34 Years of Selfless Love in the Classroom

Thirty-four years. For some, it is a lifetime. For me, it has been a lifetime spent in the place I call home: the school. My journey as an educator has been a rich and sprawling tapestry, woven with threads from every level of learning—from the bright, innocent eyes in preschool and grade school, to the inquisitive minds of junior and senior high, and all the way to the sophisticated discourse of college and graduate school classrooms. It has been a path that was never easy, but one that has been profoundly fulfilling.

My own academic journey was a marathon, not a sprint, a true test of endurance that mirrored the very challenges I would later help my students overcome. I began my Master’s degree in 1993, a young, single woman with aspirations. But life, with its beautiful and unexpected turns, had its own curriculum for me. I met my husband, we married, and in 1998, we were blessed with a son. Juggling the roles of a wife, a new mother, and a dedicated teacher brought a host of challenges that extended my studies far beyond what I had imagined. For years, the goal seemed distant. The agony of that long-deferred dream was real, but it was a fire that never went out. Finally, in 2015, after 22 years, I walked across the stage to receive my Master’s degree.

That moment was not just my victory; it belonged to my family. It was their support and encouragement that had carried me through the finish line. Fueled by this renewed momentum and their steadfast belief in me, my path to a doctorate was a world apart. In just three years, I completed my doctoral studies—a testament to what is possible when you are surrounded by love.

My evolution as a teacher also extended to the very students I served. For much of my career, I taught in a private school where most students came from well-off families. Then, the K-12 program was implemented, and the landscape of my classroom underwent a profound transformation. Suddenly, my classes were filled with students from public schools, many of whom came from poor and marginalized backgrounds. Their struggles were not just academic; they were fundamental.

I quickly learned that a lesson on literature or research means little to a student with an empty stomach or no money for fare to get home. I saw the quiet embarrassment of dedicated students who couldn’t afford a required P.E. uniform, preventing them from fully participating with their peers. My role as a teacher expanded beyond the four walls of the classroom. It wasn’t in any lesson plan, but I found myself extending a hand—offering small amounts to help with their day-to-day needs. I saw firsthand how a small act of kindness could be the very thing that inspired a student to come to school, to keep trying, and to believe that someone cared. It taught me that sometimes the most important lesson we can give is one of compassion.

Today, as I stand before college students and work with our community extension programs, that lesson resonates more deeply than ever. I have a greater appreciation for the marginalized, for the resilience I see in their faces and the determination in their hearts. I am incredibly grateful to be in an institution that not only supports but actively empowers me to give my time and energy to these communities. They have given me the platform to turn my passion into meaningful action.

Looking back on these 34 years, I see a journey defined not by accolades or positions, but by the connections made and the lives touched. My philosophy has been distilled into a simple, guiding principle: to teach is an act of selfless love. As long as I am able, I will continue to pour that love into my students, to be a small source of light in their lives, and to show them that they are seen, they are valued, and they are capable of achieving their dreams.

Happy Teacher’s Day to us all. (Jeralyn Babet Adegue-Palero, PhD)