Why Dale Gregory Medina Enjoys Being a Teacher and a ‘Parent’
Dale Gregory Medina, a teacher for 13 years, shares his story as a teacher, second parent, and confidant to many of his students.
We’ve all grown up with the saying that a teacher is like a child’s second parent. They take care of the child while in school and share a part in honing their growing years. But like parents, they also have challenges with their students. And despite clashes, they will always be by their student’s side. Dale Gregory Medina knows this well.
As a high school teacher for the last 13 years, he has seen how his students grow. In fact, some of them consider him their second dad. Modern Parenting talked to Dale about life as a teacher and the challenges his profession has gone through with students slowly returning to school after two years.
Dale Gregory Medina on being a teacher: “It’s fulfilling.”
Dale was a private school teacher for three years before he switched to teaching Science in a public school. Asked what makes him fulfilled as a teacher, Dale answers, “For me, the most fulfilling part of being a teacher is when your students always recognize you even if they become successful and have their own life.”
“I know I left something in them and that is something that I will treasure forever,” he added.
But while being a teacher fulfills him, there are also challenges along the way.
“The most challenging part for me, as of the moment, is the system of education that we currently have. I’m sure every public school teacher can relate. The demands, for us teachers, are really energy-draining and of course, our demand for salary increases. Public school teachers here in the Philippines deserve a higher salary.”
Dale on what he loves about being a teacher
As a teacher, Dale knows that he’s considered a parent by many. One story he told Modern Parenting was one of the batches he taught actually calls him Daddy Dale.
“They call me ‘Daddy Dale’ or ‘Tatay Dale’. The bond that we have built as teacher-students is unbreakable,” he shares. “Up until this moment, we still have a connection. Some of my former students always tell me that I am their best Science teacher,” he fondly recalls.
But just because he’s a second dad and a confidante does not mean Dale does not know his boundaries. He makes sure to draw the line when it comes to his job as a teacher and being a confidante of a student.
“For me, as a teacher, it’s an instinct. As a teacher, you are also a guidance counselor. There will always be a time when you will get in touch with your students so I have this at the back of my mind when to hold back or when to draw the line between me as a teacher to my students.”
The challenges of being a teacher
With students now back to face-to-face classes after the pandemic, there are still a lot of adjustments.
“The most challenging part for me is the implementation itself and the demand for us teachers,” he said. “Our workload became more overwhelming just to comply with the implementation of face-to-face classes.”
“Another challenge for me is that not all students are vaccinated. But we should not discriminate against them from going to face-to-face classes. So I’m a bit concerned with those students since we’re still in the pandemic and there are cases arising, particularly in schools.”
It also does not help that there have been some colleagues of Dale in the public school system that have been implicated in inappropriate actions. “You [have to] draw the line between you as a teacher and you as you,” he said regarding recent controversies of teachers being implicated in sexual abuse accusations. “When you have concrete parameters, everything will go smooth.”
On what Dale wishes for World Teacher’s Day
As the world once again commemorates teachers on October 5, Dale said that the teacher will always be there to guide the child in his formative years in school but that parents should continue to be the first to teach them.
“I think everyone knows already that being a teacher is very challenging and energy-draining. What I want to tell the parents is do not rely everything on us. As a teacher, yes, we are the parents of the students inside the school. But be parents to your child when they are at home.”
“I know all parents want an effective and efficient teacher for their child. To have quality education. And so as teachers, we also want parents to be effective and efficient for their children so that every child will experience the best quality of life. Quality education plus the best quality of life will yield a good citizen.”
And we, like Dale Gregory Medina, hope that teachers in the Philippines and around the world continue to thrive and help kids to be the best persons they are.
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