Two Hats, One Head: Parent-Teachers in the Spotlight
It takes one special day to say “thank you,” but it takes a whole year of continuous gratitude to make it true. In MGC New Life Christian Academy (MGCNLCA), the teachers are with us almost every day of the week as our second parents, but oftentimes we only realize how much teachers mean to us when Teachers’ Day comes around. Yet, what about the teachers that continue to work while students are gone—those who go home and continue to teach another batch of students?
Most people think that teaching is hard, but parenting is even harder. This Teachers’ Day, we asked some teachers that have managed to handle not one, but both of these tasks to share their experiences.
Irene Ngo (Early Years Supervisor)
Despite having no background in teaching, Ngo took up the profession after the principal and then Early Years teacher Evangeline Co asked her if she was willing to take up a teaching position in the department. A few years after taking the full-time job, she became a mother to two children, one of whom has already graduated and the other is still in Grade 11 at MGCNLCA.
Ngo said, “[After becoming a parent, teaching] became harder because I had to juggle my job and also being a mom. It made me understand the parents more.” She continued, “Once you become a parent, you understand [that] you want what's best for your kids; you want to make sure that they're safe. [Parenting] made me realize the importance of really spending time with kids, making sure that you really take time to focus on them and discipline them.”
Mylene Lee (Grade 1 Filipino Teacher)
Having been a parent before pursuing a career in academia, Lee’s journey to becoming a teacher started when she enrolled her first son in school. “Back then, the school was so small… So they encouraged the parents, the moms especially, to help out during Vacation Bible School. So [it imparted to me that] I love teaching, and it led me to teaching after,” she remembered. “[Being] a parent really helps me see my students differently. [You] have the desire to give them the best, love them, take care of them, and then teach them as your own,”
Now in her 27th year with MGCNLCA, she still finds teaching very fulfilling, especially when she sees students that hardly speak and understand Filipino become so eager to learn.
Janith Manquiquis (Grade 6 Homeroom Teacher)
Manquiquis was a nurse first before she chose the path of a teacher. However, ever since her elementary years, she already dreamed of eventually entering the teaching profession. “It started when I discovered that I wanted to see students learning,” she said.
Her parents encouraged her to be a nurse, so she studied medicine for her master’s degree while at the same time spent the evenings studying to become a teacher and earn her teachers’ certificate. After becoming a parent, Manquiquis said that not much changed in her teaching style. Despite having to juggle teaching a class and taking care of her family at home, parenting was never much of a problem for her because she loved teaching so much.
Pastor Francis Ang (Grade 9 and 10 Global Perspectives Teacher)
Ang began his journey as a teacher without any experience in teaching at all, aside from the occasional tutoring he did during his college years. He joined MGCNLCA working in General Services, before eventually teaching Chinese Math and other subjects. But God had different plans in store for him. Soon after, he entered the seminary, became a pastor and was called to serve in several other churches that do not have a permanent pastor, as well as managed the family business while his father was sick.
Reflecting on his early years of teaching, Ang admitted that he was very idealistic about the profession. Upon having his second child and seeing that each one learns and reacts to things differently, he realized that there is no one rule that works for the both of them. “[My teaching style] changed a lot because whenever I teach [now], I always view that all of my students are my kids. I give 100% of my ability to teach them, so that they will learn in the best way I know how,” explained Ang.
Daniel Dionisio Jr. (Grade 11 Organization and Management, Grade 12 Economics and Business Ethics Teacher)
As a Senior High School teacher, Dionisio did not begin as an educator, but as a parent. To him, teaching was something he had always enjoyed doing, whether it was during cell group or for Sunday school. “When there was an opportunity to teach in [MGCNLCA], it was, for me, a dream job. So I really don't feel like it's a job. It's more like a calling that God has given me, and [everything] just fits so perfectly here in [MGCNLCA],” said Dionisio.
Having started out as a parent, Dionisio already had experience in taking care of children. “[Parenting] definitely has helped me be more sympathetic and forgiving,” Mr. Dionisio said. “I really consider my students as my kids outside of the house. I try to mentor, nurture, and guide them. … Becoming a teacher helped me become a better parent and being a parent also helped me become a better teacher.”
Parenting and teaching definitely go hand-in-hand, and it’s amazing how many parent-teachers juggle both at the same time. Teachers put their all into everything they do for us—and with all the added responsibilities of their families alongside teaching, the burden can be especially difficult. This Teachers’ Day, we honor our second parents, and recognize the hard work and dedication that goes into everything they do.
Thank you to all the teachers for mentoring us, guiding us, and for caring for us in the most important years of our lives, and for being there every step of the way. Happy Teachers’ Day!