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.

Deo Florence L. Onda's thoughts of the Philippine Hostage Tragedy

Here's a thought from my friends' friend on what he felt about the Philippine Hostage Tragedy.

Deo Florence L. Onda: 

In statistics, 1 out of a million is insignificant. We DON'T deserve to be insulted by all. We never insulted a race despite the fact that many Pinoys come home everyday DEAD! after being RAPED, HARASSED, KIDNAPPED, MALTREATED, MURDERED, MOCKED and others by other races... THEY don't have the right to tell us who we are. I condemn violence, but I CONDEMN MORE RACISM!When we do good things, no one really cares. When we commit mistakes, everyone and everything reacts. I Challenge the nations to look into their sides of the fence first before defining who we are in their perspectives. Being called the "Worst nation/country" in its generalized sense is a form of racism. I'm proud of my blood and I'm proud of my race. And hearing Filipinos condemning our own country is even more depressing. They could have asked themselves first of what they have done and contributed to make this nation a better place, before they even bother ranting about the things they don't want but they are experiencing. And as if this kind of event, i.e. hostage taking, police taking out of control, is not happening somewhere else in the world. They are judging us AS IF WE ARE REALLY THE WORST NATION AND THE WORST PEOPLE on earth... If we are the STANDARD OF BEING THE WORST then what would you call those nations who are putting forward WAR killing more and more people at the expense of the less powerful nations? Why not condemn those nations monopolizing the market and world politics leading to the aggravation of conditions of poverty and unequal distribution of wealth? Why not condemn those nations that produce the highest amount of greenhouse gases which leads to global warming affecting EACH AND EVERY organism living in the surface of the planet? They are putting us on the spotlight because in reality they envy us AS A PEOPLE, as a NATION, as a RACE. We have undergone so much hardships and trials, but we made through it as one. They envy us because in whatever conditions they put us in, We still make it to stand on our own and be proud that we are Filipinos. They envy us because even if we are geographically separated, we can call our nation PILIPINAS and us the people as MGA PILIPINO. If their sense of judgement is being based on a single act, I PITY THEM. It just suggests how little part of their brain is working. Because we are living an ever changing world and everything in another time will be changed. If this is their standard to exhibit RACISM, I PITY them, because in one time or another, they are the ones who bill mocked, judged and insulted. Its Nature's Law that Each and every action has an equal and opposite reaction. And I pray and hope that they wont experience the kind of RACISM we are experiencing now, because if they will.. Nature will have its way to make it worse than a hundred fold.

Our Apology

The hostage crisis in Manila on August 23, 2010 became a mirror of the incompetence of our police officers. Nine people were killed including the hostage taker himself who was shot by the snipers lurking nearby. The once proud nation is now being eyed as a dangerous place to travel, and a hot topic of ridicule in social networking sites.

I cannot blame these people getting mad at Filipinos. I, for one would be mad if this will happen to my fellow kababayans (I hope it won't). However, I would like to point out that Filipinos as a whole are sympathetic to the victims, peace loving, and are not into violence. 

The entire people of the Philippines are grieving. Our heart goes out to the families of the victims and to those who were affected of this tragic event.

I also want to share a letter written by a high school student in Samar, Philippines about his feelings after the tragedy.

As you are reading this letter, I bet that you have seen or heard about what happened earlier in our country. A group of tourists was taken hostage by a policeman named Rolando Mendoza. After a few hours, some of the victims were dead and the hostage-taker too.

I wrote this letter not just to apologize but also to let everyone know that we Filipinos are not all like Mendoza. We are loving and good-hearted people.

For so many years, our country has been standing tall and overcoming every dilemma; be it small or big. Years ago (before I was born), you have watched us fight for what we think is right. We fought for the democracy of our nation.. The EDSA revolution. But that's just one out of many struggles.

Second, we Filipinos have been serving in other countries for the benefit of our families and we treat you as our own as well. With all due respect, I thank you all for giving us the trust through the years. For helping us to become what we are now. The Philippines is more than just a group of islands. We are a nation of strong and remarkable people. A country of beauty and love known to be hospitable and well-valued. I humbly apologize for what happened. No one in this world would want something like that to happen. Life should be valued.

I politely ask for the attention of the world. Please do not judge and mistreat us just because of what happened tonight. I have been searching the net and uncovered terrible words and accusations. Hong Kong has advised its people to avoid traveling here, China and HK has banned Filipinos and has called for The Philippines to be considered a no-go zone.

I can't blame you for what you have decided but I wish you could understand. Our country is now drowning in a sea of problems. And I know for sure that we have helped you in a way or another. Let peace and understanding reign at this time.

I know that this letter will just become trash but I beg you to understand. On behalf of the Philippine population.. WE ARE SORRY. As one song puts it...

"And I believe that in my life I will see an end to hopelessness, giving-up and suffering. And we all stand together this one time then no one will get left behind. Stand up for life. STAND UP FOR LOVE."

Sincerely yours,
 

Reigno Jose Dilao
Catbalogan City, Samar
(End of Letter)

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