Home Sweet Benque: Miss! I want to be a teacher!

I just have to laugh when I hear many of my students say this to me. Why are my students telling me they want to be a teacher now? Funny you should ask. Since coming back from Christmas break the 4th formers (12th graders) have been preparing to give chastity presentations to primary schools and high schools in the area. Each year 4th formers take what they have learned and put it into a presentation to give to others students at neighboring schools. Topics include: what is the purpose of dating, three types of love, how far is too far, what is chastity, etc.

They were put into pairs and given the task of putting together an interactive presentation on how and why it is important to live a life of chastity. I had given the students different ideas of skits or demonstrations they could do. Each group took it and really made it their own. I was impressed with the creativity and thought each group gave. Many of the students tried to convince me not to make them do these presentations. Throughout the course of three days I got to watch these students I have been able to teach this past year put into practice everything they have learned from their time here at Our Lady of Mount Carmel High School. I think I was more nervous than they were before they got ready to present.

Watching them give their presentations was such an experience for me. In a way I felt like a proud mother sending her little babies off into the real world to make it a better place. After the presentations there was so much joy, excitement, chatter, and sharing of everyone’s experience. Most if not all the students really enjoyed the class they were in and said they would do it again.

What was it that made them say they wanted to be a teacher? Why do I say I want to be a teacher? Was it because they really enjoyed and got into the topic they were presenting on? Was it something one of the students said to them? What is it that drives us to do the things we do? Does the passion I have come from things that pass or is it truly rooted in Christ?