Wits and Spirits

Keep your spirit high!

2011-11-04T05:23:00.000-07:00

Itis a reality in our existence that everything is not within our control. All thatwe could positively deal with is our attitude – how we would look at each submergingsituation in a much lighter manner – it’s our own line of attack. Changingone’s way of thinking towards things is, indeed, a very good approach to copingwith stress which is so common in an environment where everyone is required tobe always on the go.

Iftruth be told, last month was very stressful for me – stressful in a way that Ialmost stopped thinking about how to deal with every piece of my priority. Iwas too behind my quota at work and I could barely figure out a way to strikeit right at its eye. I also had some research papers presented for my graduateclass and I could say that such was a product of my mediocrity. Not to mention,I also hardly complied some of the requirements in one of my subjects in thegraduate school. I could have done better but there’s no way to look backbecause no matter what, everything has been done and change is awkward whendoing it backward. Nevertheless, I learned from it and all I could do now is tolearn from such experience and move forward with a better perspective.

Ibelieve everything is doable with a positive spirit. I just need to learn toset priorities and as Stephen Covey suggested in his best-selling book “7Habits of Highly Effective People,” you need to put FIRST THINGS FIRST. It allneeds to start with the questions “What are my priorities?” and “How can Ilogically put them together?” With these questions, obviously, there is no timeto waste for every moment counts for every preference. I might find itdifficult to pack my sleepy head off to work on a graveyard shift. I might findit difficult to keep myself awake while working with my clients in the otherside of the world on an eight-hour shift when everyone else in the neighborhoodis enjoying the comfort of their bed. I might find it difficult to work with mycourse works after spending the whole night at work. Everything might be sodifficult but no one ever forced me do what I am doing. It was my choice andit’s all up to me how I am going to work on them. Failure is not an alternativeso I’ll work this out with passion. As a line in the Holstee Manifesto goes,“If you don’t like something, change it. If you don’t like your job, quit…start doing things you love.”

Ifevery moment in life is a battle to win, then I need to be the victor. Afterall, this is my own life. From now on, I will keep my spirit high!

"Every day might not be good, but there's something good in every day." - Anonymous

To my followers and fellow bloggers:

Iam back to blogging and, yes, I could rant again. What a relief! Happy readingfolks! If you’re still dropping by, please let me know by leaving some words inthe comment box. At least, I would know that I am not talking all by myselfhere. (laughs)

26

2011-11-02T00:59:00.000-07:00

"The tragedy of life is that not it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it." - Anonymous

I miss my blog and I am sure it misses me too. I don't know if I still have readers here or they have forsaken me like what I have done to this blog for already a couple of weeks or months ago. Anyhow, I am compelled to tell a story today because it's not just a day -- it's my BIRTHday.

I was brought to this world 26 years ago and since this day is the 26th year, it brought me back to vivid memories letting me linger to how I lived life. Those reflections made me agree with Danny Kaye who once said, "Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can." If life is a great big canvas, we should make it as colorful as it could be. Thus, living life to the fullest.

This day, I want to share a huge bottle of champagne to everyone who made my life as colorful as it is. Thank you for helping me paint my huge canvas. Cheers, my dear ones! Live life and live it well!

Pinoy Buko King Made it World-Class

2011-09-02T18:39:00.000-07:00

He is Felipe Tacogdoy of Bohol and fondly called by the villagers as "Pepeng" or "Nong Pepeng" for those who are younger than him. He's one of those ordinary people in the village but he's different due to his extraordinary ability. In this video, he showed the world what he is capable of doing.

The BlabberMath: Coming Out Soon

2011-07-31T23:29:00.000-07:00

Creating a mathematics blog has always been a plan of mine. However, the thought of not being able to regularly update it was a limitation I set that's why there were always delays in the fulfillment of the plan. It's because unlike a personal blog, you need to thoroughly review everything you have written before you publish it. Accuracy of the mathematical facts to be posted would be an utmost consideration or else one would only provide misleading information about an already established science. No one would also like to read twisted or questionable facts. Mathematics as a science is governed with well-proven laws and theories which took mathematicians years or decades of overcoming contradictions.

Now thoughts have been finally put together for the launching of a blog which will hopefully ignite the interest to the subject which has always been considered by students as monster or a burden loaded in their shoulders. Initial posts taken from the previous mathematics articles I wrote have been placed in the line-up of posts and the blog has already its blogspot hosted domain. Few more articles recently wrote for my Research in Mathematics class in the graduate school are just to be added.

There's no definite time for launching yet but I'll surely inform everyone when I am launching the blog. It would not make your nose bleed. I promise!

Violin and Cello Rendition of Beatle's "Let it Be"

2011-07-18T02:13:00.000-07:00

I was stumbling upon the web when I luckily found this video of two talented teens playing their rendition of Beetle's "Let it Be". Without second thought, I became a fan of the 15-year old Violinist Michael Province and 16-year old Cellist Nathan Chan. This video reminded me of the high school class I handled for the longest time in Thailand as majority of them were into music. Enjoy watching!

Creeping Captivating Camotes

2011-07-05T05:21:00.000-07:00

Consuelo Wharf, San Francisco, Camotes, Cebu

What else could you think after a long week at work?

A walk in the forest? A day of relaxation in the beach? A long drive or a road trip? A view of fascinating landscapes and seascapes? Well, simply let your imagination fly with the wind and think of any ideal vacation you could think of then bring your mind to Camotes Islands in Cebu , Philippines and you'll realize that what's in your psyche is more than just mere imagination.

A two-hour ferry trip from Danao City, Cebu brought us to the captivating group of islands named Camotes which is composed of four municipalities namely San Francisco, Poro, Pilar and Tudela. San Francisco is the biggest among the four municipalities and home of most of the tourist attractions. According to the owner of the homestay where we lodged for a night, only Pilar town is separated from the municipalities. All the rest are connected by bridges.

The trip itself going to the island was fascinating because we were accompanied by friendly dolphins showing their hospitality to tourists visiting the island. We arrived in Consuelo Wharf in San Francisco town around two o'clock in the afternoon and did a hike around the nearby village. The hike was so disturbing as there were two motorbike drivers who followed us all the way forcing us to take a ride but thanks to the rain which saved us from those stalkers (hahaha!). Later on, we decided to rent a motorbike and driving around the town was really a good experience. We rented the motorbike for only 500 pesos and it already allowed us to visit different spots in the place.

A serene view at Lake Lanao Park - an
enchanting work of nature.

Our first destination was Mangudlong Rock Resort. Too bad, the sea wasn't that good that time so bumming on the beach wasn't a good idea. We then headed to a private owned beach house to see what the place could offer. The longest stop was in the enchanting Lake Danao Park. One would really wonder how a huge body of freshwater could exist in the middle of seawater. The park is vegetated with lust green trees of different species. Visitors could go for boat ride around the lake or enjoy a simple meal in a small floating cottage. We saw locals in the area weaving leaves of local plant called silo-silo and just a trivia, they celebrate Silo-Silo Festival once a year.

White sand beach at Santiago Bay.

The next destination was San Francisco town proper which boasts its baywalk and clean surroundings. Almost every house in San Francisco is tag with the name of the owner and a local said that it's part of their cleaning and greening program. The town is a recepient of Cebu governor's environment program award. It has also earned mentions in international environment programs such as the Geneva convention.

It was already late in the evening when we headed to Santiago Bay to get some place to stay. Some of the hotels were already fully booked and they're quiet expensive so we ended up staying in a homestay which is just walking distance to the renowned Santiago White Beach. The following morning was a wonderful breakfast along the shore followed by refreshing rest under the heat of the shining sun.

We went back to San Francisco town via coastal road where the views are more fascinating. We then headed to the enchanting Timobo Cave where the crystal clear and cool water is just so tempting for a refreshing bath. However, the time was so limited as we needed to go back to the pier for our trip going back to Cebu where another week-long work awaits. We left Camotes on a gloomy afternoon when the sun was about to set telling us that another adventure awaits us when we come back.

BPI Opens Biggest Yet Search for Kids of OFWs on its 160th Year

2011-07-05T05:06:00.000-07:00

After the successful search for outstanding Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), the Bank of Philippine Islands opens biggest yet search for kids of OFWs. Here's the press release from Brand Speak Asia's Media Relations Department as forwarded by Marist Nagera.

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) calls on children of Overseas Filipinos (OF) to join the country’s biggest yet search for Expat Pinoy Children, the 2011 Search for the Ten Outstanding Expat Pinoy Children. This year, BPI brings a bigger and wider search for exemplary OF children as it celebrates its 160th anniversary celebration.

Now on its 5th year, the Search for Ten Outstanding Expat Pinoy children will award students with exceptional achievements in academic and non-academic fields for the Ibang Klaseng Talino, Ibang Klaseng Community Leader, Ibang Klaseng Entrepreneur, and Ibang Klaseng Artist/Athlete categories.

“BPI’s annual search for outstanding Expat Pinoy children reflects our continued thrust to support and help the country build a stronger nation through the empowerment of our country’s modern day heroes, our overseas Filipino workers, ,” says Teresita B. Tan, Executive Vice President and Group Head of Overseas Banking and Channel Services Group of BPI.

First introduced in 2007, BPI’s Search for the Ten Outstanding Expat Pinoy Children empowers the youth and their OFW parents by recognizing their significant contributions in the country as model families and modern day heroes of today’s generation.

This nationwide Search is open to college students not more than 21 years old, with no failing grade and with a parent holding a current work contract abroad. To join, applicants must submit an essay titled “What is the strongest characteristic that you have which you think is unique to an OF Son/Daughter that you believe is beneficial to change the community around you?” or alternatively “Ano sa palagay mo ang natatangi mong katangian bilang anak ng isang Overseas Filipino Worker na makatutulong sa pagpapaunlad ng iyong pamayanan?” in either English or Filipino with at least 1,500 to maximum of 2,000 words. The applicants are judged by a screening committee based on their academic excellence, community contribution, and other non-academic talents or skills such as sports, music, or arts. Seven (7) students will be awarded with the Ibang Klaseng Talino award and three (3) students will be given the Ibang Klaseng Community Leader, Ibang Klaseng Entrepreneur, and Ibang Klaseng Artist/Athlete awards. Application period is until August 15, 2011.

Promo details and application forms are available at http://www.bpiexpressonline.com/.

Found the X Factors

2011-04-18T08:23:00.000-07:00

My decision of going back home in the middle of my immersion to foreign culture was one of the most difficult decisions I made. Difficult it might have been, I easily gave up a huge portion of my investment including my passion and my ambition of getting an international master's degree in education.

The thought of pursuing my teaching career here in the Philippines and being close with my loved ones erased all the second thoughts. However, things did not happen the way I planned. Instead of finding myself in the learning hub, I grabbed the enticing offer of the growing call center industry in the country where I eventually worked in a field I never imagined. The pay was good and the benefits were promising but I never found myself there so I decided to leave and planned to settle for less pay yet gratifying job. I eyed for public service but the public didn't seem to like my service so I decided not to pursue. No matter how ridiculous my thought was, I couldn't put myself into the level of following a questionable system like I never had my own shot of education.

Leaving the vaccine of frustration, I went for an offshore publishing industry where I am currently being trained as Publishing Consultant. The nature of the job is so promising and the management seems to be very supportive not only to my growth in the company but to my personal and professional growth as well. I never thought of the possibility of learning the nature of the publishing industry together with the principles of mathematics but it's happening before my very eyes right now. Such reason alone motivates me to put things into the next level.

If there is one thing that I need to learn from this, that is building confidence from the trust that people give you. Do not abuse the considerations that people are giving. Instead, leverage your performance from such trust. I am only starting and it should be a good start!

NOTE: Special mention to my trainer (who must not be named) for the support and understanding when I mentioned that I would be enrolling for MS Math and to my professors who consider sending problem sets with me every time I would miss my classes because I need to go to work.

Soliloquy in the Sand

2011-04-08T07:10:00.000-07:00

As my feet slowly touched those fine grains scourging with the giant waves, my mind started to wander like the ocean breeze. The sun kissed my soul with a note in its glare – whispering a word I never heard before. Persistent I was, the journey went on – in search for reasons lying on the horizon.

BPInoy Opens Nomination for Biggest Yet Search for Outstanding Pinoys Abroad

2011-04-07T06:58:00.000-07:00

Do you know an exceptional overseas Pinoy? The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) now opens the nomination for outstanding overseas Filipinos (OFs) for the 6th BPInoy Awards, an annual recognition for Pinoy achievers in the global platform and the biggest one yet to happen in its history as BPI celebrates its 160^th year this 2011.

This year’s awardees will be joining the roster of past BPInoy Awardees such as White House executive chef Ms. Cristeta Pasia-Comerford, BBC news presenter Rico Hizon, internationally-acclaimed fashion designers Monique Lhuillier and Josie Natori, and world acclaimed Lea Salonga and International signing sensation Charice Pempengco.

“We commend the Filipinos who take risks in a far away country wearing his distinct nationalism as his pride and honor. In turn, they become global achievers and continue to bring pride to the country with their achievements. Through the BPInoy Awards, we recognize these Filipinos, our country’s pride and modern heroes that today’s youth can also look up to,” says Teresita Tan, BPI EVP and Group Head of Overseas Banking and Channel Services Group.

Individuals of Filipino heritage, regardless of current citizenship, and of good moral character, may be nominated for their outstanding achievements as long as they have lived and or worked overseas. All nominees will be evaluated by the BPInoy Awards Steering Committee based on criteria that include top-of-mind awareness and societal impact of achievements, among others. Two awardees will be chosen for the Arts and Media or Sports Category and Business or Science and Technology Category.

Nominations may be made by any Filipino individual or organization based locally or internationally, by sending a short article about the nominee, specifically on his/her accomplishments that have brought honor and pride to the country which answers the questions:

· Why does the nominee deserve recognition as a BPInoy Awardee?

· How have the nominee’s efforts made a difference for the betterment of the Overseas Filipino community abroad?

· Is there anything else that makes the nominee exceptional or unique?

Entries must be submitted on or before May15, 2011 to bpinoyawards@bpi.com.ph addressed to Ms. Athena G. Balleza, Marketing Department, Overseas Segment Division, BPI.

For more information about the BPInoy Awards, log on to www.bpiexpressonline.com

The Heat is On

2011-04-05T07:31:00.000-07:00

Just when everyone thought that summer would be sprinkled with intolerable amount of rain and that going outdoors would not be ideal, I and my fellows went on and seized summer 2011. Summer experience could never be more satisfying than basking under the heat of the smiling sun and getting refreshed with the cool warmth of the water.

The Cebu mainland as seen from the ferry going to Lapu-lapu City
(Mactan Island). Boat trip is a very good alternative for those who don't want
to deal with heavy traffic jam. Beaches and resorts around the Mactan Island offer
good escape from the bustling life in Cebu.

A watchtower welcomes every visitor to Lapu-lapu City.

The following pictures were all taken at Agus Hotel and Resort in Agus, Mactan, Cebu -- just few minutes drive from Lapu-lapu City's port. For a minimal cost, everyone can enjoy summer while in Cebu. Renowned hotels and resorts in the island like Imperial and Shangri-La are still recommended and on top of the list, of course.

Cebu Trivia Nights at Alejandro's

2011-03-02T01:35:00.000-08:00

Trivia night organized by iSee events. Photo from
www.everythingcebu.com

The latest craze among popular bars in the metros has been in Cebu and I just knew it yesterday while eating out with my team mates at Alejandro's Filipino Resto at Don Jose Avila Street in Capitol Site, Cebu City.

"TRIVIA NIGHT AT ALEJANDRO'S" has been happening every Wednesday since February last year at Alejandro's. The first in Cebu, this fun and educational night should have been loved by infoholics of all ages. And this only means one thing: I need to roll up my sleeves and get ready to dig my long lost wits factory. However, I happened to glance at a poster which said that the place is WiFi spot so I could perhaps ask for Mr. Google's assistance just in case everything goes to worse but I know it's not a good plan.

I should be there in one of the trivia nights this month and learn new facts and not-so-factual stuffs. What a great diversion for emptied mind. See you there, folks!

What it takes to be a call center agent?

2011-02-02T02:11:00.000-08:00

"Many are called, but few are chosen."

Most Christians are familiar of that verse in the Bible but those working in contact centers or in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies could relate more than the traditional Christians.

In the Philippines, the contact center (call center) is one of the industries that stabilize the economy of the country. In fact, it's next to the overseas employment which bring bucks to the Philippine economy through the remittances of the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). Money and benefit-wise, working in a call center is the next best thing to being an OFW. However, getting into the industry is not that easy and sustaining the tension after you get hired is much more difficult if you do not possess the right attitude.

Everyday, hundreds of people undergo job interviews to get into the industry but at the end of the day, only very few of them end up being hired. According my site director on his short speech during our graduation day for the Product Specifics Training (PST), only three to five percent of the applicants get hired and only one to two percent get into the account where I am right now (something that I could really brag about because I am one of the 3 % and nevertheless 1%... hahaha!). Not only that. After more than a month of handling calls on a training atmosphere, roughly only sixty percent of us were endorsed to the production where everyone is being observed for three months before regularization. And yes, everyone is expected to deliver the highest possible satisfaction to our clients and to their customers.

Now what does it take to become a call center agent? Well, just in case you would like to join the industry and enjoy the benefits that people in the clan are enjoying, here are some of the things that you might expect and get through.

1. Expect for the highest possible kind of intimidation. However, always believe that we'll not get intimidated without our consent. Let's turn intimidation into something that would help build or attitude and character. They'll help in the long run. I realized they're not meant to intimidate anyone but build anyone through constant challenge.

2. Of course, there will be English Only Policy (EOP). It is stressful if you are not used to it but remember that there's no other way to improve our grasp of a second language but by constantly using it. Call center agents were being tagged before as Over Acting Animals (OAA) by their insecure counterparts because of the EOP but according to my Communication and Culture Trainer, language has never been and will never be OA(A) as it is neutral. However, people can be. It's never been bad to speak the language which enables you to earn higher than what others are earning.

3. You'll be in a DOG EAT DOG SOCIETY. The pace of the job is really fast. By the time you sit and take calls expect that work would be uninterrupted within your eight-hour shift. You're so lucky to get ten minutes avail time. However, it keeps your work attitude healthy as you will never have time to gossip with your workmates.

4. Diversity will be the best policy. People in the industry are so diverse. There are those who are so professional, not so professional and not professional at all and you need to get into each level in order to succeed. On the other hand, everything has never been personal as you are all there for work. After all, there are rest days and off schedules. But if possible, try to get along with your team mates as diversity makes this world go round and so your head!

5. There are rumors and they are all true. You'll be cooked inside a pressure cooker until you get soft. The company will give you their expectations which are really high and your customers whom you are in direct contact with would expect higher from you because to them, you are the company you are talking about. Can you imagine it? They're all there and that's part of the job. You can never get rid of those metrics but you can control them. With the right attitude, beat all of them. In the end, expect a higher pay. Challenge those people and you will surely get what you want -- even the ones you never signed for -- a day in a five star hotel, a trip to a foreign land or to the beauty spots of the locality, a movie or food treat or even both, an appliance or gadget you ever wanted, a party and, of course, cash!

6. You'll learn to do a couple of things at the same time. Multitasking is a specialty for most of the call center agents. One needs to listen (attentively), document (correctly), speak (clearly) and read and understand (accurately). None of those things should be missed!

7. Patience will always be a virtue. Imagine irate callers coming in and yelling about their dissatisfaction. Sometimes, they will shout at you or even curse you. However, none of them is personal as each and every person calling do not personally know you and if there's any reason for their anger, that should not be you. One of the good things I learned from such is the value of patience. I thought my former students stretched my patience to the farthest end already but my customers lengthened it to eternity. It's a matter of focusing on the problem rather than the person as the problem is the root cause for such negative behavior.

Once you get in, you're never assured that you'll be retained as the industry has a very strict compliance to the standards set by their clients. In return, they set high expectation among their employees to make sure that they will deliver what they have promised to their clients or even go beyond. However, every mistake is valuable in the learning process so be positive in taking feedback and learn from every speck of coaching session from your mentors. It's all about maintaining a humble and grateful heart and a happy spirit!

I know all these things are easier said than done. However, they could all be cultivated with constant practice. Now do you think you have the right attitude and skill and has always been wanting to join the BPO industry? Cultivate that skill and attitude which would enable you to land a slot in one of the Philippines' highest paying industry. Join us! I'll be more than willing to assist you through our Employee Referral Program (ERP). Just ping me HERE.

From the sides of the world to the Pinoy Expats/OFWs Blog Awards 2010

2010-12-17T03:49:00.000-08:00

It’s been more than a month already since I scribbled a post for this blog. It’s not that I had nothing to write about or I had no time to do it. Shaking off a topic to write is such an understatement as my euphoric wits and spirits normally make sense of anything and everything in between – even the things not worth thinking about. The truth of the matter is, my psyche was too preoccupied with a bundle of things worth writing and again, I failed to put first things first. I did not fail to think but I failed to do.

Recently, I had thoughts of writing about my recent experiences in my new job as I went in contact with our client’s customers. They were really overwhelming that I thought I should not mind writing about it anymore for they would only cause misery in my mind. But before that, I wanted to write about the glorious and gentle victory of Manny Pacquiao in his recent bout with Margarito but I thought it’s been the talk of the town and my additional comments would only be a cliché.

The boycotting of the Philippine government to this year’s Nobel Peace Prize Award in Norway as a gesture of support to the Chinese government also caught my attention. However, I wanted to spare myself from the issue although I would not deny that I was dismayed for such decision of the Aquino administration. Whatever their reason is, the mean would never justify the end and vice versa.

With all the happenings in the world, what was very frustrating was the fact that there were lots of children who became victims of the transgressions of the adults. The recent celebration on the awareness of violence against children which hopefully opened the eyes of every waking man was a great reminder. I hope that we did not just change our profile pictures for the sake of doing it but we would also live with the essence of doing it. With that, all I hope is we could hand this world out to the next generations for them to enjoy and not to suffer. That one day, birth would still be a joy of humanity and not a pain that every newborn would have to endure.

In the brighter side of the world, beyond those happenings, I was so glad that I was invited to judge this year’s entries for the Pinoy Expats/OFWs Blog Awards wherein I had to rate each blog and pick my top ten from the nominees under the Supporters Category. This category is intended for Philippines-based bloggers who have affinity with Overseas Filipino Workers. Some of them have family members working abroad and so you know how heartwarming their stories are. As former Overseas Filipino Worker, I experienced the difficulty of working and living abroad and as I read the blog of these people who have loved ones working in the other country, I realized that there’s always another side of the story. The pain that they have been going through thinking of the sacrifices of their loved ones abroad has never been easy. With our attention directed to those Filipinos working abroad, we failed to see the even sacrifices of their loved ones left here.

It’s never been easy to rank those blogs as I had to toggle my mind from one school of thought to another. Although it placed some pressure in my part, I also had a great time reading and learning from the posts of the nominees. Eight of my top ten picks made it and some of them were adjudged as the best blog in different regions. Indeed, a very good book can be published out of the heartwarming stories I read which never failed to inspire. The winners were announced last night at the Teatrino Promenade in San Juan City, Manila.

My salute to the organizers, nominees and all the other people who did their part for such endeavor. Although I was not able to attend the awarding ceremony and rub elbows with the dedicated people behind PEBA 2010, I know the event was a huge success. Congratulations everyone!

The full result can be found here.

Change

2010-11-03T06:39:00.000-07:00

It's been repeatedly said that "Change is the only permanent thing in this world." and if there is something constant in this walk, that must be change. This is perhaps the reason why I love listening and singing Jose Mari Chan's meaningful song named Constant Change. As the lyrics of the song goes, "We're on the road, we move from place to place and every time when I'm about to call it home we'd have to move along coz life's a constant change." This is exactly what I am feeling right now.

After being so used with the profession which I learned to love and philosophically adhered to for more than four years, I had to say goodbye from it and start with a new journey where everything seems to be very strange. The workplace is so diverse and the culture is so different. The way we do our job is also totally different from the way I used to do things.

From being a Mathematics teacher abroad, I decided to give myself a break from the teaching arena by entering into the corporate world as a customer service associate and since it is offshore and outsourced, I will be handling customers through phone calls. I have been into customer relations almost five years ago when I worked as marketing assistant in one of the fast food chains in the Philippines but because I will be handling different product and different customers this time and such experience has almost been outdated, I really need to learn and absorb a couple of theories and techniques which I first thought I would be able to do at once. I was looking at the holistic picture of the job when I was only entailed to look at the details and work on them. I realized that it's really different and if there were things which I learned before, I need to leave them behind for the sake of my new career. I will never be able to grab hold of the new learning opportunities I will have in this new job without putting aside some if not all of the experiences I had. I need to empty my mind so that I will be able to fill it up with refreshed ideas.

How gratifying this new job might be, I am not telling myself to totally quit from teaching for I know that one day soon I would be back to that wonderful profession. If time will permit and opportunity will allow, I will still engage myself with a variety of talks, special classes for children, youths and adults, individualized tutorial and even education consultancy. The opportunity to help and educate people is just too difficult to lose.

The Philippines SK and Barangay Elections 2010

2010-10-25T06:20:00.000-07:00

October 25 has been declared as national non-working holiday in the Philippines due to the simulated Sanguniang Kabataan (SK) and Barangay Elections. In this small yet nation-defining event, the Filipino people practice once more their right to select who would represent the majority in the government by electing the chairman of the voices of the youth and the head of the smallest sector of the Philippine government which is the barangay.

As expected, lots of people flocked to several precincts in different barangays (villages) in the Philippines to cast their votes for the Barangay Captain, Barangay Councilors, SK Chairman and SK Councilors. I was actually one of those people who went all the way to my assigned voting precinct to cast my vote. Although it was a very small election compared to those of the municipal, provincial and national levels, I thought such expression of one's right of suffrage is another manifestation of one's great concern for 'our democracy' and so our democratic people. Barangay, although a very small sect of the entire government, plays a big role in our country's societal landscape as it is here where the people first express their individual concerns to our society. The barangay is also the most immediate way for people to connect with the government. The voices of the chairmen who will be elected in the barangay elections will soon resound in a national scale. The councilors will soon maintain order in the barangay through their resolutions and local ordinances. The elected SK officials will soon be taking care of the youth in the barangay. In reality, they're all huge parts of the national political tapestry.

This time, I am so excited for the result of the said election in our barangay and I hope that the officials who would soon be declared would stay true to their promises. As for me, whether the ones I voted for will win or not, I will remain happy and peaceful for the fact that I voted for those people whom I believe would make a difference in our small village. The others I voted for were not personally known to me as I have been away from home for years but with their background in public service as laid by some people I asked, I am quite confident that they are the most capable people that our locals could ever have.

Tata Young Receives Prestigious US Environmental Protection Agency Montreal Protocol Award

2010-10-05T13:08:00.000-07:00

The United Nations Environment Program Department of Technology, Industry and Economics (UNEP DTIE) celebrated the International Ozone Day and the Millennium Development Goals with Asian pop star, Tata Young, at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand (FCCT) in Bangkok last night. Luckily, I was invited by a friend and was able to come for the event. Following is a press release forwarded through e-mail by the UNEP.

Bangkok, 5 October 2010 – Tata Young, Asia’s pop music sensation, was awarded this year’s Montreal Protocol Award of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) for raising public awareness on the importance of protecting the ozone layer - a notable effort that contributes to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on environmental sustainability.

The Award, which recognizes individuals and organizations who are making a difference in protecting the environment through their demonstrated commitment and extraordinary contributions, was presented to Ms. Young by Judith B. Cefkin, the U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission and Dr. Young-Woo Park, UNEP’s Regional Director and Representative for Asia and the Pacific during a ceremony yesterday at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT) in Bangkok.

The USEPA highlighted Ms. Young’s work with OzonAction Programme in the Division of Technology, Industry and Economics of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). One of the singer’s first projects with OzonAction was a public service announcement (PSA) entitled “My Ozone Wish” that encourages people to stop using products that contain ozone depleting substances.

Ms. Young, who has record labels with Sony Music, also uses her concerts to inform the public about protecting the ozone layer. At the mega launch of her third album “Ready for Love” in Bangkok last year, the “My Ozone Wish” PSA was screened, and a special sticker saying “Protect yourself, protect the ozone layer” was placed on the album’s cover which later sold over 10,000 copies.

“It is an honor for me to be recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and I will continue to use the power of music to capture people’s hearts and encourage them to take action to protect the ozone layer and to help prevent climate change,” said Ms. Young upon receiving the award.

The Montreal Protocol, signed by 196 countries, was designed to reduce and eventually eliminate ozone-depleting substances. The phase-out of ozone-depleting substances, including hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) in air conditioning and refrigeration equipment, necessitates a long-term commitment from all developed and developing countries alike. HCFCs and some of the alternatives, such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), are global warming gases, and their continued production and emissions contributes to climate change. Parties to the Montreal Protocol in 2007 accelerated the HCFC phaseout with a view toward increasing climate protection. In November, Parties will consider two amendment proposals concerning HFC reduction to ensure stronger climate protection.

“We would like to thank Tata and her management team for their wonderful efforts,” said Dr. Young-Woo Park. “UNEP’s OzonAction Programme is looking forward to working with her in the future to raise public awareness on ozone layer protection and its strong linkages with climate change, which is one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),” added Dr. Park.

Tata Young’s award ceremony follows the celebration of two other special occasions, the 2010 International Ozone Day on 16 September and the launch of a new UNEP brochure entitled “Stand Up for the Ozone Layer and the Millennium Development Goals.” This pocket size booklet explains in simple language how protecting the ozone layer can also contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the 2015 target.

The MDGs are a set of eight concrete and specific development goals adopted by 189 world leaders committed to achieving by 2015 as part of the Millennium Declaration signed at the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000. These time-bound Goals are: 1) end extreme poverty and hunger; 2) achieve universal primary education; 3) promote gender equality and empower women; 4) reduce child mortality; 5) improve maternal health; 6) combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; 7) ensure environmental sustainability and 8) develop a global partnership for development.

“The latest review of the MDG Goal 7 on environmental sustainability has found it regressing and lagging behind. The impacts of climate change directly threaten the achievement of the MDGs as they push the poor and vulnerable deeper into poverty,” said Mr. Minar Pimple, Regional Director of the UN Millennium Campaign Asia and the Pacific Regional Office. “The need to address climate change concerns, including the rapid depletion of ozone layer, is deeply intertwined with the long-term efforts to achieve the MDGs to end global poverty. Thus a climate change strategy should have the MDGs and poverty reduction at its core,” he explained.

Mr. Pimple also added that the outcome of the recent UN MDG Review Summit in New York last month attended by over 150 world leaders illustrated that push to achieve the MDGs has been accelerated through renewed global partnership.

The Ruamrudee International School students and the Kaya Green Band also performed “Fix That Hole”, a song about ozone layer protection during the ceremony. The song was written by the Kaya Green Band from the Philippines last year for the 2009 International Ozone Day Celebration.

The award ceremony was hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme, Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (UNEP DTIE) OzonAction Programme, the United Nations Millennium Campaign (UNMC), Ruamrudee International School (RIS) and the United States Embassy in Thailand.

DepEd banning homeworks on weekends: A teacher's point of view

2010-09-20T13:15:00.000-07:00

A recent memorandum circulated by the Philippines' Department of Education (DepEd) ordered all public school teachers especially in the elementary level to refrain from giving take-home assignments especially on Fridays. Accordingly, the learners should spend quality time with their family during weekends but due to loads of homeworks given to them, children tend to become burdened on weekends. Such memorandum, of course, has stirred negative reactions from a couple of educators in the country who seem to have been ignored when the policy was planned.

Where should I stand to such memorandum? As Filipino educator, I couldn't just say that I could ignore it. Personally, I have been fond of giving homeworks to my students especially during long holidays and I never meant to give burden in the part of the parents and the learners every time I give some homeworks. Instead, I instill to the learners that learning could be as fun as doing other chores and that spending the entire holiday playing would not do good to them. Of course, I know the capability of my students and I would not give bunches of homeworks which would only cause them to spend their entire holiday doing homeworks. In fact, I advocate in providing a learning equilibrium inside and outside schools, thus, providing the learners a friendly and natural learning atmosphere where they could personally explore that learning and fun could actually interplay provided that they possess a positive attitude.

As for the parents, they need to understand that education is a collaborative process and that the burden should not be solely given to the teachers. Parents have to spend as much time as possible helping their children showing them a positive attitude towards learning. We all know that most of the parents are being bombarded with lots of work-related loads during weekdays and spending quality time learning with their children is almost impossible. Weekends could be a good time for them to spend some time doing few school-related works with their children.

I believe that the said memorandum from DepEd only instills negative connotation for homeworks to the learners. It adds fuel to the existing phony perception that homework (and so learning) is burden -- a struggle which must be endured by every learner. Having parents spend time with their children doing homeworks is the best way for parents to show affection and interest towards their children's education and that it encourages them to gain more positive insights towards learning. I strongly adhere to a personal proposition that what needs to be done in our public schools is not to suppress teachers from giving homeworks to the learners. Instead, teachers should be equipped with enhanced professional knowledge on the principles of learning and the giving of homeworks as well as the provision of holistic development among every individual. Meanwhile, parents should also be informed that their children do not have to spend weekends doing special classes in some tutorial centers or having individualized lessons but rather spend a portion of their time during weekends preparing for their lessons the following week. It's in the parents how they teach their children to manage time especially when they're home.

The world is now moving towards the creation of a knowledge-based society. If we want to cope with the current trend of the society, then we need to instill in the minds of our learners that genuine desire to learn at any time every time. Homeworks have never been and will never be designed to cause burden to the learners but to encourage them to learn more whenever possible.

They'll learn: With or without me

2010-09-18T09:11:00.000-07:00

Rains were heavily falling in Bangkok during the past days. Those crystal drops seem to have penetrated the innermost of my bones causing a bit of poignant effect to my body. Although raindrops continued, I was still happily devoting most of my times with my students when a piece of melancholy struck in my heart leaving an effect similar to those crystal drops of rain. I gazed at my lesson plan, checked the school calendar, tapped my iPod to learn what day was it and then I found out that I only have two last meetings with my kids.

I happened to tell one of my classes to be prompt in sending their works as I would only be staying until the last day of the month. There were some questions raised and some were almost answerable but one question stood out from the rest. A tall guy in my Grade 12 class asked if I would be gone forever to which I answered, "No, I'm not dying yet." Of course, I knew what he meant but I was just trying to cover some emotive thoughts that might have overflowed during that time.

Telling myself that I would not miss my students is a great lie for they've been precious stones who adorned a couple of supposedly dull moments in my life. There were times when they made me mad but they've always been parts of the challenges that I really loved. I would surely miss those times when a smile was given instead of homework. I would miss those days when a command of silence would mean a horrendous noise. I would miss those moments when I entered into their classroom stared and was ignored like I was bringing bunches of burden for them - like being a Mathematics Teacher, I was looked at as an advocate of eternal suffering and nonsense puzzle. I would miss those simple things which seem to have been ignored over time but in the end, meant a lot for my own and my students' personal progress.

And now the time is getting near for me not to say goodbye but to leave them with an inspiration and an expectant mind that someone and something better would come in their lives and that something would also come into my way. I am a teacher yet learning has never been confined with my presence in the classroom. I trust and I believe that my students could still venture for even wider learning opportunities than what I have given and shared with them.

Not everyone who lives exists

2010-09-14T10:54:00.000-07:00

I love integrating some basic philosophies and life principles in my mathematics class and that's perhaps the reason why I tend to stick to a particular topic longer than it could be probably studied.

Recently, I have been discussing about limits with my Grade 12 class and learned that a certain variable could approach to a particular number in either ways. It could start from the left or it could start from the right. For example, x could get nearer and nearer to 2 either from values which are less than two or from values which are greater than two. I mentioned that there are some instances that a variable could approach a particular number only from a single origin and we call that one-sided limit, that is, the limit from the other side does not exist. The word EXIST became the tipping point of a profound philosophical discussion I had with my students. What does "exist" mean and when can we say that a particular body exists? Is existing the same as living? These were some of the baffling questions we had in our math class.

In a thought-provoking manner, I told my students, "Not everyone who lives exists!"

Etymologically, the word existence came from the Latin word "existere" which means to "stand out." Drawing connection from the etymological meaning of the word existence, we could simply say that existing is far more than just living. Existing is all about finding meaning for one's life and making life meaningful. As Sartre puts it in, "man first of all exists, encounters himself, surges up in the world – and defines himself afterwards." To exist is to believe in one's personal judgments and values and not in the arbitrary values of the outside world. To exist is to accept one's personal responsibilities and act upon them.

Do you exist?

Gmail Priority Inbox: A time saving feature

2010-09-14T01:33:00.000-07:00

I have just signed up for a Gmail account last year and since then, this giant electronic mail host never failed to amaze me with its never-ending commitment to upgrade its services for their clients. Aside from a huge mail capacity which enabled me to receive large files, there were lots of features in Gmail which increased my efficiency in this electronic world.

Lately, Gmail introduced the Gmail Priority Inbox which automatically finds and sorts important e-mails. This is especially helpful to people who got plenty of electronic subscriptions like me. Since I got wired, I have been subscribing for web logs and pages which were worth reading. Therefore, I have been constantly bombarded with those e-mails containing content updates and sometimes annoying and irrelevant offers from their sponsors. At times, instead of opening all those mails which would surely kill my time, I just browse for e-mails which I needed to address immediately and it would usually take me time especially if there have been a couple of mails lined up in my inbox. There were times when I accidentally deleted some important mails which usually ended up with a soft argument with some of my students who insisted that they already submitted their project/homework through my e-mail. There were also times where urgent works requested by some of my colleagues have been neglected and some other important inquiries were left unanswered like what happened to a recent e-mail from a parent. Well, those things might come to an end this time with the help of Gmail Priority Inbox.

To learn how it works, watch this video.

Diaz: Cebuanos could hardly speak English and Tagalog

2010-09-12T02:18:00.000-07:00

"When you think about a Cebuana can hardly speak English and, of course, Tagalog so maybe she should answer in Bisaya." That was the comment of former Miss Universe Gloria Diaz which stirred negative reactions from most of the Cebuanos and even prompted some Cebuano lawmakers to draft a resolution condemning such banter from the former beauty queen and declaring her as persona non grata or an unwelcome person in Cebu. Such remark was given by Diaz when asked about her comments on having an interpreter for Filipina beauty queens joining in international beauty tilts. This was after the major major answer of the Philippine representative to Miss Universe 2010 Maria Venus Raj who landed fourth runner-up in the competition.

Instead of apologizing, Diaz went on defending herself against the rants on her belittling statement against the Cebuanos' ability to speak English. She said that such interview has been edited and that some statements were omitted and that she was only misunderstood.

Looking at how Diaz reacted on a Cebu Solon's demand for public apology, it could be said that Diaz even gave another accusation that Cebuanos are not only incapable of speaking English or Tagalog but in understanding the language as well. In my own point of view, Diaz was not misunderstood. Her statement was very clear and it's unquestionable that she ignited the undying issue of racism in the Philippines where some ethno-linguistic groups are being stereotyped as low-class individuals especially in their ability to speak another language like English. What is being misunderstood in the statement "A Cebuana could hardly speak English and Tagalog"? Yes, it might not be her intention to discriminate the Cebuanas' ability to speak English and Tagalog but the statement itself is a clear form of discrimination.

If a public figure like Gloria Diaz, a supposed to be advocate of beauty for unity, could arrogantly pose such ugly statement against ethnic groups in the Philippines and would even deny simple gesture of apology to the anguish Cebuanos, then how can we expect a greater scale of national peace and reconciliation? We all need to understand our cultural differences as a country and that involves understanding the different linguistic features of our spoken dialects. Not because there are Cebuanas who could hardly speak English or speak English with a very distinct variation, then Cebuanas would be stereotyped as incapable of speaking good English. Diaz has just polarized an issue which we supposed to work on for convergent perceptions towards national progress and unity.

Ms. Gloria Diaz, I believe, was not misunderstood by the Cebuanos. In way, I would have believed her if she said that she improperly conveyed her message of making everyone realize that each one has to speak in language he/she is comfortable with. And considering that such interview was meant to address a "gaffe" which happened in the recent Miss Universe, no one could avoid that citing Cebuanos as examples could be associated to some gaffes Cebuanos commit while speaking English which is a phony stereotype.

A New Beginning

2010-09-10T13:03:00.000-07:00

A big box in the corner of my flat has been gradually crammed with some stuff I gathered in the past four years and they all prompted me to accept the truth that my days in Thailand are almost coming to a close.

It’s been four years already but time seems to be very swift to let those moments pass like a flashing monsoon. I used to feel a mixture of excitement and some pieces of melancholy but as time went by, everything became fine and traces of regrets and doubts could never be found in my part. I believe, this decision is the best that I could ever have this time. Now, allow me to look back those times when I was only starting to work here in the Land of Smiles.

Thailand has been my first destination abroad and I started my journey here as young educator last September 2006 when I luckily landed a teaching job in a government school in the country’s smallest province. Life seemed to be very tough in the beginning. I had to do a couple of first-times and I also had to deal with plenty of embarrassments caused by my ignorance to the culture of the people whom I have been dealing with. They all became parts of my life and in one way or another; they have shaped me into what I am now.

After eighteen months of working with the young kids in the province, I then started to trudge a new road in the country’s capital city where I taught Mathematics to primary students in a newly offered bilingual curriculum for teaching and learning Mathematics in a prominent Catholic school. After one school year, I then went to the secondary level and taught Mathematics to Grade 8 and Grade 11 students. This school year, I was tasked to teach one level in the lower secondary and two levels in the upper secondary. Working with those teenage students who could be very wild at times was really challenging yet equally fulfilling. I learned a lot from them and they shaped a huge part of me.

I would always look back with a grateful heart to those years I had in my life where I got to work with people who defined some pieces of me. Meanwhile, I would also be looking forward to the many possibilities that I would have back home. It’s not goodbye. It’s welcome to a new beginning.

Adults should also learn from kids

2010-08-20T05:04:00.000-07:00

As adults, we need to understand that we used to live in a generation which is so different from the present generation. Children of today might not act the way we acted before and so instead of getting frustrated on how the societal landscape has changed and how the knowledge society has corrupted the minds of the younger generations, we could take some of our time contemplating on what are those things that we could learn from the new breeds. We could learn from the new generation as much as we could teach them about our own generation.

We need to accept the fact that change is the only permanent thing in this world and that we need to go with the flow in order to keep ourselves in tune. We could not turn our children into the ideal kind of individuals our society used to have or is having but we need to make them realize that they could be better citizens and that they could create a better community. Recently, a friend of mine who is a father of two wonderful kids, mentioned that what we need to do as adults is do our best to provide a safe environment for our children while we let them explore and become independent. His words are very true and I am not wondering why he got two growing children who would hopefully help make this world a better place.

The following video from a TED Talk by child prodigy Adora Svitak has so many things to tell that I am sure many adults could learn. This video is a must-watch for parents, teachers and all adults especially those who are working with children.

Why did heavens know?

2010-08-19T08:03:00.000-07:00

I wrote this poem while I was alone (as I always am and I am loving it at times) in my pad one rainy afternoon. I was reading a book when inspiration suddenly struck. Carried out by some thoughts of sadness and frustrations, I opened my notebook and started to jot down all the thoughts I had that time. I was glad I had that moment of solitude for it has been a long time since I wrote a poem as I have been too occupied with so many sciences and researches which are of vital importance in today's knowledge society and of course in my profession. I remember, the last English poem I entered in my journal was written inside an airplane almost four years ago when I first left the Philippines. It's entitled "I am a Traveler" and was written to express my musings on what a new and used to be strange country would offer me.

Life is a very wonderful journey, my friends. Let's enjoy life and live it to the fullest. Negative thoughts and emotions might dwell in us at times but they should not be the reasons for us to stop trudging the road we have chosen to follow. Instead, let those unlikely situations inspire us to do better and to do more -- ponder and write something from the heart. For now, here's another piece of my soul -- a sonnet that I sang when things just didn't work the way I wanted. Looking at the brighter side of each situation is a choice which is always freely given to us. The poem is here for you to decipher.

Ebony shade ate the sunlight hours

The sun sighed and the clouds cried

Birds fluttered fading away to a place I never knew

Then my soul wailed for a reason I didn't know

And then the trees chuckled

While the flowers smirked

Frogs exulted with euphoric tongue

Then my heart ebbed and flew

Like a swarming snake, I kissed the ground

And soaked my face in the feeble mire

The truculent fusion of teardrops and the meek brown dust

Left my face a gloomy wonder never defined

How did heavens know such melancholy?

I locked my mouth that no one would hear.

Yet the silent weeps roared into the sky

Why did heavens know?

I stopped wondering…

Gazing my thoughts to those cold crystal drops

I knew heavens teemed down those liquid beads

So my desolated thoughts would be carried with the breeze.

Math and Music: Making Mathematics Interesting

2010-08-18T10:39:00.000-07:00

It was last year when I decided to bring something new into my mathematics class by integrating music in one of my lessons which has been deemed boring by most of my students who were in a way hyperactive in the classroom. I decided to compose a rap based on our lesson and taught it to the learners. The purpose of the rap was not merely to have the learners do mathematical computations but to make their learning of mathematics more meaningful and relevant by making it interesting to them. Considering that they were all-boy classes, I thought that such activity would motivate them to learn mathematics in English which happened to be their second if not foreign language.

I taught the rap in the class with enthusiasm and was so amazed of its impact. Reading powers which was very difficult for them at first became so easy as they learned the structure through the song. It became easier for them too to master the mathematical terms involved in the lesson, thus, easily identify which is which as I taught the concepts and the operations. The result was very stunning for the fact that most of the students still memorized the lyrics of the rap even after few months. It's very uplifting to hear the students doing the rap each time I happened to see them in the school corridors. They were doing it as if they were not doing the mathematics which they found dreadful. Even until now that my students are already in the 9th grade, they do still master some parts of the rap that they happily hum it every time they see me. Just this afternoon, I met a former student near the school's gate and he called me, "Teacher Phil!" and when I answered back, he asked me if I know exponents.

So that you would exactly know what I have been talking about, play the following video and listen to me rapping. It's not that good. I admit, some of my students had a better version than mine.

With such brilliant result in mind, I am becoming more motivated to do more in some of my lessons in the future especially those which would involve thorough understanding and memorization of mathematical terms and formulas. This is one of the exciting things that you would get from teaching -- you could have a multiple personality. There are times wherein you need to become a singer, rapper, dancer, poet, actor, stand-up comedian and the list continues. I once entered in my class with a husky voice due to my sore throat and the students noticed it as soon as I greeted them. Instead of giving them alibis for not being able to teach, I started the discussion grabbing the microphone which I specially had because of my sore throat and told them, "Class, as you have noticed, your teacher's voice is not that good. Please bear with him because he just had a series of concerts earlier." My statement then stirred laughter in the classroom. I remember my professor who once told us, "As a teacher, think that you are all performers and your performances happen each time you teach. Make each performance the best that you could ever do."

Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk 2010 in Bangkok

2010-07-27T09:42:00.000-07:00

The photo walkers at the King Rama 1 Statue before the jump-off
of the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk 2010 in Wang Burapha
Phirom, Bangkok, Thailand on July 24, 2010.

Led by the Siam Pinoy Aperture Society (SPAS), a group of Filipino photographers in the Kingdom of Thailand, this year's Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk in Wang Burapha Phirom, Bangkok, Thailand (Pak Khlong Talat) became a remarkable gathering of photographers from different sides of the world. Participated in by some European and African photographers and mostly Filipino and Thai photo enthusiasts, everyone was gathered capturing the unique urban culture that this side of Bangkok has to offer.

Pak Khlong Talat is undoubtedly the flower trading area of
Bangkok as depicted in this picture.

Gathered at 3:30 in the afternoon at the King

Rama 1 statue for short briefing and group picture taking, the group then headed towards Pak Khlong Talat where exquisite variety of flowers can be found. The area is at its best for macro and street photography as details could be beautifully captured and dramatic scenes are just around the corner. Following the route of the Photo Walk, everyone passed through the Grand Palace compound where unique Thai architecture and some western-inspired designs roused every walker to spontaneously snap their gadgets.

Taken at the Grand Palace compund, this photo is my
entry for the contest in Scott Kelby World Wide Photo
Walk 2010 .

Thai TV Channel 3 was there to cover the event. A reporter accompanied by three crews, followed and interviewed some of the walkers. The coverage was aired in the channel's program later in the evening. That, actually, made the event more remarkable in its truest sense.

After the walk, the group met at Cafe' Democ near the Democracy Monument for some food and drinks and networking. Everyone was also up at sharing their experiences during the walk and the pictures they have taken. But for me, it did not end there as a sumptuous dinner, lively chat and mesmerizing music followed at De River of River with some of the walkers. The day was very long but it was enjoyable and rewarding. It was great to meet new people and, of course, meet same old brilliant friends.

More pictures can be viewed in my Flickr Photostream. Just click the thumbnails in the right sidebar of this blog and it would direct you to my photostream.

PHOTO CREDIT: The group picture of the walkers as seen in this blog was taken by Jose Tan of Siam Pinoy - the ultimate online Filipino community in Thailand.

Inception: Deciphering Dreams within Dreams

2010-07-27T07:59:00.000-07:00

Inception is perhaps the best movie that this year could offer. From the gifted director and screenwriter Christopher Nolan, this film is absolutely a work of a genius who is so abreast of the twist and turns of sci-fi flicks. The muddling up of the intricacies of the scientific world and the fantasy-filled space is brilliant and in a way astonishing. Watching a flick wherein the plot entirely revolves in the subconscious world of human dreams, one would be left thinking of what’s real and what’s unreal. Heart-pumping in its own way and mind-blowing in every aspect of the plot, the movie would leave the audience rationally bewildered.

Synopsis (from Warner Bros. as posted in the Internet Movie Database)

Dom Cobb (played by award-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio) is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb's rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible-inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming.

My Review:

Directly speaking, I have never seen a movie as exceptional as this. If I consider Dan Brown a literature genius because of his astounding yet controversial The Da Vinci Code, Christopher Nolan is no less than a whiz for such an imaginative mind that was able to coherently mix up reality with fantasy.

As the plot details layers of dreams, it would somehow leave the viewers with powerful truth-seeking minds trying to decipher which is delusion and which is real and that makes the movie mentally gratifying. Emotion would never be spared in this film as the story itself would perk your hearts up and would make its beat faster as you tend to undergo factual and emotive discernment of each and every incidental reason.

The cast, led by veteran actor Leonardo DiCaprio, justified the film with their convincing stunts. Ellen Page is also worth of a mention for her dramatic and intellectual rationalization of the ‘inception’.

The setting and the visual effects were nothing but awe-inspiring especially that scene where the van was about to fall from the bridge and the one where they lost gravity in the hotel. The scene is scientifically real and the visual representation was awesome. If you are the kind of person who likes light but convincing visual effects, you will agree with me that the visuals of the film are commendable.

Although there have been plenty of feedbacks that the plot of the movie is not clear, I would not agree. Concentration and rational viewing of the film would clear things out. I highly recommend this film to everyone. It’s absolutely worth of you time, effort and money.

My Rating:

For satisfying my ravenous mind and hammering my altering sensation, I give this film a rating of 9 out of 10. I will spare 1 to the many other films which would not catch my fancy. I believe Nolan would be kind enough to share that point to the others. :)

Mastery Matters

2010-06-19T08:44:00.000-07:00

After reading some researches on Mathematics Education and having a couple of observations in my classes, I thought of not giving homeworks to my students anymore. My reasons are personally valid based on the observations I had and the supposedly purpose for giving homeworks. Homeworks are supposed to be given for practice and mastery of mathematical concepts and skills. However, with the learners' bulk of homeworks, the extension works I have given them as homework were clearly done for the sake of finishing them and not being scolded in the classroom.

The truth about homework is that the students who have been performing in class well and seem to have mastered the concepts and skills already are the ones who would most likely do them while those who need them the most would most likely escape from them and end up copying or half-heartedly doing them. Goals are forfeited, indeed.

I decided, instead of giving homeworks, I could give all the exercises in the classroom. That way I could make sure that they are all doing and I could also provide immediate feedback -- straightforward when a mathematical problem is correctly solved and when a mistake is committed in any part of the solution. I know it would work but I need to put on another consideration and that is TIME. Time is one of the greatest constraint for not achieving something -- there has been too little time to a learn a couple of mathematical concepts.

It's one of the worst scenario in our education institutions today. Too much focus has been given on studying a couple of contents and students are treated like machines who are ready to accept all those things fed unto them. It's an ugly truth and I don't want to live into it. Learning concepts matters more than studying concepts because the learned ones tend to be applied more that those ones which were only studied. Studying and learning has to be differentiated in this case as not all who study learn.

NEW and NEWS

2010-06-13T08:26:00.000-07:00

I want to start with the NEW:

I have been so busy in the past days because the NEW school year has just started and, as usual, there are lots of things which need to be tried, redone and polished. I started a NEW learning portal blog for my students through Blogger platform. The idea was coined last school year but it was materialized only last month due to some considerations which I needed to put on for the learners. I already had class wiki last school year but I decided to change it into portal blog for easier customization to suit the learners' needs and capabilities.

I got NEW students this school year and NEW level and subject matter to teach. Like last year, I am still teaching Mathematics for Grade 8 and Grade 11 but I have new students where few of them are girls unlike last year where only my Grade 11 class got some girls. My Grade 11 students last year are still my students this year but they are now in Grade 12 so I got old students with new subject matter to teach. And guess, I am always excited because it's Calculus. I'll gonna be deeply thinking with my students!

Two weeks ago, I also signed a NEW contract with my school which meant that I would be working in Thailand for another school year. That's another milestone for me and my kids. I also had my Visa extended.

And now, the NEWS...

I already got my permanent teaching license from the Ministry of Education in Thailand. My temporary teaching license has already expired as its validity is only for two years. I did not actually sweat off that much to get this teaching license especially that I am a licensed teacher in the Philippines. That's the advantage if you got a degree in education or a licensed teacher from your country of origin. I just took a 20-hour training on Thai Language, Culture and Professional Ethics which is one of the requirements. I was so amazed how fast was the processing. Now, I am only waiting for the ID card to be issued by the Teachers' Council of Thailand.

Another big news bumped upon me and my students last week. Our entry in the International Schools CyberFair Contest 2010 got the Platinum Prize which is the highest distinction for a project in each category. Our research project "Save Bangkok, Save Earth" was under Environmental Awareness category. We got the platinum prize together with Saint Louis University Laboratory High School of Baguio City, Philippines. I am very happy and proud of my students!

Welcome School Year 2010-2011!

2010-05-21T08:09:00.000-07:00

After being delayed for one week because of the current peace and order situation in Bangkok, classes for school year 2010-2011 would finally start next week. Although I am not happy with the current situation of the capital which affects every waking man in the city, I was glad to learn that I would be having more time to prepare my lessons and all those necessary and 'unnecessary' documentations for the new school year.

Almost everything is new this school year as we embark to the third year of the instigation of the bilingual curriculum for English, Math and Science. New textbooks are arriving and new curriculum has to be followed. Standards were also set for the teaching of the three core subjects wherein analysis of the relevance of the subject matter to the standards had to be painstakingly done as I found the two to have divergent concerns. Well, that's for high school Mathematics.

This school year, I would be teaching the same levels I taught last year (Grade 8 and Grade 11) but I would have one additional class in Mathematics in Grade 12. I would be handling 11 classes all in all with at least three varied preparations per week and, I tell you, that is really inspiring. At least, I would not have that time to entertain negative thoughts as I would be spending much of my time with my close to 600 students with absolutely varied interests and level of development in English language and in Mathematics. I should say that I leveled up this school year.

Wish me luck, folks!

Math Class Makeover

2010-05-20T11:11:00.000-07:00

In this video, Dan Meyer talks about how Mathematics has been taught and how it should be taught. It is very interesting to learn that Mathematics doesn't really have to be a dreadful subject but instead a very interesting one.

What really hinders us from acquiring mathematical skills (he broke down into mathematical calculation and mathematical reasoning) is our attitude which is also relevant to how Mathematics is presented to us.

To all Mathematics teachers and even those who are aspiring to be one, this video is a must-see.

The Impact of Parenting

2010-05-18T08:11:00.000-07:00

A couple of social and educational researches on the impact of parental involvement in the success (in academic and life in general) of the learners have been published by different institutions and they have sounded off in unison -- there's a great IMPACT. Parents play a vital role in the holistic development of their children. However, it is sad to say that there are some parents who become so busy making bucks while forgetting their other responsibilities for their children. They believe that money could develop everything in their child -- send them to good school, hire them good tutors, have them enroll in special classes and many other spendings just to "ensure" a good future for their children. Little did these parents know that genuine affection felt in every endeavor of their children is more than what good tutors, schools and learning centers could offer.

Growing children need genuine care from people around them and aside from teachers, parents are expected to be with them during those times wherein they're needed the most. This would not be experienced by most of the parents anymore during their children's teenage years so why not take the opportunity? Show support to your children. They need more than just a tutor. I believe every child is capable if and only if proper attention is given to them. If possible, sit beside them as they do their homeworks. As they come home, ask them how they've been doing at school and share with their good and bad days.

I hope that parents would realize it before it's too late. A high school adviser back in the Philippines and a present high school teacher in Thailand, I have observed that parents would start to follow-up their children when problems already came out. They try to correct their children when they start to think. Teach children good habits before they come to know the bad ones.

My Shot of the Current Bangkok Unrest

2010-04-24T20:42:00.001-07:00

For almost four years of living and working here in Thailand, I should say that those years are not enough for people to call me Thai. My physical looks might lure most of the individuals to believe that I am Thai whenever I am with the locals but, still, my knowledge about the kingdom and my practice are very far from those people who are genuinely Thai. However, I do not keep this reality from letting myself to get into the current situation of the country where democracy has been torn apart and anarchy is about to be formed by people who know no respect to the law and the rulings of the kingdom and a government which have been averse in implementing the promulgated laws. Ever since I started teaching in the kingdom, I did not consider myself as an absolute foreigner. I have been working with Thais and have been with my Thai students in the classroom -- these and all which are not yet told are enough reasons for me not to act like an alien who doesn't care of the going-ons of the country.

Although quite tiring, I did not fail to read the news behind the headlines of two of the English newspapers in the country. Not to mention, those English newspapers contain almost the same news everyday -- the casualties of the current demonstration, the location of the mob, the pressure that each party is trying to push, the clash between the pro- and the anti-government protesters, and many other similar stories. The opinion page also contains almost the same but the good thing there is that I am able to examine and compare my point of view with those of the Thais and so I continue to indulge myself in getting the pleasure of getting information (or stress) from reading those newspapers.

A couple of times, I have been asked what is my stand to the current situation of the country but I also failed to share my stance not because I do not know anything about what's happening. Having been here for almost four years, it's very ridiculous to say that I know nothing about what's happening. I should not have been here if I could not show that simple interest towards my host country. I failed to share not because I am afraid that I would be wrong but because I want to spare myself from this current political turmoil. I have had plenty of it in the Philippines and I am fed up! However, knowing that you and other people have been too much affected by the situation, it's so awkward to say that everything is alright and you do not care about it.

Thailand Unrest: An Expatriate's Point of View

2010-04-11T10:45:00.000-07:00

Thailand has been my home for almost four years now. Needless to say, this has been my first destination outside my home country and I would always be thankful for it is in this country where I found a home away from home.

I first arrived in this country last September 2006. It was the very time when the military called for a coup which ousted the now-convicted Thaksin Shinawatra. Military government ruled the country for almost or more than one year until a coalition was formed by the People Power Party (PPP) which was said to be an ally of the former premier Shinawatra.

Months after the ruling coalition took its seat in the parliament; the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) started a huge demonstration which led to the dissolution of the parliament and other parties which then paved way to the placement of the current ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva in the government. However, instead of solving the problem, the situation came to worse when as soon as the new coalition ran the government, supporters of the ousted premier Thaksin formed another rally to defunct the seated parliament. Call for democracy has become endless since then and the political situation of Thailand has become unstable.

Lately, people try to put the blame to some other people (the leaders) for starting this misery. However,I personally believe that it’s neither Thaksin nor Abhisit who started this odd situation in Thailand – it’s the people’s reaction to what has happened that stirred the peace and order situation of the country. Thaksin Shinawatra has been proven guilty of possessing multi-million assets which have been earned by advancing his personal interests during his incumbency as the prime minister of Thailand and he must pay the price of such criminal offense. In all fairness, he (Thaksin) has done a lot of developments for the country but it doesn’t mean that his huge offense could be nullified through the advancements he made during his term. The means do not justify the end in such a way that the end does not justify the means. A criminal should be abducted according to the proceedings of the law. Meanwhile, people should not have called for a snap election just because they believe that Thaksin’s allies were to rule the land. They all have to respect the law which placed the government officials in their seats.

If you would look at the current condition of the country, you would notice how lawless the people had become. Disrespect to public figures and establishments were prevalent in the preceding and the current demonstrations. Public places were seized which caused inconvenience to the entire public and weapons were used to agitate both parties. The people need to realize that in order for democracy to properly work, everybody has to respect both individual and public rights. Democracy is sweet. Democracy is good. However, democracy could also be the worst nightmare a society could ever have if the people would not learn to cooperate.

This time, people call for democracy which they believe has been robbed from them. If democracy has been robbed from people, no one has to be blamed because these very people who yearn for democracy are the very people who bypass the law which is the very important aspect of a democratic society. The law is the defining thread of every democratic nation and anyone who breaks the law should not be allowed to enjoy democracy. I don't think democracy has been too elusive for Thai people. In fact, the government has been too soft in implementing force and the law in punishing those individuals who violated the law for they are still after of benignly resolving the country's crisis.

Online Learning: A New Trend in Education?

2010-04-09T17:28:00.001-07:00

Technology is everywhere these days. I remember when I attended a two-day seminar-workshop last 2008 where the participants were asked to think of as many e-prefixed words as they can. The purpose of the activity was for the participants to realize how tremendous are the applications of technology that most of the words nowadays have e- prefixes attached into it. Just think of e-mails, e-portfolios, e-news, e-books, e-magazines and a whole lot of words in the list.I am not wondering anymore if majority or all of my students in the classroom have their own computer and internet connection at home.

There are many speculations that a time would come wherein teachers are not needed anymore. What people would need in order to learn is a personal computer and an internet connection to stay connected with other learners. I have nothing to be afraid of with this trend because I know that if this time would come, they would still need human beings to design learning materials and have them uploaded in different learning websites or even online teachers who could provide support to the students. Every teacher needs to become adoptive and open to these trends which would likely dominate the world of learning in the near future. There are already studies which have been conducted to study the effectiveness of online learning and most of them handed out positive results.

However, if I am asked on the feasibility of online learning in providing holistic development among the learners, I firmly believe that it's far behind compared to face-to-face instruction. We all know how limited the human dimension is in online learning that sometimes, it's absolutely nil. How can we teach values in the cyberspace considering that values is not merely taught by words but through actions? Could someone who is unseen teach people about integrity, enthusiasm, courage and all those virtues? Well, it depends to the level of social and emotional consciousness of the learner but taking into consideration the young kids who just started to go to school and the teenagers who seem to be very aggressive at their stage of development, how can we assure that proper guidance is given among them? Online learning could be possibly implemented in higher education but I don't believe it would have absolute impact in the basic education level.

CHOICES

2010-03-29T07:17:00.000-07:00

From the moment we wake-up until we end the day at the comfort of our bed, we are inundated with choices which definitely influence every subsequent action in the verve of our existence. Some of them may sound insignificant but, in actual effect, every choice we make is a crucial decision that enormously defines the shape of our being. Every choice we make either brings us closer to or farther from our preferred destination.

In the course of our decision, we might have been wondering why we opted for a particular thing over the others. What are the reasons in every decision we make and what are the inner motivations that drive us towards a particular decision? Dr. William Glasser, a famous psychiatrist who coined the Choice Theory, identified the intrinsic needs of every human being which provide the foundation for all the motivations which compel us to decide on a particular choice. According to him, every human being calls for love and connection with others (relationship), a sense of competence and personal power (self-fulfillment), a certain degree of freedom and autonomy, joy and fun (happiness) and survival. People choose a particular choice not because of the external stimulus acting upon them but because of the intrinsic motivations which are associated with their inherent needs mentioned earlier. For example, a person would not cross the street on green lights because he knows that people need to stop on green lights but because he has the inner drive that he might be hit by a vehicle when he would decide to cross. It’s not the light that makes the person stop but the fear that he might lose his life when he decides to cross the street. Therefore, motivation is internal. That is why I love to call great speakers as inspirational rather than motivational. There are speakers who could inspire us to do something but the motivation is in us. If one of our needs has been hit, surely we would do something.

Indisputably, our genetic supremacy to pick out a particular choice over the others is the very thing that lies in the narrow line that distinguishes human beings from animals. Whatever we are today, these are all outcomes of the decisions we made before. No one needs to be blamed for we are all responsible of our own actions. We’ve been given the choices and the freedom to choose and it’s our response to those choices that highly matters.

EARTH HOUR 2010

2010-03-23T21:17:00.000-07:00

Vote for the Earth, show your support and join this year's Earth Hour by turning off your lights on March 27, 2010 at 8:30 PM.

It's time to take your stand against climate change. Show to the world that you care. Click the banner on the left sidebar of this blog for more information on how you can cast your support for Earth Hour 2010.

Bangkok International Book Fair 2010

2010-03-22T11:54:00.000-07:00

It's feast day for book aficionados once more as the 38th National Book Fair and 8th Bangkok International Book Fair would soon unwrap on 26 March to 6 April, 2010 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand. Publishers from Thailand and abroad would gather for this big event which would surely be patronized by the locals and expatiates in Thailand. Last year's book fair gathered 42 exhibitors and 1,300,000 visitors.

Aside from huge book exhibition, there would also be seminars and other stage activities to highlight the event. This year's exhibition would be having Japan as the guest of honor so we could expect Japanese culture to be highlighted in the event. It would be a great way to explore Japan without spending much for airfare and hotel accommodation. As this year's theme suggests, "Open a book, Open the world."

For more information of the event, click HERE.

The Real Challenge in Teaching

2010-03-12T10:13:00.000-08:00

Recently, I realized that the most challenging part of my career as a teacher does not actually lie in my students' diverse attitudes and behaviors but in the type of institution where I belong. I am talking about the personal and professional support that I get from the school. The success of every teacher usually draws inspiration from the support they get from the parents, administrators and other education stakeholders coupled with trust and confidence. I believe there's no teacher who would come inside a classroom with a hope of destructing the students' lives. Every teacher hopes to improve the life of every student he/she encounters that's why providing support to teachers is an imperative since the support that a teacher would get would also support the development of the learners. I extremely feel disheartened to learn that there are education stakeholders who still look at teachers as mere individuals who need to follow what they want for the learners and not as professionals who deserve trust and respect for upbringing the society where we live in. My professor in the graduate school of education once cited an anecdote which tickled both my mind and my heart. According to him, when we notice that our children become physically ill, we immediately run to the doctor to seek advice or treatment for our children. Nobody would usually run to the doctor and tell him that his/her child is sick and he needs to do this and do that. In short, we entrust our children to the doctors. The same thing we do to lawyers when we have legal problems. But why is it that there are parents, school administrators and other education stakeholders who seem to know very well when it comes to teaching that they almost dictate teachers what to do? If they know what to do, then why not teach? That's the problem in education. It seems that there are lots of geniuses in the field.

As a teacher, it's very rude to you as a professional when you notice that somebody else is doing the job which should have been done by you. It seems like you are the worst professional in the world who is not entrusted of anything. If you implement activities in the classroom, people around start to criticize what you are doing. I am not wondering why a Filipino celebrity once commented that teachers are mere repeaters. "They just repeat what they have learned." Well, teachers would become repeaters if they would not be given the chance to become more innovative just because some officials in the education sector and even in the government as a whole seem to be more knowledgeable than them.

For teachers, starting a project or introducing something new in the classroom is usually a problem especially when you are surrounded by pessimistic individuals who seem to be very satisfied for what they are and objectionably think that innovations are nothing but new problems which would only disturb their practical routines. Sometimes, parents would come to you and tell you that what you are trying to do is just a waste of time and besides their children still have lots of things to do at home. There are also times when administrators disapprove you plans and proposals just because they do not coincide with theirs.

As for me, I know where I stand and I stand to the belief that I know my students more than anybody else at school. I am with them everyday and I personally experience in my classroom the kind of attitudes and behavior they have. Nowadays, lots of teaching methods and strategies came out and all of them acclaimed effectiveness in the classroom. They normally add confusion to teachers as to which method or strategy to use for they all claim to be supported by research. However, the caution is in every teacher. We're the one who are staying inside the classroom and we know which method would work and would not work for our students.

Goodbye Facebook

2010-02-26T20:52:00.000-08:00

It was, I think, June last year when I created an account in the world's most popular social networking website, Facebook. At first, I was hesitant to open an account with facebook because of the many negative feedbacks I have read regarding privacy, addiction, among others. Well, I did not mind all the negative feedback because I was too positive to stick on the positive comments facebook users had. Honestly, I had much with facebook and it helped me a lot in networking, collaborating and communicating with my colleagues, friends, students and even people who have the same interests as mine.

But why did I opt to leave? The reasons are too personal and I believe I could divulge them here because this is a personal blog. The following reasons made me decide to deactivate my account at the world's most famous:

1. PRIVACY ISSUES Facebook is too open that you would sometimes wonder who are those people appearing in your wall. Every move you make is a news that would immediately appear to your friends' facebook homepage. Although I did not include some personal information in my profile, the fact is still there that other people (not my friends) could see my wall and it's really strange.

2. 'CYBER HARASSMENT' I have accepted some friends because I know them (e.g. we came from the same school, province or they were my students before) but I usually feel harassed when I am tagged with obscene, rude and nonsense pictures or posts. Since they would all appear in my wall, my other friends would see them and I am sure they also feel harassed. I could have deleted them in my list of friends but it's too late before I notice that they tagged me with rude posts.

3. WEB POPULARITY I became so popular in the web because of facebook. Before, when I google my name, teacher licensing websites and others (including my blog) would come out but since I joined facebook, it automatically topped in the result and it seems that my life has been so facebook. hehehe

Actually, I had all the purpose in my mind when I joined facebook and they were all served but they were also defeated this time. I thought of deleting people in my list of friends but I did not do it because, usually, I do not want to delete people in my life. I feel better when people delete me in their lives than me deleting them.

I still have plan of reopening another account with facebook and only time could tell when would that be. For now, I just have to say goodbye to facebook and focus myself on exploring the various applications of technology and how can I apply them in our classes.

Goodbye FACEBOOK!

Moving On and Stepping Forward

2010-02-15T09:20:00.000-08:00

One week more to go and we'll finally call it a day. That's how fast time flies that even some of my Grade 11 students we're a bit surprised when I announced in the class that we will be having our final project exhibition and final examination next week.

Closing the school year means a lot to me. First, it means a lot of work as I need to submit a bunch of reports. I also need to evaluate a couple of students' outputs and of course examination papers. They would be followed by a good amount of evaluation marks. Actually, they're a lot but I(I need to) enjoy doing them.

Works aside, the end of the school year does not really mean the end of the journey of every teacher for this is actually an important step for another teaching milestone. It's a very good time for teachers to reflect which worked and which did not during the entire school year, thus, providing room for improvement.

As for me, I learned a lot from this school year. It gave me a lot of learning-worthy experiences and I do hope that they would all guide me as I venture for another teaching and learning escapade,this time, hopefully with Grade 10, 11 and 12 classes. I just hope that I would have more disciplined and more responsible students next school year and I know that the best way to hope for those things is to have them in me.

Language and Content

2010-02-10T08:29:00.000-08:00

I am teaching Mathematics in the bilingual program of our school. Apparently, two languages are used as media of instruction in teaching Mathematics – they are the learners’ first language (Thai) and second language (English).

At first, I was wondering why two languages have to be utilized in teaching a particular subject in school when a single language can be used to teach the subject matter. Well, everything doesn’t really work that way because the main thrust of teaching Mathematics in English in our program is for the students to have good grasp of the English language especially on the contextual and technical usages of the language. In the first place, a particular word in English could mean different things according to how and where it is used and so teaching other subjects through English would help broaden the learners’ linguistic abilities.

However, one thing that confused me when I started teaching in the 2nd and 4th graders of this program was when I learned that the expected learning outcomes stated as the learning standards for Mathematics were purely the learning of mathematical concepts and skills. Personally, I believe that there’s no point in teaching mathematical concepts through English especially if the learners have poor grasp of the English language. That way, we’re only giving double frustrations to the learners – difficulty to understand the language and difficulty to understand the concepts because of the language. At times, I do need to understand why learners become so unmotivated. Following double learning standards is, indeed, frustrating.

The same thing happened in the lower secondary level this year where I have been teaching 8th graders. The learning outcomes given were purely mathematics and none is of language. The evaluation, of course, is based on the expected learning outcomes and as a teacher, I could not help myself but follow the standards given which I sometimes twist to match with the learners’ ability and readiness. I admit, it’s so frustrating at times.

I am happy because I have been given one class in the upper secondary where more freedom is given to the teacher from the planning of curriculum to its execution. Here, I enjoy giving both language and math related activities to the learners. I have been considering my class with the 11th graders as English for Academic Purposes (EAP) class where the content is Mathematics. Although it’s been my first year to handle such class, I am happy that I am somewhat directed on what I am going to do in the entire school year and, at least, I personally know what I am doing. I have been offered to teach mainly in upper secondary next school year and I am very excited on that. I am hoping to develop more enhancing strategies for learners to develop English language competency and mathematical thinking and communication as well. I claim that this is for real. I am very excited to teach upper secondary classes next school year and I continually wish that this excitement would turn in undying enthusiasm in developing the learners for the better.

The contents are quite challenging as I would be embarking with Pre-Calculus and Introduction to Calculus but I am not looking at it as a challenge because I optimistically look at it as another opportunity. I believe it would be another learning experience that would broaden my horizon as Mathematics slash Language teacher. After all, versatility is the true test of being a teacher.

Should I Get Licensed?

2010-02-04T02:06:00.000-08:00

Would it mean betrayal to my very own country where I am a licensed teacher or allegiance to my host country which is now asking me to be licensed?

Time really flies so quickly that I almost did not notice that I have been teaching here in Thailand for more than three years already and I really need to get a license for teaching here that long and, maybe, longer. It’s been three years and my temporary two-year teaching license granted through my present school would expire soon. Whether I like it or not and whether it would mean betrayal or allegiance, I have only one thought rumbling in my mind: GET LICENSED!

To be a licensed teacher in Thailand, one must have at least bachelor’s degree in education or qualifying units in teaching. Aside from that, a foreign teacher needs to be abreast of the culture of his host country that's why twenty-hour training on Thai language and culture is needed for licensing. The licensing for foreign teacher in Thailand has been imposed years ago but it’s only this time that the Ministry of Education (MoE0 became strict into it. It’s actually one of the agenda in Thailand’s National Education Act of 1999.

In the peak of its implementation, the said policy has stirred controversy among the flocks of foreign educators especially to those who could be hardly qualified for licensing. Some said that it’s another money-making venture while others pessimistically complained over the needed seminar and even the specified professional subjects to be taken for non-education degree holders. I even looked at it negatively once especially when I learned that it was inconsistently implemented all over Thailand. But now, I hope that this is for real and this would even help in the development of English language education in the country. In the end, the policy has a very bright purpose within.

So my judgment, I should get licensed. It’s great to be a licensed teacher in you home country and in your host country as well, isn’t it? This is actually one of the best things that a teacher could have anywhere he would decide to work. I hope everything would work well during the licensing process. I will be confirming soon my attendance in twenty-hour training on Thai Language and Culture to be conducted by the Private School Teachers Association of Thailand (PSTAT). I’ll be looking at it as a new learning experience as I am hoping for another teaching contract with my school next school year.

BELIEVE!

2010-01-31T07:06:00.000-08:00

I have encountered this very encouraging and inspiring video shared by Teacher Sol who is a Filipino teacher in the United States of America. The video struck a chord in me and pushed me again to BELIEVE. Believe in myself as a teacher and the tremendous impact that I could bring in this world. Believe in my students who would be the future of our world. Yes, I believe!

How about you? Do you believe? Whether you're a teacher or not, I encourage (if not force) you to watch this video and tell me if you do also believe.

Problems Are Blessings in Disguise

2010-01-25T16:28:00.000-08:00

"Every problem has in it the seeds of its own solution. If you don't have any problem, you don't get any seed."- Norman Vincent Peale

I am trying to imagine how life could have been without problems. Absolutely, there would be no sorrows and pains. But how it would be like? Unimaginable, I believe.

When stricken with problems, a lot of things usually happen in me. Aside from my immediate painful reaction, I flinch on digging out for as many solutions as I could. I take every possible step towards its solution and, to say, it's never been easy but I learned a lot.

I realize that a problem could be a blessing in disguise for every journey towards its solution provides building blocks of experiences which could eventually hone our character. Without problems, life would never be the same for problems in their own way had brought me to where I am right now. Faith, perseverance, honesty and ingenuity were just some of the values I developed while facing life's many problems.

I hope we could continue to optimistically look at life's many perplexities!

Teacher's Block

2010-01-19T06:15:00.000-08:00

A Mathematics teacher, I often struggle from this treacherous state during the planning stage of my lesson. Times come in which I lose ideas on how to present a lesson in such a way that it would grab the students’ fleeting attention. I call it Teacher's Block and I don't know if other teachers have also suffered this kind of frustration before.

Lecture and exposition usually become my last resort but I know exactly how students struggle from this method of teaching especially with a subject full of constants and variables which seem to be irrelevant when not carefully delivered and understood. I should have laid myself in my comfort zone but I know that it’s not the best thing to do. So instead of dwelling into this negative thought and emotion, I direct my attention to the hundreds of inspiring blogs and websites made by teachers who noticeably find ultimate joy and fulfillment in teaching. I believe that no matter how you love a certain thing, you still need a daily dose of inspiration to keep your passion burning. Thanks to the latest technology which allows us to get support and advice even from the people we do not know!

Until now, I am really wondering how Teacher’s Block could thump an educator like me. Actually, I needed time to reflect so that the thoughts could sink in my soul and tell me the reasons. Finally, I noticed that these reasons are not beyond my turf and they are personally controllable. I need to gain FOCUS!

Usually, I become overwhelmed when loads of works are laid in front of me. I want to finish all of them almost in an instant that’s why I fail to sort them out according to priority. Oftentimes, I would like to have a taste of each of them until I realize that I am already bored doing a particular thing and so I have to pick another one. It’s a chain and the story goes on until I would realize that I finished nothing. Naturally, I would become frustrated and my motivation to do another task would soon come to naught.

This condition I call Teacher’s Block could be avoided if one knows how to sort his tasks according to priority. It’s true that teachers are usually loaded with bunch of works like lesson and instructional materials preparation, learning assessment and many other side tasks but with proper time management and ardent focus, Teacher’s Block could be avoided. Each one of us only needs a positive attitude and genuine passion towards our job for no one could love it more than we could love it. As a teacher, my greatest reward is the tremendous power that is within me. The future leaders are in my classroom but with negative attitude and complacency, I could turn them into criminals. “What a power!,” I think. But as Spiderman said, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

So Teacher's Block no more!

Staying Thankful and Hopeful in 2010

2010-01-12T04:34:00.000-08:00

Finally, it’s 2010! It’s almost four years that passed since I first stepped in an airline which brought me here in Thailand. I was younger then and still had plenty of musings on the perplexities of life. With all those musings, I had a dream I kept within and the youth that has been within me has pushed me to be the dream that I have always been seeing in my mind’s eye. I’m not yet living in dreams but with the life that I have been enjoying, gratitude could never have any way to escape.

I am very thankful for the many blessings which have been profusely poured into my path as I trudged my own road towards this year 2010. Relatively, they were not colossal but they were more than enough to turn out some changes in my life.

1.Friendship. It’s the most precious gift I have ever received in 2009 and the preceding years. I would always stay humble and thankful to those people who have showed great compassion and interest in my life. Some of them I met personally and regularly and have been through my joys and difficulties. Others are so distant yet our virtual relationship has ignited my innermost soul and has inspired me to do better in every way.

2.Wisdom. I thank for a mind which has always been open and ready for life’s major changes as I journey towards victory.

3.Health. I would always thank for the good health which I have been enjoying in all those years. I am very thankful that I could still wake up every morning with my senses clearly feeling the wonders of life with its little miracles.

4.Purpose. Life has always been wonderful especially when you know that you’re living for a certain purpose. I consider my purpose as one of life’s abundant gifts for every purpose lived brings joy to my soul.

5.Discipline. I admit, I hardly had any of it but I am still thankful for this small amount of discipline which allows me to live a life away from misery.

I would stay thankful for all those gifts and hopeful that I would get plenty of them this year. Life is so wonderful that I always want to live it with bounty of friendship, wisdom, health, purpose and discipline.

5 on the Fifth: Faces of Water

2010-01-05T07:43:00.000-08:00

5 on the Fifth? This might sound strange to some of you. No, I am not telling yet that the world would end the biggest show of life so soon. In fact, I believe those dubious prophesies only sound like being economical to the truth.

The '5 on the Fifth' I am talking about is the one that could be entangled in every photo connoisseur's senses especially to the tenderfoots. I learned about this from the comment of Stephen Chapman in my blog post "Here Comes Manila" and I instantly decided that I would give a shot into it.5 on the Fifth is a monthly posting participated by bloggers, photographers and the like. Anyone can participate by taking 5 photographs on the 5th of the month or the days leading up to the 5th. A participant could randomly take photos or follow the theme as suggested by Stephen Chapman.

This month, the theme is 'Water' and so I share my collection of water photographs I personally called 'Faces of Water'. Some of the pictures have been in my collection for a couple of months while the others were freshly taken from the corners of my sanctuary. You may double click the picture to view it with better resolution.

Water=Quencher

Silence Means Deep

Along the Shore

Drop of Water

Water: Solid and Liquid

More water photographs HERE.

Pinoy Expats Blog Awards 2009

2010-01-03T22:42:00.000-08:00

The 2009 Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards has been a very successful event and a remarkable evening for OFW bloggers and all Filipino bloggers in general. The awarding night was graced by different personalities and dazzled by amazing performances from incredible Filipino talents. It was a night full of splendor and extravaganza as awards for the Top 10 Blogs, Best Blogs by Region and Special Awards and Citations were given. Raffle prizes and souvenirs were also given away to the attendees.

I have been so touched by the production number performed by the Philippine Stagers Foundation. The goosebumps were even made more penetrating through the advocacies of Juana Change and the inspiring speeches of former DSWD secretary Dinky Soliman and Susan Ople of Blas F. Ople Policy Center. Rising Pinoy bands plus a dance troupe and a choir were also there to entertain the audience. I really felt like a real hero even before I received the award. :)

The night has almost ended when "Wits and Spirits" was called for a major award. I did not expect that my unfussy blog would land to the top 3 among the 37 blogs of Pinoy Expats/OFWs. Surprisingly, "Wits and Spirits" was also cited as the Best Blog for Asia and the Pacific. I was almost speechless that night but nevertheless, thankfulness was still running through my head moving down to my mouth causing it to utter some words of thanks and dedication. It was a surprise especially that the history of this blog was just a matter of homesickness and hunger for an outlet of expression. My close friends in Bangkok knew exactly how "Wits and Spirits" was coined after a spur-of-the-moment island escapade in Eastern Thailand. Not to mention, this blog has literally evolved until it got its own niche before 2008 ended.

Before I would sound dramatic, I have to notice that I have been mustering too much for this post. Too much because what I only wanted to say is thank you or "Khawb Khoon Khrap" in Thai. To those who have voted and raised this blog to the top 11 by popularity vote, thank you very much. To those who have inspired me to write, a blog entry is not enough to thank you guys. Thank you very much for trusting in my talents and abilities especially when nobody thought I had it. This award is just a simple beginning -- a simple step towards the realization of my little advocacy and mission of inspiring the youths to follow their dreams. I hope that this blog would continue to breath and endure like hope in the midst of dark and misty clouds.

I would also like to congratulate the other winners and of course to those who have participated. Everyone is a winner!

Here Comes Manila

2009-12-26T06:49:00.000-08:00

Raised in the island province of Bohol in the central part of the Philippines, the Filipino addage "Huwag maging dayuhan sa sariling bayan." has always struck a chord in me. Having been in Thailand for more than three years now, I have realized that there is so much to explore about the Philippines. Apparently, there are still lots of things that could be discovered from the other corners of the archipelago. They are beyond the naked eyes of the mass media and much better when seen with one's eyes. And yes, I have always been wishing to explore my very own country especially the capitl city Manila because, I believe, it is one of the ways that could complete my Filipino being.

This day, I just turned my wish into reality as I started to invade Manila with my parents. Malls, historical parks, government centers and urban shops -- they're all in one roof under the historical city of Manila. Part of my heartfelt Christmas greetings to everyone, I would like to share some photos of the Philippines' capital city. Merry Christmas to all my blog readers especially to my fellow OFWs. Here comes Manila....

Winning Myself

2009-12-11T21:36:00.000-08:00

I just seriously went back to my thesis recently hoping to polish it by the end of this month. It’s been quite a long time that I never sternly get into it as I have been pointing my focus on some other things hoping that I could hit a flock of birds with my lone stone. I have been telling my students to focus on what’s important for finishing something is much more fulfilling than doing everything and finishing nothing. At this point, here I am realizing that I showed myself the other way. Actually, I found it to be one of the most challenging parts in teaching – finding yourself caught in the middle of your words.

Well, reasons are reasons and we have lots of it. I could make a bulk of excuses if I only want to but I know that in the end, the consequences would hunt no one but me. I need to finish what I ought to finish without compromising other significant things. I only need a bunch of self-discipline this time to get into the tasks that I need to do and not the ones that I want to do. I need to influence my environment more than my environment could influence me. I remember the analogy of the brain with that of a fertile soil. Accordingly, a fertile soil would never complain which kind of crop should be planted into it that even the worthless weeds could abundantly grow. However, whatever we have planted into it, we would harvest the same. It’s all the same thing with our brain. It would accept whatever kind of information is coming and whatever planted into it, the same would be harvested. So why plant negative thoughts?

I wish I could make things done now. I believe I would.

"In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves... self-discipline with all of them came first."-- Harry S. Truman

Lessons from the Christmas that Was

2009-12-10T07:24:00.000-08:00

As a child, Christmas had always been the most meaningful celebration of the year. I admit, the celebration had been so meaningful and festive to me not because of the season itself but because of parties, Christmas gifts, caroling with my friends and most of all, the food that I could only taste during this time of the year. I always felt excitement everytime this season of the year would come. In fact, my heart used to tremble in excitement and happiness when I knew that BER-ending months were coming and Christmas songs were starting to invade the airwaves.

Christmas had always been so meaningful to me because of the material things it had always brought until I woke up one day realizing that I wasn't into posh gifts, entertaining parties and delectable food anymore. My ideal Christmas celebration has literally changed as I grew older and became more matured. It’s not more on the price of gifts anymore but on the reason behind the gifts I receive. It’s not more on the fun that parties could bring anymore but the warmth of people I am going with. It’s not more on the taste of the food anymore but the sweetness of my loved ones who share a simple Christmas dinner with me. Christmas had become different ever since I learned that I could already have what I used to want for Christmas.

For the past three years, I had been celebrating Christmas away from home. For me, it had been a part of my life as an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) – be destined to celebrate lonely Christmases away from my loved ones. I wished I could celebrate Christmas the way I wanted to celebrate it during my younger years but realized I could not.

Last year, I had my salary before Christmas and immediately sent some for my family to have a merry celebration of the season of faith, hope, love and happiness. I thought my parents could have more bountiful noche buena than we used to have but they actually never had because only three of them were left in our house. While me, on the verge of Christmas eve, was in the comfort of my bed watching the pricey (compared to what I used to receive) gifts I received from my colleagues and friends while listening to Christmas songs when I realized that my previous Christmas celebrations were too expensive to be shelled out by the funds I am earning abroad. I have always thought that I needed to sacrifice in order to achieve my dreams but I realized that not everything could be sacrificed in exchange of something deemed significant. Our dreams could be too big that it would cause us to sacrifice little things in life but it could also be too big to conceal the life’s little but precious moments.

This Christmas, I would never be in the same affliction again for I have decided to be with my parents to celebrate the most festive season of the year. I am afraid to wake up one day chasing for happiness but only to realize that I already lost a great deal of it.

How Much Sacrifice Can We Offer?

2009-12-01T09:05:00.000-08:00

Of all the problems that we have been facing in our country, I am still very hopeful that the Philippines will still shine upon the earth to claim once more its glory as progressive country.

The election is coming and, once more, we would exercise one of our essential rights as Filipino citizens -- our right to vote. How much are we willing to sacrifice to ensure that the Philippines would have a brighter future? How much are we willing to sacrifice for the future generation?

Like the child in the video below, let's do our share in rising our flag as we journey through the change which we have been longing for. Let the change start in ourselves. It's not a matter of you, he, she, or we. It's a matter of "I". Let's all acknowledge our responsibilities for our country because we are the hope that we have been talking about.

Remembering Andres Bonifacio

2009-11-29T09:21:00.000-08:00

November 30 is a national holiday for Philippines in honor of the national hero Andres Bonifacio. He is the founder of the Katipunan and is known as the father of Philippine revolution. During the colonization of the Spaniards, Bonifacio was one of the heroes who devoted their lives in exchange of the freedom which the Filipinos have been longing for.

However, Bonifacio has almost entered in the "hall of forgotten heroes" especially that many of today's younger generation has been hooked to modern fantasy heroes like Captain Barbel, Super Inggo, Batman, Spiderman, Superman and so on. The heroism of Spiderman in annihilating his destructive opponents could be remembered better than the heroism of Bonifacio during the revolution against the Spanish conquerors. The entertaining and heart-pumping moves of Spiderman is much more popular than the gallant stand of Andres Bonifacio who strongly fought for our country's freedom which we are still enjoying at the moment.

If we want to impart the sense of nationalism to every Filipino then we need to make them realize the sacrifices done by our national heroes like Andres Bonifacio. With appreciation to the deeds of our national heroes, comes intense nationalism to uphold the ideals of the Philippines as sovereign nation. As said by Bonifacio, "What kind of love is more pure and more majestic, like the love for your native country? What kind of love? There's nothing more, nothing." We're Filipinos who do believe that Philippines is worth loving for. Let's continue the fight! Move Philippines! Move towards glory and fame!

Simple Deeds, Great Impacts

2009-11-29T04:24:00.000-08:00

We have just seen and experienced the powerful retribution of nature through natural calamities which occurred in different parts of the world. Tsunami in the American Samoa, earthquake in Indonesia, typhoons in the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam – these were just few of the natural disasters which shook the entire globe because of the huge damages they have brought which included desolation of lives and destruction of properties.

In the recent years, we felt how the seasons have changed and it’s almost unpredictable. Summer could be filled with rain showers and sometimes heavy rain. Winter fashion would not necessarily mean thick jackets, gloves and boots for one might eventually go out realizing that his/her winter outfit is making him/her feel like bread plunked in an oven. Scientists call the phenomenon global warming or climate change while others consider it as another conspiracy circulated by the first world countries who are threatened of the impressive escalation of the economy of some third world countries (they could hinder third world countries from producing particular products).

While there are so many speculations on the awkward natural phenomenon that mankind is experiencing, it’s always good to look back those old times and trace how our little deeds contributed the dilemmas that we are facing in this day and age. Let us replicate those old days and learn how we could contribute in healing our world which has been wounded by our very own actions. There’s always a solution to every problem that we are facing and we do not have to hit upon the government or media (although they are helpful) just to find them because the solution is just residing within ourselves waiting to be expended for a better purpose. As Mahatma Ghandi said, “Be the change that you want to see.” We can start it in our own like lessening the use of plastic cellophane or we just have to put the 3 simple R's in our minds. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Let's do whatever we can to help preserve the beauty of our world for we don't know how great the impact of our actions would be if done collectively. Let's create the world that we want to live and the future generations to inherit.

PHILIPPINES: The Good News and the WORST News

2009-11-25T09:07:00.000-08:00

The Philippines has been in the global headline for a couple of times this year. Earlier, the typhoon Ondoy which flooded Metro Manila placed the country in the headlines of global news. Different stories were told which included some acts of voluntarism and unity in helping the victims of the catastrophic typhoon. Many lives were claimed in that natural calamity which made the entire country weep for the loss and the damages caused by such calamity.

Few weeks after the catastrophic typhoons hit the country, the Philippines, at last, had seen the light again when Manny Pacquiao won his match against Cotto. Once more, the Philippines was in the headline as the home of the best boxer the world has ever known (7 boxing titles in one person was truly remarkable in the history of boxing). Lately, the Phillipines triumphed again when its very own Efren Penaflorida was declared as the CNN Hero of the Year. Manny and Efren brought the Philippines into the limelight especially during the time when most of the Filipinos had become hopeless.

And now, the Philippines is shining in condemnation from other nations for the ongoing political warfare which resulted to the killing of more than forty individuals. Why do we have to end it this way? Did power became more valuable than lives? Do we have to kill people to serve people? Plenty of questions are starting to flow from the oasis of my wits down to the stream of my spirits. The recent incident only shows how dirty and dreadful the Philippine politics is. Politics is even one of the reason why hundred of journalists are being killed in the country making it one of the most dangerous places for journalists. Aside from those, there are still many undocumented politically-motivated killings in other sides of the country. Only time could tell when that ever-wanted Filipino hero could come to save the country from the arms of these inhumane individuals who rival for the hypocritical public service that they always mention.

Wits and Spirits is joining the entire Philippine nation in praying for the souls of those people who have been killed in Maguindanao. May justice would prevail.

Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.
-- Albert Einstein

Efren Penaflorida: There's a Hero in Us

2009-11-23T04:52:00.000-08:00

Efren Penaflorida (Kuya Ef), a young Filipino who initiated "Pushcart Classroom" through the Dynamic Teen Company which he instigated to divert the youth's attention from gangsterism to simple act of voluntarism was named CNN Hero of the year.

I have been following Kuya Ef's inspiring story of heroism in helping the children in the slum areas in the Philippines by providing them education. What made his story more inspiring is when I learned that Kuya Ef did not come from a well-off family. Like the children he and his co-volunteers are helping, Kuya Ef was raised by his father who is a tricycle driver and his mother who is a plain housewife. He was able to finish high school and college (with a degree in BS Education) through Club 8586 -- a Christian people development organization committed in reaching out to families, campuses and communities. As I read and watched the video of Kuya Ef's extraordinary commitment to help people, I learned "again" that we all have something to share if we only want to share.

During the awarding night, as Kuya Ef accepted the honor as CNN Hero of the Year, he left a very astounding statement which is, for me, a wake-up call for all of us. With simplicity and all modesty, he expressed, "Our planet is filled with heroes, young and old, rich and poor, man, woman of different colors, shapes and sizes. We are one great tapestry. Each person has a hidden hero within, you just have to look inside you and search it in your heart, and be the hero to the next one in need. So to each and every person inside this theater and for those who are watching at home, the hero in you is waiting to be unleashed. ...You are the change that you dream, as I am the change that I dream, and collectively we are the change that this world needs to be." It was a very simple yet profound statement that would always be engraved in this blog and in my heart.

As an educator, Kuya Ef's life is a great inspiration and I do agree in him that the hero in us is just waiting to be unleashed. It's not all about how much we have but it's all about how much we are willing to share. A simple act of heroism could take many forms and could mean many different things like an encouraging word, a helping hand, an appreciative expression and so on. We only have to believe that there is a hero within us.

"True service to others is not an issue of scope or scale, for we may serve one, some or many -- through the smallest act of kindness or most noble feat of sacrifice."

-- Matthew May

The Power of Media

2009-11-21T05:17:00.000-08:00

The Mass Media has been proven to be a very powerful tool which could transform simple thoughts into different actions and reactions. The latest advertisement of Thai Life Insurance Company which has been recently aired in Thai television stations is another testimony of the tremendous impact that the Media could bring.

The advertisement features young children singing the infamous "Que Sera Sera". At first, you would only notice their smiles and their enthusiasm in singing but as the storyline would reveal, you would discern that they are not ordinary children for they actually suffer from disabilities. As the advertisement goes on, you would eventually notice the reason behind the children's happy faces despite their disabilities. You would see in the latter part of the advertisement how proud their parents are which is more than enough of a reason for the children to be happy. The parents look at their children full of admiration.

The message of the advertisement is so inspiring and for me, it has served beyond its purpose which is to promote life insurance among parents especially to women who are planning to give birth. More than conveying to the audience the importance of life insurance, Thai Life Insurance Company has also imparted an important lesson to the masses especially in judging people with disabilities.

Luckily, I found the advertisement uploaded at Youtube and I would like to share this to everyone.

And here's another thing.This song is very popular in Thailand now. It has been sung by people from different walks of life. Actually, I learned about this advertisement when I heard some of my second year students singing it in the classroom. I was so amazed when I heard them singing the song because I seldom hear them singing a classic English song and another they do understand what they are singing. This advertisement, indeed, did not just advertise a product for it also imparted values and lasting English phrases in the heart of every Thai learner. Actually, I just used this advertisement last week to remind my students our classroom rules.

RANDOM POST

2009-11-20T09:06:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! Thank you for the unending support you have given to this blog. Indeed, I became so inspired to blog in the past few weeks when I learned that the number of visitors dropping into my blog has been increasing. To all the readers who dropped by especially those who promised to keep an eye in this blog, you're my inspiration and I will continue to blog because of you. I do hope that my life would be more interesting than ever in the following days so I could post more interesting articles. Well, I know that being interesting is so relative so I need to keep my fingers leashed and feel free to accept comments from my beloved readers.

Much as I want this blog to be updated on a regular basis (like twice a week), I need to admit that the following days would be a difficult struggle in my blogging career (yes, it's been a career for me). Midterm examination is fast approaching and it simply means that I need to prepare and consolidate learning evaluation tools and at the same time I have to keep updates of my students' progress in the classroom so they would become aware of the things which they need to improve and sustain. In addition to, I got an additional responsibility for the proposed Language Camp this March as I have to coordinate the planning of activities among Mathematics teachers in our program. You might be wondering why Math teachers need to be involved in the Language Camp. Well, few of us may have known that Math is just another language and for the speakers of English as Second Language, so much could be explored in Mathematics on the contextual usage of the English language. I do hope that our team would be able to come up with brilliant ideas that would encourage the learners to study Math.

Added to my jam-packed schedule in school is my thesis which I need to finish by last week of December so I could be ready for the internal panel defense on January. Completing this master's thesis would mean more online research hours, more library period and, of course, INSPIRATION to keep things going during the process.

So in advance, I would like to apologize for the delayed updates of this blog (as if you care... hehehe). Well, just in case you have been following this blog, we will still keep things going but we will be doing it one step at a time.

IN THE NAME OF FASHION

2009-11-19T07:27:00.000-08:00

Fashion undergoes constant cycle. Right now, I don't know if English is also into fashion. Is it fashion or just another marketing strategy?

The mall where I personally took the picture above is one of the malls in Bangkok visited by hundreds of foreign tourists everyday.

What's NEW?

2009-11-19T06:43:00.000-08:00

You might have noticed some changes in this blog. For the followers of Wits and Spirits, you might think that you stumbled in a wrong blog. The content of the blog is almost all the same. However, some widgets have been removed especially those which are related to teaching.

I have been planning to put my personal and teaching blog together in Wits and Spirits but as I thought of my plans for putting up these blogs, I realized that they existed for two different reasons. Originally, my personal blog was intentionally made to be an outlet of my personal thoughts and opinions towards life's amusements and perplexities. On the other hand, my teaching blog has been established to express my passion for teaching and education (as a whole) with a hope to inspire fellow educators and education practitioners. Although keeping these blogs updated is not that easy especially during the times wherein I need to work with my students on my extra hours and catch up with different reports and learning evaluation criteria and tools, I understand that there are still ways to update these blogs on regular basis (although not that frequent).

At first, my worry was on maintaining traffic in these blogs because I was thinking that I really need to update them on regular basis especially if I would like visitors to keep on coming. However, as I analyzed the live traffic feed I have installed in each blog, I noticed that my teaching blog has been generating a good amount of traffic although I was not able to update it regularly. Moreover, I am starting to realize that my mission for starting my teaching blog has been achieved little by little so why should I stop? After all, everything boils down to the advocacy of the blog and the blogger.

So for those who would like to read my articles on teaching, you may visit my teaching blog. See you there! On the other hand, I would still be posting my teaching reflections here from time to time as my focus in my teaching blog is more of "professional articles".

CVSCAFT IS NOW BISU

2009-11-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

Bohol’s first and only state college, Central Visayas State College of Agriculture Forestry and Technology (CVSCAFT) System, is now Bohol Island State University (BISU) per Republic Act 9722 principally authored by Bohol’s first district congressman Edgar M. Chatto. CVSCAFT System, composed of former Bohol School of Arts and Trades (BSAT), Bohol Agricultural College (BAC), Bohol School of Fisheries, Clarin School of Fisheries and Calape Polytechnic College, was converted into state college last June 2008. Since then, the institution continuously provided quality graduates in different fields like engineering, education, forestry, agriculture and industrial technology.

The success story of CVSCAFT (now BISU) could be attributed to the dedication of the college’s mentors who have been so keen in producing topnotch professionals who would excel in different National Board Examinations conducted by the Professions Regulations Commission (PRC) and in the industry as well.

As one of the alumni of CVSCAFT System (from Tagbilaran City Campus’ College of Engineering then to College of Teacher Education), I am so proud for this another milestone of my beloved alma mater. I hope through its new status as state university, it could serve better the greater Bohol especially to those poor but deserving students.

Long live CVSCAFT! Long live BISU!

Believe When Nobody Does

2009-11-12T10:33:00.000-08:00

I started writing when I was in high school. Writing was just a part of my hobby and a way of expressing my frustration to be one of our school's representatives in the press conference and be trained on the basics of campus journalism. It was my dream to have one of my articles/poems published in our school publication but it never came into reality. I finished high school without experiencing the joy of having my name printed in the school paper.

Although frustrated, I never stopped believing that I could have my name printed in a school publication someday. Since I already graduated high school that time, my only chance was to achieve such dream in college. I was hoping that my English teacher would send me to the local campus journalism workshop one day so I could hone my writing skills and would have chances to join campus-based writing contests which were the only key toward joining the staff of the school publication and have one's articles published. I already took two English classes during first year but none of my teachers recommended me in any of the campus journalism workshops held in the college. I was a bit frustrated but I never lost hope.

When I was in second year college, I joined the campus journalism workshop sponsored by our college publication even if it would cause me two consecutive days of absence from my classes. I was not recommended by any teacher. I was just asked by one of the publication staff if I am interested to join and without hesitation I said "YES". I knew my limitations in writing (especially in grammar and correct usage) yet I also knew that it was my only way to achieve my dream and taking that opportunity for granted would be the worst decision that I could ever make because I knew that the days were counting and too soon I would be leaving that college and I could not afford to leave without having my dream fulfilled.

I attended all the workshops on that two-day activity and joined every contest I was qualified to join. I had my shot on feature writing, editorial writing, news writing and copy reading, photojournalism and poetry writing. Of all the contests I've joined, I luckily got third prize in poetry writing. My poem "Unleash Me!" which was written on the spot (right after the poetry writing workshop) got the third prize and that qualified me to become one of the staff writer in our college publication in the same school year. From then on, I had my articles and poems published in our college publication and was given chances to improve my writing by attending in various seminar-workshops.

Unexpectedly, on that same school year, because of my active participation in our school publication, I was luckily chosen to be one of the school's representatives in a national youth leaders' seminar in Baguio City (Philippines' summer capital). There, I had a chance to meet youth leaders and fellow writers from all over the country and became a part of a timely national youth leadership newsletter. Indeed, I had my works published not only in a school paper but in a national newsletter as well. I thought, "This is more that what I imagined."

The following school year, I became a literary editor of our school publication and attended more writing and literary workshops like Literary Criticism Workshop with a group of Boholano poets and Film Appreciation Workshop presented by University of the Philippines film professor and director Nick de Ocampo.

With those experiences in life I learned that when no one seems to believe in us, we could still run to ourselves and keep our dreams alive with strong conviction that with passion and hard work, we could still make our dreams into reality. In the same way, we always have to do our best and show that we are capable so people would know. I admit, I was not that good in writing and I do commit a lot of mistakes but deep within me, I had a dream and I continued to believe in it.

If we want people to look at us with belief, respect and admiration, we need to look at ourselves that way first. We need to understand that we are what we believe we are. It's not other people's criticisms that make us feel down but it's our way of perceiving those criticisms and comments that build or destroy our character. Apparently, we need to maintain a positive outlook towards life for we are the molders of our own dreams.

"No one can stop a man with the right attitude but nobody in the world can help a man with the wrong attitude."

Are We Ready?

2009-11-11T05:39:00.000-08:00

Thailand's English as Second/Foreign Language (ESL/EFL) industry is, without doubts, a Filipino-dominated industry as most of the foreign teachers employed to teach English and other content subjects are Filipinos. The ESL/EFL industry in Thailand is not that promising compared to other countries but, nevertheless, it's easier to come to Thailand for a job than in other countries. Most of the teachers here, came to Thailand as tourists who then applied for a working permit after finding an employer.

However, the salary that one could probably earn here is not as high as those who are working in other countries but because of its cheaper cost of living, it is not that difficult to make both ends meet. Many of us here could still send a good amount of money to help our families back home and we could send and save even better if we are hardworking enough to accept additional classes during non-working hours. We could go for private one-on-one tutorials or small class tutorials in learning centers. However, no one is assured of a stable job because most of the foreign workers here are working in contractual basis and usually we work under one-year contract and the thing is, most of the learning centers and even some schools do not provide work permit to their foreign teachers.

No one is assured of a lifetime job here in Thailand. Recently, a huge government project handled by two big universities in Bangkok made unlikely changes in their employment contract causing exodus of foreign teachers for some of them left while others were unfortunately evicted from the project. I don't know if it's another bad news from Thailand's ESL industry but I have read an article that a big English language center in Thailand would be ending its operation this year because it's planning to move to another Asian country where the business could be more promising. Over time, we have seen how the industry dropped that no wonder a time would come that only very few of the foreign teachers would be needed here.

In reality, the future is not ours but we could do something for our future by preparing for it as early as today. We have to face life positively and we could only do that if we know that we are financially secure. The future is not ours yet the present has been given to us so that we would be ready if ever the inevitable moments would struck. Make every moment of today a preparation of tomorrow for no one knows what would happen the following day.

Make Failure Your Best Friend

2009-11-08T17:10:00.000-08:00

Oftentimes, we are so afraid to try because we are afraid that we might fail. For most of us,failure is an enemy that we need to avoid. However, the truth is human beings are born imperfect and the only way for us to move toward perfection is to try all the possibilities without having much focus on the failures that we would surely encounter along the way. We need to learn from those failures. We can make failure our best friend.

According to an e-mail forwarded by a friend, we need to maximize our day. Thanks to Sir Rolly, one of my mentors, for forwarding this wonderful message from John C. Maxwell which I believe worthy to be shared to everyone.

MAKE FAILURE YOUR BEST FRIEND

When you are able to learn from any bad experience and thereby turn it into a good experience, you make a major transition in life. For years I've taught something that I think gives useful insight on the subject of life:

People change when they...
Hurt enough that they have to,
Learn enough that they want to, and
Receive enough that they are able to.

I learned the truth of that statement on a whole new level on December 18, 1998. While at my company's Christmas party, I felt an excruciating pain in my chest, and I went down for the count. I suffered from a serious heart attack. My heart attack was a painful and surprising experience, but I feel that God was very good to me at that process. Several excellent physicians rallied around me and made it possible for me not only to survive but also to avoid any permanent hear damage.

My cardiologist, Dr. Marshall, told me that men who survive an early heart attack and learn from it live longer and healthier lives that those who never suffer a heart attack. I am determined to learn from the experience. I changed my diet. I exercise and try to live a more balanced life. I had to admit that it's sometimes a struggle, but I'm persevering. I've taken to heart Jim Rohn's comment: "Don't let your learning lead to knowledge; let your learning lead to action. "

-- Failing Forward

USE PAINFUL EXPERIENCE AS A CATALYST TO NOT ONLY LEARN BUT TO LEAD YOU TO GREATER ACTION.

I hope that this message from John Maxwell will make your day and will lead you bolder actions toward your dreams. Life has never promised us that we will be traversing a smooth road. However, life has always been teaching us that we can make the best out of everything. LIVE LIFE and ACHIEVE your GOALS!

NO SENSE FOR ADSENSE

2009-11-05T23:58:00.000-08:00

I have been blogging for quite sometime now and I have been thinking how to turn this hobby into an income-generating chore which would somehow help me in increasing my cash flow to support my future plans. I have been reading plenty of articles on how to earn from blogging and of all the recommendations given, adding Google Adsense tops the lists.

I was very convinced by most of the writers who placed Google Adsense on the top of their list that's why I started to create my Google Adsense account. However, my application has been rejected by the management of Google for various reasons. Several times, my application was not approved because the address which I provided was invalid. I tried my address in Thailand and then in the Philippines -- they were both rejected. I decided not to re-submit my application anymore for I have been rejected for many times until, lately, I re-submitted my application and took extra care not to commit the same mistake again. At last, my address was accepted but still my application for Google Adsense was rejected!

This time, the management found problem on the content of my blog. According to them, they could not approve my application for the contents of my blog do not qualify for Adsense. I have reviewed their policy and I don't know which of the policies I violated. Well, I guess my blog is too personal to be visited by people from different walks of life. I accept, my life is not that interesting as Barack Obama, Leonardo da Vinci, James Bond and other celebrated icons in the industry. However, I am still hopeful that I could still find other ways to earn some pennies through my blog.

Teaching: A Joy or A Challenge?

2009-11-03T09:14:00.000-08:00

Teaching should have been the most fulfilling job but why is it that we seldom see teachers who find fulfillment in what they are doing?

Back in the Philippines, most of the teachers were actually regarded as penniless people who do not have time for themselves. Oftentimes, teachers go back home with loads of paperworks to finish -- that is aside from the regular preparations that one has to do for the lessons to be presented. However, it is very sad to say that these paperworks only add burden to the teachers for they are only required for filing purposes and not for the learning of the students which is supposed to be the most essential concern of every learning institution.

A very typical example is the lesson plan. Most of the educational institutions have been adding ambiguity in the preparation of lesson plans without giving emphasis on the lesson itself. Instead of giving the teacher a chance to develop the lesson so that learning among the students could be maximize, much focus have been given on adding redundant parts of the lesson plan that the preparation of the lesson plan would take much longer than the presentation of the lesson and in the end, the lesson plan is much better than the lesson.

If we believe that teaching should be focused on the enhancement of students' learning then we have to change the current system of education wherein too much emphasis is given on documentation as part of the supervision process than on teaching and learning. As we move towards the new era of the human revolution, we need to understand the changes that has been brought to us by the ever-changing landscape of the society. The present generation demands us to become more practical as we don't have to waste any single moment of our life and so of our career. After all, everybody would find fulfillment when the end has been justified and that is, the students have learned something.

In the end, all we need to understand is the joy that teaching could bring to every teacher and not the challenges which only try to build the endurance of the teachers. If we fail to address such problem, then we fail to communicate to our learners that school is not a chamber of torture which would only test how determined they are.

MY BIRTHDAY BLOG

2009-11-02T04:00:00.000-08:00

This is something that my spirits could never contain and my wits could never imagine. I never had a big 24th birthday celebration but the greetings I received were more than just what a huge birthday party could offer. Words were very simple but as I started to jot down the names of those who greeted me, I realized how tremendous a word could become especially when you know that it came from the heart of the person who told it to you. I could not bear it that I wanted to share the joy to everyone. It's not all about the businesses that we transacted. It's not all about the works that we did together. It's not all about the laughter that sparkled our hearts. Instead, it's all about the relationship that we shared for a moment or a lifetime.

As what Kuya Banjo said in his birthday greetings, "We need some attention from time to time to ensure to ourselves that we are existing and our existence is needed." Indeed, he is so true and the simple greetings I received were more than just enough to remind me that I am still existing with everyone. A genuine wish from colleagues Mr. Khem and Ate Cecil reminded me of the life that I always wanted to live -- a simple yet challenging life that would never be wasted. Somehow, they reminded me that I am not alone in achieving my dreams for as they wished, I would be more inspired to follow the desires of my heart. Krishna and George's prayer for God's help would truly help me in every decision that I am going to make as I chase my dreams.

Addie's and Diana's simple greetings reminded me the value of friendship -- a kind of relationship that I would always treasure for the rest of my life. I am becoming more confident and inspired to do what I believe is right because of my friends who always see me as winner and inspiration. Little did they know that they are more than just inspirations to me. They are what they are and they are always winners because of what they are.

My family who has always been there and witnessed my life for the past 24 years were more than just ordinary witnesses but molders of dream as well. My life could have never been the same without them. I did not hear greetings from all of them yet I know how happy they are that I reached this age with something that could be proud of. 24 years were not just 24 years with my family for they meant a lot. It means 24 years of learning, 24 years of bond, 24 years of love, 24 years of happiness, 24 years of abundance and the list has no ending. My family has given me more that what I have wished for they showed me abundance in the middle of scarcity.

MY TOP 24 WISHES ON MY 24TH BIRTHDAY
1. Own a Business in the Philippines
2. Travel Around the World
3. Build my Dream Rest House in my Dream Farm Before I Reach 30
4. Own a Condo/Apartment in Tagbilaran City
5. Finish my Master's Degree
6. Avail Australian Government Aid for my 2nd Master's Degree or Doctoral Degree
7. Teach in Another Country (most likely in America)
8. Achieve Financial Freedom at the Age of 28
9. Write a Self-Help Book
10. Write a Mathematics Textbook
11. Publish a Book on Professional Studies
12. Build my Own Foundation for Needy Children and Families
13. Retire at the Age of 40.
14. Island Getaway in the Philippines with my Family
15. Maintain a Popular Blog
16. Family Reunion with the Saraspes
17. Family Reunion with the Cerbitos
18. High School Batch Reunion by 2012
19. Meet and Connect with my relatives as I can
20. Teach Professional Subject/s in a Popular University in the Philippines
21. Travel to Phuket, Changmai and Krabi
22. Travel to Singapore, Malaysia and Hongkong
23. Climb one of the peaks in Thailand
24. Conquer Mt. Apo

THANKS TO THESE PEOPLE WHO EXTENDED THEIR BIRTHDAY GREETINGS

1. Kuya Banjo Cleofe
2. Ate Cecil Lacson
3. Ate Maejoy Sinsuan
4. Sam Barrete
5. Raziel Felix
6. Master Khemapat
7. Zhen Marcojos
8. Donna Ucang
9. Ate Rosie Arcillas
10. Diana Salivad
11. Addie Paredes
12. Krishna Reyes
13. George Terrenal
14. Donna Rebugio
15. Ivy Salarza
16. Fely Padilla
17. Dolly Grace Nanit
18. Levi Saraspe
19. Franco Tatad
20. Adelaida Cabahug
21. Lorna Coral
22. Ivy Sarabosing
23. Angelita Lumor
24. Fritzie Galleos
25. Lilibeth Jeminos
26. Azel

Sorry for the names which were not mentioned. What is important is you made my day more special and you know that. Thank you so much and may God will bless you all!

CYBER-REUNION

2009-11-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

With all the scandals, copyright infringement and cyber-bullying issues lurking in the internet nowadays, it's still good to know that there are still people whose kindness and passion for serving others help billions of internet users from around the globe. It's so uplifting to hear people's testimonies on how the internet helped them earn additional income, meet long lost friends and relatives, make communication faster and even prevent an accident which was about to happen. What makes it more genuine is when you personally experience all these things like what just happened lately.

How about meeting a very close relative you've never met in your entire life? It sounds impossible but FACEBOOK has just shown me the possibility when a person of the same last name as mine added me as a friend. I did not spend even a single minute looking at this person's info because I think he's just another unknown individual whose last name just happened to be the same as mine. Good that I gave a try in opening looking over his info and leaving him some words. He is just a very close relative I never met before. He's a grandchild of my uncle who died many years ago without even giving me a chance to see him in person. What happened was a reunion of an uncle who has never met his nephew before. It was, indeed, a cyber-reunion.

BLOGGING PROBLEM

2009-10-29T08:40:00.000-07:00

I got a feedback yesterday from a fellow blogger that it took time for her to view the contents of my blog and, unfortunately, I experienced the same thing about two weeks ago. I encountered similar problem for a couple of times but since I was too busy to wait for it to upload, I closed my blog and did other chores instead thinking that it was brought by poor internet connection.

However, as a tried to scroll down my blog few days ago, I discovered that the problem was not just an internet connection failure. It was a blog malfunction brought by the generated blog banner. As I logged in, I found out that the script went wrong and so to fix the problem I did not hesitate to erase the script and I immediately made a new banner which is so simple. I felt bad at first because I invested time just to generate that blog banner and only to find out that it would only cause trouble in my blog.

So right now, you could see a very simple blog banner which I instantly created days ago to make sure that my blog would go back to its normal running condition (like a utility vehicle). It might be very simple but still I saw to it that its simplicity would not fail to communicate the expressions and information I posted and will be posting in here.

My apology to everyone for such problem and I hope everything will be back to normal although I have been so busy these days for the second semester has just started and I just came back from my three weeks vacation in the Philippines.

Financial Education for Overseas Filipino Workers Urged

2009-10-29T08:25:00.000-07:00

Financial education is deemed necessary for overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) nowadays in the wake of the looming global economic meltdown, officials from a marketing group said. Jose Enrique de las Peñas, International Marketing Group (IMG) president, said he believes that financial education, especially among OFWs that are lucky to still have jobs abroad, helps them offset the fears brought about by the ongoing financial crisis.

"What OFWs and Filipinos, in general, need right now is financial education. They have to increase their knowledge on the right way of savings and on how to take care of their finances and reduce the risk of losing what they have," he said. De las Peñas underscored the huge significance of financial education for Filipinos, "where everyone seems to be in fear of the negative prospects of the future."

IMG, a marketing company dedicated to serving the financial needs of individuals, has close to 20,000 OFW members nationwide who have availed themselves of their free financial education seminars. Majority of these OFWs are working in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Middle East and Europe. IMG Chief Executive Officer Noel Arandilla said the common misconception of financial education is that it should only be limited to the elite or the well-educated.

"Everyone has their equal rights to be wealthy but the masses are afraid to go out of their comfort zones and be educated on how to increase their finances. The lack of education is keeping some of us unequipped to the possible effects of the crisis," Arandilla said. IMG seminars, facilitated by their own financial advisers, are now starting to attract people from different professions including doctors, engineers, teachers, factory and office workers, among others, Arandilla noted.

"A lot of businesses are already facing fears and signs that their companies might not survive the crisis. They ask our help to educate them and help them build their financial foundation," said De Las Peñas, adding a significant interest among corporations seeking their advice. He said that at the height of today's financial turmoil, many companies from industries such as information technology, electronics and education have sought their financial guidance as these sectors have been hit hard by the crisis.

"Fear of the uncertainty of the economy could be battled through financial education. With this, you can take positive, proactive and informative actions and will not be in a panic mode wherein you cannot do right decisions," De las Peñas said.

SOURCE: Manila Bulletin - February 8, 2009 (Sunday)

6 DAYS IN THE PHILLIPPINES

2009-10-09T03:50:00.000-07:00

It's my sixth day here in the Philippines and so many things had happened that I could say I have been here for a longer period of time. If I am enjoying a fast-paced life in Bangkok, I do have to enjoy a slow-motion track of events here in Bohol as I have been confined to the place where I belong and it seems that I am repeating history by my own. I wear the shirts I used to wear three years ago and bask around the place where I used to hang out and so much more.

When I was in Thailand, I missed this place and now that I am here I understand why I have been missing home. Talking about comfort, I am much more comfortable lying in a soft bed in a fully furnished studio type condominium. Life here is so different but the moments where I exchange stories with my parents is nothing but incomparable. Different it may be, I have been used to it because I came from this place.

Not minding my teaching job abroad, I went back to my old routines. I help my father drying the grains of rice, assist my mother in our small variety store, feed the hogs, read sometimes... I am actually repeating history and I am enjoying it!

UPDATES

2009-10-07T17:20:00.000-07:00

I was not able to update my blog for several days and I did not even left some words on my whereabouts (as if you will be interested... hehehe). For my facebook friends, they knew for sure why I have been offline these days. I just arrived home last Saturday. I flew back here in the midst of the threats of super typhoon Pepeng and when people were still busy sending relief goods to the millions of victims of the typhoon Ondoy which severely flooded some parts of the Metro Manila. Thanks God for he spared Pasay and Bohol on the day of my flight and brought me home safely. Thanks to the powerful prayers of my friends!

Getting into the groove of the cyberspace has been so difficult these days as I have been struggling with the snail-speed internet connection caused by poor signal transmission in the rural areas of Bohol. Yes! I am finally home enjoying my family's company and savoring every quiet moment in our place which is 72 kilometers from the the city.

I've got plenty of articles to be posted as soon as I go back to the city. Pictures, stories... Yes, they are all in store for you and I will try to post more on my hometown in Bohol and the happenings in Bohol.

PINOY EXPATS BLOG AWARDS 2009
I was not able to go online on regular basis that's why I was not able to check my current standing in the 2009 Pinoy Expats Blog Awards. I just checked the poll result and was so surprised that I am now in the top ten. Thank you very much for those who have voted! This is our fight! :D :D :D

Right now, I have to do my best to create that personalized blog video that would let you know more about me. I want to finish it now but I remembered that we will be having a reunion this coming Sunday for my eldest sister's birthday and so the family would be complete. It would be nice if our family picture would be included and so I have to wait. :D

Happenings at the Bangkok International Film Festival

2009-09-29T09:46:00.000-07:00

The Bangkok International Film Festival (BIFF) is one of the events that I never missed since I started working in Bangkok although I was not able to watch any of the screened movies last year. Aside from showing support to our very own Filipino independent films, this event is also a great chance to meet different Filipino personalities from bloggers to award-winning writers and ordinary people who just show passion in the world of films.

Due to an invitation of a colleague who happened to be a friend of the leading actress of this movie, I watched "Kinatay" of award-winning director Brillante Ma. Mendoza. Although the movie was horrible and destructing to every man's senses, I still appreciate the movie for the casts were able to justify their roles as they have brilliantly portrayed the character they were playing in the movie. No question, Mendoza is worthy of the award as Best Director in this year's Cannes International Film Festival.

After the screening of the movie, the audience was given the chance to ask questions to the director who answered every question in a way every artist should answer. Carried out by the ugly reality of the Philippine society which has been shown in the movie, I asked the director what message was he trying to convey to the international community when he screened such kind of movies in international film festivals. Brilliante Mendoza answered back as a talented and witty artist when he said that in making a film, he does not think of any audience, instead he only wants to tell the truth to everyone that the world is not as safe as we have thought. He further expressed that such reality is not only true in the Philippines but to every corner of the world and he was referring to the odd truths in our society wherein life has become so cheap. Killing human beings became as easy as slaughtering animals. Sad, indeed!

THE EVENT IN PICTURES

Before the screening of the movie started, I had a chance to meet a two-time Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature awardee Dominic D. Manriquee. He won third place in One-Act Play Script Writing for "Wanchaiyuki" in 1999 and third place in Full-Length Play Script Writing for "Me Esep o Wala, Sa Pera'y Lahat Namangha" in 2000 both of which fall under Filipino Category.

With international award-winning director Brilliante Mendoza after the screening of his movie Kinatay.

Help for Ondoy's Victims

2009-09-28T19:58:00.000-07:00

There are millions of Filipinos in the other parts of the world and they are just part of the Filipino community who were not directly affected by the destructive typhoon Ketsana (local code name Ondoy). Ondoy, in my very own Bisaya dialect, is supposed to be a term of endearment for young boys and even old ones. However, in the case of this destructive typhoon, calling it Ondoy would really sound ironic. Looking at the devastated victims makes me hesitant to call such catastrophic typhoon Ondoy.

Being in Bangkok and counting the remaining days before I would finally get on an aircraft that would bring me back to Philippines, I could not help myself but worry about the circumstances that Ondoy might bring in my most-awaited reunion with my family. However, as I do all the chores that I need to do before I leave, I realized that beyond these chores and my unwavering excitement to go home is a personal responsibility which has been attached in me so long before when I was born as Filipino. Confident of the help of my Filipino colleagues, I did not hesitate to initiate a donation drive in our school for the victims of the devastating typhoon Ondoy. Before I went home from the office, I was able to print some posters about the donation drive and with the director's approval, they could be posted around the school campus very soon. I was so happy when other teachers began to ask how they could send their donations and a Thai coordinator promised to translate the posters into Thai so that the locals could also share what they have for the rehabilitation of the damages brought by that very sudden catastrophe.

Hopefully, we could sort out the goods as soon as possible and send them to the Philippine Embassy or any organization genuinely extending help to the victims. We hope that the goods that we could collect could be transported back to the Philippines as soon as possible.

It just so happened that the calamity struck the country few days before my scheduled visit to my sickly father. The time is too short for me to contact all possible donors here in Thailand so we could send as much help as possible to the victims. However, I know that there are still people out there who are very willing to continue the cause. The best thing is, I have done my share as a Filipino citizen for I believe that democracy does not belong to those people who are in power only. We will be able to understand the real essence of democracy when we do our best to give the best effort for the betterment of the Filipino people and the Philippines and this typhoon could be an eye-opener for everyone.

Updates about the ongoing donation drive in our school will be posted soon. For the now, those who are outside Philippines and would like to personally give some donations to the victims, you may click HERE for the details on how you could send your donations. For the Filipinos in Thailand, our Embassy in Bangkok is currently accepting relief goods for our countrymen who were affected by the typhoon.

Confrontation

2009-09-24T13:24:00.000-07:00

2009-09-22T07:20:00.000-07:00

Joining the Philippine Blog Awards(PBA) has never been a dream of mine until I came across a blog which contains a logo reading 'Philippine Blog Awards 2009 Nominee.'

A full-time high school Mathematics teacher and a post-graduate student, maintaining a personal blog could just be a part of those not-so-important chores. Besides, I have been spending so much time facing the computer making reports, workbooks, lesson plans, worksheets and keeping an update of my class' online resources.

Philippines National Schools Press Conference Advisory

2009-09-19T04:36:00.000-07:00

A press release from Philippines' Department of Education (DepEd) dated September 14, 2009 emphasized this year's focus for the National Schools Press Conference (NSPC). The said press release mentioned that this school year's NSPC will be heeding on the 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) particularly the MDG 1 (Alleviate Poverty and Hunger), the Department of Education (DepEd) mobilizes schools support by advocating and integrating them in related school-community initiatives.

According to Education Secretary Jesli Lapuz, they will be enlisting the ative participation of young journalists for such advocacy for they know how to optimize the power of communication. Lapuz believes that there is a power in the pen and so they highlight this in their school journalists and their publications.

This school year's NSPC,a national gathering which draws thousands of campus journalists from public and private elementary schools around the country, will be held on February 22-26, 2010 in Tagum City, Davao del Norte. Individual and group writing contests in English and Filipino will carry the conference theme: “Campus Journalism as a Catalyst for Change: Achieving the MDGs by 2015 (Pampaaralang Pahayagan bilang Instrumento ng Pagbabago: Maisakatuparan ang MDGs ng 2015).

Good luck to our young journalists who would be participating this year's press conference. Way to go for their coaches as well who dedicate their time and effort training these young writers who would soon influence the world through their pens.

KIDS RUNNING FOR THE ELECTION

2009-09-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

Reading my blog and citations I earned in other web pages, my sister has reprimanded me for the sensitive blog posts I have posted over time. She specifically meant my commentaries on the Philippine government and politics and the corruption cases back in my own country. I understand her... She's only worried about the consequences that I might face because of my blog posts.

I just want to remind everyone that Wits and Spirits is a personal blog and so everything posted here are my personal thoughts. I never meant to stir somebody's ego, lest I was only expressing my thoughts as a result of different articles I have read and situations I have witnessed. Anyway, I really could not help those people who believe that I am being subjective in my blog posts or I am abusing my freedom for expression.

The people, especially political icons, mentioned here know who they really are so they don't need to be very reactive and act like little kids bullied by their playmates. I am not a heckler as I am not good at it. I am just opinionated and again my opinions never meant to hurt you and if your were hurt, help yourself. It's difficult to accept but "reality really hurts."

I just hope that the 'famous' political icons in the Philippines will become more mature this time. You know, it's so awkward to see leaders acting like a sensitive child. Wake up for you might not have realized that you are public icons and everybody's watching every action that you do. If you could not grow, step down and give way to those people who could maturely lead our impoverished nation.

And now... ELECTION is coming! My piece of thought for those who have always wanted to run for a post in the government is so simple. I will just put it this way: "You are old enough to discern whether you are useful or not. If you could do nothing but brag your achievements and talk against your rivals, better rest. Our country's badly in need of a leader who could put words into action. And again, you should be mature enough. I believe that our constitution has stipulated age qualification for those who would be running for a post in the government because the Filipino people would like to make sure that they will be led by mature individuals. If you are 30 or something but think and act like 10 or 15, better play with Jollibee and enjoy the moments for that would just pass by.

2009-09-17T07:44:00.001-07:00

Agora's Finally Done But the Political Battle Goes On

2009-09-17T04:06:00.000-07:00

Couples of articles have been published concerning the ever-controversial Agora Market of Tagbilaran City, Bohol. A range of issues and opinions have permeated the public even during the early operation of Bohol's "local bazaar" before it was reduced to ashes almost fifteen years ago. The blaze that took millions worth of properties was even a controversy.

Years after the structure waned, it became a popular public figure especially to the watchful senses of the media. Ironically, the useless Agora Market still served to the many as it has become a subject of criticism, an affront against political rivals, a public urinal, a famous eye-sore of the capital of Philippines' number one tourist destination and most of all an avenue much loved by corrupt government officials to dope the public through an ambitious yet never-been-done rehabilitation projects. The budget of the country's below par economy has been wasted by this single infrastructure which could have been a very rich source of income that would alleviate the country's budget deficiency.

In 2009, the Agora controversy almost came to an end when the "City Square" was finally opened as commercial hub in the downtown area of the city. Not to mention, the completion of the mall-like infrastructure has added glamor to the "City of Friendship" as it's only facing the pioneering BQ Mall along the city's main road, Carlos P. Garcia Avenue. In addition to, it has helped in fattening the hungry purse of the city government as well as the province of Bohol. However, a bigger controversy has sprouted as people had never been satisfied to what they have seen. Controversies are just in almost every corner waiting for an icon that could be bitten. There were complaints from the so-called concerned tax payers of the city of Tagbilaran. They questioned the 'anomalous' transaction between the city mayor and the developers of the City Square. The rehabilitate-operate-transfer (ROT) contract is said to be a great loss in part of the city government.

In an article published at the Bohol Chronicle, the lawyer complainants expressed that the said project is the biggest case of corruption at City Hall in the entire history of Tagbilaran City , costing hundreds of millions of pesos in lost income to the City and its taxpayers. Well, looking at the cheap rental fee, the government would really lost a huge amount of money but considering that the Agora square has been useless for a couple of years, the opening of the City Square is a relief to the continuing economic downturn. Now I am wondering why these people spend much of their time filing a case against the city mayor. I should appreciate their concern for the 'common-good' if they are really doing such thing for such a selfless cause.

Considering the present condition of the Philippine politics, I could not blame myself if I could be honestly skeptical of the current surge of the complaint. I am just wondering where were these concerned Tagbilaranons when budgets were wasted for the failed rehabilitation projects. Forgive me but, naturally, I believe that dogs would not stop barking unless fed. Mr. Mayor, should you have shared your blessings from the project which had been done at last, you would not face this kind of dilemma at the Ombudsman.

This undone structure in the heart of the city has been an eye sore for the tourists and the locals alike. For years, this structure has been an ugly figure in the "City of Friendship".

The used to be landscape blot Agora square after it was developed by a private developer through the controversial rehabilitate-operate-transfer (ROT) contract with the city government.

How Teachers Become Complacent?

2009-09-13T10:15:00.000-07:00

I could still remember those days when I was still in a teacher-training institution preparing myself for my future teaching endeavors. When I was in fourth year and about to graduate, I was exposed to the real teaching atmosphere by having me attend a daily observation and participation session in our college's laboratory high school. I observed and assisted my cooperating teacher's high school Math classes for four months. At the same time, I learned to prepare those teaching materials like lesson plans, teaching reflections, assessment and feedback forms and others. That time, the importance of those materials in assisting the learners' need was clearly introduced to us that's why, as future teachers, we adhered on making the best possible output because we believed that those things were not just mere chores but a huge help to our learners as well.

When I had my teaching practicum during the second semester, I passionately prepared my lessons and promptly did all those paperworks considering that they were of great importance for the learning of my students. I used to enter my classes carrying loads of visual aids and full of enthusiasm to teach. I have observed that the same attitude could also be observed from other student-teachers. All of us were very enthusiastic to teach and we loved to share our teaching experiences every time we go back to our college. Personally, when I had my off-campus teaching practicum in a government high school 72 kilometers away from the college I was attending, I took bundles of references with me. I had my portfolio, professional articles, notes and a variety of Mathematics book which guided me throughout my nearly-independent teaching practicum.

With all the enthusiasm I and my fellow student-teachers had during our practicum, a sense of confusion struck my head when I saw how 'experienced teachers' had become in their profession. Most, if not all, of them had become complacent in their respective fields. The enthusiasm that we had, could hardly be seen to these experienced teachers. Unlike the passionate sharing of teaching experiences evident in every student-teacher, professional conversation could hardly be heard in the faculty room where these experienced teachers stay during their free time. These teachers normally have complaints against their students and the tasks which they were mandated to do. It's very sad because those things directly affect the learners.

Why do teachers tend to become complacent during their service years? What are the factors that demotivate teachers to pursue their passion in teaching?

Like other professions, teachers need support in order to grow professionally. Everybody needs constant motivation to sustain one's passion. However, we know that teachers are the least paid professionals and most of the times very little support is given by the management of the school to meet the professional needs of the teachers. Professional development trainings are provided but they are not actually given to those teachers who need them. Instead, those who already have the potential and the passion for teaching get the best support from the administration. Aside from that, teachers are not considered as collaborators in the planning stage. Plans are usually done by those who are on the top and teachers are just asked to implement what has been planned.

For instance, if there are changes which need to be implemented in the classroom, teachers are usually asked to implement the changes without enough information that would help them understand the urgency and the importance of the implementation. Changes in school forms and giving of additional loads to teachers are ordinarily given without considering the impact of such change to the teachers who directly influence the learners. Some of those forms and paperworks are just additional loads for teachers and they do not even contribute to students' learning. Instead of focusing on the support that every teacher could possibly give to the learners, much focus is given on asking teachers to provide unneeded reports and documents and sad to say, these reports are not even read by anyone. They're just kept as a files. Most of the times, it leads to teacher burn-out as teachers would eventually find out that they spend much of their time making those unnecessary reports than finding fulfillment through helping the students out in the learning process.

I hope that administrators would be awakened and would realize how the current surge of the system negatively affects the teachers. Teachers need support and encouragement to reinvent their teaching and be motivated with the help they are providing to the students. I hope everybody would realize such thing before it's too late. One day, we might witness a huge number of dedicated teachers shifting careers for they do not find fulfillment and happiness in what they are doing anymore. After all, it's the desire of every human being to find fulfillment at what he/she is doing and I believe that such fulfillment can only be achieved if we see impact of our efforts. Such impact can be seen in the number of lives we have touched and not in the bundle of irrelevant files we have finished.

The Decision is Yours

2009-09-12T11:01:00.000-07:00

"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops." - Henry Brooks Adams

This quotation is not just an accolade for teachers. More than that, it reminds every teacher how tremendous is his/her role. With teaching, comes a great decision on how should you make use of the influence that you have among the learners. One could make the best decision of making use of such influence in making the learners' lives worth living or another could choose to lie in the sea of complacency and destroy the learners' expectations, thus, the successes that they could have achieved.

I believe, every teacher is a hero to every learner because teachers possess tremendous power to build or destroy every learners' future, hence, the society's. However, one has to remember that together with that power is a huge responsibility. As what the superhero Spiderman said, "With great power; comes great responsibility."

As teachers, we are responsible in making every learning situation as enhancing as possible and it all starts with our passion and dedication for such responsibility. We might have found our teaching chores boring and disgusting at times but a little reflection of the things that we are doing as teachers would help us realize that our chore is not just a chore. We are teaching not just because we want to make a living but we make lives as well. However, as a teacher, the decision is yours. Would you mold lives while making a living or be obsessed on making a living and forget the lives of the learners? As teachers, the best question that we could ask ourselves every time we teach is, "Is this the kind of thing that I want my learners to bring for the rest of their lives?"

Teachers, the decision is yours!

TEN Networking Night: A Talk on ADD/ADHD

2009-09-11T00:14:00.000-07:00

A way of rejuvenating one's passion for teaching and unwinding from a very hectic schedule, I attended last night's networking event of Thailand Educators Network (TEN) held at Roadhouse Barbecue in Surawong Road. It's good to meet fellow educators of different cultural backgrounds, interests, and fields of expertise and exchange ideas on different issues related to education. As we took pleasure of each one's favorite drinks and a variety of snacks, a casual chat flourished the cozy atmosphere.

A talk from Ms. Maxine Ping of Acorns to Oaks Children's Center on "Understanding ADD Minuses" started the event last night. Maxine justified her intent of helping educators understand ADD/ADHD in more detail so that teachers would be able to distinguish ADD/ADHD from just a bit of being hyperactive by giving an overview of the learning deficiency. It was followed by putting into the picture the symptoms, diagnosis and how the students, friends siblings and parents can deal with related stress and its management.

What is interesting in Maxine's talk was the examination of practical solutions and the possibility of turning a learning disorder into a skill. She even cited famous people who belong to the ADHD Hall of Fame which include Thomas Alba Edison, Benjamin Franklin and Ernest Hemingway. Teaching a mainstream class with some students diagnosed to have learning disorders, Maxine's talk enlightened me on how to handle these students better. Remarkably, children with ADHD should be given extra help for they are not far away from achieving success in life.

TEN conducts monthly networking event every tenth of the month at Roadhouse Barbecue. To keep an update of their coming events, visit TEN's website.

The Voice of Esa

2009-09-09T08:18:00.000-07:00

Esa (not her real name) was one of my students during my first year of teaching here in Thailand. She was under my Grade 1 English as Foreign Language (EFL) class when I first taught in that government school in the province. Like the other kids, Esa has a very little grasp of English language but her physical features, which are apparently different from the other children in the class, made me wonder why it's difficult for her to speak English. At first glance, you would notice that she's not pure Thai and I learned later that she's half British and half Thai.

She was still under my class when she was in Grade 2 that's why I was able to personally observe her progress in using English in communication although her being shy was still obvious. From her little grasp of English vocabulary, she has gradually widened her skills as I have seen how her confidence to speak English in front of the class has improved in the following year.

As part of our lesson in Grade 2, after having them master the basic vocabulary words and simple sentences related to family, which was our focus that time, I asked them to draw a simple picture about their family. After that, I instructed them to use the vocabulary words and basic structures learned in telling something about the picture they have drawn. Most of the students were eager to present their works in front and the feeling of fulfillment for being able to tell something in English about their family were evident in the faces of the innocents except for Esa.

When it was Esa's turn, she slowly walked towards the center of the platform in front but unlike the other children, she was hesitant to show her drawing. As her teacher, I approached her and sooner I noticed that her drawing had only two persons which is not a case of typical family. In her artwork, I saw a young girl which was obviously her self and an old woman holding the young girl. That time, I knew what she was feeling deep within as I saw how gloomy her face had become. As her teacher, I still encouraged her to present her drawing by showing genuine appreciation to what she has done. She was convinced but when she started to show her drawing, mixed emotions started to conquer the learning-enhancing atmosphere of the classroom. To make Esa's presentation worthwhile like the previous presentations, I asked the children to pay attention to Esa as she would present. However, before Esa could tell something about her drawing, tears started to fell into his rosy white cheeks. I knew what was happening and so I immediately consoled her. Esa, with her demure look, slowly told me that the persons in her drawing were her self and her grandmother. I did not ask anymore where her parents were. Instead, with my broken Thai, I told her that she's so lucky to have a grandmother who loves her so much and she should be proud of it. I thought Esa got what I wanted to say as she had thrown back a fancy smile.

Later, I learned that Esa's parents left her to her grandmother since she was only four. I could not imagine how could they abandon a lovely and beautiful daughter like Esa. But still, Esa's very lucky to have a very caring grandmother who even asked me for an individualized English lesson with Esa after school hours.

Esa is just one of the learners who carries heavy loads in their hearts - they all need a caring teacher who would help them ascertain the best of themselves amidst their burdens. They need teachers who would inspire them and help them grow. I hope that many teachers would answer Esa's call.

The Way We Should Teach

2009-09-08T19:35:00.000-07:00

"Good teachers are simply good peers to their students. They know the kind of experiences students go through in the classroom and respond constructively to these experiences. They identify with students by being a learner. They constantly express to students that they are 'with them' -- in good times, in bad times, in successes, in failures, and above all, in the process of learning."

-- Dr. Edward Roy Krishnan

I could not agree more to this statement from Dr. Krishnan in his book 'It Takes a Learner to Teach a Learner'. As teachers, we have to understand our students and remember that we were once students like them. Although were were raised in separate generations we have to understand the complexity of our students' emotions and thoughts brought by the changes which ate up the recent generation. Thus, give them the appropriate treatment. Learning could be easily carried out if the learners feel that their teacher is for them and not against them. We love to learn with our friends (somebody who is related to us) and not with the people we hate -- the same is true to our students.

Teaching Mathematics in the Vernacular Language

2009-09-08T10:23:00.000-07:00

The present secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) has signed the Department of Education Order 74 nullifying the three and a half decades old Bilingual Education policy which directs the use of Filipino and English as the only media of instruction from basic education to higher education. Take note that none of those languages mentioned is the mother language of most of the Filipinos.

It might take ages before this policy could be implemented but I appreciate the current administration for redefining the Philippines' surge of education. I believe that such policy, if properly implemented, would not only help in preserving the cultural values of our nation but it would also lessen the frustration of our learners. If carried out, the order would bring out the teaching of Mathematics using the learners' mother language as medium of instruction.

If we have noticed, the Philippines, in general, has been poorly performing when it comes to Mathematics although we stood out in recent international Mathematics competitions. Learning the concepts is very essential in Mathematics yet mathematical concept formation has been a problem for most of the Filipino students. The reason behind is that, the students have to understand the language first before they understand the concept and most of the times when they fail to understand the language their frustration in understanding the concept arises.

If our goal in mathematics education is for the students to enhance numeracy (which involves understanding of the concepts), I do not see any point of teaching the subject in a language which is strange in the part of the learners. Concepts could be better understood if taught in a language that is comprehensible. Instead of adding frustration to the students by teaching Mathematics in English, our government could focus more on enhancing the teaching of English as a separate subject. In fact, the teaching of English in the Philippines is a problem because it is very structured (grammar is given more focus) instead of teaching it in communicative approach.

From the Philippine Countryside to an International Degree in Thailand

2009-09-07T08:33:00.000-07:00

Almost five years ago, I dreamed of pursuing my post-graduate studies in another country. I knew that such dream was so ambitious for a man whose parents' fickle income only depends to a very little farm in the remote area away from the Philippines' irrigation program. If pursuing bachelor's degree in a state college through a government aid was that tough back then, how about an international degree in another country? Such dream was so pathetic for a struggling part-time crew in a fastfood chain.

Not minding the resources that we have, a very strong lesson on valuing one's dreams (whether big or small) has been taught to us by our parents. As a child, whenever I told my parents about my dream of becoming a teacher, a lawyer, an owner of a nice vehicle and a beautifully landscaped concrete house and other things that an innocent child could think for the future, my parents would usually answer back with the word "POHON" which means "in the future". For sure, they knew what they could only afford. I understood that they did not try to give me false hope. Instead, they instilled an inspiration and strong conviction that with patience, hardwork and faith I would be able to achieve all my dreams. My mother, a religion teacher, used to tell me, "Iampo lang." (Just pray for it). Her statement inspired a resounding faith to me.

Bragging aside, me and my four siblings were able to finish college not because my parents had all the resources to send us to college but because they all had the desire and the vision to see their five children finishing a college degree no matter what. As students, we were always reminded not to indulge ourselves into unnecessary things because all of those could be enjoyed by us in due time. If we want to achieve our dreams, we need to sacrifice for nothing is instant in this world. Everything that comes to life, you have to work for it.

Last year, I have embarked for an international master's degree in Educational Administration here in Thailand, still, with my parents continuous encouragements. Although trials came along the way and some are still coming for sure especially for a self-supporting student like me, I still believe that no limitation could hurdle a determined dreamer. Right now, I am on the final stage of my study -- thesis writing. While working as full-time Mathematics teacher, I also have to work for my research study which will be hopefully scheduled for internal panel defense soon.

I could not imagine how I came this far. From a simple dream woven by a poor man from the Philippine countryside, thoughts are gradually turning into reality. I know it's not something that I could brag about but I am sure that this story of a dreamer could be an inspiration to hopeless individuals who think that we could do nothing with our present. Precisely, as my parents have taught me, we can always choose which path to trudge and do the best that we could to turn our dreams into reality.

Suroy Suroy by Missing Felimon

2009-09-06T18:39:00.000-07:00

It's another pride of Bisaya Rock (BISROCK) by my favorite Bisaya Band Missing Felimon. Ever since, Missing Felimon has caught my attention because of their meaningful songs and various genre of music. Besides, they never failed to tickle my fancy.

Suroy Suroy is another song from Missing Felimon worthy of fans' boisterous applause. It talks about the realities of life in Cebu, the Philippines' Queen City of the South. The song portrays a variety of dilemmas that affect the future generation. I encourage everyone to listen the song and have a little time for reflection on what is happening with the hopes of our fatherland.

Here's the song from Youtube...

Other songs of Missing Felimon that I really like are Inglesera and Principal. The latter reminds me of my students who do nothing in my class but make sure that they look physically good while their mind is just milling around the corner. My advise to them, "Pag-artista na lang, ayaw na ka eskwela...." hehehe

Three Years in Thailand and Still Counting

2009-09-06T10:24:00.000-07:00

I thought I would never be in this foreign land this long but unbelievably, I am already here in Thailand for exactly three years. On board the Philippine Airlines, I first arrived here September 6, 2006. The country was so strange to me then -- the food, the people, the place. But now, it seems like I am already well-adjusted in the Land of Smiles for I have been doing what Thai people usually do.

Being here for three years now, I already have a good grasp of the Thai language. Apparently, I won't hesitate anymore to answer back when somebody would greet me "Sawatdee Kha/Khrap!" I do eat the hot and spicy Thai food from time to time and have been used to eating raw vegetables together with the delicious somtam (papaya salad). I have ridden tuktuk (Thai vehicle with three wheels like the one in VISA Electron advertisement before). Yes, I have done so many things that the locals do and for that, I am happy that I was able to adopt my host country's culture and ways of living although I still have complaints sometimes.

Remembering, I had my first teaching job in a government school in the smallest province of Thailand. I first taught English as Foreign Language (EFL) to Grades 1, 2 and 3. That was really awesome! I am glad I did it. After working there for one year and six months, luck has stricken me when I was hired in a prestigious Catholic learning institution in Bangkok. I first taught Mathematics to Grades 2 and 4 students and then presently, to Grades 8 and 11.

The number of years for me to stay here is not yet fix but I am planning to stay here for a maximum of five years. It all depends to my work. If I could see that I am continuously growing and earning good amount of bucks then I would probably stay although my heart is whispering me to go back to my country and serve my countrymen. I do hope to do that. I am very positive on going back to Philippines for good for we all know that there's no place like home.

For now, I could do nothing but thank all those people who have helped me in every step of my life abroad. To the strangers I met who became my close friends and even my family here in Thailand. To my unexpected acquaintances who unexpectedly lend their support when I was struggling here. Indeed, they will always be a part of me. I am still here in Thailand because of their generosity. May they will be blessed more and more!

My online community, Siam Pinoy, is really worth of a mention. I am so blessed to have found this online community which later became a part of my growth as a professional in Thailand. The trust and the online network support with my fellow kababayans Siam Pinoy has given is more than what I could ask as neophyte . I hope that the community will continue to grow and will endlessly help other Filipinos in the kingdom.

My Learners, My Teachers

2009-09-05T06:11:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I opened my friendster account as I have been recently hooked up to facebook wherein communicating with my colleagues and keeping updates of them is faster and easier. My friendster has almost become a forgotten social network account when I decided to open it to explore my friends' latest updates. Looking at my network activity, I found my student who was under my advisory class back in the Philippines who just added his classmate during sophomore years.

Curious of their latest happenings as they have been part of my life as a teacher, I browsed the pictures in their album. And then, my eyes started to gloom as I saw them capturing life's memorable moments including their high school years. The faces I saw were the very students I left and cried for when I decided to leave for a teaching opportunity in Thailand. They were the very students I have exchanged with what I called 'greener pasture'. They have been a part of my life and looking at them taking bolder steps towards their dreams gave me a sense of happiness and a piece of regret for not being with them for the rest of the sophomore years.

I could still remember the first time I met those innocent faces in the classroom. Their frowns every time I release them late for a Mathematics enrichment class still leave a picture in my mind. Their complaints every time I ask them to speak English whenever they talk to me is nothing but memorable. We all had our moments shared inside the classroom as we learned and prepared for our future together.

Now, they're grown-up college students and they will soon have their own part in our community. I am happy for I was once a part of their lives and they also became a part of my existence. As always, I would express my heartfelt gratitude to my students for helping me realize the real meaning of my existence. I would not become a fulfilled teacher as I am without my students for every encounter that I had with them was both a learning experience and a moment of awakening. As a teacher, leaving my students in the Philippines for a teaching job abroad is like leaving my very own children. As I watched their pictures, I have seen that they're much better now than they were before.

Being a teacher, I have to be honest that I got most of my insights in life from the realizations brought by my students to me. Each day, I consider every learner not as empty tablets who impassively enter the classroom for they usually come with rich experiences, thoughts and feelings which need to be heard, appreciated, and learned from. They are more than just learners; they are teachers as well for oftentimes, as teachers, we get the best lesson in teaching from our learners.

Seminar for High School Mathematics Teachers

2009-09-03T11:21:00.000-07:00

The Center for Human Research and Development Foundation, Inc. will be conducting a one-day national seminar-workshop on "Making High School Mathematics Real and Relevant" at the Institute of Social Order (ISO), Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights, Quezon City come October 24, 2009.

The seminar would run for the whole day (from 7:00 AM to 4:30 PM) with Mr. Ricardo M. Crisostomo, a renowned author of different books and articles in Science and Mathematics and has been in the academe for 25 years, as resource speaker. As I glanced at the seminar's program, the topics include the following:
1. Mathematics: Reality and Relevance
2. How Students Learn Mathematics
3. The Joy and Art of Teaching Mathematics
4. Developing Real Relevant Teaching Frameworks

For this, I am planning to rebook my return ticket to Bangkok from October 23 to October 24 so I could join this seminar which is geared towards equipping high school Mathematics teachers with progressive knowledge on the teaching and learning of Mathematics. Aside from the reunion with my loved ones, my attendance to this seminar would surely add meaning to my three-week vacation in the Philippines. At least, I will be back with my teaching track in Bangkok with renewed interest and enthusiasm in teaching Mathematics to my Second Year and Fifth Year high school students.

For more information, download the details HERE.

Lea Salonga in Bangkok

2009-09-02T03:57:00.000-07:00

Bangkok Symphony Orchestra Foundation in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Bangkok, Thailand present the world-renowned Filipino singing sensation Ms. Lea Salonga come September 12, 2009 at Queen Sirikit Convention Center, Bangkok. After her very successful Cinderella musical at Esplanade, Bangkok, Lea would be back for another moment of goose bumps and boisterous applause.

Leah would be performing with the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra wherein her brother, Gerard Salonga would be the conductor. it would be a night of the magic of Disney and Broadway musicals featuring the impressive songs from The Lion King, Aladdin, Beauty and The Beast, The Little Mermaid, Mulan, West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, A Chorus Line, Oliver, Miss Saigon and Les Misérables.

Tickets are available at 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500 and 3,000 at ThaiTicketmajor. They are giving discounts to early birds (those who bought ticket before August 21). However, if you failed to buy ticket before August 21, I heard that you could also buy tickets at discounted price at the Philippine Embassy through Mr. Randy Arquiza. Just try to give them a call for you might still be able to catch Lea's another amazing live performance here in Bangkok.

Click HERE for more information about the event.

On Philippine Blog Awards and My Teaching Blog

2009-09-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

CONFIRMATION

I just received an e-mail from the organizers of Philippine Blog Awards 2009 confirming that my blog has been reviewed already and it's now an official nominee to the Philippine Blog Awards 2009 under Personal Blogs category. If my blog would be chosen as one of the lucky winners this year, my excitement to go home this coming October would be added for sure.

I know there are lots of good personal blogs in the list of nominees but I am still hopeful that I would win. Should I start preparing my speech for the awarding night? hahaha!

MERGING WITS AND SPIRITS AND MEANINGFUL EDUCATION

I am afraid that I would not have enough time to update my blogs these days so I am planning that instead of separating my personal and teaching blogs, I would just merge them. For that, starting next week or any time this week, I would be lifting the articles that have been posted at my teaching blog and post them here.

Since this blog, Wits and Spirits, is more general and easier to update as I have been posting random thoughts here, I decided that I would keep this blog and would just add a section dedicated to teaching. If you have been following my blog, you might find the sidebars different in the following days because I would be adding other widgets to be lifted from my teaching blog.

The only problem that I foresee right now is my blog lay out. Any suggestion about easy blog layout customization?

Why We Need Leaders?

2009-09-01T07:30:00.000-07:00

History itself has proven that leadership is inseparable to mankind. Since the inception of society before the dawn of civilization, leaders have been existing.

Needless to say, we are living in a very unique society where individuality is the only thing common among every people. People tend to have different attitudes, traits and characteristics due to the upbringing of the community where they live. Diversity is found in every level and every corner of the world that even the smallest of the smallest society enjoy it. Different we might be, we cannot deny the fact that this world is meant to be a world of happiness where everyone enjoys while in harmony with each other. Whether we are in Asia, Europe, South America, North America, Africa, or Australia; we are one and we should work as one. In order to do this, we need leaders who possess strong leadership attitude to guide and inspire every people in the society.

Leadership is needed in every corner of the world. Leaders are important in every organization. A world without leaders is like a ship without lighthouse. It would work yet it would be undirected and possibilities of naval accidents would be very high. In a society, a leader is equally important to the lighthouse of navigating ships. Without a leader, fight against each one’s principles and philosophies would be more rampant and misunderstanding would be more prevalent. A sound leader is needed to create a sound society and the good thing is we can all be leaders. We can all be leaders of ourselves by possessing strong leadership attitude. We can all be leaders by leading our inner self and leading others by example. We can all be leaders by taking initiative every time needed, by being proactive to every situation, by taking part in the solution and not the problem, and by taking responsibility in our actions. Everybody is meant to be leaders. Leadership is very necessary. If the jungle animals have their lion king and the colony of ants have their king and queen; how about, we, people?

Sosy Sunday

2009-08-30T05:32:00.000-07:00

I am suppose to work with my lesson plans the whole day so I could have, at least, a long term plan for the remaining days of the semester. However, instead of fixing my lessons and preparing other teaching materials for the entire week, I ended up strolling in a nearby mall. It's not a matter of procrastination and lack of self-discipline again. A bit of an alibi, but my Sony VAIO VGN-CS23S could answer the whole thing and, for a reason, absorb my frustration for not being able to do the things which should have been done.

Experiencing a plethora of problems with Microsoft Office programs for a couple of days, I immediately headed to a Sony service center to complain the problem (I do have the right because my notebook's been with me for about 4 months). Microsoft Office has been so slow and, most of the time, it freezes that no matter what I do it would not respond (I tried Ctrl+Alt+Del already) and in the long run the screen would black out. Apparently, I heard the usual answer of a customer service representative (CSR). CSR's are suppose to be there to take care of their customers and not their company though the two goes hand in hand. She said, the Windows Vista processor which they have installed is original. However, the MS Office programs are pirated because they usually don't give free MS Office software so instead of charging more to their customers for the installation of an original program, they installed FREE PIRATED PROGRAM without the customer's knowledge. It's another marketing fad and it's very rampant nowadays so I really have to learn a lesson. Next time, before I decide to discharge my hardly-earned bucks for something I believe worthwhile, I need to probe for not all apples are sweet and not all sweet fruits are apples. Even a highly-respected SONY (I bought this notebook in a SONY CENTER), is not worthy of every buyer's trust.

The technical support staff advised me to run VAIO recovery program and everything will be alright after that. With their broken English and my broken Thai, we could hardly understand each other. I should have acted out like a wild bore in front of them because of my frustration. However, I was still able to manage to wear my sarcastic smile and, surprisingly, gave a good laugh and a sincere thank to them. After all, we have our reason for doing something and I believe we are responsible and mature enough to evaluate the validity of that reason. I might be the prey that time but the day will still go on. They have to fix the problem!

Forgetting the pending works caused by that unexpected event, I seized the rest of the day and had a sumptuous lunch at Sizzler's. I then treated myself with a relaxing facial and body massage and ended the day with a cup of cappuccino and a slice of brownie cheesecake at McCafe. Although I have been trying to save every dough that I have for my upcoming vacation to Philippines this October, I could not help myself but turn a tricky day to a SOSY SUNDAY. Enjoy life! It's a personal decision.

What is Distributed Leadership?

2009-08-29T10:17:00.000-07:00

Distributed leadership is a kind of leadership where every stakeholder (i.e. principal, teachers, students, parents, community) of an educational institution collaboratively work and do leadership tasks for the achievement of common and specific goal. In this form of leadership, each one's opinion towards certain matters is sought before any decision is being done. This form of leadership is democratic and delegated.

In an organization where distributed leadership is employed, it is important to view distributed leadership not only as management or a leadership technique but more than that as an attitude. It simply means considering every individual of the organization as an important source of ideas. Through this kind of leadership, respect is seen and felt in every corner of the organization. It must be understood that distributed leadership is a call for responsibility from the members of the organization. This way, important leadership tasks can be achieved while working collaboratively and examining each oneâ€™s mistake as source of ideas for development. In this kind of leadership, everybody is expected not just to become part of the solution but to the prevention itself as well.

The Essence of Assessment: Authentic Over Traditional

2009-08-28T20:50:00.000-07:00

Traditionally, assessment which is typically done in a form of test or quiz provides negative notion among the students. More often than usual, traditional assessment methods merely expects the students to recall knowledge through multiple choice tests, enumeration, identification, and others. Such method of assessment usually causes anxiety among the students which hinders them from giving accurate response as to what they have really learned – thus, hampering valid formative assessment and feedback.

On the other hand, authentic assessment or alternative assessment usually entails tasks in which the students will be involved and an accompanying rubric which will be used in evaluating their performance on the specified tasks. Wiggins (1993) as cited by Mueller (2008) defined authentic assessment as engaging and worthy problems or questions of importance, in which students must use knowledge to fashion performances effectively and creatively. The tasks are either replicas of or analogous to the kinds of problems faced by adult citizens and consumers or professionals in the field.

In other words, authentic assessment is the provision of direct application of knowledge learned through practical tasks designed to evaluate the students’ ability to apply learning (transfer of learning). According to Mueller (2008), authentic assessments, on the other hand, offer more direct evidence of application and construction of knowledge compared to traditional assessment.

Here is an example of an authentic assessment I have done in my Mathematics class with ESL learners who are expected to master fundamental concepts in Mathematics and develop their English language proficiency. When I taught “Money and Budget” among the learners, I assessed their ability to solve problems related to money and their ability to integrate the four language skills by asking them to look for a practical problem which involves money. I asked my students to write them down in paragraph form, interpret and express them in mathematical symbols, and then present their problems and solution in class. I developed a rubric to evaluate their works (oral and written) and communicated it with them beforehand. That way, I was able to authentically assess my students for their presentations gave me a concrete evidence on how much they have learned and my feedback (which was based on the rubric) was clear with them beforehand, thus, giving them ideas on what needs to be improved next time.

When assessing our students, we have to remember that, as teachers, we do not assess our students so we could give our judgment to them or encourage them to compete one another. The real essence of assessment can be found in our genuine interest to help our students in the process of learning. We assess the learners so we could provide them immediate and accurate feedback that would help them in their impending learning endeavors.

If you are a teacher who find this article helpful, you can visit my TEACHING BLOG and read more of them or you can e-mail me at jo_saraspe@yahoo.com so I could send you other materials that might also help you in teaching.

Claiming Our Own Responsibility

2009-08-28T10:06:00.000-07:00

Months ago, I heard a news in BBC about an Austrian man who abducted his own daughter for a couple of years. This man was able to hide his secret for a long time that people never thought about his darkest secret -- he imprisoned his very own daughter in his house, raped her and had children with her. Another abduction case recently happened in America to an 11-year old girl kidnapped 18 years ago and made a sex slave by a ruthless sex maniac. The girl even bore a child with that man at the age of 14. And then a while ago, a heart-breaking story about a 2-year old boy who was cut open, had his intestines and inner organs removed and then stuffed with Cocaine caused me a very wild impression of the world that we are currently living.

The world has totally changed. Life has given us comfort and luxury that we wanted. The word "machine" and the prefix "e-" have been attached to so many things like washing machine, vending machine, teller machine and then e-book, e-shopping, e-mail and so on and so forth. Yes, many things have changed but what is unbearable to all these changes is the fact that some people's perception have totally changed. The way some people give importance to their lust and the material words around them have rippled in almost (if not all) every corner of the world that would make us doubt the safety that this world could bring to us.

All these changes were undoubtedly created by men and so the problems brought by these changes actually rooted from ourselves. People are suffering from the consequences brought by their unruly treatment to the environment. Nobody could be blamed except us. Life has given us everything for free but it's us who made everything expensive. We are suffering but then we deserve to experience all these things. What is unacceptable is that the new generation, the young and the innocents have been affected. It's a shame in our part because we have inherited the world better and now, we will pass it on to the coming ages full of dirt that, still, we could not picture out how the budding world citizens could enjoy the blessings of nature that we have experienced before.

But then, it's never been late to do the things that we believe will save our world for the next generation to enjoy. Let's do our part for even small good things that we do to ourselves and to others would possibly cause great impact.

If those people who did worse thing in the community rippled around the world, then it's not impossible that our collective small deeds would also bring great waves to everyone.