The Noble Calling: Teaching as a Way of Life

Divina M. Reyes
Bongabon Central School

For many years, teachers and professors have always been highly regarded and teaching

has been said to be the noblest profession or vocation.

Generally speaking, when people use the word "vocation," they saw that teachers have a

strong sense of calling to their line of work. It's safe to say that a lot of teachers are passionate

about what they do. an inexhaustible drive to spread their enthusiasm for a subject or for

learning. It's not a job where you just show up, do your duties, and get paid; every time you walk

into a classroom, you have to give something of yourself, but in exchange, you gain so much

more.

For teachers in the field, this could be a very heartwarming and rewarding title which can

be associated with the word “teacher”. However, being a teacher is more than a profession or a

vocation. It can already be regarded as a way of life.

Being a teacher is not just a work that after the 5-8 shifts; you can take-off your uniform

and stop being a teacher right there and then. Being a teacher does not stop at going home and

taking off the uniform. It extends beyond office hours and beyond the four corners of the

classroom. Educators has the ability to be versatile, adaptable, and well-rounded people who are

well-suited to develop and shape students into a productive and successful citizen in the society.

Being a teacher is already a way of life for teachers. It seems that everywhere you go;

you are always regarded as a teacher. It may be positive in such a way that teachers are respected

everywhere they go They are called “Ma’am” and spoken with great respect everywhere – by the

young and the old. The teacher can get free jeep rides, and someone can be paying up for the

teacher’s fare by someone who used to under his/her care. When a teacher goes to a bank or

other offices and he/she happens to have known someone from there as one of his/her old

students, the teacher can somehow get better treatment and an easier way for his/her transactions.

However, being a teacher also gets a negative vibe from negative people. There are

people who now regard teachers as sellers of tocino and longanisa, avon or other beauty

products. Teachers are sometimes, in a funny way often making transactions with loan sharks
and loan officers. But, we cannot blame them, because they are also human who have a family to

support with their expenses.

We cannot deny the fact that teaching is a way of life for teachers. It extends in his/her

own home and beyond office hours. Teachers attend to many other tasks like during elections,

during national census, of population and even in some other barangay or town activities.

Teachers are often made leaders or point persons to many programs and projects that involve

planning and leading of people towards some bigger work. So, for a teacher, teaching is ore than

a profession or vocation, it is already a way of life.