Unit 2: The Teacher and the Society

Lesson 2: The Demands of Society from the Teacher as a

Person

APPLYING

Poetry Integration
Instructions: Read the poem, “You Are a Teacher” and answer the questions that follow:
(Source: Bilbao, et. Al (2018).The teaching profession 4th ed.)

You are a Teacher

If I speak interestingly, effectively, and well,
But do not understand my students
I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal,
If I know all of the methods and techniques of teaching,
If I have complete faith that they will work,
So that I use them completely,
But think only of materials or techniques
Instead of how they can help my students,
I count for nothing
If I go the second mile in my teaching,
Give up many activities,
But do it without understanding,
It does no good,
Love is very patient, very kind;
Love is not jealous, it does not put on airs;
It is never tyrannic, never;
Yet does insist on truth;
It does not become angry;
It is not resentful.
Love always expects the best of others;
It is gladdened when they live up to these expectations,
Slow to lose faith when they do not.
It will bear anything,
Hope for anything,
Endure anything.
This kind of love will never fail
If there are teaching methods, they will change;
If there are curricula, they will be revised.
For our knowledge is imperfect
And our teaching is imperfect,
And we are always looking for the better ways
Which an infinite God has placed ahead of us.
When I began to teach, I fumbled and failed;
Now I have put away some of my childish ways.
At present I am learning bit by bit;
But if I keep on seeking, I shall at last understand
As all along I myself have been understood.
So faith, hope and love endure.
These are the great three
But the greater of them is love.

Questions:
1. While reading the poem, what mental portrait of the teacher in the classroom and the
teacher in the community is painted in your mind?

It is the teacher’s role to offer every child a rich, rewarding, and unique learning
experience. Teachers design and guide students through engaging learning
opportunities. An educator's most important responsibility is to search out and construct
meaningful educational experiences that allow students to solve real-world problems
and show they have learned the big ideas, powerful skills, and habits of mind and heart
that meet agreed-on educational standards. The fundamental job of teaching is no
longer to distribute facts but to help children learn how to use them by developing their
 abilities to think critically, solve problems, make informed judgments, and create
knowledge that benefits both the students and society.

One can teach basic skills without love, but to truly make a difference in a student’s life,
there needs to be love. Love sees teaching as an art where we explore different ways of
connecting to subject matter and to students. Love brings patience and understanding,
which are so important in teaching. With love, the rest kindness follows. Kindness and
compassion allow us to see our students as individuals who are struggling and
sometimes suffering. These allow us to see ourselves in the student, even the student
who we find is hard to relate to. If our students feel that we care for them, this can be a
strong motivation for learning.

2. Read through the poem by replacing I with your name. It goes like this: Calleigh, You are
a Teacher.
If Sahlee speaks interestingly, effectively, and well,
But do not understand her students
Sahlee is a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal,
If Sahlee knows all of the methods and techniques of teaching,
If Sahlee have complete faith that they will work,
So that Sahlee uses them completely,
But think only of materials or techniques
Instead of how they can help Sahlee’s students,
Sahlee counts for nothing
If Sahlee goes the second mile in Sahlee’s teaching,
Give up many activities,
But do it without understanding,
It does no good,
Love is very patient, very kind;
Love is not jealous, it does not put on airs;
It is never tyrannic, never;
Yet does insist on truth;
It does not become angry;
It is not resentful.
Love always expects the best of others;
It is gladdened when they live up to these expectations,
Slow to lose faith when they do not.
It will bear anything, Hope for anything,
Endure anything.
This kind of love will never fail
If there are teaching methods, they will change;
If there are curricula, they will be revised.
For our knowledge is imperfect
And our teaching is imperfect,
And we are always looking for the better ways
 Which an infinite God has placed ahead of us.
When Sahlee began to teach,
Sahlee fumbled and failed;
Now Sahlee have put away some of her childish ways.
At present Sahlee is learning bit by bit;
But if Sahlee keeps on seeking,
Sahlee shall at last understand
As all along Sahlee herself have been understood.
So faith, hope and love endure. These are the great three
But the greater of them is love.

3. Describe and explain what you felt when you read your name through the lines of the
poem.
4.
This pandemic
I felt enlightened and motivated to teach. It actually gave me a new strength to teach