AUREO, Rhea Joy M.

Prof Ed
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT W/ FS 4 Reflection 4

"BEYOND THE BLACKBOARD"

Miss Stacey Bunker or should I say Teacher Bess had her first teaching experience at a
school that has no name, a school she never ever expected to land on because actually, it is
never really a school at all but a program for homeless children in 600 South St. Downtown
Railyard. As for her, six years of school never prepared her for this, but one can witness
throughout the story her ardent desire and passion regardless of the shortcomings and
difficulties of the life of teaching that can bring to her life, to her family and to other people’s
lives itself.

I knew exactly what my intuition was trying to tell me the moment we were tasked to
see a movie entitled “Beyond the Blackboard” and it said to myself “this is something that
you’ll like and if not, LOVE.” My intuition never got me wrong with that because I fell in love
with the entire movie the way how little Stacey told us from the start how she loved the giant
pull down maps, the way she writes her name at the top of the pages, the way brand new
textbooks smell and the way how they happily sang together, and pauses when the train comes
noisily through at the end of the movie. Almost all the parts of the movie have something
significant to learn, they’re a lot and I’m afraid it would take me 10 pages to fill in everything
I must share here, so I decided I just have to list down my favorite learnings from the story
instead, so here it is. Never judge the capacity of a beginner

When I learned that teacher Bess was going to have her first actual teaching experience
in a shelter, I expected that she would eventually give in and quit but I was surprised because
she faced the music and sang to it with conviction. Like the personal director who judged her
that she won’t be there that long, she proves him wrong: she even stayed there for another 8
years. I guess and I deem it with high value that you can never really judge a novice just because
she’s a beginner the same thing as telling a child that he’ll die early because he’s got not enough
experience in life. Great children come with a great Teacher

My favorite part of the movie is when Maria, one of teacher Bess’ students called on
the phone and told her that she is the best teacher she’s ever had, and asked teacher Bess to not
ever forget her because she will become a teacher someday just like her. Wasn’t that the most
rewarding thing a teacher could ever achieve? I realized then how blessed it is for the parents
to have a great teacher who can truly shape and mold their child because not all teachers have
the same character like Ms. Bess who greatly cares and ensures the welfare of the people she
has served. Teaching isn’t just a profession, but a SERVICE

“That’s the trick, you serve. You have no control over what happens; but you keep
serving, you keep serving.” This was among the lines that struck me most from the story. A
teacher can control the happenings inside the classroom, but once it is outside the lives of your
pupils, you cannot. You can aid any help and support to the parents of your pupil but you can
never dictate their decisions and choices, never. It is true that it is extremely difficult to take
partings once you have cultivated and blossomed an intimate closeness to your students.
Beyond the blackboard indeed.
 I must end this reflection with the title of the movie “Beyond the blackboard”, and it
was, indeed. To wrap this up, I must say that this movie is a MUST see to all the students of
the world, and I greatly recommend this especially to the young minds who set their hearts on
teaching. As I was pondering throughout the entirety of the story, I have come to a conclusion
that if maybe, all the teachers on earth have the same heart and perspective as teacher Bess;
chances are children will be motivated to attend school every single day knowing that they
have a kind teacher who truthfully cares for them and genuinely teaches them worthy things
that are beyond the writings of blackboard. I hope other stories like these may inspire other
people because I already am, and this is purely a big help and a head start to students who
endeavors to become one.