Next time, I'd rather teach a rock

Photo from here

I always thought that my profession is difficult. But once I took several subjects at the National Teacher Training Center for the Health Professions of UP Manila, I realized that teaching is as difficult, if not more difficult.

Of my meager experience as a pre-school teacher 14 years ago, I already knew that teaching is probably one of the professions that has the greatest social responsibility. I only have great respect for my memorable professors like Dr. Malijan, Dr. Go and Teacher Carol, or my teacher friends Ria, Monsi and numerous colleagues from college.

I can think of several things that makes teaching difficult. But just yesterday, I encountered 1 -- a junior whom I think is not receptive, more of resistant, to learning.

How do you deal with a junior who doesn't want to learn? How do you deal with a junior who raises his voice when you comment on his mistakes? How do you deal with a junior who becomes defensive when you make suggestions for his improvement?

In a learning institution like PGH, teaching your juniors is a requirement even if you hate doing it. But I like teaching. I like sharing what I know or learned with the people around me. I believe that teaching is one of the best thing that I can do. Something like what I can pass to the future generation.

But yesterday, it felt like a glass of water was thrown right at my face. It felt like all my good intentions (of teaching) went down the drain. I felt violated, not only because he was my junior (although that's a factor), but because of I only had good intentions.

I was thinking that I would have felt, and learned, better if I taught a rock.