They say be careful what you wish for; it might come true. Five years ago, I applied for a teaching position at an exclusive Chinese school. I had originally wanted to teach in a public school but my philosophy teacher, who I consider my mentor, advised me to try out a Jesuit private school. Besides the good pay, he said the school would give me much-needed training and experience before I dive into any long-term job. That advice became very, very valuable as I learned things that I would never have learned even in the best graduate school for education. Despite these, I must admit, whenever I see students from public schools, I long for the day I can share the privilege of an Ateneo education with the poor of the country.

As fate would have it, my school director was appointed chairman of the board of a technical high school built primarily for marginalized students. I immediately accepted his offer of teaching in that school, most especially since he would still be my supervisor.

I went to work ahead of my required day of reporting. Immediately, I got to talk with the principal of the school, an elderly woman who was a former principal of St. Theresa’s College. She would turn out to be the most loving and caring principal I have ever worked for. During our first meeting, she laid out the challenge for me: a guidance counselor, English teacher of three sections and the area head of the English and Filipino Department.

Talk about wishes coming true. I eagerly accepted the positions knowing it would be hard work but the thought of doing something for the country felt like I was on some sort of a high.

It will not come as a surprise to say that I was pretty much burned out by the second semester! It had nothing to do with the heavy work assigned to me. It was because my students were not as easy to inspire. I did give my all. I used all the strategies I learned — cooperative learning, computer-mediated instruction, student-centered learning. At the end of the day, however, I was overwhelmed by so many problems. For one, I had three classes of 50 students cramped in uncomfortable, metal chairs and small, poorly ventilated classrooms. Having no textbooks, they simply rely on the generosity of the teachers who can afford to photocopy reading selections for a class. Even with reading material, most would never be able to read and understand words beyond four syllables. I had students with unsupportive parents who were resigned to whatever their children’s performance in school would be. Being uneducated themselves, they could hardly guide their children in their school lessons. Such miserable conditions would create an attitude that is the irk of all teachers: mediocrity. My students would never attempt to do more than what they thought would earn them a passing grade. I ended the school year with mixed feelings. On one hand, it was a different sense of fulfillment, it felt good finally taking the road less traveled. But on the other hand, I was not satisfied with what I had done as I had merely made a dent in the lives of my students.

Fortunately, this school year was a different experience. I had only 33 students per class, certainly much more manageable than 50! Second, the school was reinforced with the addition of two new principals who had previously worked as administrators of Xavier School. As soon as they started working, they began to implement the policies and practices that had worked so well in Xavier. The school experience was now very structured. Students not only became more disciplined, to my delight, I see them busier with schoolwork.

With solid support and reinforcement from my new administrators, teaching became more fruitful. Added to that, of course, I applied all that I have learned (mostly from my mistakes!) from the previous year. I learned that I needed to review students on how to write a simple sentence before they could even start writing an essay. I learned that a short story could be taken two pages at a time and that I did not have to force completion of such lengthy material in one period. Most of all, quite different from my experience in Xavier School, I learned that these students needed a mentor all the way. It was not enough to teach them and then to expect an output based on the lesson, as I had grown used to in Xavier. They needed to be coached all the way through, with comments about their work and the right balance of encouragement and firmness every time they feel they want to go back to a previous life of mediocrity.

So far, the students have been tasked to do two projects. One was a radio play of a Greek myth and the other a chamber theater of a poem. I was amazed at the output from the two projects. From a once-simple and unambitious plan, they were able to stage a presentation that could rival even those of my Xavier students. It was only then that I understood the rapture that comes with teaching — that its fulfillment lies not in personal achievement but in seeing the growth of other people. The essence of teaching is rooted in the joy of seeing how other people’s skills and abilities could be marvelously developed by a balance of patient mentoring and a firm resolve to expect nothing but the best.

I thought of this while feeling goose bumps all over as I watched my students give their best in their stage presentations. I could hardly believe that these were the same students who were so lethargic and uninterested at the thought of memorizing and interpreting a poem just a few weeks ago. Now, their eyes are filled with passion and a focus on giving the best performance of their lives. It was all I could ever ask for. It was the moment when I truly felt how delightful it is to be a teacher.