Teacher's teacher

One's nationality is not the sole source of becoming a hero but one's humanity. Efren Penaflorida is Filipino and the first CNN Hero and now Robin Lim,Filipino-American working in Indonesia is another CNN hero. Life is what you make of it and all other trimmings are just ways of helping you out in doing better at what you are doing.  

This is life's teaching moment: heroism begins in one's heart: the desire to reach out to others and in so doing find one self. We have many heroes in the world: foremost are our parents who love us unconditionally. More admirable are parents who become parents not because they bear the children but through adoption become the parents of the children. Whatever is your state in life, what matters is to live life to the fullest and hero or not, you have ultimately speaking, become hero in your own right.

To all the heroes, God be with you! Thank you God for giving them to mankind.

Are you? If you are, please reserve December 27-29, 2011 for we the graduates of Bukidnon Normal School, way back 1940's to 1980's; Bukidnon State College way back 1980's to 1990's and Bukidnon State University, from 2000's to the present will have a grand reunion. The dates alone will tell you how grand.

Feel free to contact this blog through your comment if you are one of us but may not be able to come personally since you are now somewhere in another place scattered all over the world (what a term but what an achievement many graduates have achieved!) This blogger had been away from her alma mater since 1072 and only came back when fate destined it. Indeed destiny had a role to play for after teaching for so many years in different schools, am now one of the faculty members of the College of Teacher Education of Bukidnon State University and recently designated as the Guidance Counselor. Along the way, generous people like Ma'am Linda, Ma'am Remy and Sir Vic helped a lot in bringing me back to my native home, my land of birth and my alma mater. Hopefully, I will retire from the university in 2015 whether this blogger likes it or not (can you guess why?)

So are you by chance, a graduate of Bukidnon Normal School? a graduate of Bukidnon StateCollege? or a graduate of Bukidnon State University? Let us celebrate our homecoming on December 27-29, 2011 if not physically - at least spiritually . . . If you want to reach out do write in the comment portion and this blogger will give you more information. Initial responders? See ya!

Being designated the guidance counselor of the College of Teacher Education is a major turning point in my teaching career. Expect allusion to some guidance discussion points in the future. Hopefully if inspired enough this blogger will manage another focused mainly on Guidance and Counseling.

Since December 5-9, 2011 is Education Week of the College of Teacher Education, the Guidance Office, in coordination with the Study Body Organization is holding a symposium that will discuss in depth two major issues that seem to beset young people nowadays: suicide and unwanted pregnancy. In the future, we hope to deal more with human relationships or human sexuality of which many other topics will be covered.

Teachers and Guidance Counselors, all over the worlds, we should meet in blogosphere. Please tag me or invite me to your blospots and websites. Here is one waiting for your click.

Filipinos catholics and other catholics all over the world celebrate first Friday devotion.Source tells us that the devotion is in relation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is believed that Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary and spoke to her of His Sacred Heart. Among the promises is a teaching moment especially to every believer who prepares not only for this earth but also for life after: "All my powerful love will grant to those who will receive communion for 9 consecutive months the grace of final repentance - they will not die in my displeasure and my Heart will be their refuge to that last moment . . .." For true believers, this devotion does not only last for 9 months but  forever.

For the young and the elderly, this devotion reminds us of the time when nothing else matters but the Savior's Hand when the time of death comes. This is one teaching moment that should not be left to chance for if there is one reality that does not escape every person, it is death. Let it be taught also that the devotion is not solely to prepare for death but mainly to live a live so full that tomorrow can take care of itself if today is well lived.

Now this blogger has to prepare for school and join the others who will offer mass in the gymnasium of Bukidnon State University, Malaybalay City, Province of Bukidnon, Philippines.

Filipinos are noted for its values and one of these is bayanihan (helping one another). In the present incident we talk of twenty-five centavo coins donated by all sectors of society lined up in the open field of Quirino Grandstand. It is a way of helping build more schools and other projects while hoping to beat United States in the Guinness record of lining up cents as long as 64.8 kilometers. The organizers declared they have surpassed this very long line of cents (70 kms. long!) so let us wait for (we hope) not a very long time the declaration from the Guinness team that the Philippines made it.  

For us teachers what is more important is the intention behind the bayanihan. Imagine the help that will go a long way. Many volunteered and this is the real reason for celebration when volunteers get together to tell the whole world that big things begin with small things: twenty-five centavos can reach millions when every donor shares much. In the meantime, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is happy that the "lowly" twenty-five centavos have come back to be "recognized" as it hopes to build noble projects for the use of the less fortunate wherever they may be.

To all donors and volunteers: May your tribe increase and God bless!!! 

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.