The Beautiful Ones

By: Ronan C. Relova
        Master Teacher II,
        English Dept. – MNCHS

            Listening to a 90s Alternative-Grunge song by Suede, I have been inspired to write something that truly describes the holistic definition of a teacher. The educational warriors, truly, are the “Beautiful Ones” of this generation, for they exemplify the characteristics and features of something that is pleasant and admirable to the eyes, the heart and the soul.

             But, how do we truly define beauty?

          Merriam-Webster explains beauty as the “quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or something that pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit”. But, according to some responses in researchgate.net, there is no agreed universal definition of beauty either among philosophers or scholars of humanities and that it is subjective and typically belongs to human concepts. In an essay in ipl.org, though, beauty has continuously been used to describe a certain thing in association with its feature and appearance. However, people state that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” and based on the maxim itself, the description of beauty varies to how an individual perceives and interprets it. This also means that beauty can be identified in distinct ways, depending on the preference of a person.

         In the world of education, the technical definition of beauty also varies, yet, it mainly pertains to the fluidity and legacy left by the teachers to the lives of the students he/she has touched.

          But why is beauty really important in the academic world?

         1. BEAUTY ATTRACTS LEARNERS

         An educator is like a brand. One should possess qualities that are appealing to the students. On a normal face-to-face classroom situation with learners, they always look forward to attending the classes of teachers who are beautiful for them. It does not necessarily mean that teachers have to be heavily covered with make up or donned in fancy dresses to be called beautiful, it just takes a well-prepared lesson plan, enticing activities and a conducive and learner-friendly schoolroom to reach the standards of beauty in order to charm students to attend their daily classes.

        2. BEAUTY NURTURES IDENTITY

         Students should develop the sense of pride with the school. The educators should make it a learning institution where students develop confidence towards the quality of learning they will get from it. Ivy League Universities do not need to advertise themselves primarily because their names speak for their educational legacies. The beauty of having an excellent track record fosters a reliable and trustworthy educational system which appeals to the parents and learners in the modern times.

          3. BEAUTY PRODUCES A WORKPLACE

          Everyone in the world lives for a place where beauty is a standard requirement to make a convincing and effective station for work. If splendor and loveliness are present, the workplace becomes favorable not only for the learners, but also for the teachers who are working there. No one wants to study inside a room where it is not inviting nor appealing. It is the teachers’ obligation to make their workplace beautiful and worthy of emulation.

       4. BEAUTY EXEMPLIFIES EXCELLENCE

       
        When everything is pleasant and systematic, the school becomes a honing ground for exceptional and commendable individuals. This includes the students and the teachers in developing their attitude towards the teaching-learning process. When all are doing their jobs beyond what is asked for, then it will surely give ace results that will benefit the world around it. Beauty with a purpose, so to speak.

         Though not a prerequisite, everyone in the academic world should be aware that beauty is a plus factor that must be given attention and consideration. It is a known fact that the Department of Education is all-inclusive and complete, but, the extra mile of making something beautiful should be put into consideration in order to build a more holistic and competent foundation and realization of the vision and mission of an excellent and functional academic realm. After all, who doesn’t want beauty to be around, everywhere, every time?