Teacher's teacher

The extension unit of Bukidnon State University, Malaybalay, Bukidnon, Philippines, through its very active and ever resourceful director, Dr. Estela Itaas, initiated the move to hold Basic Literacy Seminar-Workshop. This was made possible when the Supervisor of Alternative Learning Systems of Region XI, Mrs. Helen Arancon spent one whole day with the BSU extensionists on January 23, 2010, Saturday, at the Media Resource Center in BSU.

All the participants, Malaybalayan included, had only positive feedbacks upon hearing from the resource speaker all the intricacies that come with genuine Basic Literacy Training given to out-of-school youth and adults. The next move therefore is to hold literacy mapping after floating the Community Needs Assessment Questionnaire. This way we, the extensionists can respond accurately to the need and level of the clientele.

Interesting to note was the clarification that formal education and alternative learning systems are of equal footing. Now there is a clear attempt to provide Education for all.

Expect some documentation when my students in National Service Training Program-Literacy Training 2 will launch its meeting with the community leaders in Sunflower, Kalasungay, Bukidnon Philippines.

BSU-Extension Unit met ALS at a time when the need to immerse the students to the community and experience first hand the rare opportunity to become men and women for others presented itself.

Experts differentiate mere teachers from effective teachers like this: "Teachers, like leaves, abundantly abound; effective teachers, like fruits, are rarely found." On one hand, there are many who finished the degree in teaching and so they they teach. On the other hand, effective teachers are those who imbibe in their teaching, the vocation which demands from them extra time and effort- always go a mile more to explain, to tutor if there is need, to be of service.

We advance then that the former is plain teacher while the latter is an educator.

Teacher's teacher hopes to meet other educators through this blogspot. Please post a comment and inform us how to contact you. May your tribe increase!

We woke up this Friday morning, January 22 and as we viewed GMA, Marlene Aguilar IvlerPollard, the mother of Jason Ivler, began sharing what she can say how her son has been unjustly treated, as though already proven guilty instead of being considered innocent before any trial. She also insinuated that her bodyguard who is British, can also be a suspect in the whole thing, can be the informer who now is given the reward money and so on and so forth.

Usually when someone shares her "hearts" out on primetime tv, especially a mother, we reach out through our tears and sadness but in this case, we got migraine! As Undersecretary Renato Ebarle Sr., the father of the victim allegedly shot by Jason Ivler said in response to what we saw and heard, Marlene Pollard is "the best actress". Personally, we agree.
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Thus, we can learn from all the things that are happening in our surroundings. But most of all, we should go back to our own family: make sure we know what they are doing, where they are. At least most of our homes are not mansions or situated i n a 1,000 sq. or so meter stretch of land so we can readily see each other!

George Santayana declares: "Family is one of nature's masterpieces." We, the mothers, have so much to do right there in our families. All of us have a lifetime to finish our masterpieces, our respective families.

Cerge Remonde is a "fixture" on tv since he became Press Secretary of Malacanang . For us who are from the Visayas and Mindanao we are elated because he represents what some of us can achieve if we do well in our jobs. Visayans seem to excel in whatever field they go into and especially when they try their luck in Manila, Philippines.

My daughter, for example, is appointed as Media Chief of Adel Tamano for Senator Movement. Yes! Adel Tamano for Senator Movement - please do not forget!!!

Back toCerge Remonde, we are beginning to hear how generous he was as a person and how fair he tried in his dealing with the media personnel. His peers spoke of his diligence and persistence and they knew he would go places which he did.

To Cerge Remonde, our prayers. Our children will find in you the picture of tenacity and excellence. Rest in peace . . .Our condolences to the bereaved family. . .

It is not difficult to understand why mothers love their children. Others say: but of course! The moment the mom becomes pregnant, the unique relationship between the mother and the child is uniquely theirs. This special bond blossoms more deeply as the baby is born and once again, the extent of mother-child relationship is all embracing.

No wonder then children are better when with mothers than without them. A mother's love is a love beyond compare. It is an epitome of unconditional love. Yet, can it ever be questioned as something "destructive" or love that "spoils" or "stifles" the growth of the child?

Mothers out there, this is the topic that has surfaced as we see and hear Marlene Aguilar Ivler, mother of Jason Ivler to the extent of going against the law and is now facing the charge: obstruction of justice. This happened when Marlene allowed her son to hide in their home while the law was looking for her son to face the charge of shooting a certain Ebarle,Jr. We also hear Marlene declare that however the world will call her son, monster or any other description, no one can diminish the fact that she loves Jason with all her being. Is the love of Marlene, the mother, towards her son, Jason, what we mean by a mother's love, an epitome of unconditional love?

Malaybalayan invites you, especially mothers, to comment. We are aware we cannot judge anybody but we can learn from each other's love stories.

In times of great distress we utter things we really regret after giving it much thought. We forget most of the time that "much is expected from people who receive much". Who are these persons we label as having received much and from whom?

They are the achievers who go through every undertaking with ease. Sometimes they develop the talent to excel through the help of tutors or keen follow-up from supportive parents or sponsors.

Then there are the generic geniuses who just astound us with their inherent gifts of excellence that even the ones concerned cannot claim it to come just from their own genes. This is an instance of pure gift from the Almighty which we cannot question but just acknowledge.

Then, also included are the teachers and other servants of the law who are given the mission to "lift up" the minds of the young and hopefully someday, the young will take their rightful place in society and take care of the world in turn for the perpetuation of mankind.

Then there is in fact every man and woman of whatever race, status or culture from whom a unique gift has been bestowed by the Maker from whom each one of us ultimately will go home to. To each of us therefore, much is expected for each of us has received much.

For a long time we have accepted this theory that "Experience is the best teacher". For the sake of discussion, let us analyze it. To a great extent, experience is the best teacher because many of us learn quickly from our achievements and failures. With achievements we learn how to go about maintaining excellence so that quality is obvious. With our failures we assess and decide what to improve and plan to do things better.

The other point that surfaces is the experience itself. Sometimes,we label one an experience when what just happened is an abstraction. It is a way out of it, the reality to avoid the experience.

This is where, after all, we pause and accept: "Experience indeed is the best teacher." What we have tried is an experience of difficulty in trying to negate the statement which after all, is.

Catastrophes, announced and unannounced, have become man's reminders that we are still on earth. Through these disasters the best of man's generous trait is shown. Like the one in Haiti, where no less than the two previous US presidents, Bill Clinton and George Bush launch a Fund Raising for Haiti - this diplomatic endeavor made possible with the invitation coming from the incumbent United States President, Barack Obama! You cannot find it somewhere else except in USA.

The on-going rescue operations also manifest how all the other counties have come to help: Cuba, China, Spain, among others, became one in helping all for goodwill. It is another reminder that we are in one earth. To help Haiti is also to help the world for Haiti is the way the other half of the world is living.

One shocking commentary: dead bodies litter in the streets of Haiti, dogs are "eating" or "attacking" it. If your insides do not "revolt" when you hear this, nothing can. So for us who may not be able to help financially now try to do so, however minimal and together let us pray that Haiti will survive this calamity. Filipinos too should include their six (6) countrymen who are also trapped under damaged buildings. Already the Philippine government has sent a contingent to aid them.

In the end: We are all our brothers' keepers.

The earthquake that hit Port-Au-Prince, Haiti has come and gone but its after effects are just being felt and its destruction surfacing. CNN has heartbreaking images of victims who nearly died and are now with their loved ones; images of victims who are still being caught by the rubble that to look at them, tears your heart apart; flock of people who sits anywhere still recovering from the shock.

One poignantly related how she and her brother went about their task to teach literacy when the earthquake came upon them. Her brother ran and was able to escape but she slipped so she was trapped and for 50 hours remained stuck because there were no equipments to pull her. When finally she was pulled out, she saw her right leg already lifeless and had to be cut off. Still she thanked God for being alive and expressed fear for others who may not have received the same medical attention that had.

France, China,Cuba and United States are the first responders in giving aid. Would you believe there are those who exploit the situation? They ask for financial aid for the earthquake victims but in fact the money is channeled for personal purposes.

The Philippines can learn from the experience of Haiti. Being an archipelago, earthquakes can be tectonic in origin which refers to the "fault" which our country has and traverses from Mindanao to the Visayas up to some portions in Luzon.

In Haiti, 2 to 3 millions are declared dead or wounded. It is so tragic and emotional that the dead cannot be accomodated in the cemeteries because of number. CNN has mentioned that there are still dead bodies on the streets of Haiti! In the cemeteries too, there were not enough caskets or the family cannot afford to buy one so the dead bodies were just dumped.

Some foods for thought: "Death is truly like a thief in the night; it comes when it is least expected." Like earthquakes, it comes anytime and the victims are the last ones to know whether or not they can be spared or their time has come.
Our bodies are sacred because man is made in the image and likeness of God. The casket need not be expensive but at least there should be some semblance of respect given to the bodies, however poor they look like.

The most recent is the catastrophic earthquake, intensity 7.0 that hit Port-Au-Prince Haiti. This was followed by more than 20 aftershocks. According to CNN, a hospital collapsed followed by other buildings. United States, through its Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Hillary Clinton offered international aid. Haiti's European partners in Brussels are expected to help immediately.

What breaks our hearts are the faces of the wounded, the children, the mothers who are shown running and looking for their other loved ones. Since Haiti is considered the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, we, from the Philippines, know too well what happens when not much is expected from the government but from generous people who come to their aid.

The next news that tugs our heart is the slow recovery of the dead bodies that have been trapped in MV Catalena, the boat that sank last December. There were 5 bodies that were recovered.

What breaks our hearts are the hidden faces of the families who must still be painfully waiting for the bodies of their loved ones to be found. This is complicated by the fact that the bodies will have to undergo forensic investigation to find out the scientific data who the dead bodies are.

Then there is the second hearing of the Ampatuan murder case. While Mayor Unsay Ampatuan gives attention to the pain caused by the handcuffs; the families of the victims hold their breaths as the details are now said in court. Already, the narration of the prosecution's witness is denied by the defense as can be expected. At least, the case has taken off. In the meantime, demonstrators demand that the hearing be seen on tv because 57 families and the whole country hope to hear firsthand what is being said.

What breaks our hearts are the tensions and anxieties of many parties which want justice given sooner than later. When there is an attempt from the lawyers to disprove what has been said by the witness because he seemed sure that his clients are not guilty,our hearts bleed. When those who lost their wife, husband, children, friend, sit in court believing that when everything is done, justice will be theirs.

We pray less of news that breaks our hearts and have more of news that makes the world more the creation the Maker has envisioned it to be and become.