take Accountancy because my young mind back then thought that's what I wanted. To make the long story short, I didn't make it because I didn't meet the minimum grade requirement for Math, so I enrolled in BSEd-English, hoping that I could shift to Accountancy by second year but the shift didn't happen.

Fast forward to college graduation, I felt like I had to give back to education by teaching. I started working in a private high school, the same school where I had my internship, then I took the LET and thankfully passed. After two years of teaching, I quit and looked for a job that could refresh my views about teaching and about my life. Why? Because I started to burn out; I felt like teaching is eating the life out of me.

Last year, when I left the academe, many people thought I'd be working in BPO. But I was able to land a job as an ESL Writer for an online English education company. Today, I can say that I am grateful that I took a step into the unknown because I found what I really want to do in my life.

Then, this morning, I woke up and found that an elderly relative has visited my grandma. When I paid my respects, this relative asked me if I have already passed the LET. I confidently said, "Yes, I passed it two years ago." Then I got a reply. "Why don't you apply to a public school? Your aunt is getting Php 30,000 a month while on leave."

The moment I heard "public school," I was already thinking, "Oh, no! Here we go again!" I just politely said, "I don't want to teach." Then I slowly went out of sight.

So what's the point in telling this story?

First, could everyone please stop pushing me to be in a public school? It's not that I abhor it or anything, but I plan to enjoy my life while experiencing things I may not experience if I'm in a public school. I still have plans to teach but I don't want to share contrived experiences to my future students because they're so unreal. I don't want to live vicariously because I am not meant for that.

Second, could everyone please stop telling me that I took an education program so I need to be in a school to practice what I learned? This isn't only for me but for all the underemployed people I know. What I learned in the university can be used and utilized not only in the field of education but also in other fields. I admit I used to tell everyone then that I don't want to learn something I wouldn't be able to use at work, but those thoughts came from a mind which was exposed to idealism and not to the real world out there. People who learned something they don't want to learn need not be boxed by a world they don't want to be in.

Lastly, could everyone please stop telling me that I don't have to think about the now but that I have to think about "my" future? Oh, yes, retirement! Everyone should be ready for their retirement, but shouldn't everyone also be concerned about happiness and fulfillment?

What I want to say is if I keep on preparing for my future, I may not be able to enjoy my life right now. I don't want to be solely focused on my destination without admiring the journey I am at.



I've been hearing all these things for the past three years and I think they're getting old. Please understand that this is my life and my ultimate goal is to be happy. Just like how children have different learning styles and study habits, people also have different means to be happy. Some people may be happy to follow the trail of everybody, but some may be happy to make a new trail and enjoy another scenery. I am one of the latter and I can say that I am pretty much enjoying the new trail I created.

Someday, I may find myself going back to everybody's trail, but I will never regret that I departed from the ideal because I know I will be able to share something worthwhile. Right now, I'll enjoy my life; the scenery here is great.

October Sunset

Happiness is a choice.

This is one of the things I have learned for the past few weeks.

It is your choice if you are going to make this day, your day, a better one or not. It is your choice whether you are going to fulfil your dreams on this day or just postpone it until you feel you have everything on their perfect places. It is your choice whether you are going to school or not. It is your choice if you’ll come late or not. It is your choice whether you are going to wake up on this day or not. It all lies on your decisions; you have your freewill. It is all your choice. Things happen the way they should be and it is still, I can say, the consequence of your choices.

Talking about choices, you can only choose between two options. Yes or no? Go or not? You cannot be at the middle. Ask yourself. Are you happy? You only got two answers. Yes or no? You cannot be in between. It’s just you’re happy or you’re not. That’s it.

We may be facing a lot of trials and challenges which we think we cannot make, fears we think we cannot conquer, and losses we think we cannot get over. But, do not give up. It’s a part of this life. (Just call it  “spices of life”. :) ) Just always remember that the sunset may come to an end and start the night, but the darkest night comes right before the dawn where the sun will shine brightly once again.

I choose to be happy. I choose to claim that this is my day and this is the day the Lord has made for me to fulfil my goals and my dreams so I’m going to seize it and make the most out of it. This is my choice. I choose not to mourn on the bad things that happened in the past because it’s all in the past and I cannot change anything about it. I better get up, get off my back and keep going. The things that happened yesterday are my experiences and I will use it to deal with the future. It has surely taught me a lot.

 

This is my day. This is the day the Lord has made for me. I am going to use it efficiently, making experiences out of it which can surely bring lessons that I can learn from. I am going to seize this day! Carpe diem!