Mahaba at Mahirap na Proseso

 Mahaba at Mahirap na Proseso

 

Ganito ang edukasyon.

 

Ang pagkatuto ay hindi nagaganap sa maghapon at ito ang rason kung bakit may matinding laban na hinaharap hindi lamang ang sangkaguruan kundi ang buong mundo. Sa panahon ng internet, mabilis pa sa COVID-19 virus ang pagkalat ng kasinungalingan. Biktima nito ang lahat ng tao: bata, matanda, may pinag-aralan o wala. Matindi rin ang epekto nito dahil hindi lamang nito binabaluktot ang kaisipan ng tao, pinasasama rin nito ang pag-uugali natin.

 

Napansin mo ba? Kapag may nabasa o napanood ka sa Social Media na salungat sa pinaniniwalaan mo at doon sa alam mong totoo, nagagalit ka. Natural lang naman yon. Pero umabot ka na rin ba sa punto na gusto mong murahin, awayin, o hamunin ng suntukan yung nakapalitan mo ng komento?

 

Napansin mo ba? Na sa kaka-Facebook o TikTok mo, naapektuhan na yung mental health mo. Tapos para solusyunan yon, naisip mong i-unfriend na lang sila. Nakaligtaan mong may iba pang pwedeng gawin, gaya ng i-unfollow sila (para ‘di mo na makita yung mga nakaka-inis na post nila). O di kaya literal na ‘wag na lang sila pansinin at sa halip ay atupagin ‘yung paggawa ng dapat at tama.

 

Napansin mo ba? Na parang masaya ka na kapag napapahiya sila? E syempre, napatunayan mo na tama ka at mali sila eh. Napatunayan mong ikaw yung matalino, may pinag-aralan. At sila, mahina, walang alam, uto-uto.

 

Pero hindi ba, mas dapat tayong malungkot, magnilay, at gumawa ng hakbang para itama ang mali, kesa patulan ang mali? Sabi nga sa lyrics ng kantang “Hindi na Makita” ng bandang Wilabaliw “Patulan mo, lasing, mas lasing ka do'n”

 

Ito ang pinili ko. At sana, sa mga kapwa kong guro, ito rin ang piliin natin. Alam ko. Mahirap. Kahit ako, gusto mangonyat.

 

Pero kesa ubusin ang aking panahon at lakas sa pakikipagtalo sa Social Media, pinili kong gamitin ang aking lakas at kaalaman para ituro ang tama at itama ang mali sa maliit naming komunidad.

 

February 2021 noong magsimula kaming makipag-partner sa PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association). Pinalabas namin sa FEUCSHS yung Play nila na “Si Juan Tamad, Ang Diablo, at Ang Limang Milyong Boto”. Siniguro namin na hindi lang sila manonood tapos gagawa ng “reaction paper”. Nagsagawa kami ng talkback na ang layunin ay Voter Education. Sinikap namin na ma-encourage ang mga SHS namin na magparehistro at bumoto.

 

Nitong January 2022, nagsagawa naman kami ng Voter Education Summit sa pangunguna ng mga HUMSS Teachers. Reinforcement ito ng mga aral na tinuro ng PETA Play.

 

Nitong April 27 2022, pinalabas naman namin ang isa pang PETA Play, ang “A Game of Trolls”. Same format, merong talkback para prosesuhin ang mga aral ng dula gaya ng kung gaanong ka-makapangyarihan ang trolls sa pagkakalat ng maling impormasyon.

 

Bilang pagtatapos, noong April 29, 2022 ay nagsagawa kami ng Mock Elections at ito na nga yung resulta no’n. Masaya ako na may positibong epekto ang pagtuturo namin ng kasaysayan (kahit walang History subject sa curriculum ng Senior High).

 

Malungkot ba ako na may 12.09% na pumili kay Mr. Marcos? Medyo. Pero sa experience ko bilang teacher, hindi naman talaga mangyayare na 100% ay fully matututunan ng mag-aaral yung lesson sa lahat ng pagkakataon. Gaya ng nabanggit ko sa itaas, mas challenging pa ito ngayon kase may ibang sources of information na ang mga tao at kung hindi susuriin ng maayos, mapapaniwala ka talaga.

 

Para sa akin, ang 12.09% na ito ay room for improvement. Ibig sabihin, yung mga programa namin ay may positibong impact, pero may pwede pang gawin para mas lalong maging epektibo ito.

 

Gusto ko linawin na wala akong ineendorsong kandidato. Sa isang demokrasya, mahalagang ang bawat isa ay magkaroon ng inidibidwal na desisyon sa kung sino ang dapat n’yang iboto. Pero masaya ako sa resulta. Bilang isang teacher, hindi naman pwedeng tutunganga lang tayo habang binabaluktot nila ang ating kamalayan.

 

Maraming mahalagang aral ang itinuro ng Martial Law. Bali-baliktarin man natin ang mga pangyayari, malinaw ang katotohanan: pinagtakpan nito ang pagnanakaw ng mga Marcos at ng mga cronies nila; sinikil nito ang karapatan ng mga tao; at pinatay nito ang mga taong naghayag ng kanilang saloobin laban sa diktadurya.

 

Ito ang dahilan kung bakit natin sinasabing #NeverAgain. Dahil hindi tayo dapat pumayag na muling mangibabaw ang kasamaang minsan na nilang tinanim ng napakalalim sa ating bansa.

 

Sa huli, bilang isang Kristiyano, ang dalangin ko araw-araw ay payapa at malinis na halalan. Naniniwala at nagtitiwala ako sa dakilang plano ng ating Diyos na Buhay at Makapangyarihan sa lahat.

 

Faith and the Weight of the Wait

by: Matthew M. Nepomuceno

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."

There are four points that I would like to highlight here: (1) confidence, (2) hope, (3) assurance, and (4) we do not see. Faith is about confidence. We can’t say it’s FAITH if it’s mixed up with DOUBT. Faith means you’re confident that what you’re waiting for, what you’re hoping for, will come no matter how bad or how impossible the situation is. Faith is also about hope. These two come in pairs. We can’t say we have faith if we do not hope. We cannot maintain being hopeful if we do not have faith. Those who feel hopeless are those who also start to lose faith.

Finally, Faith also comes with an assurance despite not being able to see. Receiving the item you ordered from an online shop is not about “faith” because you can see it, you can even track its progress using an app’s logistics tracker. Faith is believing that something will happen even if you don’t even know what, where, when, or how.

But faith also comes with a heavy weight: WAITING.

Perhaps one of the most difficult things to do is to wait especially when you’re not sure when or how it will arrive, or, if it will arrive at all. When you order from an online shop, you wait. But you can actually demand as a customer, especially if the seller specified a time when the parcel will arrive. But what if you’re waiting for something that is beyond your control? Something, beyond your means? Like being cured from a disease, getting your dream job, or like what most couples pray for, having a baby.

Kay and I got married in 2014 and from then on, we hoped and waited for a baby. I thought it’s gonna be fast just like what you usually see in movies, but it wasn’t as easy as it seems. My wife has Polycstic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), which means she has too many follicles that do not develop into an egg. This is why it’s difficult from some PCOS patients to conceive. You wouldn’t know when the egg will be fertilized because unlike women with regular menstruation, PCOS patients do not menstruate regularly. In the case of my wife, she would have droplets of menstruation perhaps once or twice a year. Unless she takes pills that would “force” her ovaries to produce a viable egg.

For the past four years since our wedding, we have tried many cycles to take meds in high hopes that her ovaries will be triggered or stimulated to produce an egg, to no avail.

The weight of the wait becomes heavier as months and years pass by, especially when you have people around you (relatives, colleagues, etc.) who would ask “When are you going to have a baby?” During the first few years, I didn’t really mind because I know and I am assured that God will give us children. However, it starts to become painful and offending when you see your wife crying randomly asking—

“Do you still love me?”

“Will you stay even if we won’t have children?”

“Can you still wait?”

Waiting is never a fun thing to do. It makes you anxious, doubtful, and worried. These thoughts become the devil’s entry point for more negative ideas and as they become planted deeper and deeper, one starts to lose hope, to stagnate, to falter.

What dreams and aspirations do you have? How long have you been waiting? Praying for it to come or to happen?

Do not let delays or “rejections” keep you away from your faith, from your dreams. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Whether your prayer gets answered with a YES, LATER, or NO, have faith because those who do will discover an even greater blessing ahead of their lives.

*****

Last November 12, 2018, around 5:00 AM, my wife woke me up in a hushed and excited voice. She flashed the pregnancy test on my face and it took me about 10 seconds to realize what she’s saying. I thought it was a dream but there it is, God’s answer to our prayers, in His best time, in His best way.

What surprised me all the more was when she showed to me all the other negative pregnancy tests (she kept over the years) as her tears flow from her eyes. I didn’t know that she has been keeping all those “bad news” since after getting married…

All the pain, all the weight of the wait suddenly disappeared and an immense joy filled our hearts because of the two red lines, no matter how faint the second one was. We kept the great news to ourselves. We kept it even from our families. We waited until our doctor advised us to have the ultrasound. In December 1, 2018, the ultrasound detected our baby’s heartbeat.

God has given us the gift of life, and He has lent to us another life to love and to nurture.

When the weight of the wait becomes heavier, the rate of your faith should be higher. 

Press on! Greater days are ahead of you through God’s grace.

Heneral Luna (mini-critique)

Sa last full show ng Heneral Luna kagabi sa Rob Dasma, may nakatabi kami ni misis na magjowa. Tanong ni lalake, "Si Joven ba si Rizal?" Sasagutin ko sana, pero syempre pointless naman at baka sabihing epal o baliw ako (pinigilan din ako ni misis). Isasagot ko sanang, "Hindi. Ikaw sana si Joven. Pero ikaw nga ba?" Nung una naasar ako, para kasing kapareho ito nung kumalat na tanong kung bakit nakaupo lang si Apolinario Mabini. Totoong nakakaasar, pero sa kabilang banda, mabuti-buti na rin at nagtatanong. Dahil kung walang magtatanong, wala ring sasagot.

Mahusay ang pagkakabuo ng pelikula hindi lamang dahil sa pagbaba ng mga bayani mula sa pedestal (i.e. na tao lang din naman sila gaya natin), kundi dahil sa sining na bumubuo rito.

Isa na ang pagpapakita ng Spoliarium sa eksenang hinihila ang bangkay ni Luna Dito ay napaisip ako sa kwento ng ipininta ni Juan Luna. Noon, inisip kong mga Kastila ang humihila sa mga "spolias" o "spoils of war/gladiator matches. Sa pelikulang ito nakita kong oo nga, Pilipino rin naman ang nagpapatayan sa isa't isa, at kitang kita ito sa panahon ng Social Media--ang magpatayan sa pamamagitan ng wika at komento.

Pangalawa ang huling bahagi kung saan tila ginamit ni Tarrog ang mala-Akutagawa na format sa pagsisiwalat ng aliibi ng mga sangkot sa krimen ay nagpapakita ng sistemang umiiral sa ating hudikatura maging pati na rin sa ating pagkatao. (Note: Kung hindi pa nababasa, basahin ang "In a Grove" ni Ryonosuke Akutagawa upang may mapagkumparahan.)

Pangatlo, gustong gusto ko ang pagtatapos ng pelikula kung saan unti unting nauupos ang bandila habang si Joven naman ay pinapanood ito. Bago pa man maupos ang watawat, tumindig siya at natapos ang pelikula. Dito makikita ang paglalapat ng kongklusyon sa mga kamay ng mga Joven na gaya mo. Panonoorin mo nalamang ba ang Heneral Luna at magpopost sa Facebook na nagandahan at na-astigan ka para makidaloy sa uso? O tatayo ka, buong husay na mag-aaral, buong sipag na magtatrabaho at mag-aambag hindi lamang para sa sarili at sa pamilya, kundi lalong lalo na sa bayang sinisinta?

Nasa mga kamay n'yo ang desisyon, mga Joven, duguan man ito o hindi.

(Note: Ang salitang "Joven" ay Kastilang salita na nangangahulugang "young" o "kabataan")

(Nepomuceno, 2015)

‪#‎HeneralLuna‬

‪#‎ArtikuloUno‬

(P.S. Baka may kakilala kang nag-last full show kagabi sa Rob Dasma, paki-share nalang ito sa kanya. Hindi upang ipahiya siya, kundi upang imulat siya.)

GLENDAZED

*written on July 18, 2014

In the study of Mythology and Folklore, there is such a motif called “birth-rebirth” which is usually presented in literature by sons killing their fathers (e.g. Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon killing their father Kronos in Greek Mythology, Odin killing his father Ymir in Norse Mythology, or Marduk killing the matriarch goddess Mummu-Tiamat in Babylonian Mythology). According to theories, these similarities in the motifs across world literatures embody the collective unconscious of people brought about by similar cosmic, natural, and metaphysical experiences.

One basic lesson that we ought to learn from the birth-rebirth motif is the perpetual changes in seasons. At one point in our lives, we experience devastating storms and other natural catastrophes. Months later, we lavish upon the positive energies (no matter how seemingly excruciating it is) released by the sun.

For many years of our stay here in Silang, Cavite, we have withstood a number of storms. Name all the ‘most powerful’ ones, and we have survived them all as if they’re just regular rains that passed by. For many years, we have enjoyed rainy seasons because it’s a time to sleep, watch rain water flow on the street, and play with paper boats. For many years, it’s a time to sip a cup of coffee, while playing scrabble with my family.

But in all those seasons of birth-rebirth, there isn’t much ‘deaths’ i.e. not much destruction, not much periods of reflection because everything seems ‘normal’.

Until Glenda came and wreaked havoc to the entire province of Cavite. In general, it may still be considered ‘normal’ here in Silang, although her wind power and speed is beyond normal. For three days now, most parts of Cavite are still groping in the dark. This is perhaps the longest brown out in Cavite. My last memory of long brown outs was during the Ramos regime.

Lack of electricity ‘killed’ a lot of things that seemingly bring ‘life’ to people. This made me pause for a while, something I haven’t been doing for a long time now due to my very busy schedule. I realized how Electricity has been fueling up my work and the lives of people around me: from my phones to my computers to our appliances. We have been caught up in the vicious technological web. We have been enslaved by our own quest to ‘making life simpler’—turning our lives more complicated. We have been trapped inside a maze we, humans, created ourselves.

I found myself getting irritable for not being able to connect to the internet and be updated with what’s happening to the world. My father and I, later on, resorted to digging up our antiquated transistor radio to listen to news. Fortunately, it’s still working.

Thus, a rebirth.

Amidst the death of the complicated and entangled technological advancements comes the rebirth of antiquated and seemingly forgotten essentials in life. We suddenly found ourselves eagerly and patiently waiting for updates in the radio.

Patience is reborn.

The internet brainwashed us into thinking that we have everything in control at our fingertips. Technology has turned us into parasites of electricity, something not essential during the ancient times. It has transformed us into ‘petty gods’.

A radio commentator’s repetitive use of the term ‘normalize our lives’ (in relation to her plea for electricity to return) caught my attention: isn’t it funny that we now consider lack of electricity as ‘abnormal’ when in fact our ancestors managed to survive without it? We now come to a point of reflection: which is not normal, the absence of electricity? Or our dependence to it?

Thus, a rebirth.

Why do we all have the desire to ‘control’ everything? Perhaps, it started with the invention of the remote control, and now with the emergence of ‘smartphones’ we seem to control information at our fingertips. Throughout the years, we have struggled our way out of ‘the way’ of nature; we have pretended to be gods despite our natural weakness and powerlessness against nature. (It’s funny how even the Chinese who have introduced the concept of Taoism to the world has forgotten about the Dao.) In reality, though, we are but a speck of dust in the vast environment created by a one true God.

Reality is reborn.

In the perpetual cycle of life, these ‘rebirths’ that we have come to realize today will again die as we find ourselves once again entangled in the worldwide web, when electricity and internet has ‘normalized’ our lives. And when we are once again on that process of ‘dying’, we will, at some point in our lives, once again be reborn…and the cycle continues.

THE STORY OF RICHIE

It was in April 2011 when I first met Richie. My fellow disciple Totoy Famero and I went to Bucal to share the gospel to the young men there. At first, Richie was one of those who would "run away" whenever they see us. Eventually, through God's Grace, Richie sat down and listened; he started opening up and reading the Bible with us. In God's time, Richie yielded to our invitation for him to join the Encounter. His life turned 180 degrees after that. From being 'cursed' due to the vices he had enjoyed (e.g. smoking, drinking, and yes, even drugs) he transformed into a man whose life would become one of Kingdom Ministries' most challenging and motivating testimonies.

Satan's job is to trick us away from the tremendously blessed life that God has designed for each one of us. For seven long years, this worked well with Richie. He was a 'tambay' all throughout; he was a burden not just to his family but also to society as a whole. I must say I was intimidated during those days; I feared being beaten up by their 'gang'. At the back of my prejudicial mind-set, I thought "this guy's hopeless, I'm wasting time" (Later on, God revealed to me that prejudice is also one of the enemy's ways for us to stop sharing the Word. Makes sense right? Start thinking that people are hopeless, later you'll start thinking "why bother sharing if no one's gonna listen?")

Richie is one of my life's greatest achievements, even greater than earning a college and master's degree. He is God's constant reminder to me, "Son, if you stopped, where could his life be now?" He's also a solid proof that when you surrender your life to Christ, greater things shall follow; blessings will overflow.

I wrote this not to brag about myself. I wrote this to encourage you. I'm not so different from you. I've had my share of failures and sins. But you see, when you accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, you'll start to realize a lot, a lot which will unleash the spirit of excellence in you.

Don't stop. Don't quit. Tell the world about Jesus!

(Richie has just graduated last Saturday, March 8, 2014 from Working Hands School in Balubad 2nd, a TESDA certified school with a diploma in Auto Mechanic. Graduating isn't the end of God's blessings; it's God's first step towards Greatness!)

Dear Porky,

Kamusta ka na? San ka nga ba nakatira? Alin ba dun sa 30 addresses mo ang tinitigilan mo talaga? Di kasi kita maabutan kapag bumibisita ako sa bahay mo sa Forbes, Ayala, at BGC eh.

Kung ako naman ang iyong tatanungin eh maayos naman kami, sa awa at gabay ng Diyos. May bintana at kisame na ngayon ang bahay namin. Dati kasi sobrang lamig kapag tag-ulan at sobrang init naman kapag tag-init tapos sako naman ang bintana namin.

Kamusta yung mga businesses mo? Mukang malakas ang benta ng mga kaluluwa ngayon ah. Ako naman e ok lang, nagtuturo pa rin ako sa kolehiyo at masaya naman. Medyo nakakapagod lang. Tsaka sa totoo lang e di ko na tinitignan yung payslip ko. Danlake kasi nung kaltas ng buwis eh. Pero ayos lang, para naman yon sa ikauunlad at ikagaganda ng bayan, gaya ng sabi mo, diba?

Uy sya nga pala, two years ago, napa-tiles na rin namin ang sahig namin at napapinturahan na rin ang dingding ng loob ng bahay, after almost 30 years ng pagtira namin dito. Tyaga tyaga at ambagan lang. Pero sa ngayon, wala pa ring palitada yung harapan ng bahay namin at wala paring pintura. Ok lang naman dahil at least e hindi na umuulan sa loob ng bahay di gaya dati. Masaya ang pamilya dahil unti-unti ay nakakaalpas na kami sa kahirapan.

Parang nakita ko yung BMW mo na nakapark sa Casino sa Tagaytay. Alin ba sa 30 na luxury cars mo ang madalas na ginagamit mo? Ay sabagay, kung may 30 cars ka, once a month mo  lang gamitin dahil iba bawat araw. Pero i-start mo rin paminsan minsan ha? Sabi nung tyuhin kong mekaniko, masisira daw kotse pag natulog ng matagal.

Yung dyip ni papa, bulok na pero maayos pa naman. Tumatakbo pa at nakakapagbyahe pa sya ng mga studyante. Salamat sa Diyos at yung dyip na yun ang bumuhay sa pamilya namin. Nakabili din ako ng motor pero hinuhulugan ko pa. Naka-isang taon na ako! Dalawa nalang at akin na talaga yun! Gusto ko na nga sana makabili ng kotse e, pero wala pa kasi akong pang-hulog sa ngayon.

Pasensya ka na nga pala at di ako nakadalo sa pa-party mo nung nakaraang buwan sa Sofitel. E pano kasi nahihiya ako, butas na pala ung swelas ng sapatos ko e baka lamigin ang paa ko. Inaantay ko pa yung sunod na sweldo para makabili ng bagong sapatos. Tsaka diba malakas ang aircon sa mga 5-star na hotel?

Kamusta na pala yung kalusugan mo? Di ka ba naaalta-presyon? Kami ay ok naman. Buti at may napipitas na gulay sa likod-bahay, pang-sahog sa isda. Healthy living kuno, pero ang totoo e nagtitipid lang. Ang mahal naman kasi ng kilo ng baka at baboy ngayon. Pero ok rin, sexy kami. Hahaha!!!

O pano? Hanggang sa muli nating pagkikita. Dadalawin kita…

Nagmamahal,

Boy Tiklis

TEaCH REVIEW: ACER ICONIA W3

I’m not a techblogger, so I may not be able to point out important technical aspects of the Acer Iconia W3, but if you’re a teacher like me, perhaps you’ll find this post helpful.

I first saw Acer Iconia W3 in a technology news (can't remember if it's in Flipboard or other news apps in my phone) that I was reading. It was launched in Computex and it caught my attention particularly because it claims to be a cost efficient hybrid machine (i.e. laptop+tablet). When I read its specifications, I immediately concluded that it will be useful for teaching.

Acer Iconia W3 vis-a-vis Cherry Mobile Titan

Acer Iconia W3 with his big brother Acer Aspire 4715Z. At home, I use the Aspire to make powerpoints and write documents.

Acer Iconia W3 with his big brother Acer Aspire 4715Z

Acer Iconia sports a Windows 8 OS

Aside from sporting a Windows 8 Operating System, what really caught my attention is the bundled Microsoft Office 2013, i.e. it has a Word, Excel, and Powerpoint—three of the most important productivity applications in the teaching profession.

Whenever I tinker with tablets in malls, e.g. iPad Mini and Android tablets, I always find them not so functional because they lack productivity applications. While it is true that you may install free office applications to Android devices, such as Kingsoft, it still doesn’t function the way I expect it to be. Apple, of course, has very good office applications, but they are just so pricey.

To continue, another strong feature of the Iconia is its ability to connect with projectors and other screens through the micro-hdmi port. However, it is just annoying to find out the malls do not sell a Micro-HDMI to VGA cable (I scoured SM North’s Cyberzone to no avail!...oh…and yeah...not even the “powerful” CDR-King has it! Imagine?!). Good thing there’s a Sulit.com seller, and I got the cable for PHP 800 (See pictures below)

Finally, another very impressive feature of the Iconia is its battery life. I start my class at 9:00 AM (one class is equal to 1 ½ hours) and end at 6:00 PM. While it’s not entirely lecture, I also do not need to charge any time of the day (provided that I start the day with a 100% battery life). When my day ends, the Iconia still has an average of 25% battery life!

In conclusion, the Acer Iconia W3 is delivering what it is supposed to deliver. I can present my lectures through it and do some occasional writing as well as other school works, plus of course, recording grades in Excel. It works the way I thought it would. Moreover, it has saved so much space and weight in my backpack!

I wouldn’t be posting the specs of this device as they are available in any other tech website. I’ll just post pictures of how I use it in class to give an idea to other teachers who might be interested to buy it. I’ll also post the link of the Sulit.com vendor who sells the very important Micro-HDMI to VGA cable.

How to Connect the Iconia to an LCD Projector:

1. You'll need a Micro-HDMI to VGA Cable, which is something very difficult to find because stores in malls don't have them. I purchased mine from Mr. Johnny B.

2. This cable will be connected to a regular VGA cable (PHP 50.00 in CD-R KING)

The pictures below show how I use my Iconia in FEU Cavite. Fortunately, all classrooms in FEU has a mounted LCD projectors, so it's really a breeze to use the Iconia for lectures and other teaching activities.

LCD Projectors are mounted in all classrooms of FEU Cavite

Beside the whiteboard is a switch where the VGA cable is connected to display the image through the projector

LEFT: On/Off switch of the LCD & 220V plug. RIGHT: VGA Port for the LCD Projector

The Iconia with the Micro-HDMI Port. I'm also using my girlfriend's gift to me, a Logitech clicker w/laser pointer so that I won't need to go back and forth to the teacher's table when I'm delivering lectures.

Screenshot of the Powerpoint 2013. It's good that powerpoint has upgraded to this, on the left is what is shown on the screen, the smaller view on the right is a preview of the next slide.

Logitech Wireless Presenter R400

DYNAMIC DUO: Logitech Wireless Presenter and Acer Iconia W3. Teaching has become more fun because of these tools!

(DISCLAIMER: This is NOT a paid advertisement. But if ACER will give me credits or gift certificates, I will gladly accept them. =) )

Responsible and Intelligent Voting

Hello everyone,

10 days before the elections...

Have we been doing our homework? As voters, we are the ones who are supposed to decide if these applicants are worthy of the post. Every voter must be intelligent and responsible. Have you done your research? This morning, I have received a very appalling news that a candidate for Mayor here in Silang, Cavite have assigned "coordinators" who are basically tasked to buy votes. Disgusting!!!

Do not be easily swayed by the sweet words of these politicians.

Check out the attached candidates. You might be surprised to find out that there are more options than those EPALS you see around you. (For more information, click here ---> COMELEC)

Study the profiles of the candidates, click this link to read and study which candidate best suits your ideals and morals ---> RAPPLER

Also, in case you don't know which district your town/city belongs, click this link to know ---> CAVITE DISTRICTS


Be a responsible and intelligent voter!!!
Please feel free to forward or post this message to your friends, relatives, etc.

Facing the Giants

Vacation is a very important part of student (and teacher's) life. It allows us to have a breather from the suffocating requirements brought by teachers (like me, of course). But to me, vacation is also an important time to ponder upon life and learning; it is that transition stage that should push us towards an even greater level compared to the previous school year. Otherwise, we will never level up, literally and figuratively. 

As I grope for some stuff to read over the internet, I stumbled upon an article in Yahoo (Blind student graduates magna cum laude), and I cannot help but smile and at the same time shed a few drops of tears (of joy of course!). 

Marco was my student in PNU when he was in 1st year and 2nd year. (As mentioned in the article, he left for the States during the 2nd sem of his 2nd year to study under the Fulbright scholarship, so his graduation got a little bit delayed). On the first day of our first meeting, I felt a little off because seated beside him was his mother who would always be there to literally guide him throughout college life. I was a young teacher back then and my worry is that the mother might call for a PTA meeting in case I mess up! But I was wrong, mommy was really very appreciative and supportive.

What's more problematic during that time was that he was enrolled in a READING CLASS!!! I'm not a SPED major so I really had a lot of inquiries and research as to how I would teach a BLIND man to read. We eventually resorted to some READ ALOUD strategies (i.e. his mother reads to him, he processes, and his mother writes the answers to my tests, so the magna cum laude goes to his mother too.)

As I reflect, I remembered King David in his youth (1 Samuel 17). Young David was a shepherd boy who's about to face the giant Goliath. However, if you read the entire chapter, never will you read an iota of doubt or fear from David. In 1 Samuel 17:26, he even taunted Goliath by asking "...who is this uncircumcised Philistine?" (In Tagalog... alam nyo na yon)

David never allowed Goliath's size and might to destroy himself and his country simply because he knows that he has a bigger God; that they are not destined to be defeated, to be destroyed. David had a very strong faith. He just knows that he can do it; that he can face the giants.

Similarly, I have never heard or seen Marco doubt. When he was about to leave for the U.S. I asked him "Pano yan, di na kasama si Mommy don? OK lang ba sayo?" Jokingly, he answered, "OK nga po yun eh. Para walang bantay!"

Marco was literally blind but his goals were crystal clear. Despite not seeing his physical world, he has always seen that he will eventually WIN (just like David did). It took him a lot of time to achieve his goals, but he did. 

Have you ever thought about your limitations? Have you ever thought that you are bound to fail? Have you ever considered yourself a sore loser? Have you ever thought, "Wala eh. Hanggang dito lang talaga kaya ko. TAO LANG" 

Think about David. Think about Marco. They have seen beyond the walls that block them from reaching towards the goal. 

They have learned how to face their giants. 

You can do the same, too! If you trust God while doing your best, you will never fail.

REMEMBER: "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."  (Philippians 4:13)

God bless you all! =)



P.S. 

(CONGRATULATIONS Marco! If you're reading/listening to this)

Passport Requirements

A woman holds her tears as much as she can as she sips the steaming hot, perhaps bitter-tasting coffee--as bitter as her feelings. She was angry more than regretful. But her anger is all the more aggravated by the fact that she can't blame anyone, other than herself.

It was a quiet Wednesday morning. I was reading the newspaper and eating breakfast in a fasfood chain, while waiting for Papa to finish his passport renewal. Suddenly, the stillness of the place was disturbed by a woman (most probably in her early 20s) as she sobs about her "epic fail" attempt to apply for her passport.

The reason? She lacks one requirement (NBI clearance from what I have heard--yeah eaveadropping is my hobby)

As I watch her being comforted by her companion, I cannot help but reflect and think about my students and about that documentary shown in "Bawal ang Pasaway".

According to the research of the People Management Association of the Philippines (2012) , fresh graduates and other applicants fail to land on a job because of basic (but seemingly perennial) problems. "The study showed that 40 percent of fresh graduates do not immediately get hired because of the deficiencies in these soft competencies (i.e. critical thinking, initiative, and effective communication skills) ,” PMAP director for academe-industry linkages Gigi Alcasid.

Everyday of my teaching life, I would reiterate to my students problems 1&2 stated above. But it seems that they are either dazed or in limbo because no matter how much I remind them, no matter how much I bombard them with activities that aim to hone their communication and thinking skills, there are still some who fail to cope.

At times, I would begin to doubt my teaching skills.

At times I would be irked, but at times, I would also feel pity. I can't help but think about their possible "crying scenes" after job interviews or passport applications (much like that crying lady) just because of trivialities that could have been avoided only if they have utilized their common sense.

As I reflect, more than those paper documents that the Department of Foreign Affairs require for passport applications, the most important requirement is common and (supposedly) readily available to all normal human beings: communication & thinking.

Sadly, Voltaire seems right when he said, "Common sense is not common."

After the graduation ceremonies and parties, students must begin to realize and understand that they are not students anymore; that they are not supposed to be supported by their parents anymore; that they are supposed to work and put whatever they have learned to practice. 

Diplomas and Transcripts are only paper documents that employers would require. Graduates must realize that above all these, skills and competencies are paramount.

***

I just hope and pray that when I see my students cry, it would be tears of joy rather than wails of fails.

The ultimate dream of parents is to see their child become successful in life. The ultimate dream of teachers is to see their students learn.

Pasko naman...

It was a long line in a fast food chain in Baclaran yesterday. The place was too crowded that people are literally waiting for others to finish eating to have their seats and eat their meals. I was reminded of the night market in Divisoria and the food court in 168 mall. Everyone seems hungry (judging by the look in their faces), but interestingly, everyone was also quietly and patiently waiting for their turn to place an order, have their seats, and eat.

I was so hungry that time since I just had a 2-hour travel from Cavite. I was in the line and the cashier was too slow and a bit dazed. She told me she’ll just deliver my food because it’s still being “assembled”. I told her I’ll just wait for it to be assembled, but she insists to just deliver (which I personally believe is impossible given the long line). So I looked for a seat and waited.

5 minutes…

10 minutes…

15 minutes…

I’m starting to get pissed off because as an ex-crew, I know that it shouldn’t last that (i.e. assembly and delivery) long. I think the others are also getting impatient as they wait for pending orders. As I was about to stand up to confront the cashier or the manager or anyone, a sudden flash of reminder stopped me…

“Pasko naman…”

So instead of bombarding them with complaints, I patiently waited while thinking about how Christmas changes perspectives; how the “spirit of Christmas” creates “random acts of kindness” patience, love, and all that positivity.

However, we also have a saying in the Philippines “hindi araw-araw, pasko”, which basically means that we cannot get all the “fun, gifts and all that” everyday.

How do we view Christmas? 

How do we understand its message? 

And how does it affect our lives.

Christmas eve and Christmas day are mere traditions that remind us of the Birth of Jesus. Scholars until today are not convinced whether December 25 is the real date of Christ’s birth. To me the date doesn’t really matter; what’s important is the fact the Jesus was born; that He was sent on Earth not just to save us but also to teach us.

The real spirit of Christmas is our ability to understand why in the world Jesus came to save us and give us life..and to understand it NOT YEARLY but on a DAILY BASIS.

I thank God for making me experience anger amid hunger because that situation made me realize a lot of things. If only we would prioritize CHRIST instead of the gifts and revelry, if only we would stop thinking that Christmas is just a yearly event, if only we would say “PASKO naman” everyday, then maybe, just maybe this world would be filled with more love, respect, and all that positivity that Jesus brought and taught.

Christmas begins tonight. Let us continue living by it everyday. 

Pacquiao's Downfall

Sunday seems to be a nightmare to the entire Filipino nation as they watch Pacquiao kiss the ring right in front of their awestruck noses. Mixed reactions immediately spread in various social media: some were in shock, some were disappointed, some were sad, while some were even angry (and I assume these are the gamblers who lost thousands, perhaps millions).

I wasn't able to watch the fight because I was heading back to Cavite from Fairview when this happened. But the moment I received the news from my good friend Luis, I immediately remembered John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease.". As I read the verse from my Bible App (thanks to technology), I started to ask a number of questions. What happened? What is God's purpose for letting this happen? What is Manny's reactions? How will the Filipinos take this?

It wasn't too long when two old men at the back part of the bus were throwing curses down on Manny.

"Hindi yan mangyayari kung hindi sya nagpalit ng relihiyon..." said one (That wouldn't have happened if he didn't change religion)

"Tsaka wala na kasing bisa ang agimat nya..." said the other. (And his amulet will not work anymore...)

As I browse the net for reactions, I read the same from various people. Thankfully, there are still a lot of encouragers amid discouragers.

As the bus rolls, I reflected: Did the "changing of religion" really affect the fight?

First, I don't believe that Manny changed religion. He just re-established his faith. He just got more intimate with his relationship with God. He just got to know Jesus more than before. Something that Catholics, Protestants, Baptists, etc. can do ANYTIME THEY WANT, if they choose to.

Second, I think this precisely happened because Manny is on the process of dying to oneself. This is something very difficult for other people to understand, especially for those enjoying a luxurious life like Manny did. Why in the world will he give up his gold, girls, and guns? But you see, increasing and decreasing is in a continuum. They're binary opposites. One cannot boast that he has "faith in God" if he/she still brags about his achievements, talents, skills, wealth, etc. Manny's downfall is his death from the Manny most of us knew.

I was actually happy to realize that a lot of people saw this change. Now, everyone becomes curious (some skeptical, but that's OK) about what kind of encounter (perhaps "transfiguration??!!") Manny had.

Third, I was also happy to realize that his "agimat" (amulet) (if he really had one) is not working anymore. This means he has surrendered it to God, and nothing and no one else works in him but God alone.

Anthropologically and Psychologically speaking, humans are always in search for something concrete that would represent the abstract. We search for things that would "carry" and "give" us power. Something we can "hold" as if faith can really be held with bare hands without realizing that we can freely get this from God, if we only seek for it through prayers and devotions.

Thus, contrary to the flurry of discouragements and curses, I say "Congratulations Manny!!! As you decrease, Jesus will increase! Keep it up and may the Lord continue to bless you and the people around you."

Pacquiao's defeat and downfall is not a failure. It's victory over oneself.

Robbie's Language Development (Part 1)

I plan to document, as much as I can, my observations (and hypotheses?) regarding my nephew, Robbie's language development. This is my first attempt. Hopefully, it won't be the last.

***

When Robbie was born last year, I had an initial idea of "experimenting" about his Language development. I thought, this is the best way to apply and test whether all those language learning theories I have learned and read are true or not. I tried coming up with a documentation by videotaping him using my cellphone. But I can't capture his antics all the time.

As he grows up (and as I grow busier by the day), I have concluded something at the onset of my attempted longitudinal study: IT IS REALLY TEDIOUS! I have then become more appreciative of Skinner and Chomsky (and their disciples) from carefully doing observations and experimentations on child language development.

I decided not to observe closely, and merely do random observations.

However, there are basic truths that I have realized upon my short-lived observations. One of them is the power of listening (which would later on bring us to the power of spoken words upon children). The first thing I "tested" when Robbie was born was his ears. I tried flicking my fingers near his left and right ears to find out if he would respond. He did, and I realized that his ears are very sensitive to sounds because he would later respond/react to TV ads even if he is inside the room and our TV is in the living room (about 5-8 meters away).

Later, he started to discern the pictures posted on the walls of their room. This is proven to be helpful in developing a child's visual skills. In a matter of 7-9 months, Robbie starts responding to commands such as "Where's the monkey?" Due to constant training, perhaps, he one by one, learned to point out the animals in the poster.

***

However, what prompted me to finally write this blog was his telephone conversation with his mother just a few minutes ago. My ate asked (in Filipino)

"What are you doing baby?"

To which he quickly responded, "TOYS!"

Could Chomsky be correct in his Innatist/Nativist Language Learning theory, which pushes for a Language Acquisition Device that processes Primary Linguistic Data that learners receive?

"Toys" may be interpreted as "playing". But no one told him that Toys=Playing. But indeed, if we do basic Semantic Analysis, aren't toys meant for playing? How in the world did Robbie realize that TOYS is an appropriate, if not acceptable, response to mean PLAYING?!

This very simple scenario that I have observed today really made me more fascinated with the brain's capacity to accommodate language inputs, process them, and later on use them for communication.

Indeed, talk is never cheap. Because at the backroom, there are millions of neurons being used to get information, process them, and transmit them back via responses--verbally or non-verbally.

For now, I shall pause here. I hope to find other free time to write my observations and hypotheses.

James Thurber's Little Red Riding Hood

One afternoon a big wolf waited in a dark forest for a little girl to come along carrying a basket of food to her grandmother. Finally a little girl did come along and she was carrying a basket of food. "Are you carrying that basket to your grandmother?" asked the wolf. The little girl said yes, she was. So the wolf asked her where her grandmother lived and the little girl told him and he disappeared into the wood. When the little girl opened the door of her grandmother's house she
saw that there was somebody in bed with a nightcap and nightgown on. She had approached no nearer than twenty-five feet from the bed when she saw that it was not her grandmother but the wolf, for even in a nightcap a wolf does not look any more like your grandmother than the Metro-Goldwyn lion looks like Calvin Coolidge. So the little girl took an automatic out of her basket and shot the wolf dead.

Moral: It is not so easy to fool little girls nowadays as it used to be.

Source:

Tatar, M. (ed.) (1999). The Classic Fairy Tales. New York: W.W. Noron & Company, Inc.

SEMPLANG LOCA

I saw the face of death today. That moment of imp... 

BANG! 

A split second of disbelief; a dream within a dream; a reality within a dream; or a reality within reality. I really don't know. I got a little bit confused. 

It was a sharp curve in Biluso. I was running on just 30, but there was a tricycle that caught me by surprise. It was running slow too, but the sudden appearance shook me.

The road was wet because of the morning drizzle. Everything happened too fast. I stumbled down and my head banged on the road. Thank God I have a helmet to protect my not-so-essential skull. It was the bitterest kiss i have tasted. I stood up quickly. The passengers on the tricycle got a little dazed in disbelief. The driver asked "Ayos lang pre?" ("Are you ok, man?") with a chagrin. I replied with a wave. Of course, I didn't remove my helmet. It was my protection: against the impact and against the humiliation.

When I looked back, Battlehopper (the name of my motorcycle) was there lying. He was hurt too. I could tell it from the bruises he attained after the impact and with the dislocated side mirror. Good thing his eyes (headlights) weren't damaged. On the road, my bag, with my laptop inside, was also contemplating. They were dizzy and asking, "What has just happened?" I could tell it when I picked them up. Good thing that my laptop wasn't really hurt that bad (proof is that I'm still typing on it now). 

I gathered myself up and uttered a prayer "Thank you Lord, I'm still alive."  I moved on and reached school safely. 

I saw the face of death today. It was brief though, because God sent an angel to snatch me away from him. 

That moment of impact was His swift rescue.

BANG! It is finished.