Please Read:

There was a time in my life, to be specific it was in High School, my last year in high school to be
exact, where I experienced something I could never forget; I thought I have moved on but it struck
me, things should have been done differently. It was clear, everything said and done; clear as the
night sky in full moon.

It was my senior year and I was happy to see all my friends, acquaintances and classmates since it
was the beginning of the school year. I tried roaming the halls of the 4th year classrooms and was
trying to find which class I belonged. Trying to assume that I belong in the first section, I checked
my name and to my dismay I never found it on that list. My heart then dropped and my body do not
know what to do. Maybe there was a mix-up and said maybe my name was in another section, but
heck it wasn't. I tried checking every class room 1 by 1, but never found my name on the enrolled list
on all the section of the fourth-year class.

Classes were starting, I also started to panic. I then decided to go with my classmates, my third-year
classmates. My best friend also convinced me to go with them because she noticed that I was about
to cry. My heart was pumping like a machine on overdrive as I entered the first section's classroom. I
greeted the homeroom teacher, but she never responded. She just looked at me with a judging eye as
if she knew, she knew that I was doing something wrong, she knew that I don't belong there. I then
proceeded to finding a seat beside my group of friends pretending that I do belong on that class. As
the class progress, there was a seat plan given to each of my classmates. One by one their names
were called, but mine was never mentioned, not even whispered. Everyone was seated on their
assigned seats and I was left in the middle standing. I was too embarrassed to move. It was like time
stood still or it was like I was the star of the show. The whole room was silent and then the teacher
said "Ano pa gina ubra mo di? Please fix your problem first with your other teacher bag.o taka
batunon diri sa akon section", that was the words I heard, yes I heard those words but my body did
not react. I was frozen because of embarrassment. That maybe triggered something out of the teacher
and pissed her off. She then said "You don't belong in this class go out!" with a stern voice. That was
the time I came to my senses and obeyed her. I went out of the classroom with all eyes on me, I was
trying really hard to hold back my tears and it was very difficult.

Out of the classroom, I tried to find a place to spend the rest of the morning to think of something I
must do, I gathered all my strength to face the teacher I owe a project to the year before, and think of
the things I must say to her to convince her to give a chance to comply, because she was the only
thing that is getting in the way of me having to be enrolled on that school year. The place that gave
me refuge was the stares going to the school library. That was the only thing going through my mind.
It was last period, I waited for the morning classes to end so that I can have an alone time with my
teacher. I gathered my courage and greeted her good morning as I entered her classroom. “Oh
Sherwin! Ano to tani?” she said with a sarcastic tone. I then told her my concern. We then arrived to
an agreement that she is allowing me to comply for my requirement. I then asked her that would it be
possible that I be enrolled while I was trying to solve my problem with her. She then said ask the
homeroom teacher in the first section. I then proceeded with asking her if its okay to be in her class
since the previous teacher and me already came to an agreement. The next words she uttered really
determined what my whole school year is going to be; “I will not accept you in my class anymore,
you will ruin my class record. Try to find other section teacher that will accept you”. Those exact
words punched me in the face and made me realize that it was over for me. Things was coming
through my mind like, what and how should I tell my parents; what should I do next. I then went
home really frustrated of the things that happened on that day. The afternoon session then came, and
not a word saying my experience was said to my father. I still went on with the schedule of the
classes of the first section. It was like I forgot all about the things that happened to me in the morning
of that day and the day ended. Still no words were said to my parents. The next day, I didn’t enter
first subject because it was homeroom advisers time, I then sat on the bleachers found at the back of
the covered gymnasium of the school waiting for my classmates to transfer subjects.

As the day went about, I already forgot about the problem I had. Still, no words about my problem
from school to my parents. The next day, on the second subject I was confronted by the same teacher
saying that I don’t belong in that section to the whole class while the subject teacher was discussing
the lesson, and then she left. I did not say anything nor reacted. The subject teacher just said to me to
fix my problems with her. I then went out of class and seated on the bleachers again. For me to not be
noticed, I moved from the bleachers to the stairs going to the library to the school canteen. But then,
the guidance teacher noticed me, because I was wearing a bag and outside of class while class is still
on-going, and knowing me that I never miss-behaved in the past years, she asked me to come with
her to the guidance office and made me tell her what is happening with me, why was I out of class.
At first, I hesitated to tell her everything I just went on what was happening, because I was not
comfortable telling her what was really going on. But eventually, her assurance in fixing my
problem, made me tell her all there is to tell.

We then went to one of the section teachers in the fourth year, and the guidance teacher told her what
was going-on, and then she just replied, fix your problem with the section one adviser first looking
towards my direction before I do what your asking me. We then went back to her office and then
another section adviser went in with a different business and then the guidance teacher told her what
was going on with me. She then told me that she would be open in accepting me. This adviser
handled second to the last section of the fourth-year class. I then went with her and I really don’t feel
comfortable being together with a group of classmates I do not know. She then asked me that, would
I be okay to be in her class, I never answered. Maybe she knew what I was thinking and said, its your
choice. I then spoke to her if it is okay that I be accepted on higher sections like next to section one
because I only have a small circle of friends and section 2 is the nearest section to them. And then
she said to me to fix my problem first with the section one adviser. I went home because it was end
of morning session, I still did not tell my parents about what was going on with me. They never
noticed because I was not showing any hints that I was having a problem in school. On the afternoon,
I still went to school without me knowing what section I belonged to.

The afternoon session started and with a gift from DepEd. That time all the students were given a bag
with school supplies from the department except for me. Everyone was showing off their bags as
they receive it, except for me. My situation just got worst. The afternoon classes went by without me
attending even one. The guidance teacher again took noticed of my situation and called me out
saying I thought we fixed your problem already, maybe its time that your parents should come to
school and help you fix this. I went home, every student before me was carrying a bag given to them.
And when I arrived home, my mom asked where my new bag was. I still lied to her and said that
some 4th year students were not give a bag because it ran out and I will be given the next day. My
school mate that was on the same neighborhood as I am, went hours after I have arrived home and
was carrying a letter telling my situation in school, and that my parents was summoned to fix my
problem in school. My mom was furious after reading the letter from the guidance teacher, and she
even attempted to kick me out of the house. She said that she is not going to fix my problem and that
I should fix it myself.
The next day my dad went to school to talk to my teachers together with me and the guidance teacher
on how to fix my problem. Everything was talked out and I was allowed to choose the section I
wanted. As we went out of the meeting, the guidance teacher whispered to me to go with her. Out of
all the things she said to me this was the words I can still hear to this day “Prove them wrong”.
Maybe that was the reason why my study habits in college really never flew. I was never the favorite
I was just the average one. I also never complied on time whereas when I was in the lower year of
high school and elementary, I complied with good grades.

What I’m trying to say is that, we as teachers, can really be remembered of what we do to our
students. They will remember it throughout their lifetime. As for me, I never want another student to
experience what I had experienced when I was still a student especially on that school year. I will be
very supportive for the betterment of the situation no matter what. I would be very understanding to
them because this is the time where they are most sensitive. Now that I am a teacher, I understood
that what happened to me on that situation is that, yes, I was at fault. But can the teacher do
something else instead of punishing a student of something he never deemed that grave of a mistake?
I think so.