Educators must show compassion for students
In my sophomore year as a Sociology major at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) six years ago, I had a General Education class that I excelled in. Long story short, I still failed it because of my accumulated lates, which were converted into absences, which altogether exceeded the tardiness limit. I got an FA—Failure due to Absences—as my grade.
My professor made the class enjoyable, but he was a stickler for rules, which is not a fault in itself. On our last day, I arrived late yet again. Unfortunately, that was my last strike, which earned me that FA. When I tried to appeal, my professor kept asking why I should get a passing grade. I explained that despite my tardiness, I was a good student. He just said that he would decide on my fate after the finals.
I got a fairly decent score, which I thought was enough to save me. But to my surprise, he still flunked me. It was a stab in my heart. In my mind, he should have just failed me outright instead of giving me an FA. My otherwise good performance in his class seemed to count for nothing.
Recently, a student from the UST College of Rehabilitation Sciences allegedly died by suicide because of a somewhat similar situation. He was a graduating student who had his graduation photos taken and his parents had been informed of the date of the ceremony. They thought that everything was going according to plan until the tragedy occurred.
The social media world is rife with speculations and conspiracies as to what drove the student to do what he did, while some people and entities from UST are understandably exercising prudence in releasing official statements. On my part, I would like to make an appeal to educators in general.
How about having more compassion, which could help students do better at succeeding in class and even in life? Being understanding and giving them some leeway within a reasonable degree could help motivate them to work harder and achieve their dreams.
Exercising compassion doesn’t hurt or destroy your credibility as an educator, especially if you’re extending it to a deserving student or someone who may be dealing with emotional or mental health problems and personal issues. Do keep in mind that students are bound to make mistakes.
Educators were students first before becoming what they are now. Realizing this will allow them to ground themselves and remember why they are in the field of teaching.
PAOLO JOSE GABRIEL ALVARADO,
paolojosegabriel@gmail.com
