Mayo the Teacher

A recent photo of me during my breaktime. 

In all my years of being a teacher, never have I written a single article about it so today I’d like to share something very personal … allow me to show you  a glimpse of my other side… my day job as a teacher.

I was never a whiz kid. Never the scholarly type of student. I even flunked kindergarten for crying out loud because I was too lazy and moody to go to school. I was an anti-social kid. Cried in class most of the time, occasionally destroyed my toys, messed with mom’s make-ups… I was the female counterpart of Dennis the Menace I believe so!  Being a teacher someday never crossed my mind.  Like most kids that time, I wanted to either be a doctor, a movie star or a lawyer, mainly because I wanted to defend myself and mom from the people who always gave us a hard time. 

I did not study education. I’m a Hotel and Restaurant Management graduate who realized I didn’t want  to make a living out of cooking for the simple reason that I just wanna share my well kept recipes only to my future family. Reserved in short! Hehehehe Aside from that, I don’t really like working on weekends… I value spending time with the people I love and pursuing my art… my passions in life. Music, cooking, sightseeing and now photography… these are some of the things which make my life very meaningful.

while talking to one of my students...

4 years ago, I became a teacher by accident… an online English teacher to be precise. Another proof how the universe works in mysterious ways…. I never dreamed of being a teacher but there I was… starting a teaching career. The 1^st 3 months were like hell! Felt like in a shithole…. I felt I wasn’t effective. But then I was determined to prove them wrong. I worked hard in building my confidence as well as coming-up with my own style.. and it was really simple.  SINCERITY.  When you know in your heart that you are sincere,  everything will flow easily, effortlessly. Every word you utter will all show genuine love, concern and sincerity….. and people will respond positively because they will feel you.  Yes, even with just hearing your voice and no matter the distance.  It has no boundaries.

It may not be obvious to many but I’m very much in-love with my work and the people I work with. I enjoy talking to my students every single day and never tire of asking them about their lives. I’ve handled students from all levels, ages and walks of life.  From a struggling office worker to a multinational company director, from an adult low-beginner to an advanced grade schooler… name it, you got it! Boy am I patient! Good thing I have a well controlled temper hehehe 

given by my student YuJin after one of our classes

I have my set of regular re-enrollees (fansclub) who have been with me for years. Some of them may have a break for a couple of months but they always come back.  I appreciate their loyalty. I know there are far better and smarter teachers out there but they say the reason why they keep coming back is because they feel my concern and sincerity and they love the feeling I leave them after each class. There is an art to it… the art of listening and giving advice. They often claim to feel happier and less stressed after each class with me. On a typical day, I’d call my students after office hours to practice English with them. I become their confidant in times of despair and cheer them up. They consult me with their personal problems. Teenagers on the other hand would often tell me about their juvenile issues about school, self esteem and relationships… After giving them sisterly advice, it feels so great to hear them sounding relieved and laughing again. With my junior students (i'm crazy about them!), they all say they love hearing my funny and interesting stories… I fall in-love with them every single day. To them I am the best teacher! The weird thing is that, I haven't personally met 95% of them and never have seen their pictures as well. I also had my share of times wherein I cried really hard during farewells. Each of them is special and hold a dear place in my heart. 

a recognition from our company a few months ago...

 You see, it’s not all about the lessons but more on the relationships which we build… how we touch lives. This is how I make a difference on a daily basis… my contribution to humanity, my legacy.

I touch lives on a daily basis…. This is what fulfills me deep inside. The thought that my words matter and actually affect people have a huge impact in me. I believe in connections, building meaningful connections which crosses borders and goes beyond time.