By Jaemie Talingdan

Whether behind the screen or in the classrooms, our teachers have been dedicated to giving students quality education and helping us grow into lawful citizens and compassionate people. We, as Ateneans, are expected to take with us the Ignatian values on which our education is built upon. For the school to imbue such values in their students, the teachers, administration, and staff, too, must serve as role models and embody the very values they wish to impart. As we celebrate them this Duffy-Delaney Day, let us recognize how our teachers and formators have exemplified Ignatian values in their own ways amidst the pandemic.

Men and Women for Others

In spite of the challenges posed by the pandemic—from the digital divide and lack of proper gadgets and resources to the physical and psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic—our teachers and formators remain resilient, driven by a desire to serve the community through education. Similar to how the shift to distance learning has taken a huge toll on the students, teachers have to bear both its mental and financial burdens, with some teachers sacrificing extra hours or spending personal money to produce new learning materials. Nonetheless, they continue to persevere for their students’ sake, answering to the call of truly becoming persons for and with others.

Cura Personalis

With all of today’s challenges and uncertainties, the need for a more caring and considerate environment, albeit online, becomes more apparent. Despite having difficulties of their own, our teachers strive to understand each of their students’ contexts. Subject teachers and moderators alike make an effort to make the students feel at ease, sometimes adjusting deadlines when necessary or keeping themselves open for students to air their grievances. Even in this new setting, the school’s guidance office and campus ministry office have also kept themselves open for consultations or spiritual conversations, aimed towards sustaining our psychological, social, and spiritual well-being in these trying times. 

Magis

Both before and after the pandemic ravaged the country, our teachers and formators have relentlessly embodied magis, striving for excellence and always making an effort to do what’s best for their students. Our teachers, though often met with black squares and profile pictures on their screens, do their best to teach and instill the same lessons and values they did back then. The school’s administration has also been steadily creating new systems to accommodate the switch to online learning and make it as convenient as possible for everyone involved. Last but definitely not least, the school’s staff continue to work amidst this global crisis, continuously caring for the campus, keeping it ready for when we finally get to go back to normal.

In more ways than one, our teachers and formators become Lux in Domino—light in the lord—bringing light to the darkness of today, guiding us to the right path, and keeping the light burning brightly for their students. The same people who once made school feel like home now do their best to make us feel the warmth of the ASHS community from the comfort of our own homes. Whether it be through actively participating in synchronous sessions or thanking them for their sacrifices every once in a while, let us return the favor to them by putting our utmost appreciation and gratitude into action.