To Ma'am Janeth: The Things I Will Never Get To Say To You In Person

August 14, 2016

2:00 pm

Angelicum Garden of Angels Memorial Park

Another noble and brave individual has joined our Creator.

Flashback to June of 2005. Second Year Faith. Cabancalan National High School Gymnasium. First day of English class. A tall, fair woman walked in front of us and introduced herself as Mrs. Janeth A. Seno. Having siblings who studied in Cabancalan, I already had an inkling who she was. However, I got the feeling that she's not the teacher to be belittled. Right away she made us feel that we were noobs, and she's the boss in her class. 

She is unorthodox in her method of teaching. None of us thought that we would learn about library resources by doing a pageant. None of us predicted that we would undergo two Talent showdowns, individual and group. None of us had any idea that we had the capacity and ability to make a variety show to showcase what we have learned in a lesson. All these things, she made us experience, and that made us understood that she is a teacher who means business. 

That school year was very memorable for me and the rest of my classmates. We felt that we accomplished so much through her help. Not only did she teach us, she greatly encouraged us and helped us build our confidence, that we were able to utilize in our succeeding years. 

Fast forward to June 3 of 2013. First day of service as a public school teacher, again in the same school. We were waiting in the library for the period to start, when there was a teacher who entered, and boom! It was my second year English teacher again! I wanted to approach her, but she was the one who approached us first, took a seat and shared some insights of the do's and dont's in the school and try to be observant of everyone. While she was doing this, I wanted to say to her that now, I'm also a teacher, and now I can do what she was doing. However, she still had that power on me when she was my English teacher. She was still that tall, fair and intimidating presence that will tell you to back off because you're not in the same league as hers.

Two school years in my teaching career, I was able to see her everyday, now as a colleague. We often see each other in the morning, near the biometrics machine where we log in and out for work. I want to say good morning to her but I could not bring myself to. A few times, I manage to mumble it and I get a gentle nod and we then part ways. I wanted to say many things to her but I'm scared. And I will say to myself, next time. There's always a next time to chat with her. Boy, I was wrong. SO WRONG!

Who would've thought that we will be colleagues for 2 years only? Who would've thought that a woman who got a strong personality such as her would succumb to a life-threatening sickness? Not me, and definitely not her.

So, as this day expires, let me say all the things I wasn't able to say to you personally through this blog post.

Ma'am Janeth, you may have given us a hell of a year during our second year in high school, but we learned a great deal of things from you. You are one of the persons whom we greatly thank for enhancing our communication skills. You were the first person to believe that we could do amazing things, as students and as individuals. You were the first to build our confidence and for that we are truly grateful. 

Ma'am, I may have disappointed you as a student, first during that intra-school spelling bee which I got eliminated on the very first word, despite many days of extra training with you; second, during our speech choir contest which we placed last; and lastly that book report of mine which you graded a C, but you never held that against me or us as a class. You were still proud of us. I really wanted to thank you for making us speak English whenever we ask you something (even though it wasn't in our period) for that made us speak the language more comfortably and helped us communicate well and utilize it in our careers today. 

Ma'am you may never had the chance to make your dream come true as a flight stewardess, but you have helped others fulfill theirs through teaching. It's not surprising that many students of yours, like me, respect and idolize you as a teacher. To the world indeed you may just be a teacher but for us, you're one of our HEROES.

Rest in peace Ma'am Janeth and we'll see you later. Thank you for teaching me one last lesson, and that is never to take things for granted.

Goodbye Ma'am.