My Teacher

In New Zealand, recently fired teacher Emma finds trouble landing a new job after she failed a student from her previous class who happens to be the child of one of the board of directors of the school.

Emma is forced to return to the Philippines after being encouraged by her childhood best friend and fellow teacher Golda. Emma finds a job as new adviser of a high school senior class, notorious to the school as a bunch of misfits on the brink of failing. One of her students is an older man in his seventies, Solomon, who recognizes Emma as the daughter of his best friend Manuel, who died years prior. Emma is revealed to have lost connection with her father due to his abusive behavior caused by alcoholism and felt abandoned after the eventual death of her mother. Unbeknownst to Emma, Solomon’s daughter Weng, who lives in the United States, is also estranged towards him for the same reason. Solomon explains that he decided to go back to school in an attempt to regain the trust and respect of his daughter. Emma remains aloof on Solomon due to her hatred towards her father, as Solomon reminds her of him.

At first, Emma has difficulty earning the respect of her students. She does her best to educate them, and overtime, she is able to establish rapport with the teens by providing encouragement as they traverse their problematic lives, all with the help of Solomon’s wisdom. Emma recognizes the academic prowess of her student Erica, she helps class jock Francis land a basketball scholarship, she encourages breadwinner and working student Axel to continue her studies after an attempt to quit school to earn more money, she guides and supports the secret relationship of Jude and Ace, and she teaches mean student Maureen about the importance of respecting her classmates.

One day, Ms. Love eavesdrops and reports Emma’s conversation with Jude to the school principal, Mrs. Mission, for allegedly tampering with the students’ grades, as this is the first time the students have excelled in their academic endeavors. To avoid unnecessary investigation of students who could potentially derail their progress, Emma falsely admits fault. Emma confides to Solomon about her uncertain future as a teacher and eventually forms a fatherly bond with him. At the day of final exams, it was proven that the students’ success were a result of their determination and guidance from Emma and that their grades have not been tampered with. The students form a rally in front of the school to show their support and appreciation to Emma. Mrs. Mission realizes that Emma is an asset of the school, is special to the students, and keeps her as part of the faculty.

The students graduate high school and Solomon delivers a heartfelt speech. Emma narrates the importance of forgiveness, and realizes that because of Solomon and her students, she learned to be at peace with her father’s wrongdoings when he was alive. Emma accepts that Solomon was actually the teacher she never expected to have.