Elementary Category

For 10 years, Ben has been rated outstanding as a Science Teacher in the Division of Oriental Mindoro. He has received at least seven awards as an educator and as a model citizen.
 
His concern for his students is a reflection of his concern for others, particularly the Mangyans. In the mid-70s, he taught in a Mangyan school and organized the 1st Mangyan BSP troop which later became over-all champion in a district BSP competition.

Ben is also an inventor, having conducted investigatory projects like the Kiddie Pumping See-Saw used to pump water, the Enercon Multi-Cooker, and the River Garbage Collector, which is for adoption by the City Government. He also came up with novel instructional materials such as “Sako Wonder Board”, the “Versatile Inclined Plane” and the “Super Flexie Board”, all of which won national wards as best teaching aids.

For Ben, “An effective teacher must be creative, innovative and, most of all, responsive to the needs of his pupils. He must be flexible and familiar with different strategies and be capable in adapting the one which he thinks is best suited to the needs of his pupils.”

Lil believes that “the greatest asset of a nation is its people imbued with a culture of education and a love of learning.” In her 28 years of teaching, she has produced student-champions in school, division and regional competitions sponsored by DECS and by various NGOs.

Going beyond the school’s boundaries and her prescribed duties, she has taken her crusade for knowledge - “coupled with good values” – to communities, where she has reached out to teach Math and parental values. Lil also writes. She is co-author of a NEAT reviewer and several mathematics textbooks.

Lil is a multi-talented teacher. In 1991, the Boy Scouts of the Philippines accorded her the Silver Service Award and the Quezon City government acknowledged her through the Gawad Ulirang Guro. The Mathematics Teacher Association of the Philippines also conferred on her the Exemplary Math Teacher Award.

To teach, for Leth, is to love. And that counts a lot for her students at the Special Education classes for the gifted and the fast learners at the Angeles Elementary School in Angeles City, Pampanga.

After pioneering the first special education classes in the city, she encouraged others to undergo training in SPED and in teaching the hearing-impaired, the blind, and those with behavioral problems. Since initiating the program in 1974, she continues to enrich her knowledge and techniques in SPED and trains others to improve their skills. To keep the program going and to invite even the poor to avail of the program, she sought the help of government and non-government groups for funding and material support.

For Leth, “To teach is to touch the lives of people, especially the young, because the knowledge, skills, good attitude and moral values that a teacher passes on to them send them out into the world with wings to fly.”

Joy has turned out to be just like her ideal person: her Grade I teacher. And just like her “idol,” her main source of fulfillment as a teacher are her students who have become assets in the community.

In her 17 years of teaching, she continues to go to school as she pursues her doctoral degree in education. She comes up with innovative teaching styles and techniques and shares these with other teachers. Among these are games to solicit the cooperation of her students and facilitate their learning process.

For her work, she has been honored as an outstanding teacher and received an outstanding proficiency report in BRITE course from the University of Queensland in Australia. For Joy, "The child is the beneficiary of the teacher's effort. They ought to be the center of the teaching-learning process. All for God’s glory.”

Babe is known as a model of morality and integrity. Her peers see her as intelligent, strong-willed, and industrious; a person who exudes confidence, self-reliance, discipline and a high degree of tolerance for stress.

Her dedication to scholastic excellence shows in the numerous championships she brought to her school while acting as coach of its Math team. She also heads the school and the Dumaguete North City district teacher’s leagues and is an official of other various scholastic organizations. She organized the first Math Club in her school and initiated a Math Gazette, the first Math paper in the region.

All these she does sans personal and monetary gains. This sacrificing attitude she takes from the Great Teacher, Jesus Christ. She says, “Genuine education is a sacrifice. However, those who work hard without counting the hours and efforts spent will find in such commitment to the teaching profession a legitimate satisfaction in the long run.”

Secondary Category

A vocation. That is how Nenen summarizes teaching. It is a way of life, a life that is whole and with integrity. What is formed in the classroom is not only the intellect but the moral, psychological, social and spiritual aspects of a person.

In and out of school, Nenen is a crusader of excellence and has been awarded as an outstanding school paper adviser. She also helps harness creative skills of her students as a coach for cultural – literary plays in which she garners additional honors for the school.

Because of her holistic philosophy, Nenen says that a teacher’s role starts not in the classroom but at home and then branches out to the community. This explains her active and dedicated participation not only in school but also in church, and in society, as a contributor to various publications in Western Visayas.

For Nenen: “As a mother and teacher, I try to develop in my children the dignity of a person, enhancing their God-given gifts for the service of others.”

What excited Malou most about teaching is the thought that she is helping shape the minds of her students and is being instrumental in the development of a wholesome character in them.

Her devotion to her students’ learning and well-being have helped them and their school win numerous awards. For her dedication and qualities, she has been named Outstanding Teacher in their school and was given the Science Education Award by a reputable government agency.

For Malou: “The influence of the mentor will forever be imbedded in the minds of students. Teachers must, therefore, deliver their utmost to the students and set a good moral and spiritual example to them to be more effective.”

Ador’s zest for life shows in her effective and efficient teaching of Chemistry and Physics, her fields of expertise. As a testament to her contribution in teaching chemistry, she was honored with the Science Education Award and served as winning coach in several science competitions.

Ador believes in the multiplier effect that training others brings. Hence, she dedicated much time in training and seminars where she shares her knowledge with younger and less experienced teachers. At times, she sacrificed her family’s comfort to train fellow mentors in the hinterlands of the Cordilleras.

This Master Teacher II is currently putting scientific theory into practice by helping save the Balili River and improve the water ecology of Baguio City and Benguet Province. What better way to show her students what education is all about?

For her: “Education is life, the every life of life. It is the torch that provides light through life.”

Pat believes that teaching is the noblest profession. For this teacher of 21 years, the rewards come every time a former student comes back to thank her and honor her with his or her success.

Her dedication to teaching paid off when she emerged as English Teacher of the year in both the district and division levels in 1998 and 1999. She was also chosen twice as Teacher of the Year in her school, where she serves as the students’ trainor in various English competitions.

For her: “This profession has numerous rewards which no amount of material possession can ever equal. The esteem, love and respect to students are heart-warming. The endearing smiles of parents who know that their children are in good hands can be very touching.”

Technical-Vocational Category

As a teacher, bridging the gap between theory and reality, is one of the goals of Sar. He brings industrial scenarios and experience into the classroom and encourages his students to explore and experiment. Sar says he wants them to discover for themselves the value of technology in their lives. His own experiments have produced inventions like Micro-Computer Trainer Controller which has earned him citations from Civil Service Commission and PTV-4.

For Sar, “Students have their own lives. A responsive and responsible teacher takes into accounts all factors that affect their students in the course of their learning. Only when students are given the space to explore concepts and techniques can they experience true learning.”

Higher Education Category

For Peng, learning goes both ways, with the teacher also learning much from her students. Thus, for her, the process of learning is more important than simply imparting information.
 
And so, aiding and facilitating learning have been Peng’s preoccupation. The teaching materials she developed were later adopted as regular aids for nursing courses in UP Manila. In addition, she spearheads innovative teaching support projects like the establishment of a computer laboratory for the UP College of Nursing.

Beyond the boundaries of the campus, Peng serves with zeal as a community health educator and advocate. She currently Chairs the National Asthma Movement. She just finished her doctoral studies last April. For Peng, everything begins with believing that it is possible. Her philosophy is that “if something is truly important and good, then, make it happen.”

When she started teaching 23 years ago, Rose already strove to make education understandable to students and applicable in their lives. However, it was the training of professionals in guidance and counseling that she found her vocation and mission.

Her most significant work is the in-service teacher education program she developed while serving as UNESCO consultant. Rose is also continuing research on culture-sensitive counseling in the Philippine and Asian settings.

Her professional generosity has earned her the highest citations and praises from DLSU, which named her as University Fellow, Professional Chair holder and Dean of the College of Education in 1992-1996.

For Rose, “The best way to be an effective teacher is to be a lifelong learner myself, for which I need both faith and zeal. It is the means of giving away the love that I receive unconditionally from the Master Teacher Himself.”

For Tina, teaching is not just a career or profession, it is a personal vocation and a mission that God called her to do even as she lay cradled in her mother’s womb. It is therefore not just a coincidence that her deep, spiritual view of teaching led her to become the first lay and first woman to head the Theology Department of the Ateneo de Manila since its founding in 1859. She is also an award-winning book author, editor and consultant.

As department head, she works hard to obtain doctoral scholarships and fellowships for her faculty here and abroad. This is because she wants to instill the drive for excellence in her faculty and her students.

To Tina, “Teaching is its own reward and fulfillment. The human encounter between the teacher and students is at the heart of teaching. It is an encounter that has the power to transform persons. To hold such power is a great privilege, a special grace, a God-given responsibility.

Julie is a teacher-innovator, a brilliant researcher, a diligent scientist, a dynamic administrator, and an honest public servant. Her love for her profession has led her to various top positions in her college and the University. Her dedicated involvement in scientific research has paved the way for her to become a visiting scientist at the Philippine Rice Research Institute for 18 months.

To make teaching realistic, she established the Soil Museum in the University, which is being replicated by other SUCs.

Julie is also a writer, and sits as the editor-in-chief of the CLSU Scientific Journal. She inspires her students and fellow workers by her gentle and positive work attitude.

For Julie, “The labor of love is so significant and meaningful if one sees her former students successful in their own field of endeavor. It is wonderful to be a teacher. He acts a guiding star to individuals wanting to get out of ignorance.”