Ulog No. 48: "My Simple Joy of Teaching Young People"

It's almost the end of the school year. We are already in Week 7 of Term 4, so we only have 3 more weeks until the big school break and the Christmas holiday. But it doesn't mean that our job and responsibilities as Educators are coming to an end and that we can relax already. The last three weeks that we have will be spent writing reports for individual children that we have in our care. I am responsible to write 10 reports out of 25 children that we have in the 4-5-year-old room.

Of course, I still have to help in planning for experiences and activities that we have to set up in our room every week. There's still a lot of things to be done. Also, I have to write observations on children's learning and engagement throughout each week. We have to prepare for Christmas activities as well.

But nevertheless, it has been and always is a rewarding experience for me as a Teacher/Educator of these young ones that somehow, I am able to speak over their lives and connect with them in every way that I can. It may be through playing and engaging in conversations with them, and whilst I am doing that, I get to spend time marveling at their great creative minds. I love watching them work cooperatively, helping each other out, using teamwork, and caring for one another. And if an opportunity arises, I can be an instrument in shaping and molding their character.

Proverbs 22:6 says,

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

A Child's Petition

There was one time this 4-year-old child, Renz (not the real name), approached me crying because his little pinky was accidentally stepped on by his friend. His friend said, "I'm sorry." Renz, whilst still crying, replied, "That's all right. I forgive you." However, he still would not stop crying. He kept on saying, "My finger hurts." I comforted him and gave him an ice pack for his finger. Nothing that I did would stop him from crying. I asked him, "How can I help you to make you feel better?" He replied, "Please pray to God that my hurt will go away."

It made me tear up. My heart melted after hearing his petition. I was surprised to hear that from this child. So we prayed together, and it was a short simple prayer like this: "Dear God, we ask that you help Renz feel better. Make his little finger feel better and that the pain will go away. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus' Name, we pray, Amen." After our prayer, he stopped crying and said, "I am better." Then he played with his friends as if nothing happened.

We all have that inherent need to be loved and to know that someone actually cares. More so with children. Spend time with them. Be with them, not just physically, but actually BE THERE with them and for them.

How about you? What do you love most in your chosen vocation? Please feel free to leave a reply in the comment section below. Thank you for reading, God bless you and bye for now!