Teacher's teacher

January 2016 is precursor to a New Year

0 comments Posted by Malaybalay Blogger at 6:07 PM

For some of us who were born last 1950, 2016 is a very long time. For us who have begun teaching since 1971, the career has been there for a long time also.

This blogger is 65 years old and has taught since 1971 so she is a senior citizen and a retiree. January 2016 will definitely be a year of new experiences being 65 years old and a retiree.

One of the more exciting events was my Zipzone adventure. Take a look

It took me to become 65 years old and a retiree to give in to the curiosity how it feels to conquer the longest zipline.

May 2016 then give us more energy and zest to New adventures and New Everything. Teacher, fellow retiree, game?

Teachers all over the world: active or not - Happy New Year

0 comments Posted by Malaybalay Blogger at 5:21 PM

It may not be significant to greet because events like Christmas and New Year logically come every year but because I say the greeting for you, it is in fact significant.

Merry Christmas 2015 and Happy New Year 2016 (y) Let us try to become more interactive this New Year. May we have more energy to go on and reach out to each other because sometimes this makes our lives more entwined and interconnected. Do you agree?

So let us just limit ourselves to this beautiful message where the only reality that matters is LOVE, LOVE and LOVE, Christmas or no more. New Year or same year. Smile :)

Teacher retires, what is next?

0 comments Posted by Malaybalay Blogger at 9:40 AM

So retirement becomes mandatory at 65 years old even if the teacher has not reached 15 year minimum requirement to avail of monthly pension. This is one painful fact that every teacher must take to heart if only to give justice to the years of service and avail of the fruits of your labor during your heyday years.

Sad to say however, this was not foremost in the minds of some Human Resource in-charge. Nobody usually thinks retirement will come one day. But then it does. So since the question goes: what is next after the teacher retires? To some it means a long time of travel and rest. To others, a time to make good the promise to have the organic vegetable garden! Still to others, it means, another entrepreneurial endeavor when the opportunity is given.

Thus, life remains ever challenging whether still in the work force or after retirement. It is your personhood that matters. Even being a teacher is not the most important qualification as your vivacity and versatility. So are you game teacher-retirees?

Retirement is both painful and happy event

0 comments Posted by Malaybalay Blogger at 11:18 PM

Teaching, they say, is the noblest profession and after teaching for more than 40 years, I can vouch for it. It is the retirement package however that the government or private institution that you serve that can make you smile or frown.

In my case, I availed of optional retirement after 20 years in a private establishment so the take home package was not the amount expected that allows the retiree to live a decent life. This is complicated by the fact that there are still children who go to school. So the logical decision is to teach somewhere and this time in a government institution. So I did but I forgot that I have only 15 more years to spare otherwise I will not receive pension. As it happened it is the case now.

So, I may be the "guinea pig" but I was not extra careful myself to protect my rights so no one could be blamed except myself. Still the HR could have been a little cooperative and went a mile more to remind me of the precarious situation I was in.

Teaching, indeed, is the noblest profession but it is not the best paying job in the world. However, I received the best send-off retirement/65th birthday so I can never complain. Most of all my children do not mind giving me financial support or give their share to shoulder some of the bills so there is no reason to complain.

Therefore, retirement is both painful and happy event but with all the attending perks, it is still more of a happy event!

Happy Easter fellow mentors

0 comments Posted by Malaybalay Blogger at 10:36 AM

It was not long ago when Holy Week began and now the week ends with Easter Sunday. How days go by now but first things first: Happy Easter fellow Mentors! At a time when all we hear are bad news any semblance of Easter spirit is a welcome respite. Over and above material things is the Easter message, that Jesus is risen Alleluia!

Education as already been shared by experts hopes to "lift us up" and makes every individual more human and humane. Mentors always make this realization ever present. May we have more mentors who believe in this.

Let us begin this dream right there in our own homes.

I may be retiring but I am not becoming retarded

0 comments Posted by Malaybalay Blogger at 9:40 PM

In one of life's scenarios, I blurted out that I will soon retire when a colleague commented: "Oh, you will soon retire? so soon, you will become retarded!" This remark was one supposed to be taken as a joke although that somebody literally said it to my face. I want to believe that this guy who said it at the time it happened, did not mean it so I must take it lightly. Today, Holy Saturday, it just dawned on me that while I still take it as a joke, people out there should not be mean, said lightly or not.

Teachers, like us, have the uncanny ability to incorporate this setting in one of our class discussions. Your parents will be proud of you and the world will be better for sure. We may have all the inventions that intelligence can produce but the best is not something technology can muster, it is only education that can painstakingly nurture every person to become humane.

In my case, I have been teaching since 1972 and all through the years, I think I have done my best in the field of teaching. Then I realize I am retiring on July 1 and am still farther away from saying with confidence to the Lord: "I have done my best and admit to all the students brought to my care that I was their best teacher." Does this mean I am accepting the comment that I am becoming retarded? No, I am just accepting the part of the painful realization that life is bigger than my retirement. I will continue to become a better person beyond retirement. I may be retiring but certainly and definitely I am not becoming retarded.

Pope Francis, the Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Cathoic Church visits the Philippines

0 comments Posted by Malaybalay Blogger at 12:40 AM

For the visit it was first Sri Lanka then the Philippines. The dates came and went, January 15 to January 19, 2015. To this day, it was like a whirlwind for we did not have enough of his awesome smile and generous aura but he had to go back to Rome.

In my case, way back 1971, I saw Pope Paul VI up close in Quezon Memorial Circle. I cried treasured the rare moment. Forty-three years later, I say Pope Francis, on tv, and I also cried. As teachers, we realize the roles we play being the second parents of our learners, but with the Pope, he lifts all of us to a metaphysical level and there are no more categories. With Pope Francis as the Vicar of Christ, we are all brothers and sisters and he has come to tell us of God's love.

Pope Francis, we love you.

Alumni of Bukidnon Normal School or Bukidnon State College or Bukidnon State University Take Note

0 comments Posted by Malaybalay Blogger at 1:31 AM

If you are a graduate of Bukidnon Normal School or Bukidnon State College or Bukidnon State University then we have to meet again as alumni on April 30 to May 2, 2015. So take two for clarity, let us reserve April 30, May 1 and May 2 of 2015 for by then it is a Grand Homecoming for all of us who love our Alma Mater.

Make it a point to visit Malaybalayan.blogspot.com to read all the details. Malaybalayan is the chairperson of the Publicity Committee so she needs you fellow alumni. Give your e-mail address or cell phone number so we can personally follow you up.

So tell all our friends that our next big date is the Grand Homecoming on April 30 to May 2, 2015.

August 17, 2014 is wake up call, blog!

0 comments Posted by Malaybalay Blogger at 9:06 PM

Many months have passed by and still my enthusiasm level was and is on its all time low. Then like any thing in this world, one day gives you a wake up call and its message, blog! So here goes fellow teachers . . .

In the midst of the craziness of our respective schedules, do you agree with me that there is this tugging feeling that out there is the world of information and a wide range of readers like you? This alone forces me to get hit in the head and allows my right side of the brain to go blog!

Like today, August 17, 2014, Sunday, while most of you out there are doing so many odd things especially to just relax and smile to yourself, I call on you to read my blog of the day and include me in your reverie :).

For one, teachers like us only have few moments to ourselves. Girl Scouts for example have decided to hold an on-the-spot essay writing contest this coming September 13 a precursor for Josefa Llanes Escoda celebration on September 20. Expect more details about this in my renewed zest to blog because you are there to read and respond to it.

For another, I am one of the many teachers who will soon retire come July 1, 2015, my 65th birthday. This day will be my last day of service in Bukidnon State University. I have a sad thing to share though. After teaching all my life in various schools, college and universities, I forgot to consider that to receive a pension in a public institution one has to have a minimum of 15 years of service. In my case, I forgot to do my job well for I did not count well so I found out recently I have only 13 years to my credit so I could only avail of "take home cash" and no pension. Agghhh!!! I am so disheartened so I am still wishing a miracle will happen to change my luck. Fellow teachers, learn from my negligence, make sure you take care of your GSIS payments for at least 15 years or you will experience the same fate I am about to bitterly swallow.

Fellow teachers, may I know how many we are who have each other to follow so we can organize a group of bloggers and plan course of action to inspire each other when lean months come along . . . Take care and 'til the next blog . . . (y)

Teachers love summer for it is a time to invigorate but the happiness is incomplete what with requirements for clearance a remaining baggage

0 comments Posted by Malaybalay Blogger at 6:58 AM

Teachers recite their classes everyday, every week the whole year round. So when Summer comes which fall in April and May, these months are heaven-sent. So I am in heaven myself for I am off this summer. Indeed summer is a time to invigorate one's sagging enthusiasm. However this contentment is barred due to the pending requirements that are just endless. The happiness that is long awaited becomes incomplete because of this scenario. So more and more I am looking forward to my retirement early next year when the only requirement is to make use of time according to one's plan for the day without any paper to correct and meetings and seminars to attend to.

Just the same, since teachers are very creative and productive amid all the chaos of being employed.

So hello summer. And soon enough, hello school year 2014-2015.