How do we educate a child?

Still fresh from my head are the memories of my primary years when I was sent to a class in our piloted school for the kindergarten curriculum in one of the mountainous places in the town.

That morning of my first day was a mixed emotion, I felt so excited, afraid, and uncomfortable.

Excited because it was my very first day of wearing my school uniform, those black shoes bought from ukay-ukay with my not-so-tight shorts and white polo and of course my tiny Spider-man-themed bag which I used to keep not just my art and coloring materials but also my baon wrapped in banana leaf which I am sure topped with a cooked crab or a dried fish, then being ready to raise my hand if my teacher will ask something in class since that was what my mama told me.

Afraid because that was the first day ever that I left the house, there were a lot of what-ifs in my mind. What if I get lost? What if a monster or a kidnapper upon gets me while going there? What if somebody will hurt me?

Those are just a few results of my uncertain feelings.

Uncomfortable because that was my first time talking to the little kids like me who were near my seat and of course with that stunning lady in front of us with red lips and a smiling face saying “hello mga anak good morning!” I felt like, huh?

Am I her son? And these kids are my siblings? How could it happen?

I was wondering, but only until our beautiful teacher started to build rapport with us. She introduced herself and her interesting life then she asked the class “do you like my real-life story?”

Do you want to have an interesting life just like as mine?

And in chorus, we all said “Yes ma’am!”

Our first day was so memorable all of us received stamps like stars and hearts for each job well done. She then told us that in the classroom we are a family, she filled our innocent minds with values of love, respect, and kindness.

The next day we were all present and so early forming our line for the flag-raising ceremony and so eager to learn more and more every day. We have learned how to learn things, how to deal with alphabets and numbers.

Days, weeks, and months passed by, the leaves of the large trees that surrounded the classroom started falling.

One day we all dressed up in very clean and white-like dress (our toga) for the very special day when we marched facing all the people and the visitors who were there to celebrate our success.

Lastly, I saw our teacher smiling but with tears near the backstage and I hugged her saying “thank you, ma’am, for teaching us how to love” that was part of the lyrics of our graduation song. Unknowingly, my friends, classmates, my brothers and sisters inside the four corners of the classroom were also there paying tribute and gratitude to our hero, our teacher.

In this time how do you think a child should be taught?

A child should be taught not only with letters and numbers. He should be taught the way he can see goodness in his heart so he can see the same in others and that he can be a product of faith, hope, and love being put all together.

Algene Traya Radana