As a “thank you” and tribute to the sacrifices made by teachers amid the pandemic, a former teacher from the Department of Education (DepEd) Zamboanga City composed a song for them in line with the celebration of National Teachers' Month (NTM).
In a Facebook post, DepEd Philippines shared the video of the song written by Aida Coyme, Ed. D., entitled “Guro Ako” (I am a Teacher).
“Gusto kong iparating sa ating mga guro na napakahalaga ng inyong tungkulin at nararapat lamang na ang sapat na pagpupugay at pasasalamat ay buong pusong ibigay sa inyo sa paraang may kasiyahan, sinseridad, at may mataas na antas na paggalang (I want to convey to our teachers that your role is very important and it is only appropriate that tribute and gratitude would be given to you wholeheartedly in a way that is enjoyable, sincere, and with a high level of respect),” Coyme said.
Albert Torino, Dorely Eliza dela Cruz, Ilyn Gracia, and composer Jeremiah Saavedra brought the song to life.
Coyme and the Learning Resource Management Section (LRMS) of DepEd Zamboanga City did not expect a positive response to the song which currently has 485k views and 20k likes on Facebook.
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Writing poetry or lyrics of songs serves as an outlet for Coyme who admits to having gone through emotional challenges due to depressing events caused by the pandemic. She is also having difficulties in dealing with the negative reception of other individuals to the challenges that the “new normal” bring.
Aside from “Guro Ako,” Coyme also wrote three other original compositions at the height of the pandemic. The first is entitled “Cree Junto-Junto” which served as the station ID of EducTV of Zamboanga City Local Channel, the second one is “Puso ng Isang Guro” for the 2021 school opening and “Kapit Lang, Pasko'y Magniningning” as a Christmas greeting to the teachers.
DepEd shared that when Coyme was still teaching in class, she also used her talent for songwriting. To make the children enjoy learning, she used to change the lyrics of popular songs to explain the lessons.
While the words “thank you” may not be enough to express appreciation for all sacrifices of a teacher, Coyme believed that these remain very powerful and create an impact when used.
“Ang munting pasasalamat at pang-unawa ng mga magulang at ibang mga tao ay mahalaga upang lalong makita ng ating mga guro ang halaga ng kanilang ginawa at gagawin (A little gratitude and understanding from parents and other people is important so that our teachers can see the value of what they have done and will do),” Coyme said.
She added that teachers also appreciate the trust and support they receive from stakeholders.
Teachers, Coyme said, are also motivated further and perform better when they receive recognition for what they do for Filipino learners.
RELATED STORY:
https://mb.com.ph/2022/09/06/deped-highlights-teachers-role-in-nation-building-at-natl-teachers-month-kick-off-celebration/