Sowing the Seeds of Love

Why blog?

2012-03-28T10:33:00.002+08:00

Hello and welcome to my portfolio. I am Teacher Tere, 32, and about to be a mom less than 4 months. This may appear to be a very informal attempt to showcase myself, but that is actually the point. I am as no-frills as a plain plastic envelope but I'm also as clean and organized, and people can definitely see right through me.

By the way, photos may be too small. Just click on it for a better view :)

Why blog?
I've been writing my thoughts on the World Wide Web since blogging became the trend and this is the third I have created as of this writing, apart from some random thoughts on my Facebook and Multiply accounts. I find it very convenient to update, very easy to access, and I'm pretty sure it would be around for as long as I'm alive. I still keep a Starbucks planner by my bedside where I try to unload and relax before I go to sleep. Yes it's true, nobody can keep me from writing just about anything!
Aside from putting technology to good use, I also promote the protection of the environment and the pursuit of a clutter-free world! I'm proud to say that this portfolio is 100% green and no trees were harmed during its production! I hope that this teaching blog will be more than sufficient in sharing my thoughts and my realizations through the months I have been with SISC.

So why the title?

I always believed that love has led me and continues to lead and inspire me in this vocation - a love for children, a love for learning and discovery, a love for arts and crafts, a love for storytelling, a love for funny yet insightful conversations, and a love for the world's future. It is hoped that from this love, I am able to inspire the children I meet to act, speak, and think out of love. When they grow up they will probably forget my name, but they will always remember that once upon a time, there was a somebody who took care of them, learned with them and made them feel they are important.

"Anything is possible when you're sowing the seeds of love." - Tears for Fears

Hate late?

2012-03-20T16:23:00.003+08:00

I got married before the academic year started and I found out I was pregnant during the mid year break. Not that I'm making excuses, but suddenly there are more things to prioritize, and sadly, it's not all about my career anymore. This is the year where I've used almost all of my leave credits for errands to change my legal name in different government offices, preparing for future plans, taking care of the husband and the home, and of course the life-changing symptoms of pregnancy.

I then find myself having a difficult time waking up in the morning, getting through the day without tiring myself out, and staying asleep at night. As a result, I tend to submit lesson plans and other documents later than expected. I admit my attendance in some meetings and other activities get compromised because there are chores or events for both families to attend to.

I try my best to start on my tasks a lot early on so I won't be bogged down by too much work. It also helped that I still have the documents from last year that I could refer to. It made things so much easier to accomplish. It really is difficult to be a teacher - work is not just confined in the classroom. In fact, I find myself spending more time with it outside work hours and all the way until the weekend. It really is just the passion for teaching and children that will fuel you to get through the day and finish your tasks on time.

PLED and DCIA survey AY 2011-2012

2012-03-20T15:33:00.000+08:00

This was how I was rated by my students for each term this academic year. It was great to know how highly they thought of me in all aspects, with my second term performance being my best. The first term results has taught me that I still needed a bit more effort in reaching out to the students and making them aware of their strengths and weaknesses. It was something that I had overlooked, which Teacher Beth, my academic supervisor immediately pointed out to me to correct.

This kind of institutionalized practice really does contribute to self-improvement, since early on you are made aware of what is being expected of you and you are actually given a few more chances to make things right. It provides feedback from one's direct clients, the students. It makes one feel appreciated for their efforts, and at the same time provides constructive criticism that one can take note of in their performance. This surely helped me plan my lessons and classroom activities so my students can make the most out of school.

A token of appreciation

2012-03-20T15:16:00.000+08:00

I found this note alongside the bunch of letters I received from my Grade 2 students after a week of bedrest. It always feels good to be appreciated and recognized for your efforts. Ms. Gladys is our Deputy Principal whom I always look up to. I'm sure it's not easy being responsible for the whole Munich campus and yet she took time out to know how her teachers are. And for that, I feel blessed that I am surrounded by colleagues who are always looking out for my well-being and professional growth. Now that I am about to leave Southville, I only pray that I will find the same kind of people in the next job I take.

Working overtime

2012-03-20T14:48:00.000+08:00

Teachers in Southville are always given special responsibilities when it comes to preparing for different student activities. During my first year, my tasks usually include creating the backdrop for student presentations. This year, however, they assigned me to less stressful activities such as invitation making, at least for this year's Reader's Theater and Sportsfest and Family Day.

E-invite for Reader's Theater:

E-invite for Sportsfest and Family Day:

I enjoy conceptualizing and actually making these backdrops for Reader's Theater and Recognition Day even if it means getting dirty and working overtime. In the end, I feel good to contribute something significant for an important event. These opportunities also foster camaraderie and harmony between the Grades 1 and 2 teachers which makes each workday something that I always look forward to.

How it once looked like:

The finished product with a thinner me somewhere in the middle:

To discipline or not

2012-03-20T12:07:00.006+08:00

Teachers, no matter how good or experienced they are, will always struggle with student discipline every once in a while. I admit that this is not my best point, but over the years I have somewhat become familiar with certain personalities in the classroom and the numerous ways to keep them at bay. Children would normally manipulate, show disrespect and mess up the classroom; but I've found over the past few months that it all stems from their need for attention and love.

Teachers are only human. Just like everybody else, they, too, get affected by certain degrees of provocation, from mere annoyance to downright anger. But then again, there's something in a teacher that will make them take a second look at these students and immediately realize that it's coming from somewhere.

I got a handful of "problems" this year, ranging from those with special needs and family dysfunction. As much as I would like to give them much-needed assistance and time, it can get very difficult, with around 25 more children to think about. This is not to mention the underachievers, who may be disciplined but falls short of expectations.

I realized over time that raising one's voice or giving out consequences is not always the key. Not only does it make me more tired and cranky at the end of the day, other children actually wait for that kind of reaction to annoy you all the more. On some days, when I'm too tired to call their attention, I just ignore them. They eventually get tired of monkeying around and move on to something else. However, this manner does not really address their misbehavior, and it is bound to happen again sooner or later.

Teachers really do need 30- or even 35-hour days to accomplish everything, including taking time out to address discipline concerns. Children, on the other hand, need somebody to listen and merely express concern for them. They may not open up right away, but you could see how their faces would light up when they receive a kind gesture. I try as much as I can to spend a few extra minutes with these children each day, to let them know and be aware of their unfavorable behavior and how it affects the people around them. It does work, and it saddens me that I cannot do it all the time. As much as I would like to sit down with these children to hear them out and help them with their issues, I can only do so much in my power. It's frustrating when you find out how their home life is far from ideal. I could only pray that their parents eventually have a change of heart or they meet more teachers in their lifetime that could give them the love and attention that they've always longed for.

Getting creative

2012-03-20T11:59:00.000+08:00

Science may be a difficult subject to teach with all its intricacies, but it allows a teacher endless possibilities for creativity in the classroom. I find that children thrive in visual, interactive and tactile activities and I try my best to provide them to my students as time permits.

One of the memorable activities we've had was the diorama making of animal habitats, where the children were all too eager to participate. I asked them to bring their own materials and I showed them sample works prior to giving instructions. I gave them the liberty to choose their own groups, thinking that they could work more efficiently. It was nice to see how they managed to plan and agree on what to put and how it should look like before executing it. I also found some groups being generous of their materials to those who have forgotten to bring. Some groups were able to finish way ahead of time because all the group members share a sense of urgency.

I realized that the timeliness of these group activities are also important. Had I given them this task at the start of the year, they might not be well-equipped to handle planning and conflicts within their groups as efficiently as they had done. Also, the camaraderie between the students have already been established, where one child has a pretty good idea of how his or her classmates work.

This activity also gave me a bit of room to breathe and look at each student in a clearer perspective. I was given an opportunity to get to know the personality behind the face, the way they behave with other people, the way they communicate, the things that can annoy them, through grouping them with other interesting personalities.

It proved to be a successful endeavor, where the children were able to showcase what they have learned in a very creative way. If only we can be allowed to do this all the time :)

How sweet it is to be loved by you!

2012-03-20T11:28:00.000+08:00

March 8 was the day I got scared to death. It was the day I went to the emergency room because I bled, and I was 6 months pregnant.

It was a typical busy day, where I was the only one who had back-to-back classes the whole morning because I had to give my 4 classes their last long test for the year. I was going around, doing the same things I usually do in class, like hollering out last-minute reminders and keeping them settled. I guess for a moment I forgot I was pregnant until I saw that I bled. Tears were welling up my eyes as I read instructions during my third class, waiting for my doctor's reply. Teacher Jei was kind enough to continue reading the long test for me, and I am also grateful for Teacher Lea who volunteered to buy medicine for me at that moment. The rest of the teachers were checking up on me when I stayed at the clinic waiting for my parents. They were equally worried and asked me to take the rest, however long it took.

I was prescribed to take the week off to rest and continue my medicines. I was told by my doctor I made myself get agitated (perhaps from running around and hollering to make sure the students finish the test on time) but my cervix was closed and there was no more bleeding. I just had to observe any changes from then on.

Some children saw me in the clinic, but most of them heard the news about me through their advisers. Most of them thought it was all their fault that they even apologized through Facebook. But the biggest surprise was the bunch of letters from Grade 2-Archimedes that greeted me the day I came back. It was funny and at the same time touching that these children thought of the well-being of me and my baby. I never thought they would be as excited for her arrival as me. I guess they do really think of me as someone important. Check out some of the unforgettable notes below. I'm going to miss them all! Sniff.

Technology-driven classes

2011-04-07T22:40:00.005+08:00

What a relief to find out that there might be more audio-visual equipment available for the students! I am such a fan of technology and I rely heavily on the Internet for resources. I knew that my students will have a hard time paying attention to a plain lecture that is why I always pepper my discussion with PowerPoint presentations, videos and games such as these that made it to the Most Requested List:

(screen capture taken from http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/science/living_things/help_plants_grow/play.shtml)

(downloaded from Youtube)

Kudos to the creators of these media! My students enjoyed learning because of such innovative materials. Not only do these motivate the children, the recall is amazing. I even heard one boy singing this song in the bathroom. Indeed, technology is such a wonderful thing, if only we do not have to contend with the unavailability of equipment, intermittent connections and power outages. There's so much possibility with technology, and I'm glad we have the means for it.

Being involved

2011-04-07T21:33:00.008+08:00

Everyone in the Grades 1 and 2 division is expected to take part in school activities. My colleagues would tell me to refrain from making it good because if the bosses get to like my work, they will expect me to do similar tasks again with higher expectations. And how true it was... :D

Around July, we had to prepare for Breakfast with Parents. I don't remember if I volunteered or was assigned to make the backdrop with T.Jei. We did come up with one, and in retrospect, I should have taken a photo of it when we put it up. Everybody loved the curlicues of smoke that came from giant cups of coffee made from brown cartolina, and they got hungry looking at the basket of bread in front, complete with a checkered napkin. And so it was that for the next events, it was understood that the backdrop duties fell on our shoulders.

Fast forward a little bit to October for the Reader's Theater. Putting together several characters proved to be a challenge in terms of layout. It wasn't much of a chore really, because I enjoyed doing it with my colleagues. It took several days to complete, and it eventually came to look like this:

Just a few days ago was our Recognition Day, and of course you already know what my task was. We decided to use an old tarp which we thought we'd never be able to fill up. But we did. This was the ultimate backdrop to date:

It is always a refreshing change to do other things aside from making lesson plans and preparing for class. Not only does one get to pursue their interests, it also provides opportunities to get to know people you work with. It has been a blast working with my colleagues. I may still not consider them very close, but we're comfortable enough sharing each other's secrets. Through pizza and pasta moments, videoke sessions, it just affirms a teacher's need for a conducive working environment. It is indeed a blessing to have people listen to your rants or laugh with you when you share an anecdote about your students. They are one of the reasons why I chose to stay for a while longer.

The children

2011-04-07T20:41:00.011+08:00

Let me just share with you just how affectionate my students can be:

- from Asia, a very sweet first grader who always sits with me everytime I proctor during dismissal. She would always come up to me with a drawing and tells me about her new book of animals. Up until the third term, she would still talk about animals. She can be whiny and uncooperative at times, but I'm hopeful that by next year she'd be more mature and a good speller :) I hope to satiate her thirst for learning about animals next year.

- a birthday card from Vince, one of the more mischievous boys in first grade. This made me smile because I didn't really expect he would make me a card and even remember about the specific things he learned from me. There never was a Computer class that he didn't ask for my help, and I guess with this card, he is telling me that he appreciates what I do for him. I somewhat feel guilty now for the times that I lose my patience with him because he couldn't do things independently. It is during these times that I resolve to stretch my patience a little bit more because some children really need the understanding.

- I just had to include this birthday card from Melissa. I have to give credit T.Beth, the ELA teacher for this because the elements of the letter really did endure for this little girl! She was one of the average ones in her class, but now I realize that I somewhat underestimated her in this regard. Each child truly has different strengths and weaknesses. One may excel in one subject, and be just average in another. This is another reminder for me to adjust myself to each child's capabilities and make learning enduring for them.

- a hilarious acrostic from Andy, another first grader. I felt she really tried hard to think of words to describe me and she wanted more words that's why she added her name! Aah, kids really do say the darnest things that's why I came to love the first and second graders. They are just full of wit!

- first grader Sean does take the cake for honesty! Had a laugh-out-loud moment with this one. He is one of the more assertive students in class who can sometimes be coming on too strong. Anyway, I did appreciate his gesture :)

- I received this early in the year from Jana. It made me laugh because it seemed like she owed me for not studying! It's heartwarming to know that there are students who consider the feelings of their teachers for mediocre performance. It turned out that she only got one mistake in that long test. I wrote her a reply on the same test and told her that she shouldn't think about herself as not good enough and by trying very hard she could easily succeed. She went on to reap a medal during Recognition Day.

Claymation

2011-04-07T19:13:00.003+08:00

This is a compilation of the "Claymation" project my Grade 2 students made. I showed them a video of clay animation of animals as we talked about life cycles during the third term. To assess what they learned in class, I instructed them to produce some clay animation to show the life cycle of the animal of their choosing. They worked in groups, most of them dividing the work among each other according to the stages of a particular animal's life cycle. I took photos of each of the group's outputs and flashed them one after the other during the next class for the "animation effect".

As what I have mentioned, a teacher has to consider the learner's motivation to make the most out of learning, as well as their abilities and interest. From the moment I showed the clay animation video, they were already hooked (they all thought it was so cool, their eyes were glued to the screen) and I knew I had a promising classroom activity at hand. Admittedly, I chose to show the video just because it was very cute and it was initially a supplement to my lesson. Preparation and quick thinking indeed paid off, and this goes to show that a teacher should always be on the lookout for the best avenue for learning. It doesn't come naturally, but with experience.

Not only were they very responsive and inquisitive during our class discussions, they were all engrossed in making their clay figures as accurate as possible. Everybody was busy, nobody was unruly, and they seldom asked for my help because the task was very well within their capabilities. At the time that I showed them the "animation", everyone looked so proud of themselves. It made me feel good, too, that I somehow contributed positively to their self-esteem.

These are just one of the many highlights of my first year of teaching these children. More than their shower of affection for me, it's seeing them enjoy and bask in their learning that is most rewarding for me. At such a young age, school should never be a burden to these children, because they still have several years of school ahead of them and they should find it worthwhile going through it.

GRASPS Grade 1

2011-04-06T12:23:00.005+08:00

I discussed with the first graders Materials, Light and Air during the second term. For their GRASPS project, they were tasked to create a model house that utilizes air and sunlight in the most efficient way. They are to take the role of an architect that is part of a design team of a real estate company and their model house is to be showcased in mall kiosks to potential home buyers. They are to use durable building materials such as clay, popsicle sticks, cardboard, and the like that can make it stand until exhibit day.

Again, my proposal received positive feedback from Ms. Marj :) It is indeed nice to have some kind of integration with other subjects for the next academic year.

It was a real challenge to facilitate sessions where the groups worked on it. Some refused to work in groups, others were heavily dependent on my help, and there were several instances where children were playing with the scissors, destroying other groups' work, hiding some materials, and playing the popsicle stick game. It took a while for them to finish of course. It is sad that photos of their finished work has been accidentally deleted :(

It really does take a lot of patience working with children this age. But then again, you can expect more output from them than preschool children. However, there are a lot of aspects to be managed and facilitated because they are also capable of more mischief. At some point I did think about making projects individual to prevent rifts between groupmates due to lack of cooperation and other things, but then again, with individual projects you have to contend with other people making their project, late submission or no submission at all.

GRASPS Grade 2

2011-04-06T08:54:00.008+08:00

GRASPS is a performance task implemented every term that stands for the following:
G - goal
R - role
A - audience
S - situation
P - product
S - score

These actually describes what the project is about, what the students are expected to do, and how they will be assessed. During the second term, the Grade 2 classes covered Basic Food Groups.

To assess the students on their knowledge of healthy food, I asked them to pretend they are about to open a healthy restaurant and they will have to plan their menu offerings. I required them to name their healthy dishes, add a description and determine the price. I planned to assess them according to neatness, organization, content and punctuality of submission.

This proposal received positive feedback (Thanks so much, Ms. Marj, you really made my day that time!) I knew this can turn out to be very promising. The suggestions would be ideal for the next academic year.

I gave the students ample time for their project and here is one of the many excellent projects I received:

I was initially thinking of something that will make the students engaged and not resort to asking their parents to do it for them. I patterned this against the Facebook game Restaurant City where one has to collect certain ingredients to prepare a dish. I gave higher grades to those that were obviously made by them. There were still some students who had to be reminded several times to submit and only managed to cut out pictures of food from magazines without any description nor price.

Admittedly, I could have prepared better for this project, by showing them a finished product rather than merely describing and drawing it on the blackboard. Also, it would have been helpful to dedicate one session to help them work on it, also to make sure that each one already started with the project. I have to be aware of the time constraints and maybe it would have been better if I started this project in the middle of the term rather than the last three weeks.

PLED and DCIA

2011-04-05T16:11:00.004+08:00

It amazes me really how SISC manages to come up with so many acronyms, but I have to admit it helps a great deal in remembering what they are for.

Every term, students evaluate each teacher according to certain measures stated in the Positive Learning Environment and Discipline which covers the following:
a. positive teacher expectations for student success
b. physical classroom readiness
c. planning and implementation of the work plan
d. procedures and rules
e. punishments, consequences and rewards
f. classroom management
g. instruction and assessment of learning

Aside from that, teachers are also evaluated on their implementation of Differentiated Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment in the classroom, which is basically about catering to children's different needs and preferences and making room for children learning at a different pace.

You can always count on children to be honest, and I'm very thankful that they perceive me to be such, according to their evaluation of me for the last three terms:

I feel honored that throughout the terms, their rating consistently increased, albeit with minute intervals. For the first and second term, I realized I should not rest on my laurels despite the high ratings because one wrong move can be something that most children might remember forever.

Admittedly, classroom management has been my waterloo because I realize that all my classroom concerns is basically rooted from there. Not that I'm making excuses, but it is a far cry from what I've been used to when I taught preschool for 5 years. I never had to be too firm, instead I continuously have to be loving, nurturing and patient, which unfortunately, no longer work for children this age. I tried some strategies throughout the year but they all end up to be temporary solutions only. For the coming academic year, I resolve to be more firm in my ways.

On time is the right time

2011-04-05T11:17:00.003+08:00

If there is anything I take pride in, it is my punctuality. I tend to easily get anxious, and one way I cope with it is to prepare ahead of time, which includes early submission of requirements and conditioning myself for the day's work. I have to admit I have difficulty accepting tasks that I have not planned for the day, such as teacher substitutions given early in the morning. Doing my best is of great value to me, and I feel I cannot do so if I am rushed. To make room for so-called emergencies, I try my best to finish everything I can at least a day before the deadline.

I am happy that my superiors recognize my efforts in this regard. Almost at every meeting with the Science department, they acknowledge my punctuality for lesson plan submission with the group, as what these Minutes of the Meeting show. This inspires me to continue doing my best, of course without compromising the quality of my work.

Feedback number 1

2011-04-04T12:10:00.002+08:00

My first feedback for the year :)
I distinctly remember presenting some interesting animal trivia to my second grade Science class during the first couple of weeks. As much as this elated me, I couldn't be any luckier that T. Phi Anh has chosen to observe me on the day I planned best. Not that I don't plan my best everytime, but she came in at the highlight of the week's lesson. With this, I realized that I should consistently be prepared because I might not be as lucky the next.

This is also the first time I realized that I am also fortunate to be teaching something as interesting and dynamic as Science, where knowledge is not confined to books. I used to think that I was not qualified to teach such, but then again, all you need is a hefty amount of childlike curiosity and wonder about the world and its intricacies.

Speak English Drive

2011-04-01T20:55:00.004+08:00

From the very beginning us first-years were highly encouraged to speak English the moment we stepped into Southville's halls. I actually found it awkward hearing a few people struggle to find the words over mouthfuls of ensaymada and gulps of coffee in between LIP sessions. However, it was funnier that other people resorted to whispers or not talking at all!

I consider myself as a fluent speaker but it is still not my language of choice because of the lack of emotions that it conveys most of the time. Definitely, being exposed to this Speak English Drive helped everyone a great deal. Aside from boosting our confidence, it pushed us to the limits of our vocabulary and communication skills.

It was actually a pleasant surprise when my name was called to receive this (and a small notebook as a token from Teacher Phi Anh) during one of the Monday assemblies. I have to admit I didn't try so hard to be recognized as such, but of course I have to admit I unconsciously utter a few Filipino words every now and then (Hala!)

I got another certificate for November and December, and it felt good being acknowledged for that. It just goes to show how much Southville gives importance to something as basic for an international institution, as well as how they value each achievement of the employees. It is basically a win-win situation for everybody - as Southville continues to uphold international standards, the employees get to practice on a daily basis.