True Confessions of a Teacher

Chapter 3

The ultimate challenge of the day was how I could bring my babies from the doorway two steps down to the ground without getting hurt. My left hand was holding the bottle and the door, so I could only extend my right hand to grasp each of the babies' tiny hand. One after another, I guided them slowly, patiently, and carefully most especially Brad because he had always been incredibly wobbly... and he could fall very very easily.

Phewww! I sighed with relief as I finally got the last one of them to the concrete ground without getting hurt.  But alas, we couldn't use the playground as it had been occupied by the two year old class. I called my babies who had been busy tinkering things which they shouldn't get into. I told them we were going to do Plan B: the wagon ride!

They seemed pleased with the idea so I pulled out the cart that had two benches on each side, and situated it in front of the gate.  I picked up Josiah first and buckled him in, my eyes were following where Brad was going because I really really didn't want him to fall.

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Ahhh, playtime! I spent plenty of that with my fifth grade classes before. Wow, it felt like I just taught those kids a year ago when it's already been over two decades.

My fifth graders and I used to play ball almost everyday. We played all kinds of board games and cards. We read fairytales together; we sang and we danced. We had weekend trips together to see local museums, eat dinner at a fancy restaurant, and go check out other fun places. We helped the people in need and visit babies at an orphanage. But they had grown now. They had gone to college, got married and became successful professionals and entrepreneurs.

Nevertheless, in my heart they still remained as my fifth graders and the memories we built together would come in handy at times when I'd be at the bottomless pit of anguish, frustration, and self-reflection as a teacher. Because just like everybody else, I too am human. I'd still carry fragments of my past, most especially the happiest ones.

My past has shaped me into who I am now... but every tomorrow is a new day. It brings with it a promise of hopeful possibilities. Honestly, I only teach because I want my students to believe in themselves and become strong, responsible adults who can make a unique and wonderful difference in the world.  Hence, I'd be heartbroken if I'd hear a student say they hate school.  Because teachers like me should make schools a happy place where learning should be fun. That's a given.

Really! What's up with playtime that I'm so stuck about? I used to talk about it lengthily with my most educated colleagues, and ended up feeling so much ignored, unheard, and misunderstood. I could talk endlessly about playtime. Playtime should be what schools are all about: a time to play.

Indeed, I've had so many aha moments that had been kept in the dark for so long. Like if I could build my own school, I'd want it to be centered on role playing.

For instance, kids would probably have more meaningful learning if they could apply whatever they've just learned from their math and art classes into actually buying and selling their own crafts at school.  How cool would that be?  I would bet that students would end up spending an enormous amount in planning and designing their own products. 

So, imagine what it would be like if instead of learning seemingly boring math, financial, and economic concepts in the classroom, teachers would actually guide the students into starting their own business and letting them play as marketers and consumers everyday. Imagine what it would be like if schools would allow students to publish their own books, cook their own food, design their own toys, games, or clothes.  That would mean business empires ARE under construction not in the near future, but right now. 

Imagine what it would be like if schools would allow the students to advance their social skills by letting them create and follow laws to keep order, peace, and progress in the community. Wouldn't that be more fun? Wouldn't that make students become more motivated to learn more so they could improve what they had been busy working on?

So, why do I feel like I'm the only human being who sees the great significance of playtime? My voiceless soul had been screaming about this all these years. 

Sometimes I'd question myself and say I probably wasn't cut out to be a teacher because my idea of schooling has always been about fun.  I am definitely against making kids sit down all day and finish worksheets.  I think that is horrible.  Because really... schools should be fun, and schools should be a safe place to stay.  Kids should LIKE coming to school, not hate it.  So, how difficult can that be?

I thought it wasn't really that difficult until I had the chance to teach in high school.  But I'd still swear, even until now... that I did my very best to protect my students.