Romlansyukur’s Weblog

Why do I be a teacher? September 29, 2007

WHY DO I BE A TEACHER?

(Romlan Syukur) 

My name is Romlan Syukur. I am from a farmer  family  in Lampung. Both my mam and dad  were  traditional farmers. There   were   eight people in  my family. I learnt  a lot from my  family background how hard to be a farmer. Most of  my relatives in that small villages were  farmers too, and I noticed  that  most of their  children  followed their  parents footsteps. Now I realized that I am  a lucky person. Even though   my parents are farmers  but  I am not a farmer anymore I am able to change  my life. I choose  be  a teacher as my profession. Actually there are  many reasons why I choose teacher as my profession. First, since I was in elementary school I saw many adults around my life, many of them were teachers. Some  of them were ustadz, they taught me how to read and write Arabic  especially Al-Qur’an. Some others were formal teachers. Just for example  Early in the morning  I went to school until afternoon, then  went to farm to help my parents,  in the evening my brother and I went to  mosque to  learnt Al-quran  and  Islamic teaching. So I got  a lot of models  from my surrounding , people who like  helping  children to be having well manner ‘ teachers ‘

Second ,   when I was mature enough  and  had  graduated from  senior high school in Lampung  , I migrated  to Jakarta to continue  my study. In my mind ,at that time, I had to study to improve  my life , I  didn’t strong enough to be a farmer , my muscles were to weak to dig hole, cut trees, cultivate rice etc. so  the alternative way to change my condition later on  was  I had to be scholar, I had to  continue  my study till I got   certificate  strata 1, then  it would be easier  for me  to seek a job , that was in my mind. Then I started my  new life  in Jakarta. Here I lived  with my  brothers . The oldest  one  is  Mr. Ismail, he was great  brother and very kind and helpful he always motivated me  to be  a successful man, so he forced me to  learn English . He said  by  mastering English  it would be helpful  to seek a job in Jakarta. Then I took  an English course. As usual, I went to  English course  twice a week. One day I got  a new English  teacher, he was  from  Padang, west Sumatra. He was  very calm, kind , active, creative and peaceful, I like  the way he spoke  , cool, calm and  confident. Some other day then I asked  him , “ Sorry sir, may I asked you “ where  did you study  before  becoming a teacher?”  then   he just looked at  me and smiled…. Why did you asked me  like that Romlan, he replayed? Do you want to be a teacher , like me? I didn’t  answer his question   I just waited  his  explanation . in  a few  minute he  started  to  explain  about his  educational background. He told me that he was graduated from IKIP Muhammadiyah Jakarata , it was not far  from  block A  in South Jakarta. Then I imagined  if I were a teacher  I had been able to help  my self and  my students . Beside that I would  be easier  to enter PARADISE because  GOD  the Almighty  love and like a kind and helpful  person. And being a teacher must be kind and helpful person. After that meeting I become eager  to be a teacher . Until one  evening , after praying  Maghrib  I asked  my Lord ‘ Oh Lord ! Help me , show me  the right way , not to let me live in  uncertainty life , You are everything  for me . Then  I continued  my  study  to IKIP Muhammadiyah Jakarta  I was graduated in 1994. Now  I can  conclude  that   I  am very happy  to be a teacher because I can and always meet  fresh, energetic, smart, cute, initiative, helpful, talkative, and even  lazy, dull people,  all in one  in my life.  The last but not least,   Being a teacher  make my life meaningful, colorful, beautiful , joyful and hopefully that  will  get    blessing from  GOD, the most gracious  and the Msot Merciful , Amin.