To whom do we owe all our knowledge and wisdom to? To whom do we give the most appreciation to who we are today?
“World Teacher’s Day’ has commenced throughout the country as we celebrate another year for our beloved teachers, professors or even those who we consider our own mentors in life who have continuously guided and supported us. Teachers can come in different fonts and in different forms, and they can even have different ways of shaping their young student’s minds in becoming not just an excellent student in the classroom, but also a kind and good person to their community.
They don’t only teach us skills and knowledge, but also encouragement, manners, perseverance and wisdom, and it can even come from the strictest professor you know. Nonetheless, we must always remember that they all come from the same place of love and passion for their students, in which, all they really want to see is to see their students to be inspired to become the best versions of themselves in the future. But why is that so?
It’s because they themselves have become the best versions of their selves, because they were also shaped by the teachers they have encountered in their lifetime, as they have also been once, a student.
Ar. Noriel Jeanne T. Tupaz, an instructor from the College of Architecture and Allied Discipline Department shares her perspective and thoughts about the matter, in which she has also been inspired by one of her mentors during her board exams. In which she states that, “During my board exam, we were mentored by newly licensed architects- headed by Ar. Mark Tapawan. They were top-notchers from various years. They helped us with our reviews for free, and we formed friendships with them. I can say that this has been my greatest inspiration in how I handle things now, as I strive to give back and support the next generation of architects in the same way.”
Indicating that a mentor/teacher can not just also be a teacher to their student, but can also be a friend, a second parent figure and also a role model, in which we could see on how active their roles can be in our lives, and shows on how much we could always rely on them. But there will always be more than one mentor/ teacher who can also bring so much light and passion within us as Ar. Tupaz also states,
“I am grateful for the guidance I received from several architects during my college days, namely Ar. Gagarin, Ar. Valuis, Ar. Bañez, Ar. De Veyra, Ar. Tadeo, Ar. Nalda, Ar. Lim, Ar. Montaño, Ar. Almarines, and Ar. Abusman. They were strict, but I learned a lot from them. Additionally, I am thankful for my apprenticeship with my mentor Ar. Ailene Songalia-Royo. Because of their support and mentorship, I can confidently say that I have become a good architect and a mentor to the new generation of aspiring architects.”
Indeed, it shaped and inpired her to become who she is today—she grew from her experience with the professors and architects she had been with during her college years. This experience also become the fuel to channel and reflect it to her students, “I’m going to channel my inner architect and build them up—one pun at a time! I mean, as Frank Lloyd Wright said, “The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen.” So, I’ll be hyping them up to believe in themselves. After all, if they can design something that doesn’t collapse, they can definitely ace their studies! Let’s lift our blueprints and our spirits! And let’s not forget to enjoy the process,” she added.
Alger L. Licaña, a BSAR 4B student, and who was a former student of Ar. Noriel Tupaz, shares his perspective about his instructor, in which he states,
“I’m grateful for all the knowledge that she embarks on me, she’s a good teacher and a friend and One thing that I am grateful for is our genuine relationship as her student inside the campus and as a friend outside.”
In light of the month’s celebration of the World Teacher’s Day, let us always be reminded that every teacher we encounter in our lives can have a certain influence and impact on students, and that every one of them can have a special place in our lives, as we must also remember that they were once like us, students who are continuously growing and learning into becoming the best versions of themselves.
Let us not forget to express our genuine gratitude for the sacrifices, lessons, and wisdom that they have bestowed upon us, as we also carry this forth in order to inspire the next generation of students.
Happy World Teacher’s Day!
Article by Princess Adona