Teaching is both vocation and mission, says DepEd Oroquieta

“There are teachers up to now who have been teaching for more than 30 years. It is a miracle,” says an official from the Department of Education (DepEd) Oroquieta City Division.

In an episode of Let’s Talk MisOcc, virtual media forum organized and hosted by the Philippine Information Agency Misamis Occidental, DepEd Education Program Supervisor and Information Officer Mary Joy T. Agot shared the value and importance of teachers as they help shape and mold children to become good citizens.

“I believe that since it is a vocation, it is our Lord God Jesus Christ really called and chose them to become teachers because Jesus himself of all the professions on earth, he opted to be called teacher or rabbi. That’s why I say teachers are holy,” she added.

Oroquieta teachers are child friendly. As one of the five core values, the fact that there is no case of teachers against bullying, Agot said.

They are also known to be resilient. The fact that they have survived during the pandemic until now because of their being resilient, she said.

Meanwhile, Oroquieta teachers are also creative and resourceful. Another is they are self-motivated and role models to their learners, Agot added.

Mary Joy rose from the ranks from classroom teacher to now Education Supervisor in Oroquieta Division. She recalled looking back all those years, she said she could not believe how she survived those days where she had to manage a lot of kids.

The relationship and the discipline has changed over the years, the teachers now are guided with DepEd order no. 40 series 2012, dubbed the DepEd Child Protection Policy.

This means, she said, teachers try to discipline the children with love. They are taking the responsibility as second parents discipling them with love not through physical harm. They listen and they don’t humiliate kids in front of others as punishment.

As to the physical aspect, they are transforming their classrooms into ‘class-homes’ to attract learners to come to school especially in the resumption of face to face classes.

Above else, the teaching learning process is a differentiated instruction wherein they are adjusting daily instruction to cater to the needs of learners from those who are in need of so much assistance and guidance to those average ones and those fast learners.

There are a total of 857 teachers in Oroquieta Division, sad Agot.

Teachers Month celebration is based on Presidential Proclamation no. 242 promulgating that teachers will be honored and there will be a celebration for them starting September 5 to October 5.

Meanwhile, Republic Act (RA) 10743 declared that there must be a celebration for teachers on October 5 as our National Teachers Day.(JMORucat/PIA10)