Life's too short

Yesterday, I entered the gate of our school as he was entering too.  He was always early at work.  He brought his new netbook. He asked me to help him with his SmartBro account.  He would like to surf the internet.  I tried to help him but to no avail.  We just could not get the signal.   One of the teachers teased him, "Uy, bago ung netbook nya..", "Hiniram ko lang 'to." was his replied. 

He is secretive, sometimes he just keeps to himself.   But, if he cracks a joke, you can be sure to laugh your heart out.

We had our lunch together yesterday.  We had our normal conversation.  I told my advisory class how strict he is.  One of the students almost failed the exam, he was their proctor.  She had to pee but he did not allow her.  She resorted to passing her papers even if she's not done yet.  That's better that peeing inside the room anyway.

Today, I did not notice him when I got into my first class.  He was not in school yet.  I came back after an hour to hear the news.  He was in coma.  He was heard moaning at around three in the morning, they have tried to wake him up but he did not wake up.

We visited him in the hospital but it was past visiting hours.  I was not able to see him today.  Her sister said that as per last update, he is brain dead.

We love you, Sir Arne Magdael.  We are praying for you.

Yesterday you’re here…

Enjoying the times of your life  

Laughing at every joke you’ve heard

Living life at its best

Now, you did not see the world. 

You tried to come out but just cannot.

You were fighting the battle

Some parts of you have given up. 

What lies ahead?  

What will happen next?

 Life. Love. Lost. 

Life is a mystery. 

Today? Tomorrow? 

We do not know.

A Busy day Tuesday.

Okay, January 23rd was declared a holiday, which means that I will have another long weekend. More time. Yeah, I needed more time. More time to work on the examinations, to update my class record, to check remaining, papers, to check the students projects, plus the English Club will have its first Spelling Bee Competition, so I needed to check on the words that will be included, the letters to be signed, the rules for the competition. Thanks for the extra time.

I know I was not alone. As I watched my advisory class earlier, I know they were also thankful for the extra time that they had. They had to work on their projects too, they had to memorize the steps for their presentation on their MAPEH subject - Dance Sports. It's the examination week too, so they had to study their lessons, plus, some of them are joining the Spelling Bee Competition and they had to prepare for that too.

I have watched the presentation of my "kids" in their MAPEH subject, I am just so proud of them. Here is a sample video that I have taken from their presentation.

Melody (yes, we have the same name), also won first place on our Dance Sports Competition during our Intramural last year.

The Dance Sports Presentation happened in the morning, the Spelling Bee Competition was held Tuesday afternoon.

It was fun, we initially had twenty five spellers in the Easy Round, trimmed down to less than twenty in the Moderate Round, down to eleven for the Difficult Round.

This year's Spelling Bee Champion is Jhune Perez.

Congratulations to all the participants.  Congratulations to all our winners.

This may be a tiring day, but it was all worth it.  Looking forward for more fun activities like this. :)

Thank God for this Friday

I was surprised. We were supposed to be evaluated last year - November, if I am not mistaken. However, one of the faculty members talked to our Principal and asked for an extension. It was moved to be set on February of this year.

After the long Christmas Vacation, followed by another week-long celebration of the Ati-Atihan Festival here in my place, I was welcomed by the news that the evaluation will be just four days away.

I did not get excited when I heard it was move earlier I was not afraid either. I felt nothing. The day before the evaluation, I was even laughing and not thinking what to do on my evaluation day. Yes, I prepared my lesson plan (updated probably would be more appropriate, lol! ), but I still do not know how am I going to present it to my class.

Day of the evaluation, I could not understand myself. I was fretting. I was trembling. I was so nervous. It was not the first time that I will be evaluated, it will be my second time. I was also nervous last time, but this time around it's different. I guess, I was insecure. I was intimidated. For one, our new Principal is an English Major, then, I will be evaluated in my advisory class - the Fourth Year section A.

It's finished. Everything went well. I was nervous at first but as I continued on everything turned back to normal. I felt like it was just any other day - an ordinary day.

My prayer on that day was that God will not let my limitations hinder me from fulfilling my calling. I am called for this and I know that God is able to provide me with everything that I will need to do what I am called for.

Reconciliation

It started with a little chit chat. I thought, I would like to talk to someone about what I am really feeling. Then, came one text - a text asking for forgiveness.

Few more exchanges of texts and I was able to set free. Thank God I was able to release and express my feelings - it definitely helped ease the pain.

I wish that it will continue on. I do not want to feel that same feeling anymore. It's just not worth it. Besides, we only have few more months left and we will all have to separate ways.

Sad - Sad 2012

The Ati-Atihan, held every January in the town of Kalibo in the province of Aklan on the island of Panay, is the wildest among Philippine fiestas. Celebrants paint their faces with black soot and wear bright, outlandish costumes as they dance in revelry during the last three days of this week-long festival.

It's this time of the year again here in Aklan. A time most Aklanons are waiting. I guess the most anticipated event during Ati- Atihan is the "Sad-Sad". This is the time when different groups get out of the street, to parade, dance with the beat of the drums, shout, drink - have fun.

Schools also participate in this event. A schedule is set for all High Schools to do their "Sad-Sad". Last year, I was not able to join since I was in a seminar.

The Ati-Atihan, a feast in honor of the Santo Niño, is celebrated on the second Sunday after Epiphany. Catholics observe this special day with processions, parades, dancing, and merrymaking. The Santo Niño has long been the favorite of Filipinos and devotion to it has been intense ever since an image was first presented to Juana, Queen of Cebu, in 1521.

Ati Atihan is a religious tradition, which means that since not everyone here in Aklan is Catholic, not everyone is celebrating it. I do not believe in tradition but I am joining because it is a school activity and I have to look after my advisory class.

Earlier, one of my students approached me and with teary eyes told me someone from the office talked to her and asked her why she would not attend the "Sad Sad". She was so brave in telling me that it goes against what she believed in. However, the person from the office questioned her and told her she has to attend because it's not about religion - it's a tradition. She also told me that another person questioned her being a Filipino because she would not participate in a Filipino Tradition.

I told my student not to attend. I told her she has to stand firm on what she believes in. The bible is clear in saying that if you are doing what you think is wrong then you are sinning, and if you ask someone to do something they think is wrong, you are also sinning. 1 Corinthians 8: 12 "And when you sin against other believers by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ."

Just a Little Respect

They say that honesty is still the best policy. Well, I must agree with that. Early on, I have decided that I would like to be honest and transparent with all of my students and I did.

I showed them the real me, I guess, too much of the “real me. I have forgotten I was “just” their teacher. I have expected so much and that was why I got disappointed. I thought I could make them realized things fast enough. I just realized it also took me a while before I understood the importance of education.

After I graduated from High School, I continued studying for only one semester and then I stopped for three semesters because I was already working. It was then, that I realized how important education is.

When I have started feeling disappointments that’s when I knew, I did something wrong. Probably, I was just too naïve or too idealistic to admit that I am not as efficient and as effective as I want me to be (yet). Or probably, my husband’s correct, I have expected so much from them.

Am I asking too much from them? I only wanted respect. Sometimes it’s easy to say we respect someone but it’s hard to show it. Sometimes, just listening while I am discussing is more than enough.

Not everyone is going to know how to appreciate everything you've done for them. You have to figure out who's worth your kindness.

Making a Difference

I received an SMS from one of my co-teachers last night asking me to prepare some "words of wisdom" for today's meeting with the Parents. We have scheduled a meeting for the parents of our students who deserve "more attention" than the rest of them.

I would like these parents to know that their children are special in every way. They may be "causing troubles" sometimes but they still need attention and care. I also felt, we as their teachers, still need to make a difference to each of these students.

Whenever I would think of making a difference, one story would always come to my mind. I have heard this story long time ago, and I thought I could still use this story this time.

A friend of mine was walking down a deserted Mexican beach at sunset. As he walked along, he began to see another man in the distance. As he grew nearer, he noticed that the local native kept leaning down, picking something up and throwing it out into the water. Time and again he kept hurling things out into the ocean.

As my friend approached even closer, he noticed that the man was picking up starfish that had washed up on the beach, and, one at a time, he was throwing them back into the water.

My friend was puzzled. He approached the man and said. "Good evening, friend. I was wondering what you are doing."

"I'm throwing these starfish back into the ocean. You see, it's low tide right now and all of these starfish have been washed up onto the shore. If I don't throw them back into the sea, they'll die up here from lack of oxygen."

"I understand," my friend replied, "but there must be thousands of starfish on this beach. You can't possibly get to all of them. There are simply too many. And don't you realize this is probably happening on hundreds of beaches all up and down this coast. Can't you see that you can't possibly make a difference?"

The local native smiled, bent down and picked up yet another starfish, and as he threw it back into the sea, he replied, "Made a difference to that one!"

We should never cease making a difference, the world may not notice it, but making a difference to someone's life can go a long way.

Welcome to Blogspot

Two years after graduating from College, one of my best buddies asked me to teach in Indonesia, but it didn't happen. Year 2009, I saw an ads that one of the schools in our place was in need of a teacher. I tried to apply, I was offered the job but I did not take it.

Year 2010, I finally landed in a teaching job. It was indeed a dream come true. Now, I am writing this post for my students who might be reading my blog. I have asked them to create their own blogs because I want them to try something else and to experience the fun and excitement (and probably, earn) in blogging.

So guys, I will be waiting for the links for your blogsites. :)