World Teachers' Day 2014 | The Other Side of Mae

Last Friday was such a definitely maybe roller coaster ride of emotions to me! I came to school with a foul mood since Papa was still in the hospital. As I arrived in the faculty room, my colleague grumbled about her first period students because only one out of seven were present. I hadn’t entertained her well for I was also preparing my things for my first class. Then as I was about to leave the faculty room, her students came barging in with some food and balloons while uttering something so I thought that it was a birthday surprise for my colleague. I hadn’t paid much attention and just went to class.

Then I had a normal Friday morning routine, finishing two class periods. When I got back to the faculty room, I greeted my colleague a happy birthday. But she said that it wasn’t her birthday but a “teachers’ day” instead. Like, ouch! I didn’t know it was a teachers’ day. Then another colleague asked me how many classes I had been to and that nobody ever greeted me. Like, double ouch! Last year when there was also nothing, I told myself that it’s OK since I was still new in La Salle and that college studes are different from high school studes (but my Pharma at Medina gave me pahalaga naman, ah). So I just let it pass. However, I realized that I hadn’t gone too far in befriending my LS studes anyway so it’s just OK.

Then back to a normal Friday, from one class to another and Fascino during my break in the afternoon. While walking back to school for my 6 PM class, I thought to myself – I am not an endearing teacher anymore whom everybody loves and adores! Oh, I am totally ageing!!!!! I am not “in”, I am not cool! I am undesirable! So I guess, this is it! An old maid monster teacher I had become!

But I still moved forward. I gathered my things from the faculty room again and proceeded to my class. As I was nearing our classroom, I didn’t hear any noise from my all-girl class. Usually, I could hear their voices even from the far end of the corridor. That time, there was no nothing. As I finally reached our room, the lights were off and I asked myself if it was really Friday or not. I hesitated to get in for the classroom was rumored to be haunted but I saw something glistened from one arm chair so I just reached for the switch beside the door to turn the lights on. To my surprise, one student got inside from the other door and boom! She was singing “Thank you…….” After her song, the whole class followed and sang “Hawak Kamay”. I was so so overwhelmed with their surprise! It was my first time (in forever) to be surprised that way!

They created an artwork on the board (which was my first time to see and it is for me)!

They gave me flowers, brownies, and bears (sweet stuffs I rarely receive)!