My 34th Birthday

I don't normally blog about MY birthday. Its always about my son now that I'm a mom. But my 34th birthday was full of surprises and love, I have to write about it so I wouldn't forget it.

I don't want other people to know about my birthday. Only few people know about it like my family and friends. I will do my usual routine and no one will suspect it was a birthday. In short, I never want any attention on my birthday. But then, a mysterious cake came up to our faculty that day. It says "Happy Birthday Joy" and suddenly my co-teachers know, my advisory class knows, and some of my students know! I was overwhelmed! I thought it will ruined my birthday vibe. But I never expected what happened next.

My first advisory class on my first year of formal teaching blindfolded me and when I enter our classroom, they greeted Happy Birthday and I saw this:

I was teary eyed. They were talking all at once, excited for me, happy for me and the simple and sweet gesture was cute. They sang me a happy birthday song and let me make a wish before blowing the candle. They just found out it was my birthday that day and they were able to do this for me. How much more if they knew it sooner? I felt love and appreciated. They may not be the smartest or most behave bunch of kids but they're good kids. And I am glad they are my advisory class!

They are not the only ones who greeted me. My co-teachers, my friends, other students from other sections, they all add up making my birthday a little extra special. But it was my family, specifically Riley, who made the cherry on top of the cake. Riley was greeting me "happy birthday" and kissing me and hugging me, saying I love you to me and asking me what gift I want! Hehe. Oh how I adore that kid. 

To everyone who expresses their warm greetings, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

My First Month of Work

When I started being a teacher last June 2, I thought everything is gonna be the way I imagined it. I will go to school. Teach. My students will listen attentively. They will learn a lot from me. I will feel fulfilled and empowered knowing that I impart some knowledge to them and that I help mold the future of this nation. I thought it was going to be perfect.

The stark reality? I never felt more challenged in my life now that I'm a teacher! Hindi pala gnun kadaling magturo. Teachers have to make their lesson plan everyday. Then if we get lucky, maoobserve pa kami. We have to master the lesson we finished and pretend we know everything there is to know to that lesson. Have to make visual aids, checked their notebooks, and see to it that students understand the lesson. But that's not the hardest part. I can handle the lesson plan, the reports, the paper works, anything! I can handle all that. But I never thought I will have a problem on disciplining my students. Before my first week of teaching ends, I cried. I cried pitifully that my co-teachers were asking me, anong nagyari?! Akala nila my umaway na estudyante skin. Akala my bumastos na tao sakin. The truth was I was just overwhelmed. I was shocked that I am helpless in the hands of my students. I was in the mercy of my Grade 8 students and not the other way around. Ung mag eexplain ka pero sinasabayan ka ng daldal. Ung nagagalit ka na pero ayaw pa rin ihinto ung harutan. I can't help but think if it was because I'm the teacher or talagang pasaway lang ang mga kabataan ngaun? I was so frustrated at them, frustrated at myself for letting them get into me, na un na, naiyak na lang talaga ako.

I felt ashamed after that. I shouldn't let my emotions get in the way of my work. Pero tao lng ako. Teachers are human. We got angry. We feel disrespected. We feel that because we put so much effort in preparing the lesson for the day, the least a student can do is listen to what we're saying. Is that too much to ask?

I know I'm being hard on myself. I mean I'm just new in teaching and it's normal not knowing what to do. But sometimes I self doubt my capabilities that I'm beginning to wonder if I will last in this profession. Then I talk to God and I know this is where I'm supposed to be. It's hard to explain, but I know in my heart this is my calling - to teach. So I guess, I'll just have to suck it up, stay positive, and pray. If God put me in this situation, I know he won't leave me.

If you think, only students learn in school, then you are wrong! Teachers learn too. And it is not about how to find the special product of polynomials or how to factor them or how to solve a quadratic equations. It is the kind of learning where you have to have a strong heart to face any challenge that comes your way.

Learning is Fun

To practice my son on how "real" school works, I devise this plan of having a school in the comfort of our home. Every morning after he wakes me up, I setup the table, get my teaching materials and make trick Riley into doing whatever our lesson for the day is!

Yes, trick is the word. It's because kids will always be kids. They will be distracted, make excuses, and most of the time they just want to play. Before, I let it go when he doesn't want to study. But since we have this mini school, the objective is for him to finish whatever the teacher (aka me) wants to do or he can't do whatever he wants. He can't watch videos or play the iPad or play outside unless he does everything I ask him to do. That's our agreement. At first, it was very frustrating to him. Some days are easier, some is very challenging for both of us. I know in time he will be ready for a real school. He still have a lot to learn. But for now, I am happy teaching my favorite pupil of all time!

serious sa simula

ayan na nabobored na

humihikab na

kung saan saan na tumitingin

iiyak na yan! :p

konti na lang anak

yehey! almost there! :)

the first thing they got to learn is how to write their name, right?

you can make one here for your kids

we also have time for coloring, reading and counting

And as promised, I let him watch Alvin and the Chipmunks after. :)

ang magulo [at makulay] na mundo ng pagtuturo

bakasyon na! ang tagal ko ding inasam-asam ang sandaling ito. yun bang tahimik, walang ingay, walang gulo. walang estudyante. cease fire muna kami. :) sa anak ko pa nga lang knock out n ko. imagine mo pa ang 30 bata. lahat may kanya kanyang trip, lahat my kanya kanyang kakulitan. ang dami nila at nag iisa lang ako! kaya naman pag uwi haggard na ang lola nyo. :p

iba't ibang bata, iba't ibang karakter. may masunurin, may parang kiti-kiti sa gulo. may bibo, may feeling pabibo. may over kung magvolunteer, may ubod ng tamad. may iyakin, cyempre may mhilig magpaiyak. may sobra ng daldal at meron ding namang tahimik. my sooobrang sumbungero, yung ultimo pag-utot ng kaklase sinusumbong pa skin. pero ang di ko makakalimutan ay yung mahilig sa boksing. bigla ba naman ngsuntukan sa harap ko! gulat na gulat ako nun! kala ko shooting lang. feeling yata nya siya si manny pacquaio. at yung kaaway nya si floyd mayweather. tsk tsk. buti na lang hanggang round 1 lng ang sagupaan nila. at sana hindi na magka rematch pa.

sa klase, iba-iba lagi ang tagpo. minsan ok lang, madalas chaos! lahat gusto maglista ng maingay, lahat naman sila maingay. noisy: charles jergil 100,000x. huh?! ganu kaingay un? malamang mas maingay pa rin si brix kasi 1,000,000x ang lista nya. ttanungin mo kung naintindihan yung lesson, oo daw! pagdating sa computer room "mam panu po ba magsave?" sinabi ng bawal ng lumabas pag nasa loob na, ayun maya't maya bukas ang pinto. lumalabas tuloy ang lamig ng aircon, tpos magrereklamo na ang init dw. kasasabi mo lang, ttanungin ulit. paulit ulit ulit dapat?

yan ang mundo ng pagtuturo. pero ewan ko ba, kahit magulo naging masaya naman ako. at kahit maikling panahon lang kami nagkasama, di ko pa rin makakalimutan ang karanasang ito. ng last day namin, may nagsabi sa aking estudyante na mamimiss daw nila ako. at bigla na lang nasagot ko na mamimiss ko din sila. siguro nga. siguro nga mamimiss ko din sila KAHIT PAANO. hehe. dahil magulo man ang mundo ng pagtuturo, ito naman ang nagbigay ng mas maraming kulay sa makulay ko nang mundo!

Class 2011-2012

Salamat at marami akong natutunan sa inyong lahat!

taking that first step...

I don’t know why I’m feeling low. Like no one really cares. Or no one really understands. I’ve been like this since yesterday. When you're 24/7 in the house, one cannot help but feel worthless. And my sister katarayan is getting on my nerves lately. I don’t know tlga. If not for the good news I received this afternoon, I say this day sucks!

The good news is I got to tutor kids starting tomorrow. I feel teaching is a job I will be good at. But I wouldn’t know if this job is really for me, unless I try it. I’ve been praying for these actually. It’s on my “to do list” before 2009 ends. I'm somewhat fulfilled that finally I’m taking my first step towards that goal.

I really hope things would be better from now on. I’m excited to meet new friends and new kids. I’m really overwhelmed when I saw them this afternoon– smiling, giggling, playing. I just hope pray they are not as makulit as my two nephews are. LOL. And I wish they’ll learn from me as I’m sure that they will taught me lessons beyond any book can offer.

I’ll tell you more stories in the coming days. ;)