Computers are valued for their memory. Well, mine is valued for the many memories associated with it. Every time I look at my computer, I can always recall the first time I created a PowerPoint Presentation, almost ten years ago. Haha.

Seriously, Ms. Christine Gay N. Tolentino finally decided to give me a computer unit, so I won’t have to bother her time and time again to be allowed to use the computer room for my online activities. Right at my desk, I can now surf the web.

I can now update my blog during office hours, plurk every minute, chat with online friends find online resources to update my scientific knowledge, thus, improve the quality of my teaching. With a ready internet access, I can also update our school’s website more frequently.

Now, here’s the archaic computer unit I’m talking about:

ARCHAIC. This computer brings back memories of yore. Lol.

Specs:

Memory Modules:

256 Megabytes Installed Memory
Slot ‘DIMM_A’ has 128 MB
Slot ‘DIMM_B’ has 128 MB

Sentimental Memories:

1 Terabyte

Processor:

733 megahertz Intel Pentium III
32 kilobyte primary memory cache
256 kilobyte secondary memory cache

Processing Time:

Launch Adobe Photoshop CS, return after an hour

Add-ons:

Comes with a state-of-the-art dot matrix printer and a feather duster

Peace, TGai. Haha. Thanks, for the comp.

I don’t crack jokes in the classroom. That would be the last thing I would do, given my inadeptness in throwing punch lines. Joking is made extra difficult by my strict demeanor. People would always expect me to speak of serious stuff. So, my jokes always get unlikely responses.

One time, in my early afternoon class, everyone seemed very sleepy. I needed to do sometime to keep them awake. Out of boredom, I suddenly started speaking with an overdone American accent in the classroom. The next thing I knew, everyone was rolling on the floor. The laughter seemed to never stopped. Everytime I attempted to speak, everyone laughed. I think that was the first my students saw me laugh my heart out.

Now, I can see that they feel at ease everytime they meet me along the corridor.

I realized that it would be better if I do away with my too serious demeanor. I need to loosen up a bit.

What we did last Wednesday was probably all I needed. Now, everyone gives me a smile everytime we meet and I could help but return the favor. Tuesday afternoon, we cooked up something in the faculty room. we decided to perform a surprise number for the school’s foundation anniversary celebration the following day. Fortunately, my co-teachers were cooperative and we were able to come up with simple dance steps to the tune of Poker Face by Lady Gaga.

Here are the videos of our performance:

The students sure had fun watching us, especially our older co-teachers, dance. We, too, had great fun watching the videos recorded by our students. That performance strengthened our relationship as colleagues.

It's an uphill climb for me right now. But I gotta keep going.

RECENTLY, MY boss frequently mentions crisis-management.  Now I can foresee a lot of belt tightening this year. It’s about time to do some strategic planning.

The Crisis

We know that times are rough. I’m sort of a breadwinner now. In addition to that, I am also enrolled in a graduate school program, which of course, requires me to spend a few more bucks on transportation and food allowance while in school. So, after the payday, only a very small portion of my salary is left for myself.  I don’t even have anything left to save.

We were informed of a 10 percent increase on our salary in July. However, we know that it  is still part of the promised 20 percent increase last year. The Php 6,000–that will be given on a staggered basis within four years–will probably not begin this year as the Department of Budget and Management has already publicized a projected budget deficit.

The Solution

Cut off on unecessary expenses. I admit, I’m spending too much on cellphone load. I got to I also spend a lot on pigging out. Lol. Enough with giving myself a treat. You see, I’m getting fatter each day. No more weekly Ted’s Old Timer Lapaz Batchoy. Good bye to five-meals-a-day.

Save. I should always set aside a little amount for emergency purposes. When my sister was hospitalized April, I had to borrow money from colleagues. I even had to borrow from a lending company. I also did the same when my big bro was about to take his board exam. I realized it wouldn’t be as  difficult as it had been if I have emergency funds ready.

Investing on some lucrative business would be next.

Like many of us, I want to give my family a comfortable life. I know it wouldn’t be easy but I believe that it is possible.

God bless me.

My students working on their concept map

AFTER TEACHING for over a year, I have realized that one of the most important tasks of a teacher is assessment. During our annual performance evaluation, I have always emphasized that I need more training on developing and using authentic assessment techniques as well as interpreting results and utilizing them in planning future learning activities.

About a month ago, I was sent to a Professional Development Program at the University of the Philippines-National Institute for Science and Mathematics Education Development (UP-NISMED) for a training on the Backward Design Process in creating Unit Plans with focus on enduring understanding.

It reinforced my belief that determining the understanding that you want your students to gain should first be done before planning the learning activities. That way, you can be sure that the activities you are giving them are congruent to what you expect them to learn.

Last week, my lessons were videotaped by the Division Office. They wante to document our use of non-traditional assessment. Luckily, we were having a laboratory activity in my junior class and I presented my rubric for participation. As our culminating activity for hydrostatics and hydrodynamics, we had concept-mapping with my fourth year students to check how well they have understood the relationships between the quanties and principles we have studied.

Supervising (distracting?) the kids (lol)

I was able to see the videos and I am glad that I am telegenic. Lol. Kidding aside, I observed that my voice is well-modulated. It is audible but not too loud and to irritate the ears. The problem is my posture. I slouch a bit too much that somewhat indicates that I lack confidence.

Tomorrow, they are going to videotape my class again. This time, my students are going to present the results of their laboratory actvity. We will have our rubric for presentation

I am loving how the school administration helps me become a better teacher. Every weekend, we are having a session on classroom-based assessment and I continue to learn more about peformance-based tasks and non-traditional assessment.

YouthVote with Ces Drilon in GenSan

I HAD to wake up before four o’clock this morning to be one of the first registrants of Boto Mo, Ipatrol Mo, Ako ang Simula in General Santos City. That was a commitment I made as part of the Ayala Young Leaders Alliance, which is a partner of Youth Vote Philippines.

Even back in college, I have been part of our voters registration campaign and voters education program in South Cotabato. We worked with LGUs and encouraged the youth to register and to become intelligent voters.

The right of suffrage is something that we all must celebrate. We are fortunate to have been given the freedom to choose our leaders.

Ako ang Simula ng Pagbabago.

However, elections in the Philippines have always been marred by cheating and manipulation. So, we must all learn from what happened in the previous elections and be, ourselves, vanguards of cleanliness and honesty in 2010 National Elections.

Given the current politcal and socio-economic situation in the country, participating in the elections is not only a RIGHT, it is a DUTY. It is our duty to choose the leaders who are: (a) sincere about public service, (b) capable of serving the people and transforming communities, and (c) leaders by example.

I’ve only been able to upload the pictures today so I posted them right away on my photo blog.

Ladol teems with life

Get to know Ladol on Digital Detours.

SCRAP HR 1109. Let Arroyo finish her term in 2010.

I’m not a lawyer. I have not studied the Philippine Constitution in depth, either. I cannot talk about the constitutionality of the constituent assembly but I believe that the House Resolution that paves the way for the Constituent Assembly is nothing but the administration’s show of strength as it holds the loyalty of the majority of the members of the House of Representatives. How else could they take advantage of the number of congressmen on their side than to use it to spur Charter Change that may extend Arroyo’s term?

I have talked to someone who fought against Marcos and she told me that she is seeing today the same game that the late President played more than two decades ago. She also told me that the people behind the Arroyo administration today are old-timers in the game called manipulation.

I can see greed.

What actually prompted me to write this post was an article on Philippine Daily Inquirer that quoted Executive Eduardo Ermita saying that we should keep mum about the Con-Ass and observe if it really has something to do with the upcoming elections.

What the hell is he talking about? He wants the people to keep quite in the corner and wait for doom to come! Come on, we’ve been through this before. The Filipino people will never again let the ghosts of the Marcos dictatorship haunt us again.

Even when I was a high school student, I would always visit my classmate, Honey. We would sit by her wide window and talk about the future, and sometimes, just about anything. I also had a sort of a gang back in high school and we’ll turn the classroom into a music hall.

In college, I’ve been in the company of all sorts of friends. My classmates are studious and we’ll do our problems sets and other requirements together. I also had a set of friends with whom I’d go out until the wee hours in the morning. Sometimes, I’d just go back to my boarding house to change clothes and attend my classes. I’ve also been addicted to computer games, blogging, binge drinking, and other things I can’t mention here (*winks).

When I accepted an office job at NDMU, I didn’t bring home any task. Every night was a socialization night. I gained more acquaintances and a few more inches to waistline.

When I started to work as a teacher, my lifestyle had to change. But I still spent time to meet other people. I attended blogger meetups and plurk fiestas.

That's us, boytoy, coffee, TheNorthFace, KatHaligi, Rockstar, and G-man at Taaz Bar.

Moreso when I started using Uzzap recently. I met another group of people of varied interested. They are very far from the kind of people I used to mingle with. They are not intellectuals nor socialites like many of the bloggers I know. They are very ordinary. Very real. Being with them allows me to be me. With my night outs with them, I feel normal. Lol.

Bottomline, even if I focused much of my attention on my studies and my career, I managed to live a normal life. I didn’t have to restrain myself. I didn’t have to deprive myself of the simple joys of life. I have no regrets, no hang-ups.

The secret: a good balance between freedom and responsibility.

Just what did I do this summer of 2009?

After my students’ graduation day, I wanted to make my family feel that I am really LIVING WITH THEM, I spent a few days at home, did the cooking, played with my nephews and nieces (there’s abunch of them), and, you know, just lingered around. In the afternoon, I would bike, and at times, jog to the beach to get rid of the fats I have accumulated from graduation treats and birthday parties. On the beach, I would watch the sun as it sets down the horizon and the sea waves as they rush to the shore.

Biking to Ladol Beach, Alabel, Sarangani Province

Sunset at Ladol Beach

After the Holy Week, I started taking part of the Sarangani Big Brother Program by facilitating the SBB Volunteer Training and Leadership Camp. It was a great experience–meeting new friends, going to many places, and, of course, somehow being part of social transformation. I went to Maasim, Kiamba, and Maitum. Alongside facilitating trainings, we had a great time snorkeling in Maasim’s beautiful beaches.

A small-group session youth volunteers in Maasim, Sarangani Province

I was not able to join the SBB Facilitators in other municipalities because I had to attend the Training for Physical Science Teachers of Regional Science High School at the University of the Philippines-National Institute of Science and Mathematics Education Development (UP-NISMED) in Diliman, Quezon City.

With the Director UP-NISMED and one of our Facilitators

After the training, I spent a few days to meet my friends who are now working in Metro Manila. I feel nostalgic looking at our pictures. And oh, I was able to use my TimeZone Powercard at last (Geesh, I can’t remember how much I had spent at TZ).

Before going back to Mindanao, I paid my Ate Edna and Ate Marissa a visit in Bulacan where they now work.

With Pathways Friends at the MOA

When I returned here, I was sent to another training on the Teacher Induction Program at the Notre Dame of Marbel University.  It was another great experience, where I met nice fellow participants who treated me like their younger brother. I also met with my old friends in Marbel and had our usual bowling session.

After a few days, I attended another training at Lun Padidu National High School, Malapatan, Sarangani Province on Improvization of Laboratory Equipment with Concept Integration where I learned how to saw, solder, and, well, utilize recyclables to build instructional materials for my classes.

In between these activities, I had target shooting with Board Member Aniceto Lopez III, swimming with Mayor Lopez, eyeballs with GenSan and South Cotabato Uzzapers (haha), bowling and drinking sessions with yuppie friends, and long hours of sleep.

It was one great summer, don’t you think?

Grade one pupils from Alabel Central Elementary School and SPED Center receive books from the Alcantara Foundation last year. *Image from QUEST

To help solve this problem, the Conrado and Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation Inc., the Office of the Provincial Governor of Sarangani, the Provincial SK Federation (PPSK), the Local Government Units of each municipality, the Department of Education, and the Ayala Foundation, Inc. joined hands in the Sarangani Big Brother Season 2: Reading is Fun, a reading program.

Sarangani Big Brother, which started last year, is a volunteer-based reading program that runs for 15 days during the summer. Volunteer school teachers will extend their services to the identified frustration readers. Youth volunteers, the Ate’s and Kuya’s of the paraticipants, are also mobilized as teacher aids that will help ensure that the participants obtain optimum learning in the program.

Tomorrow, April 14-16 is the first round of the training of the teachers and the youth volunteers in Maasim, Sarangani Province. That will be followed by the other six municipalities of Sarangani.

Ayala Young Leaders Congress alumni, together with other volunteers from PPSK and the units under the Office of the Governor, will facilitate the training.

***

Being the senior AYLC alumnus in the group, I was tasked to talk on Servant Leadership. I am both honored and pressured because this is the topic that I think our Mentor, Sir Monch Mossessgeld, has the credibility to deliver. Haha. I think I will just borrow his words.