Feature article

Mrs. Leander: from zero to hero

“Well, I’m gold without the /g/.”

Mrs. Leander is a well-known teacher by the students of Grace Christian College. She teaches Language, Reading, and Filipino in Elementary. She is now “gold without the /g/,” as she usually says when she makes a mistake, blaming it to her age as she can’t hear or see well, but don’t be fooled.  Even though growing white hair makes her look slow and grandmother-like, Mrs. Leander still has a character of a young woman in her late forty’s. The students in Grace Christian College may remember her for her strictness and easily-tempered self, but who is Mrs. Leander, and why is she who she is?

            As a little girl, Mrs. Corazon Leander started as a farmer. Though with little hope to cling to, she had a huge desire to learn more and be more knowledgeable, but due to her lack of money, she was forced to learn little by little, but that did not stop her from reaching her goal. She decided to try to learn by herself. She usually went to a local library to read some books. She made a deal with the librarian that she’d clean the library as long as she can stay as long as she wants to, and she did. She cleaned it daily and read daily. She read many books. Some examples are the Brothers Grimm stories, like the original story of the well known “The Little Mermaid.” She also read many non-fiction books that educated her with many facts about the world. As time passed by, Mrs. Leander learned many things and moved to Quezon City, where she taught at a public school, but after years of teaching them, she decided to teach at a Chinese Christian school, called Grace Christian College, formerly Grace Christian High School. There she thought elementary students grammar and literature. While teaching both languages, English and Filipino, Mrs. Leander has transformed students, from being unruly and lazy children to disciplined adults. “There is no such thing as bobo,” Corazon Leander states, “They are just lazy.” Mrs. Corazon Leander’s journey from a farmer to a teacher truly inspires everyone to strive harder for their goals because nothing is impossible if you put your heart into it, but her journey doesn’t stop there. She is still a teacher, still a life changer, and forever will be a hero to many.