It was mid-September in 2008 when the Schools Division Superintendent approved my request for re-assignment. Then I moved to a new school for greener pasture and to start again a new teaching journey. That school is Jacinto P. Elpa National High School
(JPENHS). Upon seeing myself in JPENHS, I had a thought it would be a good new start.
My first two weeks of teaching in this school was a mixed feeling of excitement and amazement though that time I was still in an adjustment phase. I never realized it was a cultural shock in its gentler way. I was learning a lot from the ways and attitudes of the people around me, the crowd of
students, the teachers and the administration and staff personnel. I easily got a long well with the people most specially in the third year campus where I was assigned, somehow because of my friendly nature. My colleagues are also very nice to me.
This school is really big. It comprises of four big campuses from first year to fourth year levels with over 3800 students in population. Each campus is managed by year level chairman or chairwoman. The overall in charged of the entire academe is the School Principal.
JPENHS is a public school that offers four curriculum: namely Revitalized Basic Education Curriculum (RBEC) funded by SEDIP, Special Science Curriculum commonly known as LRC (Learning Resource Center), Technology Vocational Curriculum (Tech. Voc course) and Sports Program Curriculum
(SPC). The school also offers night classes for working students.
The RBEC students are the typical group of high school students with general average IQ. The Tech.Voc students are technically empowered group of students whose curriculum is specially designed for them to acquire life skills such as food technology, computer technology, garments, cosmetics, entrepreneurship and electrical technology. The SPC students are trained for sports development. Most of these students won in the Palarong Pambansa (National Sports Competition). The LRC group, on the other hand, is composed of students with higher IQ. The LRC students are usually the ones who bested in almost all academic competitions in regional or national level.
On my first day of service,
I was introduced to my new class of exclusively all boys from RBEC and TechVoc curriculum. The subject was Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) specializing Electrical Technology. It was a totally new experience because I had not taught all-male class before. The course is not a problem because of my intensive knowledge in Physics. To gain a holding power over them, I had to project a quite strict image for awhile because you know boys are naturally playful, hard-headed and difficult to manage. This way I could make an easier command. Of course I would establish friendship and a sense of openness with them. And as much as possible I would like to be kind and approachable to my students.
On the following weeks I got used to the way things are happening in the campus. I even got the idea of the norms of the campus and on how the students and teachers assess one another.
Three months rolled by, after two grading periods, I was given a new assignment in LRC. I taught Statistics. It was another experience for me. This group of student is really brilliant. The LRC curriculum has more academic subjects compare to the other curriculum. The LRC students have advanced Mathematics and that includes Statistics and Advanced Science. Since it is special science curriculum, the students are required to conduct scientific researches. Much is expected from this group of students. They are the future leaders of their community. If their needs are fully catered, no wonder these students would excel in any aspect of life.
Life can get monotonous so I rather choose to engage in a more adventurous journey. Part of that journey is my work as teacher here. My feet are firmly planted in teaching. I don’t know how long I am meant to be here. It might be until I become 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. Though, it’s not easy to forget the hurtful moments. It is not a smoke being blown away by a gust of wind. Teaching has brought me a certain measure of stability in my life. I still want to learn more out of life.
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.
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 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 who share our roads.
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.
(JPENHS). Upon seeing myself in JPENHS, I had a thought it would be a good new start.My first two weeks of teaching in this school was a mixed feeling of excitement and amazement though that time I was still in an adjustment phase. I never realized it was a cultural shock in its gentler way. I was learning a lot from the ways and attitudes of the people around me, the crowd of
students, the teachers and the administration and staff personnel. I easily got a long well with the people most specially in the third year campus where I was assigned, somehow because of my friendly nature. My colleagues are also very nice to me.This school is really big. It comprises of four big campuses from first year to fourth year levels with over 3800 students in population. Each campus is managed by year level chairman or chairwoman. The overall in charged of the entire academe is the School Principal.
JPENHS is a public school that offers four curriculum: namely Revitalized Basic Education Curriculum (RBEC) funded by SEDIP, Special Science Curriculum commonly known as LRC (Learning Resource Center), Technology Vocational Curriculum (Tech. Voc course) and Sports Program Curriculum
(SPC). The school also offers night classes for working students.The RBEC students are the typical group of high school students with general average IQ. The Tech.Voc students are technically empowered group of students whose curriculum is specially designed for them to acquire life skills such as food technology, computer technology, garments, cosmetics, entrepreneurship and electrical technology. The SPC students are trained for sports development. Most of these students won in the Palarong Pambansa (National Sports Competition). The LRC group, on the other hand, is composed of students with higher IQ. The LRC students are usually the ones who bested in almost all academic competitions in regional or national level.
On my first day of service,
I was introduced to my new class of exclusively all boys from RBEC and TechVoc curriculum. The subject was Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) specializing Electrical Technology. It was a totally new experience because I had not taught all-male class before. The course is not a problem because of my intensive knowledge in Physics. To gain a holding power over them, I had to project a quite strict image for awhile because you know boys are naturally playful, hard-headed and difficult to manage. This way I could make an easier command. Of course I would establish friendship and a sense of openness with them. And as much as possible I would like to be kind and approachable to my students.On the following weeks I got used to the way things are happening in the campus. I even got the idea of the norms of the campus and on how the students and teachers assess one another.
Three months rolled by, after two grading periods, I was given a new assignment in LRC. I taught Statistics. It was another experience for me. This group of student is really brilliant. The LRC curriculum has more academic subjects compare to the other curriculum. The LRC students have advanced Mathematics and that includes Statistics and Advanced Science. Since it is special science curriculum, the students are required to conduct scientific researches. Much is expected from this group of students. They are the future leaders of their community. If their needs are fully catered, no wonder these students would excel in any aspect of life.
Life can get monotonous so I rather choose to engage in a more adventurous journey. Part of that journey is my work as teacher here. My feet are firmly planted in teaching. I don’t know how long I am meant to be here. It might be until I become 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. Though, it’s not easy to forget the hurtful moments. It is not a smoke being blown away by a gust of wind. Teaching has brought me a certain measure of stability in my life. I still want to learn more out of life.
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.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 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 who share our roads.
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.
