I graduated Bachelor of Philosophy just last year, April 2004, and it was my first time to teach, formally as an instructor in my Alma Mater – Saint Louis University, Baguio City, during the 1st semester of school year 2005-2006. I never dreamed of becoming a teacher (especially a philosophy “teacher”!)! But hell! Here I am, teaching!

Even when I was in the undergrad, of all the branches of philosophy, I hated Logic so much! I told my superiors they could give me any of the branches or major subjects in philosophy except Logic and yet, they have given me 18 units teaching load for Logic! And only 6 units for the Philosophy of Man! (Actually I had 12 units for each subjects during the prelims and then comes midterm, there was a reshuffling of philo instructors for some stupid reasons, taking my 2 ‘philo of man’ classes, replacing it with 2 other logic classes! Humph!) Many or most of my students in the Philosophy of Man adored me, idolized me, looked up to me, and even claimed, young as I am, I’m the best teacher they ever had! What a lovely melody to the ear, right? Yet when it comes to my classes in Logic, I felt crap, stupid, incompetent.

I got very high score in the Department Head and the Director’s Evaluation during the class observation because it just so happened that the director went to my Philosophy of Man classes. The director was impressed for my mastery of the subject matter, for my excellent teaching method, and praises, praises, praises. However, I am not sure of the Student’s Evaluation of me because misfortune of all misfortunes, the director went to my most hated class in logic, and curse of all curse, I walked out of that class just a meeting before the evaluation! (We meet every Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. I walked out on Saturday, and the Student’s Evaluation was on Tuesday, at random). Because the class were so noisy and were complaining a lot regarding their exam scores for not reading and not following the instructions, as clearly stated in their test papers, and because I was actually not feeling well on that Saturday but I still entered my class, I became so sensitive and felt disrespected and preferred to leave the class although it was too early for class dismissal. Damn! Make one mistake and you’re doomed!

Ah, whatever…. Just as not everyone will hate and curse you, not everyone will love and like you. As seen in the list of Student’s comments, it is divided,or shall I say, inconsistent. Some thinks I’m good, some thinks I’m worse. Some liked me; some are not. Anyway, the 1st semester is over and I’ve learned a lot from it. I promise to keep on improving my teaching method, and be the best “teacher” that I can be. ;- )