If you want to know a group of individuals who are interested to join in a tour by means of raising their hands, it would not be surprising if you will see them lifting their hands. With the complexity and difficulty of our lives today, many would love to have even a temporal relief.
But that is not the case, if you asked the same group of people to join you in a battle they never know, to perform a task that would require their time beyond the eight hours working period, and to do a project that would entail much time and effort. You can see some of them still lifting their hands but not the same as to joining the tour or a retreat.
Talking about a tour, let us have an imaginative journey to a school and find out the usual reasons why some of our teachers fall into the trap of complacency and forget the joy of involving themselves in the whole process.
As we reminisce the day during the ranking for a teacher I position, the aspirants do not have anything in mind but to be counted on the lists of the qualified applicants. If you ask their stories, you will hear a collective answer, to secure a permanent position, and proudly saying that they will do anything just to have an item.
The excitement of receiving attested appointment papers as permanent teacher was truly unexplainable for such joy was a manifestation of a fulfilled goal in life, much more upon receiving your first salary. If only you could maintain the same level of ecstasy, but the reality is, some forget their pledge to do the best of their ability after a couple of years.
Yes, we met unexpected bulk of requirements and paper works that seem to be a regular duty of a teacher nowadays, that teachers are no longer confined to deliver a lesson, to record an assessment outcome, to provide feedbacks, and to conduct a parent-teacher meeting. But despite all these changes others embraced it wholeheartedly, but some refuse to do so, Why?
This is how we see it, correct if I am wrong. First, some of them thought they are old enough to cope with the emerging technological advancement. Second, they cannot adapt to the pressure of acquiring masters or doctorate degree. Third, they thought that somebody can do the things for them in terms of reports and projects. Fourth, they do not have the luxury of time because they are more family oriented. Fifth, the usual scapegoat, they do not know how to do it. Sixth, they are satisfied with their position and not thinking for any promotion. Seventh, they no longer consider their salary as their bread and butter since they are into other business venture. Eight, they are not in good terms with their immediate superiors. Ninth, some are complacent and lazy. And Tenth, they are protected by the security of tenure policy and so the department cannot easily fire or terminate them even though they are no longer performing well. For sure, there are different reason out there, but these are the top ten on my list.
Sometimes we feel exhausted and drained but still we need to do our role as educators and that is to provide them the right learning that they can use in achieving their goals in life. May the Lord help us to fulfill our task with or without pandemic