Thank You, Teachers!

At the outset, I'd like to express my sincere gratitude to all teachers. Thank you so much, teachers, for all that you do, all your efforts and sacrifices, to help our students learn and succeed!

Thank you, my dear and dedicated wife for being the best (Chemistry) teacher that you could possibly be! To me, you're a winner! Fully aware of what you've been doing, to the point of sleeping late at night preparing your teaching materials and other stuff for your students, I do appreciate all the energy and the extra mile you do just to help all your students pass the state's Standard of Learning test. I know how much you wanted all your students to pass in your class and move on to the next level until they all graduate and go to college. May God bless you and give you all the strength and stamina to teach and educate our students!  As always, I love you!

I understand, this week is designated as Teacher Appreciation Week. It's but appropriate and fitting to honor and recognize all teachers for their tremendous contribution to society, to nation-building. Their impact or influence is immense, beyond compare, no doubt about it. They mold (and guide) young minds to become who they wish or want to be---successful, productive, and responsible members of society. They are also our unsung heroes, like our military veterans, service men and women.

Imagine what would it be like without teachers? Undeniably, we wouldn't be without them. I'm sure you agree with me if I say that out of their love for teaching, we would not have become who and what we are now, career-wise or professional-wise. For teaching, undoubtedly, is the "mother/father" of all professions.

Today, and for always, we pay tribute to our teachers who are educators in their own right. We, therefore, appreciate what they do---teaching, inculcating knowledge and skills, helping our students to find their niche under the sun. We pray: God bless them all; Keep them always safe and sound. Make them instruments of  peace and love; Give them all the courage, power, and inspiration to make a difference in the lives of our children who are beneficiaries of their dedicated teaching and community/public service. Thank you, God, for having them in our midst, for being there when we needed them, when we have questions and doubts.

Again, thank you all teachers! May your tribe increase! Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

Thanks, YouTube and the uploader of the video I embedded with this post. No copyright infringement intended. As always, thank you, Google and Blogger. Thank you, Lord. And, thank you, Jesus!

Well, folks, this is all for now. Until next time around, my friends. Take care and have a nice day!-chris a. quilpa, 08May2012

Of Teachers, Taylor Mali, Et Cetera

From me to you all, a blessed and satisfying Sunday! Thanks be to God, we're doing well. Hope you're doing well, too, folks.

This morning at seven, though  still in bed, with my wife, I was awaken with the sound of our alarm-clock-radio that's always set on a local public radio affiliated with NPR (National Public Radio). I may have drifted for an hour because usually our alarm-clock-radio is set at six every morning. Anyway, what caught my attention to be mentally awake was that of Bob Edwards' Weekend  show on NPR. His guest was Taylor Mali, who was talking about teachers or the teaching profession in general. This is the first time that I came to know about Mr. Mali who, I learned later on, is an American poet, a slam poetry performer, and former classroom teacher. I got interested in what he was talking about in his conversation with the radio show host Mr. Edwards. Mali  mentioned something about "What Teachers Make"; he was retelling a story about a lawyer who was with Mali's group at one dinner party where the lawyer was asking the former to be honest and tell him how much does a teacher like Mali earn or make. And Mali may have felt offended? That was the reason behind his poem and the title of his new book, "What Teachers Make: In Praise of the Greatest Job in the World." Here's Mali, from a video that I found on YouTube (thanks and to the uploader of the video. No copyright infringement intended.)

As I continued listening to Mr. Mali reciting/reading his poem "What Teachers Make" on Bob Edwards Weekend radio show, I recall about a short article (letter to the editor), "In Praise of Teachers-Educators" which I wrote and was published nine years ago in one of the local newspapers in Hampton Roads. That was my reaction (based on my experience as a former classroom English and Social Studies teacher/instructor in the Philippines back in late '70s and early '80s) and in complete agreement to a previous letter to the editor writer who was giving suggestion and thoughtful opinion to concerned local government officials (and School Board Committee members) for an increase pay for teachers in our area. Here's an excerpt of my published letter to the editor, "In Praise of Teachers-Educators:
..."Just see what teachers do. From early dawn to late at night, they are deluged with a multitude of responsibilities: schoolwork, teaching, disciplining, checking and correcting papers and homework, advising students and meeting/conferencing with parents, and preparing lesson plans. Add PTA (Parent-Teacher Association) meetings, fund-raising events and extra volunteer work, and you have  a career or a profession that can be taxing to/on body and mind.
Teachers are worth more than nurses, doctors, company managers, print and broadcast journalists, actors, pop music stars and lawyers combined. They work hard for a meager salary yet are smart, intelligent, confident, and committed to the education and success of their students.
they continue to learn while they teach. Having the noblest profession, they are the mothers and fathers of all careers and professions. And they are partners to our future---our children.
Kudos and more pay (and power), and respect to all teachers!

In addition, I've thought about a short poem I've written in 2005, "Teachers are Educators", which I'd like to share with you, folks.

Teachers are Educators

Teachers are educators

Taught, trained, and tested

Dedicated, motivated, liberated

Caring, giving, and loving

Enduring, forgiving, understanding

Exciting, Invigorating, satisfying

Intellectual, philosophical, spiritual

Emotional, physical, and social

Listening, discovering, researching

Enlightening, inspiring, and encouraging

Hoping, praying, and wishing

For the best and success in all of our students.

(c) 2012 by chris a. quilpa

Honestly speaking, I understand and feel for teachers for "I've been there and done that." Plus, my loving, caring and dedicated wife is or has been a high school classroom (Chemistry) teacher in public school in the United States for over a decade now. She and I were once co-teachers at St. Paul's College of Vigan City, Ilocos Sur (High School Department) and faculty members in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Northern Philippines, for the record. That, my friends, we have one thing in common---teaching.

Going back to Mr. Taylor Mali, I have high praises for him for being a passionate advocate for teachers. And for being a slam poetry performer. Again, from YouTube, here are a couple of videos I selected and that I'd like to share with you, my friends. (I'm just wondering if you've known and/or heard of him before.)

I like his sense of humor. Funny he is! (He's punning on words, too.) Likewise, I can relate to him on the (English) subject matter (The Impotence of Proofreading) he's talking about here in the video/s above. For clarification, I don't own the videos. No copyright infringement intended. As always, I thank YouTube and the uploaders of the videos embedded with this blog post of mine. Thanks, Google and Blogger, and Wikipedia where I've just visited to learn more about Mr. Mali, 47, a native of New York, slam poet, humorist, teacher, author, and voice over artist.

Well, folks, this is all for now. Until next time around. Take care and have a nice day!-chris a. quilpa, 06May2012