There is no question that many dream of teaching at the University of the Philippines. But how long will they stay? What are the processes and factors that make up the motivational orientation of good UP professors? And how do they motivate their students?

As part of my research work for my post-doctoral studies at Harvard University where I took Dr. Howard Gardner’s course on “Good Work: Where Excellence and Ethics Meet,” I selected and studied the lives and works of 10 recipients of the UP Chancellor Award for Most Outstanding Teacher.

A 2000 awardee myself and a committee member for the next search, I knew the rigors of the competition for the three categories of excellence: Teaching, research/creative work and extension service.

My 10 subjects were a who’s who in Philippine education: Dr. Emerlinda Roman (business administration, then chancellor, now UP president), Dr. Allan Benedict Bernardo (then with UP CSSP/Psychology) and Dr. Evelina Vicencio (Education).

Four were from the College of Science: Dr. Amelita Guevara (chemistry, then vice chancellor now vice president in academics), Dr. Cynthia Saloma (molecular biology), Dr. Graciano Yumul (Geology) and Dr. Jose Ma. Escaner IV (Mathematics).

Three were from the College of Arts and Letters: Dr. Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo (English), Dr. Judy Ick (English) and Dr. Anton Juan (Theater Arts).

Six women and four men, with ages ranging from early 30s to early 60s and with years of service at UP ranging from 10 to 40 years. Eight of them had received their bachelor’s degrees in the UP system (two outside the Diliman campus). Five did graduate studies abroad.

The best UP teachers came mostly from humble family backgrounds. They were reared by parents who “created a family environment for the academe.” Half of them had mothers who worked outside the home. The fathers’ occupations included civil engineer, mechanical engineer, the law, business and finance, and teaching. The UP best teachers grew up in families that valued education, good moral character, a sense of responsibility and service. All loved to read, whether they could or could not afford books.

How were they as students? Not all of them were honor students. One failed Algebra, and another had difficulty with Chemistry. But all felt the love for learning had been inculcated in them.

Calling

The best UP teachers were “meant to teach.” For them teaching was a “calling.” A few were offered the job after graduation while others stumbled into teaching. It was the “intellectual climate” that pulled a few in. Most were influenced by their teachers’ passion for the subject—a teacher “crying while reading Shakespeare” or another who “added a certain dimension to psychology.”

From observing models who had done a good job, these teachers were ushered into the profession through a process of “meaning-makings.” The theater professor said he “began in theater to be absurd.”

“It is only in the university that you can do anything you want—in experiments . . . or to read all you want.” A practical reason for choosing teaching was that it was more “compatible” with marriage and family. For some it started as a service rendered in return for post-grad education abroad.

Are there particular personality traits that make them good teachers? All mentioned passion—for the subject, for teaching, for life! One said it well: “The ability to express passion in words, not in anger.”

The next most important trait is commitment to excellence, reflected by a sense of responsibility, efficiency, discipline, focus and hard work.

“Being able to represent abstract material in a way that would make sense to the young people” is indispensable.

“A quick learner—not particularly intelligent but capable of engaging the material and trying to develop a good understanding of it and drawing something useful from it.”

They all said they talked a lot as kids, and they still do today. They perceived themselves as mavericks and creative. Intellectual curiosity was what set them apart. One professor told her students, “The reason that I’m up here and you’re sitting there is I have more questions than you.”

Purpose, meaning

What gives teaching meaning for them?

“The idea that I’m actually helping.”

“I want to shape minds which know how to raise questions; to think critically.”

“I’m doing something that I’m good at doing.”

“I believe in fostering the culture of excellence in the university and all that it entails.”

“The work has taken me into my life … for me, the pleasure principle and the work principle are the same.”

Work was apparently a source of great pleasure for these motivated teachers.

Happiness is...

The No. 1 source of satisfaction for these teachers is the knowledge that they have done their best. Student feedback through a thank-you note or an appreciation letter, and student achievement in publications and career advancement come close.

“Having three of my students win the Palanca Award—that makes me happy.”

“I can’t imagine any other profession where I’d be happier.”

One frustration is that, after much exposure and specialization in their own fields, these teachers have fewer people to discuss their ideas with.

The writing professor, now a very established writer and winner of many awards, said she was not happy with her writing; she was more satisfied with her teaching. Setting personal high standards was a common trait among these distinguished teachers.

As for institutional satisfaction, academic freedom was the most mentioned. Low budgets, red tape and meetings were the most dissatisfactory and considered impediments to their progress.

The bottom line: “I have learned how to live with so little; UP has taught me how to be poor.”

Contribution

“There is more to being a professor than teaching because you have to embody the discipline—to think, act and behave like a psychologist or a scientist.”

“I teach my students not only to have a goal but to have high aspirations … it is more difficult in the Filipino culture of pwede na (this will do) mentality … Good intentions are not enough; you have to be competent.”

“My responsibility is to cultivate the values of scholarship, excellence, integrity and service. Our big challenge is no longer to benchmark nationally, but internationally.”

“UP as an institution is nothing but its people. The only chance we have is when there are students who will stay on and continue the legacy of teaching.”

In these past years I have seen UP teachers come and go. Many of those who leave for other countries and other universities do so for financial survival or security needs, while others go for career advancement or self-actualization. Who can stop anyone from making a cost-benefit analysis?

What makes one stay and another leave? It is not a matter of love of country; a lot of it has to do with how important the job is to making a living.

This is not to say that those who stay are more heroic. If my life circumstances had been different, maybe I would have considered some of the offers I have had. And yet, perhaps just the idea that my work at UP is worth so much more than the pay makes it even more worthy. This might explain my motivation, thus the extra effort, which does not fail to motivate my students. And I am not alone. There are many, many such teachers at UP.

In my report to Dr. Gardner, I wrote: “Compared to other professional jobs and commensurate to academic qualifications and training, the UP pay is, to put it mildly, embarrassing and has caused widespread migration of [the university’s] academic personnel abroad or to other universities.”

Don Quixote

I have, however, observed that through the years, UP has given its students, alumni and faculty a sense of pride. Yes, academic freedom seems to be the reason teachers stay. But I know that pride is born more out of having been able to overcome all sorts of hardship.

UP teachers are, I would say, the Don Quixotes of the Philippines— intelligent, idealistic, inspiring, proud and always in pursuit of the impossible dream.

E-mail the author at grace@koo.org