Tuesday, October 5, 2021

FEATURE: "The principal is also a teacher: an interview" by Juancarlos Raphael Apalit and Joanna Elisha Medina

The World Teachers’ Day is held annually on 5 October to celebrate the profession of teaching and to thank all teachers around the world for their hardships and passion to educate children. — On September 28, 2021, The Spiracle got the opportunity to interview our beloved Senior High Principal, Mr. Rodrigo Calapan, about his thoughts on celebrating this meaningful event.

To have a special day dedicated to him and to his co-teachers was indeed a significant event for him. — “I am very emotional every time we celebrate this, because it makes us special. And I will celebrate this along with my colleagues who continue to work despite this celebration amidst the pandemic.” he stated.

Celebrating amidst the pandemic seems like a blur since we all are on a lockdown while safeguarding our own lives yet we still get to enjoy this eventful celebration to show our gratitude towards our counsellors even if it’s only through video calls and online conferences.

As the caretakers of future innovators, an educator must have an advocacy. Mr. Calapan adheres to his advocacy: “It is pointless to educate the head without also teaching the heart. In today’s generation, we must produce a graduate of good character, secure in their beliefs, convictions, values and ideals; and with empathy and genuine concern for others. To achieve this as teachers, we have to let everything we do be done in love and let love and kindness be the motivation behind all that we do”.

Being a teacher isn’t limited to teaching only, but it’s also moolding a student to face reality and to make them capable of achieving their goals. Building a student to be able to carry a legacy is a big responsibility which is why being a teacher isn’t just a profession but a calling.

Mr. Calapan has been a teacher for quite a while now. He gives words of advice to his co-teachers and to those who aim to mold wonderful students. He advises: “Being a teacher is a calling. This profession requires someone with a patient, kind and loving heart. We should care for our students and act or serve as their parents at the same time. We should also need ears to listen to them and a feeding hand to feed them if they become hungry. We should also visualize our student’s future, imagining them in professional roles. And when we look at them, see engineers, see ingenuity, see their possibilities!”

Being a teacher isn’t an easy feat. Teaching is driven by a burning passion to help the youth progress and achieve their dreams. To all teachers out there, The Spiracle greets you a Happy Teachers’ Day!

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