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I am Just a Teacher but I am Proud Again

As I look back to a few years ago, I didn’t plan to be a teacher. “Me? Becoming a teacher? No way!” I heard myself said. I always wanted to be a doctor of medicine. It had been my cherished ambition. Years later, I couldn’t believe I found myself holding a chalk board, writing lesson plans and teaching students. I got fascinated in the classroom life. At first, it was difficult. To survive the job, I needed to think like philosopher and do my work seriously. Is this really the profession I want to do for my life? I once asked myself. There was conflict inside me. Later on, I comforted myself into thinking that things were under my control. It’s great to be a teacher even if this work entails so much stress and pressure physically and emotionally.

I am one of the millions of teachers nowadays in this country who live to teach and teach to live at the same time. I become enthusiastic and my teaching work keeps me busy and alert. My dealing with people has improved to a higher level. I learned to be nice, kind, friendly, gentle and generous. I never thought I would be this person. I used to be a shy person with no confidence in myself. Now I realize that it is important to socialize with people. I talk to my students everyday and discuss with their parents during parent-teacher conference in school. I learned to find solutions to some bigger problems of my school and students. In my work I learned to manage my time and resources. I’m glad my students are comfortable with me. They love to share their experiences and even like to open up their personal lives. My life seems to revolve around the school and my students.

Much is given and much is required. But the most difficult thing has been finding out that I’m not a perfect teacher. I wasn’t even a perfect student back in school days. Somehow, I expected teaching to be different. It’s good to introduce teaching innovations in the class. Anything that comes in my mind, I am making it real for my students to experience it. Learning doesn’t only happen inside the classrooms so I often device a teaching strategy which is outside the usual class room setting. Learning, at this point, becomes concrete because students would start to ponder upon the real things and learning becomes fun because they will be entertained. Sad to say, for most people, anything new and different is not usually embraced. Sometimes it is treated with a cold shoulder.

A change is really hard and oftentimes impossible if the majority in the academe is resistant for change. I was once bullied with raising eyebrows and brutal criticisms from the school I first taught. But I remained calm and proved my worth because I knew I did my best for my students. It’s true that change doesn’t happen over night.

In this work you will encounter a lot of frustrations and regrets. But teaching introduced me to a different pace of life. I always say to myself, I’m going to work hard and even harder. Teaching allows me to use my intellect and originality. I know how important it is to treat people with kindness and respect especially when they are having difficulties or problems. I bring a fairly broad knowledge in education (I’m pursuing my post graduate program in Master of Science in Science Education). I think the most important contribution I make is making a difference in someone’s life. Positive comments, showing trust in someone taking an action that communicates care and respect can positively change someone’s view of themselves and perhaps their lives as well. My life with problematic students has its peaks and valley. It is very challenging but very rewarding and fulfilling most of the time. It requires a lot of love and patience. It needs a lot of grace. It also requires a lot of support from family, teachers and the school administration. What would be more important? Teachers have both the power and opportunity to do great amount of good for many people. I know that I will take all the opportunities available to nurture, encourage and bring joy to those around me.I think I have much to offer to the teaching field and teaching has much to offer me. To teaching, I will provide my knowledge, inventiveness, and dedication to students. In return, teaching will give me a space to grow intellectually and creatively and a group of people whose growth will provide me with a great sense of reward. I hope this would provide greater heights in my quest for excellence.

My feet are firmly planted in teaching. I don’t know how long I am meant to be here. Maybe until I become old, but not very old enough. It is here where I can pursue my own dreams, and where, against all expectations, I have made a life. I know there is something good waiting to surprise me. But I take great comfort in the thought that for all the bad things that happened, one day I will reap all the happiness and the fruits of my labor. Though, it’s not easy to forget the hurtful moments and discouragements in this noble job, I choose not to give up hoping. I choose to move on further. I still want to learn more out of life. Teaching has brought me a certain measure of stability.

This profession is like doing a lot of seed planting. Sometimes it looks as though none of these seeds are growing, but I should keep planting. When I look back, I know, I will see some trees. I just never know while planting which seeds God has chosen to grow into trees. I have always thought that teaching was one of the most important careers a person could ever undertake. After taking this program for four years in college, I still very much feel that way, but I also realize that there are many factors that go into effective teaching, and I realize now more than ever that being an excellent teacher is something that requires teamwork from a great many number of people. It is truly not a job that can be done alone. It is true that teaching requires strategy, passion and team work, knowing when to be aggressive and when to take defense and looking at challenges as opportunities. This makes me rethink what I already know about the work I chose and I move to review it.

Teaching with students is a lifelong journey of hope, faith and love. The journey for us is still long, with many rough roads ahead. But I will keep taking that journey with them with the hope of helping them enjoy, endure and conquer all that life brings. Thanks to those people who share our difficult roads. I salute and cheer all persons entering into this field with the highest of expectations for what they can do for their students, classrooms, and their schools. If we work collectively and with a common goal, we can continue to teach and improve upon our teaching in such a way that our students will not only excel in our own classrooms, but take with them the skills they need as they further their educations and enter into the communities. We can offer them what they need to offer us the assurance of a productive future. Indeed, I can say, I am just a teacher, but I am proud!

Chicken Marinade

What a great marinade for chicken! Quick and easy, made with ingredients I always have on hand, and a short 4-hour marinating time resulted in flavorful and juicy chicken. Made just as specified, used boneless skinless breasts and cooked on the grill. Wonderful recipe. Try it!

Chicken Marinade

Ingredients:

2 cups vinegar

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon oregano, dried

1/2 teaspoon basil, dried1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon paprika

2 cups olive oil.


Directions

1. Add all of the ingredients except for the oil and whisk well.

2. Add the oil and whisk.

3. Pour the mixture over to cover the chicken you are using in a glass bowl.

4. Refrigerate overnight, stirring the marinade and turning chicken several times. May be grilled or broiled, basting often with marinade.

Chicken Curry

I have been thinking to enroll in a cooking class. I realize how important it is to know the basics of cooking. I love to eat good foods but I don’t have any idea how they are cooked or prepared. The food on the table becomes special when you cooked it yourself. For the sake of learning and acquiring a new skill this summer and for its future use, I finally decided to cook. Wow! I can’t believe that I made it as planned. It is really quick and easy. If you know what to cook and how to do it, you will feel a sense of joy while doing it. This week I tried the Chicken Curry because I love anything chicken. You can try it for your delicious and healthy meals.
Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

1 pack Del Monte Quick n Easy Curry Mix
Combined with ¾ cup water and milk

4 pcs. medium potatoes, cut into chunks

2 pcs. Medium carrots, cut into chunks

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 pc. Medium onion, sliced

1 kg. chicken, cut up

1/3 cup evaporated milk (or 1 cup thick coconut milk)

1 pc. Small red bell pepper, cut into cubes

Procedure:

1. Fry potatoes and carrots. Set aside.

2. Saute garlic, onion and chicken in 2 tbps oil. Pour in Del Monte Quick n Easy Curry Mix mixture.

3 Simmer until chicken is done. Add fried potatoes, carrots and bell pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens.

Sayings and Demotionals

Dance as though no one is watching you, love as though you have never been hurt before, sing as though no one can hear you, live as though heaven is on earth.-Souza

Laws are partly formed for the sake of good men, in order to instruct them how they may live on friendly terms with one another, and partly for the sake of those who refuse to be instructed, whose spirit cannot be subdued, or softened, or hindered from plunging into evil. –Plato


The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.- Aristotle

Man...is a tame or civilized animal; never the less, he requires proper instruction and a fortunate nature, and then of all animals he becomes the most divine and most civilized; but if he be insufficiently or ill- educated he is the most savage of earthly creatures. –Plato

If a man is proud of his wealth, he should not be praised until it is known how he employs it.

Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.-Josh Billings

Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn't anyone who doesn't appreciate kindness and compassion.-Dalai Lama

Remember that there is nothing stable in human affairs; therefore avoid undue elation in prosperity, or undue depression in adversity. –Socrates

DEVOTIONALS
proverbs 18:24 (NIV)
A man that hath friends must show himself friendly and there is a friend that sticketh close than a brother".

There is a friendship waiting for you that will lift you up out of the miry clay that will set your feet upon a rock to stay. There is a friendship waiting for you that is so real that He does not even have to prove Himself. He already has. There is a friendship that is so complete with you and that friendship is so real that He says this, "Even though you are unfaithful to Me I will remain faithful to you". He will teach us you see because friendship is not inherited we have to learn it. Proverbs 18:24 "A man that hath friends must show himself friendly and there is a friend that sticketh close than a brother".

I found that there is only one person that can teach you to be a friend and that is Jesus Christ because He is the friend that was bruised for our iniquity. Jesus says, "I am your friend so I am going to stand in front of you and I am going to take the bruises for you". Faithful are the wounds of a friend. A friend stands in front of you.

More Devotionals...

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.-Dr Seuss
We must therefore develop a sense of responsibility for each others condition, we must see that hurting someone else, or inflicting pain on other people, cannot bring happiness or peace of mind.-Dalai Lama


When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.-Cherokee Expression

Words...more words.

Dance as though no one is watching you, love as though you have never been hurt before, sing as though no one can hear you, live as though heaven is on earth.-Souza

Laws are partly formed for the sake of good men, in order to instruct them how they may live on friendly terms with one another, and partly for the sake of those who refuse to be instructed, whose spirit cannot be subdued, or softened, or hindered from plunging into evil. –Plato


The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.- Aristotle

Man...is a tame or civilized animal; never the less, he requires proper instruction and a fortunate nature, and then of all animals he becomes the most divine and most civilized; but if he be insufficiently or ill- educated he is the most savage of earthly creatures. –Plato

If a man is proud of his wealth, he should not be praised until it is known how he employs it.

Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.-Josh Billings

Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn't anyone who doesn't appreciate kindness and compassion.-Dalai Lama

Remember that there is nothing stable in human affairs; therefore avoid undue elation in prosperity, or undue depression in adversity. –Socrates

DEVOTIONALS
proverbs 18:24 (NIV)
A man that hath friends must show himself friendly and there is a friend that sticketh close than a brother".

There is a friendship waiting for you that will lift you up out of the miry clay that will set your feet upon a rock to stay. There is a friendship waiting for you that is so real that He does not even have to prove Himself. He already has. There is a friendship that is so complete with you and that friendship is so real that He says this, "Even though you are unfaithful to Me I will remain faithful to you". He will teach us you see because friendship is not inherited we have to learn it. Proverbs 18:24 "A man that hath friends must show himself friendly and there is a friend that sticketh close than a brother".

I found that there is only one person that can teach you to be a friend and that is Jesus Christ because He is the friend that was bruised for our iniquity. Jesus says, "I am your friend so I am going to stand in front of you and I am going to take the bruises for you". Faithful are the wounds of a friend. A friend stands in front of you.
More Devotionals...

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.-Dr Seuss
We must therefore develop a sense of responsibility for each others condition, we must see that hurting someone else, or inflicting pain on other people, cannot bring happiness or peace of mind.-Dalai Lama


When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.-Cherokee Expression

Confused

When I went outside from the house, I saw the waning moon on its yellowish color. It made me remember the old days gone by. I used to hunt the full moon and when I do, I make self-evaluations. Well today I am making reflections on my current line of thinking and feeling.There are quite a number of things that happened to me this week. I am still the adventurous person I know.Sinusuong ko pa rin ang buhay at landas nito na hindi naman para sa akin. Nagbabakasakali akong dito ako sasaya at liligaya. Maligaya nga ba ako sa ganitong pakikibaka? Sinubukan ko uling maging bata sa halos lahat ng bagay. I was trying to re-live a life that had long been denied of me.Pero ang totoo hindi na ako bata. I have to act according to my cerebral maturity. Parang naglalayag pa rin ako sa walang katiyakang landas. Hati ang puso't isipan ko.Magkaibang direksyon ang nais nilang lakbayin. I'm confused.But the good thing is I am surrounded with mature and sensible people who are willing to give their pieces of advice..These people are my friends and family. Whatever happens to me and the kind of life I am going to follow, I should not forget that I have a powerful God above all else. And I should not forget that he can make things really possible.

Hi, I'm Zaldy Alima

River and Sea

River and Sea

Originally written on March 11, 2009

What happens to me and the shining sun?

It's melting me down and love flows

like river to the sea

I am so touched by that sight

from the distance when you're smiling at me

while waving your hand

It's true that I can't be yours and you can't be mine

So I am singing a song hoping that you would hear what I feel

And as the day taken over by the night

I feel like getting colder

Yet there's so much warmth in my heart

Like many people I know

They rather choose to hold on to people they care about

They choose to believe in the power of true love

So high up in the sky

I bow down and pray

Despair should not be the end of this road

I wish for a happy ending

The rain starts falling

The rain is now washing away all my tears

I raise up my hands

And taking a deep breath

What happens to me and the shining sun?

And love flows like river to the sea.

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