When Jervy Robles looks back on his path to becoming an educator, he admits that it was the result of subliminal experiences.
“One may think that the reason why we do what we do is because this is what we have studied or prepared for. While this may be true for many teachers in our country, there are also those, including me, who did not take a Bachelor of Arts in Education in college, which is the standard teacher preparatory course,” he says. Robles is the current Headmaster of the Ateneo Grade School (AGS), having been appointed to lead the school for three years until 31 May 2024.
“I was actually studying to become a priest when I suddenly found myself at a crossroad, and that’s when I experienced this sudden pull towards teaching,” continues Robles, who finished AB Pre-Divinity at the Ateneo de Manila University in 1995.
“Interestingly enough, this happened one afternoon when I visited the Ateneo Grade School as a guest during the Feast of the Guardian Angels.”
He was riveted by the convivial atmosphere of the campus: the sight of happy students walking along the corridor or going in and out of classrooms, combined with the sounds of laughter, animated chatter, and music. As the scenes unfolded before him, there was only one thought running through his head: ‘Maybe I can be a teacher.’
The path may well have been bound in tradition. His mother, after all, taught for a brief time, and he had two aunts who were also teachers.
“In a way, I think the environment at home and the vicarious experiences subliminally passed on to me when I was growing up set me up for this kind of ministry,” he says. As a young boy, he and his twin brother would role-play as teachers, and their students would come in the form of free-standing pop-up fold safari animals—freebie items they received from buying cans of the chocolate milk drink Ovaltine.
“I still remember keeping a record book with all the names of the animals listed, and I even used dice to determine their scores for tests and quizzes. I doubt it if kids these days would ever think of what I did back then as a game,” he laughs.
The safari animals had long been replaced by actual students. Buoyed by the aha! moment he experienced at the AGS Fair, Robles applied for a teaching position. His experience, he recalls, was not a typical one as he was unable to do demo class, something essential in the application and hiring process for a teaching job.
“I remember it was the end of the school year, and the classes were over. I remember not having the chance to do a demo class anymore since it was already vacation. I only got the chance to complete the other steps of the hiring process, and so I guess that was why I was offered a teacher-trainee position.”
The offer did not come with bells and whistles, but for Robles, then a newly-minted Ateneo graduate, it was more than enough to accept his calling. His family instilled in him the value of education and its critical role in expanding opportunities and horizons.
“It could have been an offer that others would immediately refuse, but not me. I accepted it wholeheartedly because I wanted to learn and become a teacher in the making ... and I never regretted it at all.”
He has been in AGS for more than two decades now, working his way up to become a Grade 5 Level Coordinator (2002-2008), Language Subject Area Coordinator (2010-2011), Assistant Headmaster for Student Affairs (2011-2019), and before his current designation, as the Assistant Headmaster for Academic Affairs (2020-2021).
Recalling his years at AGS, one thing stands out: “It is actually the environment that I fell in love with the Grade School. I also believe this much has not changed through the years. Though teachers here come from different contexts and backgrounds, there is something that binds us together, and that is the experience of being loved through good and bad times. Nowadays, it is this pandemic that binds all of us together, and now, more than ever, we experience and appreciate the support, love, and trust that we get from one another,” he says.
The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the teaching landscape, doing away with centuries-old-lecture-based approaches in the classroom setting. Nudged and pushed to adapt, educators are now navigating the education landscape with technology becoming front and center. But more than accentuating how technology has played a significant role in molding the youth, Robles believes that teachers are the “medicine which the world needs.”
“If you think about it, there is something intrinsic, inherent and ingrained in teachers that is key to our staying power in the profession: empathy,” he says. “During the inauguration of Fr Bobby Yap, our new University President, Fr Ben Nebres mentioned in his homily that we are challenged by the tiny, invisible coronavirus. As a result, we also face the danger of a world turning inwards, of people closing their hearts to the cry of those in greater need, of the illnesses of indifference and self-centeredness.”
He continues, “The world of teachers is far from being this kind because good teachers couldn’t possibly close their hearts to those in need; real teachers simply aren’t wired to be indifferent and self-centered individuals. This capacity to put others’ needs first before one’s own is the hallmark of a great teacher and is the ingredient responsible for the staying power of a teacher. This is pretty much what Fr. Ben was saying —empathy that leads to compassion is the missing ingredient in today’s society. Fortunately, this ingredient, we can find among teachers in great abundance. So, if you ask me, I think we need more teachers in this world. Teachers are the medicine which the world needs all the time.”
As the new shepherd tasked to protect and guide the AGS flock, Robles’ mindset is to evolve and see all things new continuously: “Of course, we all know that the pandemic is not yet over. But at least now, we can rest in the belief that we are ready —ready to see all things new in Christ.”
This outlook has undoubtedly helped him go the distance for himself and a bigger purpose.
“You accept it out of a sense of generosity, duty, mission, gratitude even, and love for the community. This much I can say is true for my own fiat.”
He adds, “Leading the community, I think, can be considered as some sort of a cannonball experience as well. Similar to Ignatius’ version of it, I can safely say that it will also change the trajectory of my life as it did with Ignatius. From being inward, one becomes more attuned to the greater world outside. From being used to serving only one’s family or inner circles, one begins to be more inclusive and cognizant of the needs of other people. From a focus on our own dreams, one becomes keen also to the collective aspirations of others, and instead of dreaming for them, one starts to dream with the members of the community.”
Since taking up the mantle in June 2021, Robles has learned three valuable lessons: perception gaps in the implementation of online learning, change in mindset, and the importance of community thinking and collaboration.
“The initial experience we had with online distance learning showed how big the gaps were in our perception,” he notes. “Last year, these gaps in our perception were even exacerbated by the pandemic. Doubts clouded our minds; our actions were curtailed by hesitations. At times we almost succumbed to paralysis. Yet, despite all these, we eventually decided to take that important leap of faith.”
Then came the paradigm shift resulting from the pandemic, realigning everything across industries around the world. Covid-19 has challenged everyone to redefine systems, opinions, and sometimes even values.
As Robles says,” Many of the things we knew as relevant and effective before have suddenly been challenged by this so-called new normal. We had to shift paradigms and change mindsets. We have to embrace change and accept new realities. It hasn’t always been easy because, as we very well know, any new information will be hard to absorb and assimilate. But through sheer focus and determination, we were able to reinvent ourselves and stay on course.”
A blinkered outlook and misalignment of common interests may impinge on the school’s performance, but thankfully, this is not the case at AGS. The pandemic has only spotlighted collaborative learning among students, teachers, and parents.
“More than ever, the past year has been characterized by these—collaboration and cooperation. There was a lot of perspective-sharing, turn-taking, and consensus-building among our stakeholders in many of the decisions we had to make. But, more than anything else, it was our sense of community that proved to be our greatest asset and weapon against this pandemic,” he says.
As AGS welcomes the new year, Robles hopes for a future that is aspirational and real.
“I believe that the way to move forward is to take stock of what we have all become—companions and partners —in this continuously evolving landscape of online learning and instruction.”
He prays for the AGS community to have the grace of three things:
“Perseverance - that will allow us to move forward as one community no matter how challenging the prospects may be;
Wisdom - that will allow us to make better and informed choices as we yet again blaze the trail for new discoveries, and
Courage - that will allow us to let go of our fears and let God shape us as we thread a better path for ourselves.”
Robles is incredibly grateful for the ways the AGS community has come together, and to him, this shared experience is what will give the school the grace, grit, and strength to grow and thrive.
“We still do not know what the future holds but may the newly found confidence brought about by our collective experience the past year be the source and gateway for a renewed and even deeper mission ahead.
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!"
