Ian Manga teacher, teaches preschool and primary school students at Mater-El-Roi in Bulacan, Philippines. Although 23 years old, with her small stature, youthful appearance and childish voice, Manga is often " misunderstood" as... a student.
Manga is known as "the teacher with the face of a child of Bulacan". The young teacher is 162cm tall and thinks that his small stature is due to his often illness as a child, according to GMA News. Even when he was in high school, Manga had not yet matured or had a beard. However, he had never gone to the doctor to check his condition.
Growing up, Manga felt lost and often "mingled" as his peers or even their children. Strangers even mocked and called him "the little girl".
ignoring those mockery, he told himself to try to prove himself. Manga took the teacher licensing exam in May this year in the hope of following in her mother's footsteps to become a teacher. In fact, only 27% of candidates taking this exam passed the entrance exam and became teachers in the Philippines.
Overwhelmingly optimistic, Manga shared that looking like a child also helps him a lot at work, especially in the way of easy connection with students.
According to Melanie Gerolia - a teacher at Mater-El-Roi school, Manga has a special connection with students and never gets tired of playing with students. "I felt like a big brother to a student when we were playing," she said.
However, Manga also tries to clearly line the line between studying and playing. Young Philippine teachers always maintain a strict attitude in class. "When I'm teaching, I get more serious. Students also respect me more" - Manga said. He also paid attention to the outfit with loose clothes and leather shoes to look more serious despite his childish face.
