If you have read my posts in the past months, I mentioned that I accepted a teaching load at my alma mater. The subject is Technical Writing and Research. Though I'm not that confident with my writing and research skills, I took a leap of faith. I may not have outstanding credentials, but I know I have something to share. So I obliged. 

In my third week of teaching, I realized that writing is not everyone's cup of tea, and it is not easy, as others may have guessed. 

Realizations

Writing for me has become a passion, a habit that I developed over the years. Whenever I have an idea in mind, I write. When I want to let out emotions, I write. Even in my day job, I write. I even took side gigs involving writing. I still have a lot of room for improvement, and I consider my skills average, but I learn from years of writing. You cannot be good at your craft if you won't spend considerable time doing it. You got to learn, practice, and hone your skills. It takes time. 

After listening to my students, I knew that we are different, so I shouldn't expect them to love the craft I used to love in just a few meetings. Even if I coach them one by one, we will all wear out eventually. What I can do for them is lay down the basics, share what I know, discuss the best practices, and explain the book knowledge. If I may add, supply them with encouragement and inspiration. 

And I love what I'm doing! 

And here's the best part

Teaching is difficult. If you're a teacher, you can attest to that. It's not easy to prepare lessons, review what you've prepared, and deliver it professionally. Especially with my subject, facts and relevance are of prime importance. We live in a generation where purveyors of fake news and disinformation are rampant. Therefore, research and factual writing are crucial.

And I love hearing from my students about their positive feedback and appreciation for what they learn from my subject. Their messages inspire me, for they share how practical our topics are in their ministries. Some even shared how their misconceptions changed regarding writing. They learned to appreciate how communication, the main thrust of our subject, plays a vital role in their ministries. 

Perhaps this is what keeps our teachers motivated. I know how easy it is to give up teaching for several reasons. First, it is tiring physically and emotionally, and efforts are not always well-compensated. Ask any teacher you know. Especially during the pandemic when their reportorial requirements are more demanding than their teaching loads. Also, teaching is a thankless job to some. Some students can be rude and insensitive. They do not care about the efforts of their teachers. So I can't imagine the sacrifices our dear teachers experience regularly.

But these same students are their primary motivation to continue! Their thirst for learning fuels them to give more. Their dreams of becoming better citizens ignite the passion of our teachers to go beyond their pay grade. 

My journey has just begun

As a novice teacher, I know I still have a lot to learn. My story is just a fringe of what our seasoned teachers experience. I have a long way to go!

I am privileged to realize that teaching is indeed a noble profession. It is a job that keeps on giving! It is life-to-life, and no one can quantify the joy of influencing others with what you have taught them. 

Cliche this may sound, but we owe a lot to our teachers. We are who we are right now because of their invaluable contribution to our life.