by Erika Mikaela Mangubat
February 8 to 12, 2021 was a memorable week for our beloved teachers, filled with positivity and love. We made awards for our teachers and tribute performances to show how much we care. We attended ACE classes hosted by our very own teachers to learn and spend time with them. At the start of the week, you may have noticed some familiar and unfamiliar faces in your class meets. Those are 8th-grade students who are willing to teach and learn along with you. This event is Teacher For A Day and is the first virtual setup in MI history.
Teacher for A Day was a yearly annual event that is celebrated in honor of Teacher’s Week. It was held to honor our teachers who have been dedicating their work and efforts just to teach us. It makes the older students experience what our teachers do every day. It is also held to prepare them for years to come as this event can improve communication, social, and emotional skills; including empathy and patience. The event happened for two days from February 8 to 9.
How was it done? One week before the actual event, each of your student-teachers was assessed accordingly on abilities and engagement. Some student-teachers were tasked to observe and do documentation instead of teaching and the rest would teach their assigned topics. In order to prepare for the two days, each student must meet with their teacher counterparts to get to know what they do, what they teach, and their schedules. Fellow student-teachers have to provide presentations and activities for their classes and had to prepare and collaborate with their partners if they have. On the actual day itself, student-teachers should ready their resources and materials as they help out and experience what it’s like to be a teacher. Our principal was Matteo Guanzon, playing the role of Sir Mix, and was assisted by this writer, playing the role of Teacher Jing.
Most, if not all, enjoyed lecturing and spending with their students and teacher-counterparts. According to multiple student-teachers, they enjoyed every single moment of the entire event even with some mishaps along the way. They had fun and that was all that mattered. The end of the event was pretty emotional as this experience taught us more than we expected. For the future student-teachers of MI, we wish you the best and we want you to cherish the memories you will have while teaching.