Tomorrow is the first day

"A teacher's purpose is not to create student's in his own image,

but to develop student's who can create their own image"

~Anonymous

Tomorrow is the first day of S.Y. 2013-2014. If you'll going to ask me if I am ready to face my students, well, "YES I AM" (emotionally, intellectually, physically and spiritually). Tomorrow will be the orientation day and that will mark the student's first impression on us as a teacher. To deviate from the traditional set-up of the orientation day of letting the student's write a lengthy essay of what they learned from the previous school year, I created some activities to prepare them for the 180 days of learning their course.

One of the activities I am thinking is to ask them what they expect from their teachers. We often established classroom rules to guide our students and we thoroughly set our expectations, making us forget that our students were humans too, with needs to be tended and voices to be heard.

I'll post some interesting answers next week, when the schedule gets a little friendly.

Changes

"Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. 

Don't resist them  -that only creates sorrow.

Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like"

~Lao Tzu

Image from here

Late last year, I was thinking of doing something that will bring a major change in my life. I hate changes. But if there's one thing I learned in life,  that is to embrace the changes. It wasn't easy and it didn't just occur to me overnight. I put much thought to it. Finally, after months of contemplating I came to a final decision. After 12 years, 4 months and 3 days, I AM GOING HOME.  I can't say for good, but for the time being.

Early this month, I filed my resignation letter. It wasn't easy too, thinking about the friends I'll left behind, the place I learned to love, the lifestyle I embraced and everything this place has to offer, not to mention my 5 years of stay in this company. But with all their heart, they granted my request, with warm wishes for my success in my new endeavors in life, knowing that I am answering the call of my vocation. The profession, I think I was really called for. 

This was also the reason why I wasn't able to join some events. I was busy with my requirements, travelling for 5 hours going back and forth but couldn't divulge the reason to everyone unless I was taken in. 

And so after all the exhaustion, I'll be back to teaching in a science high school where I graduated. When I filed my resignation, we're all teary eyed. But we're over it now. My friends and I were so excited about what the coming months and years has in store for me. I already have seminars and training lined up for the coming school year.

Leaving the city maybe bittersweet, but it's a decision made for the best. And I wouldn't want to say "goodbye" but rather "see you soon".

An Open Letter

To the jeepney driver:

     Whenever I set my foot on your vehicle and whether I like it or not, I entrust my life to you. I beg you to please be calm and if possible, refrain from driving like you're on a drag racing. It is your duty to make sure that the unloading area is accessible to you as each passenger may tend to say "para" anytime, thus, I urge you to stay on the right lane. And if and when someone says "para" while we're on the middle of the road, please don't stop right there and then. I don't want to die a double death (heart attack and car accident).

     And for all kind of sake, please refrain from texting while driving. Our precious lives were in your hands. 

p.s. it's okay to wait for passengers, just don't wait for the invisible ones.

To the passengers:

     Be reasonable to understand that the drivers can't just drop you anywhere you want. Don't be mad when they follow the rules. More so, always remember you're on a PUV, be considerate to pass the other's fare like they did for you. Sit properly because PUV's seats were meant to be shared. And for the girls with long free flowing silky hair, please hold it when the wind is blowing before it wiped out what's left of my face.

Jeepney -  the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. They were originally made from US military jeeps left over from World War II and are known for their flamboyant decoration and crowded seating. Wikipedia

Para -  the word we say that signals the driver to stop the vehicle so that we can get off. I don't know where it really came from and I am not in my utmost inspired mood to do the research but according to about.com it is a Spanish preposition to indicate a destination. That made sense, after all we were once a Spanish Colony.

photo credit