“A Legacy that Imprints on Hearts and Minds”

An educator’s work is tough and challenging, but leaving a legacy on hearts and minds… sounds like a mission statement for teachers. Out of the smile on their faces when they teach, it illuminates the entire class with amusement. Embarrassing situations are always turned into badinage and humor to make us feel relaxed. Their words of encouragement always mollycoddle us to wake up full of enthusiasm ready to go to school in the morning. They explore every means within their purview to make us feel comfortable and encourage us to learn. They comfort us when we’re in distressed situations. They mourn with us when we are bereaved. In short, they are always there for us in one way or another.

On my first semester (1st Sem, A.Y. 2016) as a transferee student here in STI Calamba, I did not get the chance to have Sir John Carlo Tenorio Corpuz or “Sir JC” to many, as one of my instructors. But being as one of the advisers of our program and organization of AB Communication, there are times that I get the chance to meet him through the program’s meetings and events, and through that, I find him a really interesting person. Maybe because of his sparkling smiles, jolly personality, good posture, or maybe even how the way he interacts with his students, I don’t know. I just find his aura very positively contagious.

At first, I was besieged on the idea of writing an article about Sir JC because I don’t know him well----yet, but I am really looking forward to know more about him now that I got the chance to have him as one of my instructors on one of my major classes this second semester. Before doing the interview, I asked some of his former and current students about Sir JC. Approachable, friendly, kind, his out of the blue funny jokes, his lively way of teaching, his jolly personality, those are the some of the things that they find really interesting about Sir JC or the things that makes Sir JC: “Sir JC.”

But inside and outside the school’s walls, who really is Sir JC or John Carlo Tenorio Corpuz? During our enthusiastic interview, I have learned that he is the youngest in his family with only one older brother. He took his college degree of Bachelor of Science in Education Major in English in City College Calamba and he’s currently taking up his masteral degree, Master of Arts in Education Major in Educational Management in the Philippine Normal University. He has also a lot of other goals like to be an author, an actor and performer (like the ‘Beyonce’ type performers). I asked him to give three (3) adjectives that best describe him. He said, “I am gregarious (friendly or sociable) because at times, it is very obvious that you will always see me socializing with everyone. I’m a very social person. I also prefer the term “solitary.” I’m a lone person because I also value being alone. Yung mga “me” time kasi, that is your time to know yourself, the time that you’re not around with any person, that is the time you are going to show yourself the real you to you. Somehow I also fall in the category “ambivert” (both introvert and extrovert). And the third one, aside from being “lone” and “gregarious,” is I am very upfront or “prangka.” I think it is very obvious naman to me. ‘Pero being honest naman kasi will get you to places but sometimes it’s not helpful, especially when you’re very honest and you don’t like people.”

When he graduated from high school, taking up an education course did not really belong in his ideal courses. He preferred to take up anything with “logy” like sociology, psychology, anthropology, etc. He really doesn’t have any plans to be a teacher from then but under certain circumstances he ended up taking an education degree major in science but later on, he shifted his science major to English.

Passion in his chosen profession. “Passion is a big word for the profession kaya lang you cannot last for one (1) week if wala kang passion. Parang at the first day pa lang, you should be able to have the passion. So somehow, if I will look into it siguro, yung passion mo kasi unti unting nababago yan eh. Yung perspective mo kumbag unti unti siyang nagbabago.” –Sir JC.

Teaching as a career. “As a career, worthwile yung teaching kasi marami kang matututunan. Aside from your subject matter kasi, ako, personally, my aim is to learn from the students –yun lang yung gusto. If I learned from the students, masaya na ako.” –Sir JC.

Other interests outside the school. “As of now wala, pero I want to acquire a certain skill. In the recent days, I am trying to paint. Kasi nga diba nagtuturo ako ng NTROART, so I’m trying to paint. Kasi kapag may activities sa NTROART, nakikisabay ako.” –Sir JC.

What makes a great teacher? “A great teacher? Siya yung naglalast dito sa heart ng tao or ng student. ‘Na ‘til the end of time, he/she will be remembered as a teacher who helped that person. Kumbaga parang you left a certain legacy diba. Sa literature kasi meron don yung mga Celtics, yung celts na ang aim nila is to have songs, poems and stories to talk about them. Somehow, ganon ang mga teachers. Kasi ang mga teachers, hindi yan namamatay basta basta. Mamamatay yan kapag wala ng taong magbabanggit ng pangalan nya.” –Sir JC.

Building relationships with students and limitations. “I try to be friendly outside the room, friends friends ganon. Pero pag nasa loob na ng classroom, masungit ako. Yes, siguro may sense of professionalism, pag nasa loob kasi, we mean business. Kaya yun dapat yung ginagawa sa loob because this is business. Kaya we have to learn gaya ng sinasabi ko sa mga students, ‘You pay for your education so I don’t have the right to be very lazy or to not give my best in doing my job.” –Sir JC.

What are your visions for your students? “I don’t want them to be successful but I want them to be happy persons. Minsan kasi in order to become successful, there are certain things that you have to sacrifice, that you have to overcome and sometimes it could come to a point na mananakit or may masasaktan kang ibang tao. If you’re happy naman kasi diba, somehow, successful kana din. Parang once you feel fulfilled, your fulfilled with life. You’re not aiming for any distinction, you’re not aiming for wealth, any recognition, basta happy ka lang sa buhay mo okay na yun.” –Sir JC.

Motto or inspirational quote that you want to share. “Train your mind and your heart to see the good in situation.” “Kasi kahit anong mangyare sayo, if you look into the positive side, kahit anong panget pa yan, hindi na masisira ang araw mo. And Sashay Away!” –Sir JC.

A great teacher bridges gaps and builds relationships, friendships, and a community. Teachers always look to make things better and improve things in and outside of the classroom. Everyone looks at a great teacher and they want to be a better teacher, they want to be a better student, even better, they want to be a better person. A great teacher uncovers hidden treasures, possibilities and magic right before everyone’s eyes. A compassionate teacher models a characteristic to the students with her/his actions, and as a result, students will be more open to understanding the world around them. Their insistence for the right things to be done has shaped our lives tremendously. Their compelling guidance for us to obey our parents, respect our elders, leaders, and to fear God will forever be the guiding principle for the rest of our lives.

A teacher’s job shapes the thoughts of their students. Their work matters. They leave imprints – for better or worse. They choose to make a legacy that builds and encourages at the same time, they shape and stretch. And I think those are their legacy that imprints on every mind and every heart.

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