Being a teacher for more than five years has given me a lot of new experiences. Although it is a profession that I had never really thought about before, I am very happy to be doing it now.
Many things are involved in this profession. Teaching? Certainly. However, there are many other demands as well. Apart from the actual teaching, a teacher must also become a detective when problems arise, or a nurse when a student is sick. Being a good communicator or public relations officer is useful when dealing with parents. Being an EO (event organizer) is a very handy skill set too. And of course, there are loads of different daily administrative tasks. In essence, I find this job to be quite unique when compared to other professions.
I’ve heard that good teachers are those who are able to touch the hearts of their students and become an inspiration for them. Although elementary school level is a place where they learn about authority, a teacher must also be a good friend to them. Most of the students I teach get little attention from parents because of their busy lives. Not to mention that the development of advanced technology has penetrated the lives of elementary school children and they really need help in handling this.
One Extraordinary Student
One of the moments I will never forget is when I was teaching Stephanie Liem in grade 3. Stephie came from a nice and pleasant family and she was a deep thinker. When I was her age I wouldn’t have been able to even think of the advanced questions she used to ask. No matter if it was during the class or leisure time, she kept asking her questions. Sometimes she even gave me a call or sent me an SMS when a difficult question came to her mind.
On Friday, November 25, 2005, Stephie sent me an SMS, telling me about an ear infection she had. There was some fluid in her ears building up. I told her that I will pray for her ears to heal. And not long after, her ears were healed. Ah … I was really happy to hear that …
At the end of the school year after the 2006 Thanksgiving Night, Stephie was crying. Her mother explained that she was very upset because I wouldn’t be her teacher anymore. Oh … how touching … Then I told her that even though I’m no longer her homeroom teacher, she can still contact me whenever she wants.
When Stephie was in the sixth grade she often participated in storytelling competitions. On Thursday, January 15, 2009, around 12:30 p.m. Stephie suddenly entered the teacher’s room and asked me to go to the media room on the third floor.
“What is all this about, Steph?” I asked, intrigued by her request.
“Please Ma’am, just come upstairs,” she replied.
When I arrived in the media room, I saw four children memorizing stories that they had written.
Stephanie said, “Please help me to memorize the contents of my script for the storytelling competition at Tunjungan Plaza tonight. I wrote a story about you, Ma’am Diyah. Try reading it Ma’am, and tell me if anything is wrong “
As soon as I saw the paper she gave me, I could not believe what was written there. This is what she wrote about me …
The Most Faithful Friend
Good morning everyone. My name is Stephanie Liem. I’m from MDC Christian Elementary School. Now I’m going to tell you about the most faithful friend I have ever had.
First of all, she is a faithful and loyal friend who always accompanies me when I’m sad or happy. Maybe some of you think I am talking about my friends or my pets. Well, you’re all wrong! I’m going to tell you about my teacher who always helps me when I have a problem. Her name is Ma’am Diyah.
She was my teacher when I was in the 3rd grade. Even though I grew up and am now in the 6th grade, she still wants to help me and always there for me every time I need her. She is patient, she pays attention to me, she understands me, and she wants to listen to my problems.
