My role as a teacher.

While I am preparing for my class, this poem, Teacher and Child by Goethe, crossed my mind.  This reminds me of my role as a classroom teacher. 

I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. 

It is my personal approach that creates the climate; 

it is my daily mood that makes the weather. 

I possess tremendous power to make a life miserable or joyous. 

I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. 

I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. 

In all situations it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or  de-escalated, and a person humanized or de-humanized. 

If we treat people as they are, we make them worse.

If we treat them as they ought to be, 

we help them become what they are capable of becoming.

 Teacher and child. 

Photo taken April 23, 2011.  

Cultural Center of the Philippines complex ground.

3 points to become an effective teacher.

Two weeks ago, I was invited to give a seminar on current trends and approaches in teaching strategies. While I was thinking whether I should accept the invitation or not, I thought of the topic. Then I thought, what could be the current trend in teaching strategies? In my reflection, there is no one best way of teaching a course. Teaching strategies will always be the same, but maybe what could change is our approach to teaching. When I was able to convince the one who invited that it should be the approach and not the strategy, I readily agreed and reviewed my notes on my readings on Harry Wong's book.  I coupled my readings with my 20+ years of classroom teaching experience, and voila!  I was ready.

The book of Harry Wong that I love (sent to me by my friend, Ms. J)

There were three points that I shared during the seminar:  1) teacher's paradigm modification; 2) habits of effective teacher; and 3) positive expectations.  Let me give you an overview of each point.

Teacher's paradigm modification.  With the advent of information and communication technology, it is a must that teacher's learn how to shift their perspectives and their approaches to teaching.  Students of today easily get bored in the traditional classroom setting.  Hence it is a must that teachers keep themselves abreast with the latest trend in information and communication technology and eventually change their approaches and strategies in delivering their lessons.

Habits of effective teacher.  Corollary to paradigm shift are the habits that make teachers effective.  Changing paradigm calls for the teacher to be proactive, lest he or she will consider the fast-changing information and communication technology a threat to education.  Being proactive then is one of the habits that the teachers of today must practice.

Positive expectations. Every teachers should have positive expectations for students to succeed.  This principle is based on the belief that every student in class has the capacity and capability to succeed in any assignment.  Not all of them could get 100, but all of them can learn.

Well, I can humbly say that the seminar was well-appreciated by the participants who were all high school and elementary teachers plus the principal and other school administrators. In fact, the school principal had me scheduled for another seminar before I left.

On being a teacher, part 2.

I wrote this entry some few years ago, and it has been kept in my computer memory for quite sometime.

Why do I end up teaching? 

When I first came to Manila in 1982, I never had an idea that I would be a teacher.  Just like any young teenagers, I would like to have a job which could give me real prestige, luxury, and pleasure. 

I dreamt of becoming a broadcast journalist.  My childhood dream was to be working on radio, since TV then was quite remote in our far-flung barangay in Iolilo.  After high school, my parents sent me here in Manila to become a store helper of my aunt since they could not afford to send me to college.  True enough.  I became my aunt’s store helper, and even a house and dress shop helper at times.  After a year, I thought of studying.  Yes, I thought that I would support myself from the meager 80 pesos per month salary that my aunt gave me. 

My aunt’s house was very close to a university.  When summer of 1987 came, I went to that university and inquired on the course offerings.  There was no mass communications! Young as I was then, I already knew my interest...communication. Because there was no course on mass communications in that university near my aunt's house, I had a dilemma on what course to take.  My interest was on language so I was left with options on  AB English or BSE English. Since I wanted to have a sure job right after college, I considered the latter.

During my first few years of teaching, I was ashamed to tell others that I am a teacher.  Simply because I don't like people’s notion of teachers, who are regarded as stern, strict, and worst of all, old-maids!  Because of that, it’s only after 10 years that I got to accept the reality that, indeed, I am a teacher - that being one I have the tremendous influence; that I have the power to make or break other people’s future!

I have been teaching for more than 20 years, and I’m proud to say that somehow I have made an impact to the lives of other people, especially my students.  I already have doctors, lawyers, businessmen, professionals in different fields... the list can go on and on. 

Now... am I stern?  No!  I am one of the funniest mentors one could have.  Am I strict?  Not really.  I am friendly, but firm.  Am I an old-maid?  Not quite because I am in love and someone loves me, too :-)

Do I regret that I don't become a renowned broadcast journalist?  No, I don't.  I have the most fantastic job in the world!  No one can influence the minds of the young like I do.

With my former co-teachers and my songbird Anton Diva

On being a teacher.

I have been teaching for more than two decades!  That I realized only recently.  If I have to look back, there is no single moment I regret that I am a teacher though becoming one was not my real dream job.

When I was young, I would have wanted to become a broadcast journalist.  How I admired broadcast journalists I saw on TV, like Tina Monzon-Palma and Harry Gasser during my time.  But because I didn't know where to study Mass Communications when I enrolled in college here in Manila, I settled to taking up education, major in English (this calls for another blog entry). I chose language-related course simply because I was am poor in Math! 

On being a teacher, I got to embrace this profession only after 10 years of teaching.  I knew deep in my heart that I didn't want to be called a teacher. I didn't want anyone to know that I was a teacher.  But don't get me wrong; I was committed to what I was doing.  That's just what I am - I always see to it that I give my 100% in anything I do, whether it is convenient or not.

As a teacher, little did I know that I had positively influenced one or two of my students' life.  As they say the real joy of being a teacher comes when your students come back to you and say "thank you."

A year ago, I received a note from one of my previous students.  This note really touches my heart that I had it framed! This note has inspired to do more and to give more for my students.  This note has moved me to shift my paradigm in terms of my job of being a teacher.  Particular names and places are reduced in acronyms for confidentiality, but the contents are intact. Here goes:  

Hello, Ms. Badeth, hope your fine. Isa ako sa mga students mo noon sa PCS.  Well introduce ko lang sarili ko, I'am M.A.. Sana tanda mo pa ako, ako po yung nag take ng summer class sa PCS then I was the one who always YAWN at my desk (Well sorry for that) Then I remember na may daily activity tayo non na magsusulatan tayo sa class in english, and ako yung partner mo that time. Sana na recall mo na kung sino ako.

Ayun nangungumusta lang po ako sayo. Nagulat talaga ako noong nakita ko yung blog mo, Medyo matagal na kasi na wala akong balita sayo. OO nga pala before ko makalimutan, the real reason behind this letter. bukod sa nangungumusta... I would like to say "THANK YOU"

Well may be your wondering why I said Thank you, well going back to high school days sa PCS, I admit na di ko talaga ginalingan or sineryoso ang mga bagay-bagay, and because of that I was kicked out of the school (at di ko po yun ikinahihiya). after that tragic moment sa life ko, it's like a wake up call to me, so nagsimula po ulit ako, di ako nakipag communicate sa mga ka batch ko sa pcs. everyday was so painful to me and to my family, kasi nakikita nila na di ako happy sa mga nangyari, pero wala naman ako magagawa, eh ako rin naman ang may kasalanan, may mga oras na binabasa ko yung mga sulat na galing sa mga classmate ko (yung binibigay pag recollection) then nabasa ko yung sulat mo sa akin, I remember that your asking me, to include you to my prayers. syempre that time di ko pa gets yung talagang ibig sabihin non. Late ko na nalaman yung real meaning ng lahat ng mga sinulat mo noon sa akin, Its like a can opener to me, and because of that I work hard, nagseryoso na po ako. Right now i could say na (medyo) okay na po ako sa buhay. Im working now in a US base Album manufacturer, and MIS/IT Manager po yung position ko. could you believe that? alam ko na mostly ng ka batch ko alam na kick out ako sa school, and mahina ako noon sa academics. But I know with prayers and proper guidance, nagbabago naman lahat. And thanks sa mga naisulat mo noon sa akin. It really help me a lot.

So yun lang po. hope that your always in good health, sana one day we could meet.

Again Ms. Badeth. Thank you so much

ciao!

M.A.

So there!  What more can I say?  This is only of the many "thank yous" I have received.  I may not be a renowned broadcast journalist like the ones I see on TV everyday, but I am grateful that somehow I have touched one soul.  I am grateful that somehow I have made one person's life better.  I am sure that M.A. is doing his part in making this world a better place.

Ah, the joy of being a teacher!

The framed note that I received from M.A.

Three factors I consider in hiring faculty members.

Yes, I am finally done with hiring faculty members today.  Just in time before classes begin on Monday.  

In hiring faculty members, these are the three major factors that I consider:

1.  Qualifications.  In the academic industry,  the vertical alignment of degrees is ultimately necessary.  So the applicant must have aligned degrees from bachelor's to master's and doctorate, if any.  However, the bachelor's degree and the master's degree must be aligned so that the new hires can begin with a good rank and good salary so to speak.

2.  Teaching demo rating.  The applicant must have outstanding teaching demonstration evaluation.  He or she should apply teaching strategies that are student-centered and interactive. I don't really appreciate teachers who think and believe that they are the only ones who know what they are talking about.  But gone are those days when teachers seem to have monopoly of knowledge.  With the advent of information and communication technology, teachers today must learn how to be interactive, just like the video games that our students love to play.

3.  Attitude.  Among all others, attitude is the most important for me.  Sometimes even if the qualifications are not super aligned (meaning to say his or her master's degree is on the related field only) and the teaching demo is just average, but if the attitude is positive, I always consider the applicant for the position.  I can always train for teaching strategies and can encourage the faculty member to work on his degrees, but if the person has no positive attitude towards life there can be no progress.

There you go.  I'm done with hiring all faculty members I need for SY2011-12, and all teaching loads are given, so it's time for me to go on vacation.  See you all on June 6!