Tag Archives: learning

Proactive Waiting: An Essential Life Strategy

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After ze husband’s exam last Monday, the waiting game still continues because the result will be released 2-6 weeks after the exam. 😃 I already declined several job invitations and writing projects because I don’t have my laptop and other work equipment with me. So yes, I am desperate to go back home. But I have faith that God will continue to open more opportunities.

By the way, I work as a freelance writer but I’m planning on going full time once I get back home and as soon as I’m comfortably settled in. My past 2 years involved a lot of major life transitions so this year will still be part of my adjustment phase. When I came to Manila last December, I wasn’t planning on staying long. But, as we all know it, God’s timeline is different than mine.

Ah yes, if there is one thing that is consistent in life, it’s waiting. For someone like me who is impatient, waiting has been one of my challenging waterloos. And yet, impatience also taught me the greatest lessons in life.

One of these lessons is to learn and master the art of proactive waiting. Here are a couple of great reads I found on the internet, and I also included some key takeaways from each article:

ARTICLE LINK: “The Art of Proactive Waiting”

“He would therefore be wise to take this coasting time to charge his batteries, in readiness for his huge and imminent life shift. He will be far more effective if rested. He will be better equipped to process all of the new coming into his life if rested, so it’s wise to treat and consider this coasting phase as a gift, rather than a frustrating annoyance. Change your thinking, change your reality.”

ARTICLE LINK: “The Value of Waiting”

[They say the sweetest fruit is the one ripened from the tree, not something that was forced to bloom. There are things and people worth waiting for. This quote from Charles Stanley is appropriate: “our willingness to wait reveals the value we place on the object or person we’re waiting for.”]

It looks like my period of waiting while here in Manila was planned by God all along in preparation for what I am set to do once I get back to Bicol. First is to take this time to rest because when I’m in Bicol, I tend to multitask nonstop my body can’t keep up. The second is to realign my plans according to the new decisions I will be making.

Thank God For Free Online Courses

Learning is also part of these preparations. I am extremely grateful for all of these free e-learning opportunities/online courses offered by LinkedIn Learning, the University of the Philippines Open University, and Harvard University.

I am hoping that these online courses will somehow prepare me and give me an idea of what to expect as far as business management is concerned. A couple of years ago, I took up an online course on Social Entrepreneurship offered by UPOU. I must say that I absolutely enjoyed my learning experience. The requirements to pass the course included actively participating in online class discussions and submitting a business plan by the end of the course that will be peer-reviewed by your classmates.

I mentioned in my previous articles that I’m planning to pursue a graduate study in management or agribusiness in Bicol. But, I am having second thoughts because you guessed that right – the course syllabus might include any subject related to Math, Statistics, and computing. If this is the case, then I know I have a high chance of failing the course, especially if the Math subject is a pre-requisite. Oh Math, just love me, please. Pretty please. 😭😅

Why, Oh Why, BU?

By the way, I’m just going to share a little side story to support the previous paragraph. I actually failed to pass the Bicol University College Entrance Test (BUCET) back in 2002. lol It’s a good thing I passed the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT) and was blessed enough to get in as a scholar at UP Diliman. Because if I didn’t, then my 3rd choice was the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) since I qualified under their BS Nursing program. So yes, I need to prepare and overcome this fear of failing BU’s entrance test again because this time it will be graduate study, which means meeting a higher set of standards to qualify as a graduate student.

LinkedIn Learning

Thanks as well to LinkedIn because I received another offer to claim 1 month of free access to LinkedIn Learning. My first free access was back in 2017. I was able to take a couple of free online courses related to my job at that time. They came in timely as I was just building my online portfolio back then including this blog. You can check out the LinkedIn Learning courses being offered through this link if you have a premium account:

LINKEDIN LEARNING LINK: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/

Speaking of this blog, I made it a habit to write here when the schedule permits and even if there were times when I’m feeling meh to write anything. This blog not only serves as my online portfolio and my online journal about faith, but I also get to review my written work and see if there were improvements or if I keep on making the same writing mistakes again and again.

Always Learning, But Getting Better

This reminds me to edit my previous articles, especially those that were written before I started my professional writing stint. These were the articles published from the year I put up this blog (2013) until 2017. Because some of the articles were just drafts and since I’m impatient, I just published them right away without editing them. And these are also the articles that make me cringe now when I read them again. They kind of make you wish you’d vanish into thin air because of embarrassment. lol That’s how sloppy I was as a writer back then.

But all thanks to my editors (I had a lot of editors since I was working as a freelancer), I was able to hone my writing skills and improve my craft through their constructive feedback and coaching sessions. I also made it a habit to write regularly and read often to improve my vocabulary. It’s easier to express your thoughts when you have a wide vocabulary. Being a “logophile” does have an advantage.

As for the free online courses offered by Harvard University, I’m saving the best for last. I still have to negotiate with my imposter syndrome if we can make it and pass the courses. lol Because well, it’s Harvard. Hopefully, these courses will be available until the rest of the year because I am now enrolled in another UPOU MODeL online class, which will run from March 18 – April 12. My LinkedIn Learning free access will also end this month so I need to study as many online courses as I can. If you want to check out what are the free online courses offered by Harvard University, you can check out the link below:

HARVARD FREE ONLINE COURSES LINK: https://pll.harvard.edu/catalog/free

Indeed, when we wait, we get the best of everything when the right time finally comes. And God will provide what we need as we wait including the opportunities to help us prepare and keep us focused on the goal. This applies to relationships as well. It’s as if God was saying to me, “I’ve got you these opportunities, Tin, to keep you from being bored and frustrated while waiting. So, stop whining already that waiting is terribly excruciating.” 😁

We will get there in God’s perfect time. Hold on, calm your heart, keep on trusting, and remain steadfast. I feel you. ♥️

And continue PRAYING. 🙏

“Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.” – Ecclesiastes 3:11

Yes You Can: How To Cultivate Your Talents And Skills

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We have all been gifted with different spiritual gifts which make us all unique and special. As they say, there are no two people in this world who are ever alike. Not even twins.

Discovering what are the talents that we have been gifted with will lead us to our passion. What is it that we love doing and we love to do regardless of whether we’ll be compensated for it or not?

Once we have discovered what we’re passionate about, the next step is to cultivate it. We have to hone all the skills needed to support our passion, so to speak. It will be a waste to never use any special skills we have probably just waiting to be discovered.

For the next few paragraphs, I want to share some key points when it comes to learning a new skill or improving current skills. In my case, it is writing, but the points below are all applicable in any field or area of specialization.

Using Talents and Skills to Fuel Your Passion

1. Render Services

This will come naturally. When we love what we do, we do things on our own accord. Sometimes, there’s even no need for a motivation. It’s always the self who will dictate how the entire process will flow until we accomplish the kind of finished output we desire.

Try to look for platforms where you can share your talents. In my case, for example, God gave me the opportunity to write for a faith-based website (Daily PS) and I get to read what other Christian writers are writing, too.

2. Collaborate with a Community (Same Interests)

The social media is the best network to look for like-minded individuals. LinkedIn Learning, for one, has the “Career Advice” feature where you can ask other people their viewpoints and who have the same interests as you.

It also offers so many courses on a wide range of specializations (you may try it free for 1 week). I was able to finish the course on content marketing and I was surprised that they also provide a certificate upon course completion. Public forums also offer fresh and new insights to add to your learning experience.

3. Explore All Learning Platforms

Speaking of learning, there are so many platforms to learn from out there. It is not just limited to the world wide web. It extends to the streets, your home, your workplace, your friend’s house, and anywhere actually. Coming up with a newer and better output because we learned something new is too much of a good opportunity to pass up.

In some cases, you will need to pay for learning some new concepts. But in my experience, you’ll always get your money’s worth. Currently, I am exploring all about learning business processes, marketing, and management in preparation for a new season (daunting but having faith in Him) that God is slowly ushering me and my siblings in.

LinkedIn Company Profile

logo_transparent

I was able to learn about making a professional logo this time, too. It’s a bit challenging but very much achievable. I am also developing a new website for the family project to build our online presence but I will be needing help with the graphic designing. For the latter, I’ll just ask my 3rd sister. She’s the Creative Director because she’s the most creative in the family – awesome artistic ideas. 😉

All 5 of us, siblings, are members of the board and ze parents are the CEOs. Our beloved Momma CEO has quite a benchmark when it comes to standards so we need intensive planning for the business model.

The progress is slow and there have been delays in our proposed timeline for developments due to weather conditions. But it’s fine since we are still in the process of finalizing all the paperwork. We’ll wait for God’s timing since it’s always perfect, anyway. 😉

On a different note, I can already see why God brought all 5 of us in our respective passions and careers for future roles – Managing Director, Finance Director, Operations Director, Creative Director, and Marketing Director (I presume this is me – uhm, scarrryyy. lol).

I’m also now in complete agreement with this article from Harvard Business Review entitled “How Family Business Owners Should Bring The Next Generation Into The Company.”

And the Bible asserts the same idea:

“An inheritance obtained too early in life is not a blessing in the end.” – Proverbs 20:21

With all these things I am doing including my other freelance jobs, I need to make sure my writing (my primary passion) won’t be compromised so I created my personal editorial calendar and a log sheet for tasks in preparation for the new website. I didn’t know I have already saved enough drafted articles for my blog and Daily PS good until the 1st quarter of the year 2019. 😀

Google Calendar Screenshot_edited

*Trivia:

Every time you have a sudden thought/s in mind whether you’re doing something, somewhere, write it down either on a piece of paper or type it on your phone. I write the title first then the gist of the thoughts in bullet form after. You’ll never run out of topics to write about, I promise. 😉

By the way, I’ll be sharing a series of articles how to do all that I have mentioned above (a la workshop) but it’s scheduled for next year. I have to make sure I am providing you nothing but the best info out there so it needs extensive preparation. 😀

4. Create an “Areas to Improve On” List

When we subject ourselves to constant rediscovery, it will be easier to pinpoint where are our weak spots. Our biological composition reserves that room for improvement. Because it is in our nature to be flawed.

So perfectionism isn’t our goal but expressionism. We improve ourselves to express ourselves better. And not because we want to be validated and recognized. You just have to own your work and be proud that you’ve helped others one way or the other. 😉

To end this short (my idea of short) post, the best part about cultivating our talents and skills is actually that 3-in-1 package of fun, an attitude of servitude, and fulfillment we experience while doing a certain project. We don’t see it as a task, a duty, an obligation, or anything else. We see it as a product of something we love.

In fact, the by-product speaks so much of love as much as it speaks of our identity and individuality. In my case, my identity lies in being a Christian, in loving God, and in writing my love for God. So my audience (that’s you, love!) gets to feel that kind of love that I have, too.

Hmmm, let’s be honest here though, do you really feel the love? 😃 Don’t worry if you don’t, but I hope this will suffice:

“I love you so much for reading this and I pray you get to share the love, too.” ❤

“God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.” – 1 Peter 4:10

Writing to you with love,

Blog Signature

For more related articles, you may read:

“Good Stewards Of God’s Gift”

“In Season: What Is An Altar Call?”

“9 Things You Need To Know If You Want To Be A Writer”

Sentimental: Who Am I?

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I am down with my usual migraine attack (on its 5th day now), but this time accompanied by a high fever and eczema too. Whew! It’s kind of difficult to manage everything when every illness you have bolted in altogether. Though I took medicines yesterday, my husband (a nurse) and the doctor at the university infirmary advised me to take 3-5 days of bed rest for my follow-up check-up on Monday, and limit physical activity. While in bed, I thought about writing something.

Speaking of my husband, though, I appreciate him for his nonchalance. That is one thing I wanted to learn from him – how to maintain a worry-free attitude despite the disarray or when things have gone awry. I am, on the other hand, the exact opposite – I worry about everything! 😀 But through time, I have learned to control my worries, and I’ll share how in the succeeding paragraphs.

Dealing With Life’s Atrocities

I know there came in your life wherein you have never felt good enough – as a spouse, as a child, as a parent, as a student, as an employee, as a friend, as a relative, and ultimately as a person.

As a Christian teacher, I have learned that it is even more important to speak life than to criticize students. We might never know; we are already crushing the dreams of a young spirit because of the negativity. Though trials produce resiliency, positive reinforcement is still best. The world is already complicated enough, mainly because we, humans, made it that way.

Every person is different. It’s the same as how every seed grows to be a different plant. Every plant has its own tender and loving care requirements. Yet all plants need sunshine; they all need light.

The Breaking And The Making

When I was a grade school student, I had my first taste of disappointment when I didn’t win as president of the student council, and I was reprimanded during the campaign period along with the rest of my running mates. The offense? We were late in Math class for just a few minutes, and we weren’t allowed to enter the classroom. I took it as my responsibility to take the blame, being the running President, and seeing your peers crying out of shame was enough to break your heart to pieces.

When I was in high school, I had another major disappointment when I only graduated as “special mention” in class after consistently being on the top 3 honors list from 1st year until 3rd year, but failed to meet the criteria for the extracurricular activities, which comprised a huge percentage of the final grades. One of my high school best friends suffered the same fate. We were advised by our parents to never receive the award during the graduation ceremony, though our names were called because they said that we do not deserve it, but we were present during said ceremony.

When I was in college, I wasn’t able to finish my thesis on time because the adviser from our concentration was on sabbatical leave. We were assigned instead to another adviser from another concentration. After submitting my first draft, I got it back only to see red marks written everywhere, and the one thing that was retained in me was this comment: “How did you reach this far if you don’t know how to make a research paper? This is not the work of a UP student!”

I thought, maybe I should also ask my former professors why they passed me in all my other subjects if I am undeserving to be in UP. 😀 Little did I know that there were several of us who got the same remarks. Yep, in our university, you’ll encounter all sorts of professors, but when it comes to critical feedback, I understood it all as part of doing their jobs as teachers.

Then I worked, a dream job it was. But disappointment once again came. The mission and vision of the workplace weren’t met because one of the figures of authority behaved otherwise. I was the recipient of that very unprofessional behavior, and many have seen it. It happened a couple of times, too. I stayed and chose to keep quiet. But after praying about it, I had to let the job go.

God’s Path Towards Salvation

So these were all hang-ups of the past, which I am sure most of us have experienced one way or the other. Others may have gone through even worse than all these, and if given the chance, they are very much entitled to unleash their grievances as much as they want. But unfortunately, as much as we would like to shake them off, they are already embedded in who we are.

All those years, I have struggled with the need to impress, to seriously meet expectations, to be perfect, to excel always, and to prove myself to people. I suffered from anger and resentment boiling in me, and the need to take revenge and retaliate was so strong. I blamed life for bringing me people who did nothing but criticize me for my weaknesses, and only that, and went beyond in criticizing who I am personally, without even the slightest hint of who I really am and what I can do. This resentment and anger included some issues in other areas of my life, too, which I will not share due to their sensitivity. I really thought I was the unluckiest person alive back then.

For 27 years, I have battled with insecurity, the by-product of low self-esteem, poor self-image, and self-worth – the mentality that “I am never good enough.” Failures, wrong decisions, and disappointments became the stronghold that corrupted my entire being until it led me to a major depression – the breaking point, as they say.

Depression robs you of the beauty of life. It makes life look bleak, bland, and distorted. It affects your every decision, and it just kills life itself. Before I was born again in 2013, I committed suicide twice – both were failed attempts.

No, I do not easily give up. I did arrive at that breaking point on the verge of quitting everything, but I still fought hard against it.

I had two options: let the darkness corrupt me and become those people who plagued others or themselves with it OR choose to search for the light, the hope.

Knowing The Savior

The opportunity came for the latter – I was given HOPE.

The greatest moment of my life was when I was born again through my faith. Why? It’s because when I found out who I was in Christ, that was the greatest and the best thing that I have heard about myself for 27 years.

It was on that day when I surrendered myself to Christ that ALL chains got loose – I was set FREE.

The moment has already come for me to look at things from a very different perspective – a total paradigm shift. It wasn’t everything I hoped for, BUT it’s exactly what I NEEDED which no one else could give me except God.

This HOPE taught me even more than what I have learned in the academe or even from life itself. It taught me how to patiently wait for the right opportunities and how to patiently endure every setback. It taught me that there is a time for everything. It taught me to decline job offers and business opportunities that could’ve made me rich in wealth and possessions. It taught me to pass up on chances of earning titles that would’ve given me some sort of self-entitlement and self-fulfillment. It taught me to weigh options, sacrifice if I must. All of these, if they will, in the end, forfeit my soul.

It taught me to choose God’s will over mine. It taught me to rely on God’s plans rather than rely on my own understanding of the circumstances around me. It taught me to relinquish control and allow God to take over. It taught me that GRACE is a gift freely given, even if undeserving. It taught me how to love others even when they do not deserve it. It taught me to find joy, peace, and contentment even when darkness, chaos, and bitterness are all around. It taught me how to let go of the past and forgive.

It taught me what true humility is all about. It taught me to be grateful always. It taught me that simplicity matters most in life. It taught me to look outwardly and consider what others are going through as well. It taught me that if there is a void that the atrocities of life have caused in me, either by wrong choices or by fate, no one and nothing else can fill it up except God.

I found this hope in Christ alone, and I find strength in the Word every day, which is my guide in this life – not any textbook, novel, or company brochure.

“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” – Hebrews 11:1

Faith Anchored To Our Souls

Faith did not make my life free from criticism, condemnation, trials, and suffering. Yet it gave me a way to view life beyond that – salvation in eternity.

I still find myself in situations I have stated in the first part of this article. But this time, I have learned to see these instances from a different standpoint. I have learned to understand first where some people are coming from and why they are that way. I have learned to understand that maybe they are still in the darkness, too, driven perhaps by the need to compete, to be the best, and to meet expectations, dealing with their own insecurities and personal struggles, too. Or they have this false motive to instill in those who are next in line exactly what they went through, because in this “dog-eat-dog” world, repaying evil with evil is normal. Only God knows everything. What I observed, though, is that when people prick each other to bleed, it’s better to choose to be the rose among the thorns – the salt and light. 🙂

There are times the past comes all rushing back; it haunts. Another disappointment will ruffle your feathers. The need to lash out and punish calls. But I choose LIFE. I will speak LIFE.

Because Christ has given me LIFE. He, alone, gave me LIGHT. It is my duty as His follower to use that light so others can walk in and with Him, too, despite the darkness around them.

Ah, yes. Them.

One day, they will be brought out in the light, too. They will break standards, cultural traditions, and not conform to this world wherever they may be and whatever they may be doing. They will choose to fight for faith and spread light when hope seems dim. That was the reason I was smiling because I was praying for them silently, and I am claiming it all in the Mighty Name of Jesus, who made it possible for me, too. 🙂

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

P.S.

It’s been 3 years now since I got saved, and when things don’t go the way I’ve expected them to be, I have this bookmark to remind me of who I am. I thank the sister in Christ who gave this when she facilitated a talk during my baptism of the Holy Spirit. I have carried it with me since then. The last verse listed is my life verse. 🙂

What matters is who I am in Christ. 🙂

Oh, and yes, one new thing I have learned too from our couples’ bible study Vgroup 2 Sundays ago (thanks Tito Tony and Tita Len for the wisdom) – the boiling water concept. If you put eggs in boiling water, they become hard. But if you put the potato in it, it becomes soft. I choose to be a potato – a couch potato. Kidding. *wink*

Seriously, it only means that when life and circumstances knock you down, don’t bear any grudge and don’t be hard on yourself and on others. Instead, let it soften you, let it refine you, and let it make you better. Be a better potato, I mean, a better man/woman. 😉

Last but not least, reach out to God, and then God will send His people (spiritual family) to help usher you out of the ordeal. I am praying for your struggles, too, my dear reader and brother/sister in Christ. If you also need to share a tough ordeal and are in need of a prayer intercession, you may always pop me an email. ❤

Classics: Of Reading and Writing

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While fixing my stuff, I came across an old textbook of mine we used way back undergraduate days. I browsed through it and while flipping its pages, something caught my eye. It was an excerpt and then I found yet another excerpt from major names in the field of literature. Beautiful essays, they are. I thought I’d share it with you just to have an idea where my passion for reading and writing came from. But in intellectual discussions and conversations, I merely listen. I listen, then I write. 😉

getty_francis_bacon

Engraving of Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626), English philosopher, writer, lawyer, and statesman. His philosophy of science concerning the use of inductive reasoning for scientific inquiry had a significant influence on later scientific methods of investigation.

OF STUDIES by Francis Bacon (excerpt)

Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. Their chief use for delight is in privateness and retiring; for ornament, is in discourse; and for ability, is in the judgment and disposition of business. For expert men can execute, and perhaps judge of particulars, one by one; but the general counsels, and the plots and marshalling of affairs, come best from those that are learned. To spend too much time in studies is sloth; to use them too much for ornament, is affectation; to make judgment wholly by their rules, is the humor of a scholar. They perfect nature, and are perfected by experience: for natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning, by study; and studies themselves do give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experience. Crafty men condemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them; for they teach not their own use; but that is a wisdom without them, and above them, won by observation. Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider. Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously; and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention. Some books also may be read by deputy, and extracts made of them by others; but that would be only in the less important arguments, and the meaner sort of books, else distilled books are like common distilled waters, flashy things. Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man. And therefore, if a man write little, he had need have a great memory; if he confer little, he had need have a present wit: and if he read little, he had need have much cunning, to seem to know that he doth not. Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtle; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend. Abeunt studia in mores [Studies pass into and influence manners]. Nay, there is no stone or impediment in the wit but may be wrought out by fit studies; like as diseases of the body may have appropriate exercises. Bowling is good for the stone and reins; shooting for the lungs and breast; gentle walking for the stomach; riding for the head; and the like. So if a man’s wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics; for in demonstrations, if his wit be called away never so little, he must begin again. If his wit be not apt to distinguish or find differences, let him study the Schoolmen; for they are cymini sectores [splitters of hairs]. If he be not apt to beat over matters, and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate another, let him study the lawyers’ cases. So every defect of the mind may have a special receipt.

WHAT IS A CLASSIC? by Charles Augustin Saint-Beuve (excerpt)

A true classic, as I should like to hear it defined, is an author who has enriched the human mind, increased its treasure, and caused it to advance a step; who has discovered some moral and not equivocal truth, or revealed some eternal passion in that heart where all seemed known and discovered; who has expressed his thought, observation, or invention, in no matter what form, only provided it be broad and great, refined and sensible, sane and beautiful in itself; who has spoken to all in his own peculiar style, a style which is found to be also that of the whole world, a style new without neologism, new and old, easily contemporary with all time.

This last one was my professor’s paraphrased version of Francis Bacon’s “Of Studies.”  I loved her own style in rewriting it.

Of Studies by Francis Bacon

Studies are for amusement, for showing off one’s education in social institutions and for getting along with skill. For the purpose of amusement, studies are for occupying one’s private, leisure moments. For social situations, studies will allow one to show off how well he can engage in conversations. Studies can also help one make the right decisions, but only within each one’s limited field of expertise. But for more extensive advice and ideas on how to manage in different situations, the advice of the learned may be taken from different readings.

To spend all of one’s time doing nothing but studying is a form of laziness.To display how well-read one is in conversations is a form of pretentiousness or vanity. But to base one’s judgment on what one has learned from reading is all at the same time the sudden whim, the source of excitement and activity and usual habit of a scholar.

The writings of learned men show a way of improving oneself. These writings contain good advice which have been derived from experiences. The natural tendencies and abilities of man may be improved, disciplined or controlled by the knowledge gained from reading. Studies serve as a tool for self-discipline in the same way that pruning makes a plant grow better. Readings in themselves may give too many ideas, directions or advice. But they are to be taken according to how they have been used according to the writer’s experience and according to to how they can be used according to the readers’experiences.

Cunning men look down on what they read. They do not generally put a value on reading. Men of lesser intelligence admire what they read. Readings do not limit their value to teaching how valuable they are or how useful they are. Instead, they teach lessons and even encourage readers to observe and discover truths beyond those contained in the readings themselves.

Do not read only to argue against and disagree with everything that has been read. But do not accept and believe everything that has been read. Do not read for the sake of finding something that can be talked about. Read to understand and consider the value of what was read.

Books are food for the mind – some are to be tasted, meaning, read only its parts; some are to be swallowed, meaning they should be completely read without thinking deeply about their contents; and some books are to be chewed and digested, meaning they should be carefully analyzed, understood and appreciated. Books may sometimes be read through digests, summaries or commentaries prepared by others, but these are good only for less important ideas and works. Not reading a book completely and directly, and relying only on the summaries made by others deprive the reader of the full flavor, full essence and full mental nourishment that can be had from a thorough reading of the work. This can be compared to drinking distilled water, which is purified or strained. It is still essentially water, but all the flavor and mix of mineral elements are missing.

Reading makes a man well-rounded or well-developed. Discussion makes him alert and responsive. Writing makes him an accurate and critical thinker.

Sources:

http://grammar.about.com/od/60essays/a/studiesessay.htm

http://www.bartleby.com/32/202.html

Communication Skills, UP Open University

For The Love of Teaching

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I am a teacher and yet I am also a student. That is, a student of life – I learn from life experiences. Technically though, I am a student.

I was advised to take a penalty course alongside my thesis for overstaying in the university where I am taking my graduate study. We have the privilege to choose which subject are we going to take and I opted Art Education being a lover of arts in all medium – visual, dance, language, music, etc.

We haven’t met our professor yet but when I saw our course syllabus, I smiled and thought, “I like this professor.”  Not that there are professors that I don’t like because honestly, I loved them all even though back in college I had harsh experiences with some of them. I love them for the sake that without them I won’t be where I am now and I won’t be who I am now. I appreciate what they teach may it be in a terrifying or encouraging manner. It doesn’t make any difference at all anyhow – the important thing is I have learned. But if I am to choose though, I’d still want to be a teacher who uses positive reinforcement. 🙂

Going back to Art Education, you might have wondered what made me assume that I am going to like my professor. It is because of this, the one which I encircled in red. It may sound simple enough but we share the same advocacy:

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Amazing our God, isn’t He? He not only gave me the course I wanted, but even more than that. It is always hitting two birds with one stone when God does His ways. I can only hope and pray though that more educators will become like my professor – teaching how to set the limit and the balance in preserving and conserving the natural in the midst of the ever developing modernity through man-made technologies.

I saw myself in my professor. I was given the opportunity 3 years back to teach Grade 3 and 4 pupils in a private school as their sub teacher in English. I have always loved reading and writing even when I was a kid. Why reading? It enhances critical thinking skills and improves vocabulary, creativity, and imagination. Why writing? This is the avenue to use the vocabulary learned while reading so it would be stored up in the memory bank.

I wanted to gauge the students’ English vocabulary so I gave them an activity which will test their visual learning and writing abilities. In a sheet of bond paper, I printed various photos of different kinds. I asked them to write their answers at the back of the bond paper to encourage recycling. They are to write a paragraph of at least 5 sentences wherein they will make a story out of all the photos coming up with one coherent essay. In short, they have to connect each photo with the other to come up with a story line.

I advised that the mode of writing is freestyle meaning they do not have to follow any criteria other than what I have instructed above. I personally love learning outside the box so I am in favor of social and experiential learning wherein learning is not just limited inside the classroom nor textbooks. I tend to miss out a lot of details in the instructions when I was a student so I know how it feels for a student to strictly adhere to teacher’s instructions and guidelines. *wink*

When it was time for the worksheets to be submitted, I couldn’t contain my excitement to read all their works. I was expecting I’d be seeing really fascinating stories knowing that children of today’s generation are more cognitively advanced than the generation my age. My expectations were all met – I found myself laughing out loud with all their brilliant ideas. That is, when you let kids be kids. *smiles*

Most of the kids had fun doing the activity even for those who were kinesthetic learners and opted to add more to the illustrations in relaying their stories or those who preferred to share them verbally just because they learn best when there is physical activity or movement. Now for this latter, this is a challenge since in teaching, there is no “one size fits all”  medium of instruction. Lesson plans and activities have to be prepared and presented in a manner that will meet the needs of most students regardless how diversified they may be and depending upon their learning styles. Not to mention the values and discipline that they have to acquire in class.

This may sound too challenging to a teacher and even more challenging if you are to teach in a public school (my next article). BUT if the passion for teaching is there, the greatest reward is nothing more and nothing else but to impart knowledge. 🙂

P.S.

Sharing some of my former Grade 3 students’ works:

This is the printed photos of the activity.
The output of my student who learns best kinesthetically.
His ideas are well-presented…BUT he couldn’t finish 5 sentences. 🙂

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BLOGGYS 2015: The Philippines’ Premiere Blog Awarding Event

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Tin Ginete

To God be the Glory!

This came as a lovely surprise. 

I never thought that blogging will take me this far. Or should I say, how my faith has brought me this far. For yes, if there is one sole reason why I decided to put up my blog last October 2012, a month after my altar call, it is to be the “megaphone” of my faith – spearheaded by unfavorable events in my past that led to my salvation and now, this blog.

There was no apprehension. I felt that I had to do it – I need to write, not just to clear unresolved issues but more for the love of writing and sharing. I have shared in my previous articles why I had this passion to write and share. It came from my hunger for learning, knowledge and wisdom.

Before, I was hungry for the wrong kind of wisdom. It was this blog that led me to pursuing the right kind of wisdom and knowledge – that which is everlasting, firm and true. I would not exchange it for anything. For I must admit, it was that kind of wisdom that this blog came to life and is now thriving.

What I posted did not come from me per se. They were all knowledge passed on to me too. And my Teacher instructed me to use whatever He will give me to keep this blog alive – tapping my interests, skills, life experiences and God-given opportunities.

I am GRATEFUL.

To my God, to WordPress, to my past, to my faith, to my partner in life, family and friends, to my spiritual family, to my fellow bloggers who were bold in actively sharing their faith through social media and including some that this world offers in between, and to the organizers of Bloggys 2015 for all the opportunities to share my thoughts and my faith through writing.

Tin Ginete

To God be the Glory!

I am claiming MORE FRUITFUL BLOGGING YEARS ahead, by His Grace and through His Name.

Let’s continue giving Him the honor and glory that He deserves. 🙂

Patent Unknown

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Tin Ginete

Chaos

Patent unknown….

As chaotic as that picture above. And you don’t have an idea what the image originally was.

Just to give you an idea, that photo was the result of my light textures experimentation with my camera. I took a photo of an oil burner that has a moon and stars design. Set to low light and long exposure, I just wiggled my camera back and forth, from side to side and achieved this – a state of confusion. Just like ideas.

A borrowed thought if not properly cited is plagiarism. And that is my dilemma now being a blogger. Because I honestly admit that my thoughts are not really my own. They are all a fusion of principles and theories influenced by the philosophers in my literary textbooks way back college days, by my former and current professors, by our Pastors and lecturers in church or even by a random jeepney driver ranting about life whom I happened to sit beside while commuting.

I believe the people who have every right to accuse anyone of plagiarism would be the philosophers and thinkers of the ancient times who have drawn their discoveries out from their own experiences and not from what they have already seen on a printed text or heard before from someone else.

But then again, a rule is a rule. 

UP instilled that fact to me. Expulsion or a grade of 5 (Fail) for those guilty of the crime. So, I think this will then prompt me to make an “Acknowledgment” page in my blog to thank the people either one by one or in general with whom I have learned the ideas from which are now being reiterated in my sites. Check it out every now and then ‘cos you might be surprised if your name pops up in there too. Yes, I learn everywhere from anyone, anytime. 😉

But my greatest learning comes from God. I assure you, it is less chaotic and it’s one-sided – all to glorify and honor Him. 🙂

Ideas, Answers and Waiting

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“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela

Wisdom and knowledge are two different things. My small group in church led by our Victory group leader, Sheryl, shared a discussion on this two Sundays ago. Just to get to the basic definition of the two, knowledge is all about facts, wisdom is how you use those facts for good.

Nowadays, education is regarded by most as a tool to gain knowledge. My question is this – is wisdom being taught in schools as well? Or is it what most would say too – education happens everywhere. Learning so to speak. Or could it also be this – the school prepares, the society teaches. The school offers knowledge, society and life in general teach wisdom; theory for the former, application for the latter.

Concepts can be very passé. But time and circumstances can change them. I aim to educate people. I see myself doing more of what is in the photo below – extending educational services to those who do not have the privilege to be in schools in the future. I also am still in the stage of gaining knowledge to gain wisdom when I get the chance to be out in the field and apply them – prepare and equip first. The photo below was taken during our visit in the Badjao community in Davao City to observe how the community runs the Alternative Learning System.

Alternative Learning System in the Badjao Community in Davao City, Philippines

Alternative Learning System in the Badjao Community in Davao City, Philippines

But I have one challenge to myself and to other educators – the bible, THE book of all books. Didn’t you know that even for us, adults, more can be learned from the bible? I believe I need not ask because that’s a given, a stated fact. Yes, a lot of articles and books are out there to teach us about a lot of things. But the basic foundations of learning can be found in the bible.

A lot have interpreted the bible. A lot have quoted the verses. Some used it to condemn. Some used it to glorify. I have no right to judge and say who said it right, who interpreted it wrong. Because I personally believe they are all correct. I do, however, think that the bible was created to serve as our personal guide and as a reminder when we tend to be dissuaded every now and then from our good faith and in our beliefs. But it is still through God where we can gain greater wisdom. Read the bible, ask God in a prayer to reveal what He meant by those verses that you have read. Share your testimonies and experiences, back it up with the bible verses. In other words, pattern the knowledge acquired from the world through the bible.

Culture wise, it is difficult to incorporate everything – Christianity, scientific knowledge, and wise, practical ways into one bundle and be rest assured that all is learned. It is a constant dilemma, a difficult proposition, a challenging task. This is where I hope to seek wisdom, this is how I seek wisdom. Thus, I go back to the highest and superior mentor and teacher, I ask God. But God most likely will say – the first thing that I wanted you to learn is this – patience. Have that and then you will have your answers. They will be revealed to you at the right time.

Thus, I end this article, I keep quiet and I wait.  🙂

All About Davao City: Dissecting Its Educational System and Its Culture

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Though it was my second visit to Davao, I must say that the place never fails to amaze me, geographically and culture wise. It was a trip to Talikud Island when I first visited Davao along with my co-workers way back year 2009 as my supervisor was a “Dabawenyo” (a local of Davao city). But if there is one thing that differentiates this second visit from the first, it would be the visits to the schools.

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With former office mates (2009)

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Davao’s Talikud Island

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Davao’s pristine waters

My second visit to Davao was with my fellow graduate students last February 16-18, 2013 as the field work is part of our requirements in our Socio-Cultural Foundations of Education class in UP Diliman. Before the trip,  I already have my own expectations about the visit i.e. what we would learn regarding the different educational systems that they have in Davao, what kind of classrooms do they have, what kind of students do they cater, how do teachers instruct students, what are the materials that they use for teaching, etc. And as far as my observations are concerned, somehow all my expectations were met and even more.

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Pamulaan (Center for Indigenous People’s Education)

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Pamulaan

If there is one thing that I find particularly significant about the educational systems in Davao, it would be the support, active participation and involvement of the local government with regard to the implementation of the said systems. Like for example in the Badjao community, the ALS (Alternative Learning System) program provides opportunities for the settlers in that community to participate in socio-civic affairs which would then allow them to raise their concerns and the issues that need to be dealt with i.e. health, source of livelihood, promotion of wellness for every family, etc. But it posed one certain dilemma – the idea of culture slowly diminishing once the Badjaos were educated. I believe educators, through the mobile teachers, are not just sent out to the field to teach the basics of writing and reading to the people of the Badjao community, old and young. It is also their responsibility to teach the Badjaos how to preserve their culture through the knowledge that they have acquired. For example in folk songs, these can now be written and preserved for the future use of the next generation. In the ALIVE Madrasah, for example, the children were taught Arabic, which is, preserving the native language by passing them on and by teaching them to the younger generations. MTBMLE (Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education) also has the same aim and in the class that I have observed, children are more receptive, they are more at ease when it comes to learning and they do participate actively in the discussions. The ALS at the city jail, however, may not be inclined to cultural preservation but it somehow shares the same vision to that of the E-skewala Program and the Open High School of the Davao National High School which look into holistic development of skills to those who may not have the same opportunities as what regular students commonly have.

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Badjao community

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ALS among Badjao children

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Badjao girl

All the educational systems that we were able to visit in the selected schools in Davao hold one very good vision which would benefit all – both the indigenous groups and the non indigenous groups. I see this as satisfying one very important goal and should be the main goal of every educator and every educational system – breaking down barriers when it comes to providing opportunities in terms of knowledge acquisition, cultural ventures and holistic development of every individual. The Pamulaan College and the ALS at the city jail are very promising projects considering that learning is not held in a regular classroom setting/school. It posits greater challenges not just for the educators involved in running the program but as well as to the learners themselves. Indeed, the society, as a whole, has a huge partaking in making the program a success. For example in Pamulaan College, one challenge that I see in the implementation of their mission is considering how open the society would be when it comes to promoting culture and passing it on by teaching the cultural traditions, beliefs and practices to the younger generation. The idea may sound interesting to foreigners and those who are not particularly in the area, but will the locals, themselves, voluntarily participate in promoting the advocacy and not because it was required by the city government of Davao? It is imperative in every advocacy/mission that they should aim for the success of the system taking into consideration that its success entirely depends on how involved the community is and not only with the supporters and the organizers who run that mission.  I also would like to put emphasis on what kind of opportunities will the graduates of the college have, career wise and will they still devote in promoting the college’s aim even after graduation. As for the ALS in the city jail, it is a huge responsibility not just for the educators but also for the government officials concerned with the project to make the program not just as a one-time, testing project but that its implementation will remain consistent regardless on who holds office both in the department of education in Davao and the local government.

I have observed that when it is time to change officials, the problem lies in keeping the projects running implemented by the previous officials and maintain consistency. Newly elected/ appointed officials also would like to raise and push through with their own projects regarding the educational system and society in general. It will continue to be a greater challenge that a very good collaboration between the local government and the educators would push through as any tension between the two when it comes to promoting projects will and can affect the status of the implementation of said programs.

Learning the culture part is where leisure would come in. Yes, the less serious part. I must say that our dissecting Davao’s educational system started and ended on a very positive note. And to cap off the 3-day field work, we have decided to tour around Davao city’s local hot spots at the last day of our stay there. If there is one thing I can say about Davao’s cuisine, it may not be far from the regular dishes we have in Manila, but the recipes have a slight twist to it, making them as a Davao original.

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Davao Restaurant

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Davao Restaurant

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Davao Cuisine

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Davao Cuisine

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Jack Ridge’s Restaurant

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Jack Ridge’s Restaurant

We were able to visit tourist attractions such as the Crocodile Park, the Butterfly house and the Japanese tunnel which all contributed to our having a very fulfilling field work/vacation. I may have been to Davao for more than once already but there will always be something more, something new, and something exciting to look forward in Davao city. Yes, 3 days are not enough for me to completely acquaint with the place and learn more about its culture.

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Tarantula at the Butterfly Farm

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Japanese statue at the Japanese Tunnel

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The Japanese Tunnel

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Lotus Pond at the Butterfly Farm

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Butterfly

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Davao Crocodile Park

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Butterfly Cocoons and Larvae

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Davao Crocodile Farm

Therefore, it is decided that I will make it a point to visit the place – OFTEN. 🙂

On Pedagogy and Its Hidden Curriculum

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“Hidden Curriculums in the Classroom”

As a blogger, future SPED practitioner and educator, I believe it is my obligation to inform what goes on inside the academe and be critical about its practices. This was a reflection paper I submitted in one of my classes in my grad study.

First things first, let’s define some terms. What is hidden curriculum? As defined in the article entitled “The Hidden Curriculum and Social Studies,”

“The hidden curriculum, what was once referred by John Dewey as “collateral learning,” consists of all learnings that take place in school as a result of actions by school personnel and students. These learnings are normally excluded from statements of what is to be learned through the formal program of studies specified in each school or school district.”

I have found quite a number of issues that prevail until now in our current educational system most especially in public schools. I have been a “public school baby” since Grade 1 until now. I have seen how the traditional system works, how it is applied and what are its effects to the entire student population, me included. In the article entitled “Schools Kill Curiosity: The Regime of Conformity and Obedience,” I would have to admit that yes, most of what was discussed are all true and these situations do happen in our educational system. In the traditional system of instructing students, for example, it is only the teacher who talks in front of the class while the students are listening. And for the entire duration of the discussion, the students never get to interact and share their opinions. Thus, they have this notion that what teacher and the book say, are all true, correct and valid and most of all, students have to conform to how they were taught in the classroom.  This method became the norm, sadly, to most institutions.

In the article entitled “Hidden Curriculum and Social Studies” what is stated about Social Studies being taught in a mechanistic way has been true to most schools. It is taught by a teacher who would just read what was written on the textbooks, instruct students to memorize the important dates in the history of the Philippine constitution without stressing on its social relevance and how significant was those dates to social change, and would ask them to copy everything that was written on the board. In that instance, all that the students will learn was the notion that studying is all about memorization and dictations, which, stifle the growth of learning of a child. How? It doesn’t allow the students to be creative, to exert their freedom of expression and to be confident in themselves regarding the things that they can share. They become, as what the previous article has stated, “more cautious and less innovative.” It freezes the learning capacity of the child disabling him/her to use potentials not to the maximum but only to a limited extent.

One article has stated about “control as conformity and obedience” inside most of the classrooms. We view the teacher as the one who is in control, the figure of authority and gets to decide on all the matters in class. Yes, I do agree that teachers do have to retain that authority in the classroom to foster the values of obedience, discipline and respect. But I also believe that there is another way in enforcing them, which is yes, through classroom management. I agree that when you teach the students how to be responsible for their actions and for their thoughts, you teach them how to have that sense of self-concept and be more relenting to the classroom policies when you give them the opportunity and the freedom to make their own decisions. Being able to address the issues by talking it out to them establishes that teacher-student rapport wherein the students become more open to how they feel and they know that there is always that other side of the coin in every situation.

As for Social Studies being used as the best form to exercise the benefits of the hidden curriculum, yes, I totally agree with it. If I am to relate it in the Philippine setting, the Social Studies textbooks didn’t fall short in informing the students regarding the Philippine history and its culture. Minorities such as the “Aetas” and the “Igorots” are described in some textbooks. I cannot speak for all though, as I would be relating this to my own experience when I was a grade school student. Although I also believe that only selected minority groups were included in the textbooks, which, I think is not sufficient in promoting and raising that social awareness, culture wise. I must agree that there is indeed so much to learn in Social Studies as the texts really do convey hidden meanings/messages that cannot be learned technically but only through experience by acting these concepts out. Values, most especially. That is, I guess, one of the most important issues that a hidden curriculum provides to its students. When students become socially aware and the teacher was able to make the students relate to their environment and/or society, only then can the students realize the essence of his/her relationship towards and with that society.

When people ask me why I have decided to be a teacher, I only have one answer. I have seen too much in the educational system from instructional and classroom policies to governance which made me decide that there is so much to change inside the classroom and the educational system in general – a vision that has always been the dilemma of current educators and the educators before me. Breaking into the system is as difficult as preventing one’s self from being “eaten” by the system and resistance will always be there.

But if there is one key value that I have also learned in our educational system, academics, social and political wise, it would be resiliency. To be resilient and be affirmative in what you believe in – conform if the situation ushers towards a positive change and remain firm in pushing through what is best for all. Too much of an idealist is negative in a lot of ways especially if what you aim at is a major and social change but changes will and will happen no matter how small or big it is and no matter how difficult it is to implement.