Teacher's teacher

Whether you teach in the elementary, high school, college or post graduate levels, the challenge is the same: let us talk about Aids in our classes especially today, December 1: WORLD AIDS DAY. There is no doubt education is still one of the most effective ways to prevent aids. Even its dream to develop vaccine against aids will come from the education sector where geniuses are nurtured.

Education, from the Latin word educere or educare, which means to lift up and this alone tells us the vital role education plays in every facet of a person's life. It cannot be denied though that so many of the crises have bombarded humanity nowadays. All these range from personal, political to environmental-cultural social  and in some cases they overlap that our hope for better days and faith in God are our only reasons to hold on.

This idea of hoping and believing is also a good point of discussion in our classes. Teachers, Mabuhay ka! Long Live the teachers!!!

The Guidance Office of the College of Teacher Education in one university coordinates with its Student Body Organization to hold a symposium or panel discussion that will deal with issues young adults are confronted with. Two issues have surfaced for this gathering: Suicide and Unwanted Pregnancy.

Why suicide? While the university does not say that there are many cases of suicide, now and then, we hear of some of the students who died not of natural causes but of suicide. A particular incident this blogger saw for herself was the case of a seventeen year old male freshman who committed suicide by taking "insecticide". The mother whom we met in the funeral home related that her son did not give her reason to be worried about but she asked apology from the son that perhaps she did not do her best to find out. She told her son as he laid there in the coffin to forgive them but to please not to let go of Jesus who alone can understand why he did what he did. Many more incidents were shared by both parents that when we left, we made a promise to hold some kind of forum where young people will hear more about suicide.

Why unwanted pregnancy? Well, due to some Magna Carta for the protection of women, students who get pregnant without being married is not enough ground tob e suspended by the university. So we do find many students, from first year college to fourth year, sometimes, high school students or few elementary pupils who get pregnant who are too young to understand what they are going through but they going to become parents themselves.Before this situation becomes worse that it already is, a thorough discussion about male-female relationships, some of which lead to unwanted pregnancy, might follow the guidance principle: "Prevention is better than cure." From our end, we can think of it as a proactive response to more issues that also need equal attention. Future blogs will share the salient points  the resource speakers will tell the audience. Can you share some insights?

As mentors, any event can be an opportunity to teach so in this regard, with November about to end, December is inevitable to grace us once again. This early, what is a food for thought to think in advance before it finally comes?

That December is just any month that follows the month before it which is November. It is only when we use December as a special chance to give love especially to those who do not know at all that now Christmas has taken a unique perspective.

This early then, Metanoia (Conversion) is a must which we know we cannot do on our own. We pray for it so that it is given to us as a gift. Advent before Christmas is significant to note.

Allow me to be one of the first persons to greet you " Merry Christ-mas and and a Converted Happy New Year!"

Let us begin with the "mess ex-President GMA - Who could ever foresee that she would ever be in this situation? Very recently we cleaned one room where her photo as President of the Philippines hang on the wall and then now we see her photos - frail, sick, helpless and everyone saying very unkind words against her. Being a parent and teacher myself, my heart bleeds for her and though sometimes I exchange harsh remarks with colleagues when I show sympathy or empathy, it is worth expressing how people can be very unkind.

Whatever will come out of the saga that is bound to stay for a long time, let us remain generous with our understanding. One day, we might find ourselves somewhat in the same "dilemma" so take time to "hold your horses".

Then we hear the case of RamJen's murder and the "family" chaos that seems to remain mysterious and unsolved as to whether one or two or three have a hand in the death of RamJen. Problems that family members go through are so near  our own experiences, again it is prudent not to be harsh with our remarks. Every family has a story to tell and a history that has so many nuances an outsider cannot fully fathom. The family is where the heart is. So let us always treasure our own family and never take it for granted.

Other countries seem to have other things to face. Egypt is undergoing a transition to move forward. In the process, protesters have been hurt. Libya too has a new government. It needs strong leaders to pursue its desire for change.

To sum up, the Philippine events are not only within its borders for the world now has become so interdependent, we can learn from each other and teach each other as well.

Today has given many things to ponder upon: In Bukidnon, Mindanao Philippines, an earthquake came in the middle of the night which caused blackout, destruction of some business establishments and anxiety if it comes again. Then just when we thought the earthquake was worth worrying about, somewhere in California, a verdict was handed down: Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson's personal physician guilty of involuntary manslaughter. Piers Morgan in his tv program, Piers Morgan Tonight in CNN, had  legal analysts to find out if the verdict was fair.  Both agreed it was fair. But if you listened to one of Dr. Murray's patients, Dennis Hix, he disagreed for he considered Dr. Murray, the best doctor he ever had. When this scenario happens, you, the viewer, are left with your own devices to understand events as they come to your senses.

So it is worth repeating as to what is the message of this much talked about case to ordinary people. Whatever is your perspective, let it be.We can only hasten to add a dimension which is to focus on the emotions that couple any real setting. "Dura lex, sed lex." (It is difficult but it is the law) says the legal minds so there are salient points that have to be understood according to its context. The emotional aspect comes in when we can only empathize with close relationships that sometimes love gets in the way of being objective. Emotions like concern, care make one go beyond what is expected and sometimes to go beyond can mean go against what is objectively considered legal. Life sometimes is like this. No wonder there is no end to it.

So let it be our food for thought: Let us try to follow the wisdom of the church fathers: "What is usually legal is also moral but in some instances what may be legal is not necessarily moral."

Have you asked this very simple question: What does death teach us while we are alive?

It teaches us that life is good only until death takes over so death teaches us to treasure life because death comes "life a theft in the night" - you are the last one to know death has visited you or me.

It teaches us that death finds meaning only in the realm of faith. If you are not a believer then your philosophy is:  "Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow you will die" but if you are a believer then your philosophy is: " Like Christ one has to die but like Christ you will rise again in God's own time."

It teaches us what truly matters in life:  to do more, give more in order to be more as the great philosophers would say in our behalf but in death: to be in the mercy of God, the Judge.

On the occasion of November 1, All Saints' Day and November 2, All Souls' Day - we are answering the question that death is as important as life, the two days are symbolic of the respect we accord to our beloved dead who are in faith, alive in God's Kingdom.

If there is one things this blogger would like to have it is a television set with a capability to record what is worthy to be viewed again and again. Take the situation in New York. What is the implication  of "occupied Wall Street". Then take the most recent shocking news - death of Gaddafi. What are the repercussions of such death - of a leader who had everything in terms of power and fame - yet was killed by the very people he "served"? 

By the way, have you accepted the fact that right in our living room is the source of much information - the tv set? While you are cleaning your home, preparing meals or just sitting down while taking your snacks, you switch on the tv - make sure it is cable - you have before you the world. You become witness to how it is coping with any thing and every thing every other person is going through here, there and everywhere! Can you imagine if you can record all these and see it again, very slowly, ponder upon its nuances and contribute your own share in whatever capacity. Oprah used to give this kind of tv set many times so this Christmas, this blogger has some tv canvassing to do as to what tv set has this feature unless someone out there has read this log and would like to tell me how to get one???

As a teacher, events - like "occupied Wall Street" and "death of a dictator, Gaddafi" - confirm once again what greed can do to many who are struggling to live with bare minimum and how power can destroy anybody who uses it as an end not a means.

Then we come back to where we are and ask: Have I contributed to the misery of my family and community? Have I done enough to control my anger or tendency to manipulate others thereby promote peace among family members and colleagues?

Let us begin small and let us begin where we are . . . Shalom!

Leaders are our role models. So when they die, all the followers are sad. What is lost is not just one life but a life that is difficult to emulate. In the case of Moammar Gadhafi, Libyan prime minister, he must have been a role model one time being a leader. In the course of time, he must have lost this side of him for he wanted absolute power just for himself which is the tendency when power becomes absolute.

What lesson do we get from a person's death? like Gadhafi's death. One is the confirmation that whatever power we possess it is not self-serving but a temporary trust given to you with a consequent accounting of what you have done with it. Another is the fact that life is a one-way traffic such that when our time is up - what follows is no longer ours to decide so we are under the mercy of God's justice. Still another message is the legacy we leave behind. Others rejoice when you die because a tyrant is gone or they are saddened because your presence is always "sunshine after the rain", rainbow after the pain.

Let us always go back to our own lives and reflect on what we have done and are doing with this one life we are given.

To this day, after teaching for more than 30 years, we still meet so-called evaluators who have reserved their comments to be guided only by negative tones. Since we are aware that this person is not even super as a teacher and the over-all "aura" is negative, we can only surmise that it is but inevitable everything that emanates from this person is the opposite of positive. Have you met this evaluator yourself or your workplace has a counterpart? do share . . .

Every person nowadays has to be treasured. Students who are our main clients are our crosses for we as teachers try to give our all but sad to say, their exams are below par. We just hold on to the positive thought that they will "bloom" someday according to their own paces.