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Maturity – a word that attributes to one’s growth whether it is professional, intellectual, emotional, spiritual or personal maturity. Everyone grows and steps up into levels of maturity but climbing up to different levels of maturity can be difficult for others. For instance, if you are physically or mentally incapable, then it’s definitely no picnic. In some other cases, people refuse to grow up like the fictional character, Peter Pan. Maybe, they dislike adulating: working for a low/high pay-grade, paying bills, budgeting, pursuing a healthy lifestyle and minimal R&R. But for most, they’re simply a natural.
A teacher does not become one on a whim. There should have been a sequence or an order of life. Think of it as a ladder. You won’t reach the top if you won’t take your first climb. However, some teachers might be stuck and can no longer move on, some might have quit already. Regardless, I will try to enumerate and describe what I think are the seven ages of a teacher:
1. The Aspirator
- This is a dreamer’s mental state. You figure out your life goals or your objectives. When I was in high school or even younger, I came across the idea of becoming a teacher. I was inspired by so many great teachers that I had in my years of school life. Plus, I’m really good at speaking and I trust my intellectual capability so I can confidently carry out my duties if ever. Sadly, it was not my first choice. It was accountancy or any business course. To be honest, I was discouraged and partly disappointed not because of the work stress but because of the very low salary of a teacher. In the Philippines, it has become an all-known truth that you cannot be rich if you become a teacher. A lot of people say that and frankly, it is painful to hear. That’s why I thought I could see myself less of becoming one because I really would like to have a comfortable life someday. It only changed when I was already in my second year in business school. One time at our Obli-Con Law class, I suddenly felt that I am not meant for this course. It’s like something pushed me to become a teacher. I am not sure if the teacher at that time was too boring to give us a lecture or I really had the “calling” as they say. That’s why I shifted to a teaching course instead. For others, it could not be a calling that made them decide to become a teacher. It could be for practical reasons. For some, it could be a no-choice because someone decided for them or pressured them to take it because they belong to a bloodline of teachers. Whatever it may be, that completes the first age of a teacher.
2. The Pre-service Teacher
- This is when we are most passionate about teaching. We have the drive or the motivation to apply the theories we learned in our college textbooks. This starts when you step foot in the classroom and you feel a certain amount of power and control in teaching a class. It can also be happy, nerve-wracking, exciting, easy, stressful, enjoyable, etc. This is also the most outright “fun” of all the stages. You’re not quite sure yet on what you’ve got yourself into but that vagueness has soon to be clarified. Your principles are still ideal and by what the books tell you what a teacher should be. You are prompt, follow orders from cooperating teachers, extremely careful and diligent, hard-working and very lovable to kids.
3. The Board Examinee
- This is our most agitated state. In this age, education graduates focus on a more rigorous review. In the Philippines, we call the teaching board examination as BLEPT (Board Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers). Some might have jobs at this point while preparing for the exam, and some are “resting” before they take any sort of responsibility. Regardless of whatever you decide after graduation, this stage is when we tirelessly prepare for an exam the most!
4. The Novice Teacher
- This is our most excited and fulfilling moment in teaching. Although for Filipino teachers, we have a word that says “kapa” which means having a feel of something or it could also be “testing the waters.” As a novice teacher, you try to fit in and to catch up as fast as you could. You also work your way through the system: building new relationships, familiarizing yourself with your new surroundings, gathering resources from other teachers and getting advice/tips as well. If you were a keen observer and a curious student-teacher before, you may have known a lot of knowledge and information on how things are being operated in schools. With this, it can be an advantage. But if you were the person who just goes with the flow when you were a student-teacher, then you need more ground to cover as you get hired as a professional teacher.
5. The Competent Teacher
- This is when we feel most comfortable in teaching. It may take a few years before we get the hang of it and to truly master our lessons, develop our teaching style, know our colleagues, the system and our daily classroom routine. It is by far your best exposure to the actual situation of the school. In some cases, we also realize at this point to professionally grow that’s why we enroll and finish grad school or get additional and specialized training somewhere else.
6. The Expert Teacher
- This is when we are highly intellectual in the teaching realm. According to my resources and experiences told by my previous teachers, they mentioned that it is also the time to think about being promoted as high as you can possibly attain. I am not certain but I also think that this is when expert teachers appear influential to their colleagues since they have the high cognitive ability, unquestionable teaching experience, and also leadership skills. At this age, they somehow help or mentor novice teachers and competent teachers as well.
7. The Master Teacher
- This is when we provide almost perfect performance. For a selected few, they even get the chance to be department heads, principals, deans, education department supervisors and the like. It may feel like there is a lot on their plate but decades of experience and expertise can serve them well for their administrative tasks. Additionally, they also assess and evaluate other teachers in some way.