Musings

(Written almost 3 years ago)
I never thought I’d feel this way towards something that I’ve started to enjoy doing. I am, by the way, talking about my work. I guess being in this field is not as great as it sounded at first.

I used to teach college students in one of the premier universities in the country. Unfortunately, I didn’t finish my Masters so I had to find another job or another school/university. As the gods would have me, I was hired the following semester that my contract with the premier university expired. This time it was an exclusive university, one with all the amenities and stuff to cater to the needs of the rich college students who can afford to enroll. It was easy getting into that one. I was just my usual, arrogant self. Armed with almost five years experience teaching the brightest and toughest kids of the land, I walked into the classroom and did my thing. I delivered an almost flawless teaching demonstration on Integration (College Calculus). They were convinced I could do a good job imparting my knowledge and they hired me.

I was ecstatic. Surely this university could pay me more. After all, it is a private university and known for big compensation packages for its employees. But the gods I was talking about had some tricks up their sleeves. It turned out the job was on a part-time basis. At that time, what choice do I have? It was either that part-time job or no job for the next four weeks. I grabbed the chance and did a little modification on my wardrobe that used to consist of comfortable jeans, loafers, sneakers or mojo slippers and (organization, faculty, university) shirts or a few blouses. I had to buy more decent blouses, some slacks and a pair of high-heeled sandals. It was fun at first. I felt I was playing “dress up” and the classroom situations were as varied as they could get. The students are especially diverse. By that, I mean their mathematical capacity and backgrounds. It was a challenge indeed. And challenges I love facing head-on.

After a semester of grueling classroom discussions and mind-bending exams that majority of the class despised, I found out I was about to go looking for another job. It didn’t come as a surprise. Seven of the graduating students in my class did not get their diploma because they failed my course. It was a tough sem-ender. I was called to the dean’s office and was asked to explain their failure. Is a failing grade in most of the exams including the removal exam and the finals not basis enough? I was once more my adamant self. I was afraid they would make me change the grades, something I definitely did not intend to do whatever the cost. After the dialogue with the failing students at the dean’s office, I never heard from them again. Not from those students who failed the course and not from the dean as well. In fact, I found out by the end of the semester that I no longer have any teaching load for that summer. That was the end of it.

Fortunately for me I had a pending application to a private school near my University. The principal saw my credentials fit so they asked me to come for an interview. Now that is another story worth telling another day.