The Unsung Saints

Written by Clark Joseph Villaverde
Layout by Juan Diego Crucillo
Posted on January 28, 2021 | 4:00 PM

It has been almost eleven months since the start of quarantine in the Philippines and so much has changed including the education system. From the traditional classroom setting, the sudden transition to online learning alone made educators change how they teach their students. With the “new normal” in education, teachers have largely adjusted to continue their passion in teaching students. Today, we commemorate the heroics of our teachers as we celebrate the feast day of St. Thomas Aquinas and Catholic Teachers’ Day. 

In order to prepare themselves for education and the “new normal”, they attended webinars about the efficient use of technology incorporated in learning. They had undergone training regarding various online learning tools that they can utilize. They had to sacrifice some of their personal time to make up for the new education system’s inadequacies such as significantly less student-teacher interactions, time constraints, internet connectivity issues, managing multiple grade-levels worth of classwork, class preparation, and more.

It is through these sacrifices our teachers have made that we are reminded of St. Thomas Aquinas, “The Universal Teacher”. After St. Thomas Aquinas had finished his education, he set forth to reunite the theological principles of faith to the philosophical principles of reason. It is here that St. Thomas Aquinas bridged the gap between faith and reason by showing that these two are in harmony with each other. Like St. Thomas Aquinas, teachers today continue to bridge the gap between faith and reason by giving us valuable lessons that are grounded in reality. It is through what they teach us that we are provided with a new perspective on the morals of our lives.

St. Thomas Aquinas is a role model for Catholic teachers around the world. “The greatest kindness one can render to any man consists in leading him from error to truth.” This is evident in the teachers’ dedication and genuine concern for their students even during these trying times. That even in this dire period of history, teachers are willing to lead students away from error and towards the truth. They do their best to help students walk the path towards good education that ensures a truthful life for them.

Teachers truly are one of the unsung heroes of quarantine. Amidst a pandemic, they are able to deliver quality education. The amount of dedication that teachers have provided shows that they are to be given the same level of respect like how people respect saints (such as St. Thomas Aquinas) by honoring them in their duties. It is through acknowledgment and appreciation of their work and dedication that people are able to honor teachers.