and Downed Locked

Mark Vincent Eiman

does not see it as a hindrance for her family duties as a working parent.

Accepting the Challenge

Jan Carol S. Salas, AlSci teacher living in Koronadal City, expressed that the work from home system, although it was more challenging, became an opportunity for her to spend more quality time with her family. “I can manage my time because I have people I can trust to watch over my daughter if I have online classes even when I have to report to school. I spend a lot of time taking good care of my daughter and husband.” However, as a mother, there are times when she gets distracted at conferences because she has chores to do.

Nonetheless, she highlighted that she has to accept the responsibility as a whole, including the struggles that comes with it, because it is what she chose to be. “Every role has a responsibility to take and it's hard, to be honest,” she added.

The people we see and learn from on a daily basis have different stories to tell. Behind the masks of Teacher Rallie, Maam Ann, and Teacher JC, lies a person that also has a life to live, a person that has responsibilities more than just being a platform for the future generation to learn. Other than being teachers, they are parents, daughters and sons, and providers for their own families. But despite those differences, one thing they have in common is their passion for teaching.

The choices they make always have responsibilities and struggles that comes with it. After all, what matters most are the things they value. They value their families and as well as their duty and passion to foster the minds of the future generation. It is important to pay the respect and attention that teachers deserve, because they have their own stories, more than what is just seen by the naked eye.