I didn't know how to teach until i met you!

The video below is a very inspirational story of a teacher who took delight in marking an "X and F" to her particular student.....

And the student who taught his teacher how to teach! 

I cried..it moved me! I'm sure you will too.

 

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of  others.”

Gandhi

Welcome Sir Enzo!

This post is dedicated to the newest contributor of the blog, Sir Enzo! And just for the record, Sir Enzo is the very first Filipino teacher at Buddhachinaraj School in Phitsanulok. 

To get to know more of him, here is his superb introduction that he sent me through facebook.

In the Spanish culture of pride wherein the continuity of name matters most, I am named after my father LORENZO believing that the last born son will be the bearer of the the only legacy he can bestow upon his children, so therefore I am baptized with the name - LORENZO M. CABALLES, JR. , the youngest among 7.

Birthplace: Esperanza, Agusan del Sur.
In a little secluded place of that humble abode called Bentahon, I was born and raised. Enveloped by austere way of life, my childhood was that of a typical innocent little boy where every full moon becomes a joyous occasion in the neighborhood because my elder brothers and sisters with their friends gathered in the wide yard to play "patintero".

I never know, there was a wide wide world out there. Back then, TV was a totally foreign object and to ride in a jeepney was a heaven. "Lampara" was the only thing we had to illumine our nights. What we had was a small battery operated transistor radio where I used to listen to radio soaps and from there I got familiar with the song - "yesterday".

Birthday: May 26
It is always a special day when this day comes. Just as the flowers of May blossom and children go to the chapel to offer flowers for the Virgin Mother of God, I was blessed to be born on the 26th, after surviving the intentional act of abortion of both parents which was done to save my dear mother as she wasn't feeling right while she was conceiving me.

Pretty sad story but I bet, by now they are just so thankful they didn't succeed of getting rid of me. Don't you think so? :)

Experiences:
After having successfully battled the roadblocks of a student life, right after graduation, I was given the opportunity to work in a private institution in the heart of Butuan City. The school is named: Enfant Cheri Study Centre, Inc. In the entire 6 years of my stay in that school, I have given everything I have just so to make myself an effective teacher. Good enough that I have gained the trust of my employers, the respect of the parents and the love of my students. God has blessed me with several recognitions in school, division, regional and even nation wide being one of the 2010 Outstanding School Paper Adviser of the Philippines.

Thailand:
I first stepped on the grounds of the Kingdom of Thailand on April 12. After a month-long stay in the district of Mae Sot, Tak, God provided a job opportunity at Buddhachinnarajpittaya School in the city of Phitsanulok.

Life has been great by God's grace. I met many Filipinos who in their own way shared their journey in Thailand which inspired me in an enormous way.

Life here has become so colorful with the friends around - Filipinos and Thai people alike. My students have taught me to become a better teacher and a better individual by stretching out my patience in the longest way I could. They too, add spices to my Thailand experience just like their foods which have now become my favorite.

Foods:
And speaking of foods - as they say, Thai people eat everything. In all the numerous variety - let me spell out my favorite: KWAY TIYAO and will it ever be... 

In behalf of all the contributors of this blog. We warmly WELCOME you!

Getting Started

Great things start from small beginnings...

I am reminded of a Milo commercial way back my childhood school years every time I use this tag line. Back then, it was just a favorite line that I hum every now and then simply because I find it's tune catchy and light. I was oblivious of it's meaning until I realized that the line is after all very deep and profound.

Humble Beginnings...

Even as a kid I have wanted to be a school paper writer. I have wanted my name to be printed out in a school magazine and my pictures to appear in its pages just like those of my neighbor's classmates whom I secretly admired because they got published in the paper. With that inspiration, I forced my parents to enroll me in that private school in the nearby town hoping that one day, I too, will read myself in the publication.

Little did I know that a freshman is seldom given an opportunity to write not unless with an exceptional writing ability. But from a boy who graduated from a little "barangay" school, my senses told me, I am too far to be even called "good". I have expected too much of myself. The year ended without even me having to get a glimpse of the publication office. And the worst scenario came, I needed to move to a public school due to financial constraints. I have to bid goodbye to that seemingly elusive aspiration.

To my surprise, the opportunity to write was given to me in my new school. I became a staff and eventually joined contests in journalism. I had some triumphs but there were too much disappointments. I didn't even have the chance to join a regional competition and so I thought, I am not a "WRITER."

But just the same, I continued to write. In college, I continued the passion for writing and even landed a post in the editorial board. Eventually, I graduated with a special citation in journalism which I considered as a culmination of a childhood dream.

The campus journalism experience is a significant part why I landed a teaching job right after graduation. There, I pursued my love for writing by training my students in the same battle as I had gone through in the earlier stage of my life. For six years, we were blessed to be hailed as top performers throughout the whole region which paved the way to the most coveted recognition I have received during the 2010 National Schools Press Conference held in Tagum City.

Blogger: Beginner...

Starting this blog is never an easy one too. Language barrier is a major problem that hindered me to get started as soon as I received the invitation. Considering the most appropriate topic is another thing...but just as I have always believed - Great things start from small beginnings...

More thoughts...

With everything that happens now in our beloved Mother Land. Why did I choose to write about this seemingly insignificant topic about beginnings? Simply put, I am a beginner in this blog thing. I don't want to relive the moments on that fateful day back home which created big big scar of our being a Filipino. I want to inspire those who consider themselves as beginners.

Greater things await you... all you have to do is take that very significant first step.

Now.

Active Learning Defined

(SOURCE)  http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/learning/active.html

Learning is often accomplished in a passive manner by having instructors or content transmitted to the learners for them to absorb. Where as active learning involves the learning by being engaged in the instructional process by means of such activities as exploring, analyzing, communicating, creating, reflecting, or actually using new information or experiences.

The Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education

 A group of scholars of higher education were asked for a set of principles that could improve learning. Their findings boiled down to one key concept, "Effective teachers demonstrate more implementation of learner-centered domains of practice than less effective teachers" (Fasko, Grubb, McCombs & McCombs, 1993)

From this study, Chickering and Gamson (1997) formulated The Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education:

1. Encourage contacts between students and faculty.
2. Develop reciprocity and cooperation among students.
3. Use active learning techniques.
4. Give prompt feedback.
5. Emphasize time on task.
6. Communicate high expectations.
7. Respect diverse talents and ways of learning.

Learner-Centered Principles

A set of Learner-Centered Principles for Training (Ellis, Wagner, & Longmire, 1999) were created to help with the learning process. They are based on the work of Barbara McCombs (1992):

• Learning does not occur in a vacuum. Learners discover and construct meaning from information and experience based on their unique perceptions, thoughts and feelings.
• More information doesn't necessarily mean more learning. Learners seek to create meaningful uses of knowledge regardless of the quantity and quality information presented.
• Learners link new knowledge to existing information in ways that make sense to them. The remembering of new knowledge is facilitated when it can be tied to a learner's current knowledge.
• Personality influences learning. Learners have varying degrees of self-confidence and differ in the clarity of their personal goals and expectations for success and failure.
• Learners want to learn. Individuals are naturally curious and enjoy learning, but personal insecurity and fear of failure often get in the way.
• Learners like challenges and are most creative when it is challenging and meets their individual needs.
• Learners are individuals. Not all learners are at the same stage of physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development. Learners also differ in their cultural backgrounds. Although the basic principles of learning apply to all learners regardless of these differences, trainers must take into account such differences between learners.
• The learning environment is important. Learners learn best in a friendly, socially interactive and diverse environment.
• Learners like positive reinforcement. Learning environments that support the self-esteem and respect of the individual learner tend to be more successful.
• Past experience matters. Personal beliefs and impressions from prior learning color the learners' world views and their approach to learning.

10 Basic Tips to Land a Teaching Job in Thailand

Education in Thailand is a very lucrative business that drive schools to hire foreign teachers in different fields of expertise. Parents on the other hand are willing to pay huge sums of money for their kids to be enrolled in an English Program because most of them want to see their kids being taught by native  speakers. 

Here, you will be dealing with students who can't speak,read, or even write their names in English which can be fun, stressful, and frustrating at the same time. Of course, seeing them learning because of your guidance and encouragement can make a big difference in your life and to the lives of your students.

As a teacher myself, i am not resolved to the idea of teaching just the subject alone. I firmly believe that a teacher should also touch the lives of the students, and help them to be a better people.

If you happen to have plans of teaching here in Thailand, you might want to follow the 10 basic tips I firmly believe can help you. 

1. Prepare a neat and presentable resume with a cover letter and send it to employers advertising at ajarn.com and ajarnjobspace.com.

2. Check your email and respond to inquiries.

3. Securing a mobile phone with a Thai sim card for schools to contact you and  vice versa is a must. You can get cheap phones in almost everywhere here.

4. You can also be a walk-in applicant which will give you a big chance of talking to school directors or department heads.

5. Of course before visiting them, have your clothes ironed first. You won't like them looking at your shirt while having an interview, right? (coat and tie, much preferable)

6. Prepare a lesson plan for possible teaching demonstration.

7. Speak slowly, some Thai people need to digest your first word before hearing the next one.

8. Be all smiles.

9. Don't accept the first offer, some schools might give you a much better offer.

10. Finally, always act professionally. This is a must : ) 

By following these steps, landing a teaching job in Thailand is assured.

If you want to see the site where this tips was published, you can click the BUKISA banner on top, or click here