I attended Every Nation Campus Ministry’s 3rd Annual Educator’s Assembly last Tuesday, May 8, 2007 held at the Assembly Hall of Every Nation Building at Bonifacio Global City. I was invited to the event by my students and went there with my good friend Pedrito.
The assembly aims to recognize and honor educators, encourage them in preparation for the upcoming school year, and reaffirm their commitment to partner with educators in preparing students for L.I.F.E.(Leadeship, Integrity, Faith and Excellence).
The assembly was attended by educators(Elementary, High School and College levels) and school officials from different schools in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
The speakers talked about how important the role of a teacher in a child’s life, there were group exercises encouraging everyone to share stories about the teacher in your life that left a big impression or had a big influence in you. It was fun and it showed everybody how a caring teacher can influence the future of a child.
Stories were shared about how a teacher help a young child survive a broken family and how a timid child gained self confidence. Speakers stressed the important role the teachers play in the future of the country and how problems in our society can be solved thru proper education and caring educators. They also recognize that “Teaching a very fulfilling profession but it comes with great sacrifice”.
I personally know that teaching is a labor of love, but the happiness I gain from it is priceless. The attendees are encouraged NOT TO GIVE UP. It was acknowledged that there are times that we may feel giving up teaching and look for other jobs but we must also think of the students that we can help to have a bright future. What will happen to them if we just quit on them, what will happen to the future of our country?
Questions were also asked for educators to reflect upon:
- What motivates you in your profession?
- What keeps you going?
- What makes you go above and beyond just teaching your students and becoming their second mother or their friend?
The last speaker talked about how teachers are “influencers” and these influences never stop even after the student finishes his schooling. He talked about how can a teacher build up or destroy the future of a student by the choice of WORDS he utters.
He discussed the principle of Words that is more effective and fulfilling tool for education. He cited passages from the Bible about how powerful the “words” we utter. He said that through using “words” we as educators have the power to:
- Impart Faith – where in we can encourage our students that they can achieve their dreams
- Build Self Esteem – where we can support our students and let them know that we believe in his abilities, encourage him in his studies and talents.
- To Set destiny – as teachers we are looked upon by our students as a person of authority and anything we say to them have a great impact on their being.
He mentioned some examples like how a former basketball coach told a player that he can’t play basketball thus setting the student to be poor in basketball and how a survey/research done abroad determined a certain group of youngsters to be failures early on was turned around upon the arrival of a teacher that simply loved them.
All in all the assembly served as a great motivator for the educators that attended. I for one can’t wait for the school year to start.
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