Filipino Teacher Who Walks 8km To Reach School Daily, Finally Gets New Shoes
Teachers spend time and effort to ensure that each student is well-taken care of, so how should we show our appreciation and love for them in return?
On Monday (12 Aug), Mr Cesar Punzalan – a 50-year-old Filipino teacher – received a surprising present from his students at Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Laguna, Philippines.
The experienced teacher walked around 5 miles (8 km) to reach the school daily until his shoes were left tattered, reports South China Morning Post. His observant students noticed, and decided to present him with a touching gift.
Here’s the video in full.
Students surprise teacher with a gift
In the original video posted by Live Now, the story begins with Mr Cesar walking inside his classroom.
He was about to begin his lecture when a student interrupted him playfully,
Sir, before you start we have a gift for you.
The students cheer and clap while one student hands their teacher a box tied up with a ribbon. Mr Cesar seems surprised and hesitant to open the package.
He asked,
What is this?
The students continued to cheer for their baffled teacher and joke that the contents are “toads” or “cockroaches”.
A mysterious paper box
As Mr Cesar unties the ribbon, the entire class is eager to get a glimpse of his reaction.
One student even gave him a pair of scissors to speed up the process.
Once the ribbon was cut, the students told him to guess its contents.
Some students continue to joke that the contents could be a house plus a lot of land, one million dollars in cash or even snakes. A student warned Mr Cesar to be careful because the contents could potentially bite him.
Like any adult, Mr Cesar seemed uncertain because he understood what a group of teenagers were capable of.
A heartfelt gift from observant students
When Mr Cesar finally opened the package, the class erupted into cheers.
The teacher stared at the shoes in disbelief and said,
Why did you spend money?
A student replied earnestly,
Each of us contributed money to buy these shoes because we love you, sir.
The thoughtful class cheerfully agreed and echoed how much they loved their teacher.
They had observed that Mr Cesar’s shoes were tattered after walking 5 miles (8 km) each day to teach them.
While the teacher remained stunned speechless, a student chimed in and added,
It’s only a small gift compared to everything that you’ve helped us with.
Mr Cesar was so touched by the gift that tears gathered in his eyes. Now he had a brand new pair of black leather shoes to accompany him on his journey to work everyday.
He explained that he didn’t expect to receive something in return for teaching the class. He only wanted to share what he knew so that his students became knowledgeable.
A student replied,
But sir, before we leave we want to make sure that we give something to you too which will make you happy.
Show your appreciation for your teachers
While teaching is a very fulfilling profession, it’s often hard to check papers, discipline students and correct mistakes.
Every teacher makes numerous sacrifices behind-the-scenes so it’s only right that we show them a little love. You don’t need to spend on lavish gifts to show your gratitude, sometimes saying your thanks and studying well is more than enough.
Got any heartwarming stories with your teachers? Let us know in the comments below.
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