At 60, lola looks forward to teaching in high school

Perpetua Canete enjoys teaching a class at the Liloan National High School, part of her requirements. (CDN PHOTO/ CARINE ASUTILLA)

Perpetua Cañete is enjoying her last few days in college by doing her teaching assignments in Liloan National High School.

The 60-year-old Cañete is one of 37 graduating students of La Consolacion College in Liloan town. She took up Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education majoring in Social Science.

Before the big day on March 22, Cañete had a taste of what it was like to teach a roomful of teenagers.

“I enjoy teaching young students, maybe because at my age, I have learned how to get their attention and have them listen to everything I say,” Cañete said.

Cañete has three children—a nurse, a seaman and a catering services operator– with her husband, a barangay tanod in Poblacion Liloan town.

SUPPORTIVE

She said it was her family who convinced her to enroll and pursue her dream of being a teacher.

In 2009, Cañete took a few units in Education.

“I just wanted to see if going to school is really for me. At my age, it’s pretty funny to sit inside a classroom with students who are young enough to be your grandchildren,” she said laughing.

But Cañete was surprised that her professors were truly supportive of her endeavor.

Her classmates would also lend her their notes whenever she misses a class because of some household obligations.

Cañete was a third year Medical Technology student in Southwestern University and she was unable to finish her studies when she got  married early.

Cañete said she took up Medical Technology because it was her parents’ dream.

NOT RETIREMENT

When she was married, she worked as a caregiver in Taiwan for 10 years and then went to Hong Kong to be a babysitter for two years.

“I encountered a lot of different people and children and this experience made me more equipped in handling students and teaching them,”  Cañete said. Even at 60,  Cañete wishes to land a teaching job rather than enjoy retirement.
She said while public schools may not hire her, she hopes that private institutions may find her age an advantage.
“I am 60 years old, I’ll be 61 in July, I really hope that schools will consider me and look at my age as my edge on all the other young graduates. I’m a mother, grandmother, teacher rolled in one.” she said. Correspondent Carine M. Asutilla