My teaching notes are back. Okay, it’s been a long time since I’ve talked about my day job.

Many things have happened back then. My personal status became different; I’ve travelled to new places, my essays and poems got published in various places, etc.

But this does not hide the fact that I’m a teacher by profession, if not by calling. This means that I have to give my job the respect and effort that it deserves.

Thus, it is simply fitting for me to record the time I do teaching and to take note of moments that define my day job and provide an insight on the human condition.

So, here’s my day today at a private school in San Juan. By the way, I’m just one of tens of thousands of licensed professional teachers out there. Nothing special at all.

Here are some of my teaching notes:

Breakfast: Alpine evaporated milk in can, one bowl of banana-flavored Quaker Oats. Weigh-in at 75.5 kilograms. Same height, same form, but I need to get a brace for my back. And fast!

Morning: Went into ESL class for Grade 6. Tried to do something different by introducing the author’s life, how the writer wrote the book and what were the results. Students were a bit confused when I asked them to think beyond the text. Reminded them that a “yes, no, maybe” answer is not enough. In the real world, they need to be able to back up their answers with evidence.

Holy cow, teaching never loses its challenge!

I really wonder how these students will deal with real life.

Also went into ESL class for Grade 5. Mixed up the definition of phrasal verbs; I should have re-read the definition beforehand. Luckily, I had my notebook…

Lunch: Burger steak, sautéed vegetables and steamed rice. Drank unsweetened pineapple juice. Yummy. I should drink more water!

Afternoon: I only have one class for today, which is ESL for Grade 4. I am giving them some seatworks in order to enhance their English skills. Yeah, nice one indeed!

Except when some of the Grade 4 students are talking machines. I have a sore throat.

Oh, I also need to prepare some paperwork for next week, as well as some slides that I need to prepare for next week.

I guess that’s all for this day then!