I HAD just entered the jungle. It was the last period of the day and I could sense the students getting antsy about going home. This section has been talked about and prayed over many times in the faculty because its teenaged residents -- the boys in particular -- have manifested characteristics usually found in hungry hyperactive animals in the Serengeti.

One of the jungle's noisiest and cutest resident, F, was already moving around restlessly, making theatrical faces, teasing his classmates, his face effortlessly turning a blustery red. Another group had moved near the windows, plotting to amuse themselves by looking out of the window, commenting on passers-by, and practicing the time honored communal activity of laughing at people together.

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This is the class that had to have 10-15 minutes of extra class time when we were discussing Latin America because they could not get over the words Machu Picchu, which they used to tease and describe their diminutive classmate whose baby face looks supposedly belies rock hard abs.

When I followed Machu Picchu with the information that the Philippines introduced bananas to Mexico during the Galleon Trade, the boys burst into raucous laughter again because the name of another student and fellow teaser's mother happened to be Ging. Hence, "saging". This teasing would sometimes result to a rapid exchange of gunfire -- Alum! Itum! Mongoloid! Kanding! All followed by laughter, threatening finger-pointing, and the all-important eye stare more popularly known as tabis.

Ah a teacher's life. Though sometimes I get irritated by their impish behavior, I have to admit it makes lectures and discussions more memorable and light-hearted. The jungle boys are just having fun at the expense of each other. So far, I have not heard them poke fun at a classmate who does not participate in teasing themselves. Nor have I seen them take the teasing seriously or angrily.

Plus, their rowdiness makes me appreciate the times when they ARE behaved all the more. This is what happened the last time I entered the jungle, for a lecture on slavery. The topic is heavy, emotional, and quite somber. I was prepared to draw their attention to the lesson as hard as I could and not make them go hyena on me.

But surprisingly, the jungle behaved. Yes, there was laughter and teasing as usual, but those came during the parts of the discussion that called for light-heartedness. During the serious parts, they were serious, even the most notorious jokers like F. I knew they were tired from being in school since 7AM, but they sat there, learning about the slave trade, racial segregation, Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. and they listened.
It absolutely melted my heart.

I know my students are no perfect angels. I have caught them sneaking a peek at a classmate's paper, copying homework, and copy-pasting entire paragraphs from wikipedia, complete with underlined words and footnote numbers. I have heard grumbles when asked to do work, seen drooping eyes during lectures, and felt boredom and weariness weighing them down, even during games and activities.

But, I also know that my students can be angels. Even the most notorious section, the students known for the most number of face-to-face time with the Prefect of Discipline, can be left behind unsupervised for a few minutes without total chaos breaking out. You can give them clear instructions that many students have a hard time following such as "stay inside the classroom" or "remain in your seats" and when you return, they are doing exactly that. You can talk about serious issues like racism, and they listen, participate in discussion, and show genuine interest.

That last lesson with the jungle, as the clock struck 5 p.m., I looked at their faces. They did not look like they were itching to bolt out of the classroom. This is no jungle, after all. This is a class, a real class and for that, I thank God I have the opportunity to teach my students.

(Jocy L. So teaches at Davao Christian High School.)

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(November 22, 2008 issue)
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