Three years. It has been three years already when I finally decided to dive into the ocean of teaching. It took me three years to breathe, prepare my post, and to finally motivate myself to dive. Three years filled with highs and lows. Three years that helped me to face the ocean.
Fourth year. Now, I saw myself almost in the ocean. Teaching profession is easy for most of the people because what they experienced is just learning, not teaching. Teaching means a lot of preparation of lesson, materials, and most especially patience. Come and dive with me as I show you the ocean of teaching I had.
Stepping out. Stepping out and looking through a high mountain top, viewing the ocean is the first step. You had think through before you dive. You have to be prepared when you are to go which means no turning back. Teaching is usually seen only from the classroom, when the teacher talks and gives seat works or assignments, but little did they know that teaching starts from a time we cannot fully say exactly when. But it starts when the teacher prepares. When I was informed about my evaluation day, I immediately asked for the theme for that week, so I could start planning. First procedure of teaching, planning. It was said in a theory that, "You cannot give , what you do not have.", and it is simply telling us that we cannot teach, what we do not know, we cannot program anything, we did not plan. True enough, that is why planning is part of teaching. Planning the lesson to be taught is the first move before diving off to the ocean. I knew that I had to teach about transportation found in the air, land, and water. I had to specifically teach them as well how to create a paper airplane, learn C-V-C words, and a Math concept of more or less. I made my lesson plan already, and after that, I met the second move off to the ocean.
The Dive. The dive means, "the acceptance to face what lies ahead of you." This is your go signal. This is the first thing I had to absorb as I am about to start to face this ocean. This is the next move to appreciate it. When diving, you are about to start feeling the breeze of the ocean and that is why preparing the materials for teaching makes a teacher feel the teaching process because it is being done little by little until we reach the ocean. This is one of the most challenging parts of teaching because you really had to dig deeper on thinking of the most creative materials to use that would not just entertain your students but would be effective as well. I prepared a mystery box as I was to teach C-V-C with them to be followed by a story. I did a simulation activity of journey inside the airport and airplane. I taught them math with simply demonstrating it with the use of pictures and samples from their book. Preparing the materials would mean confidence as well to use it and start teaching.
The Ocean. We have finally reached the ocean. My whole being felt the embrace of it. I felt the depth and the beauty it brings. I started teaching already and I do admit, I felt happy yet I felt nervous more than happiness. Same thing as to diving and sinking in the ocean, it is joyful to find yourself brave enough to face the seas yet it is nerve wrecking to realize that you might drown yourself. But in order to keep yourself steady and sinking, you must learn how to balance yourself in the water and keep going. That's what I did when I knew I had to teach. I taught them not to keep myself survive for the rest of the day, but because I want them to learn. I started teaching through the video I prepared to motivate them. We made our own plane ticket for the simulation to be done at the last part of the day. Then I taught them C-V-C words for their English class with the use of mystery box and storytelling.
Beneath the Ocean. We really cannot avoid that problems and other situations might be encountered along the way. Just like the ocean they are tides, either high tide or low tide. There are times that I will encounter problems that are unexpectedly coming yet that is part of what a teacher must learn, to solve in a quick manner and smooth one. This is why being patient is one of the virtues that teachers must have. I have learned how to gain more patience and know even more the importance of it. Thinking also of the classroom management is also a high tide. Managing a student to be seated is very ideal for it is their nature to move and play around. This is what I have learned, let them do what their nature requires them but be creative on how to negotiate with them in terms or reminding them with the rules and regulations in a fun way.
The Island. When you are in the ocean, your goal is not to just reach the ocean and feel the water. Your goal is to reach another island in order to settle down for a while and then swim again. Islands are like strategies you will reach and learn to use. But one island is not enough that is why you have to search for them again and dive once more. That is why teaching has a continuous process of learning.
This is the dive.