Hiding Place, the Lover of my soul, the Perfecter of my faith, I come to You as I type. I signed my contract today and in the deepest recesses of my heart, I did it for You. I acted in faith that You were prompting me to do this. I trust You completely. I put all my hope in Your most powerful Name. I come armed with education and experience teaching in the early grades, and now, this is a different feat altogether. I know I can do all things through Christ Who gives me strength. For God is able to do immeasurably beyond all that we ask or imagine by the power that works within us and all things work together for good to them who love God and are called according to His purposes.
Shepherd of my soul, surely goodness and mercies shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forevermore. Because of Your great love we are not consumed. They are new every morning, great is Thy faithfulness Oh Lord.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Teacher at Work
I had the opportunity to work in a preschool with a mainstreaming program for a good seven years. To be exact, I handled classes with multi- age groupings for five years. The two years were parttime commitments due to my preoccupation with graduate school. Balancing time between school and work responsibilities can be nerve-wracking at times and at the end of the day, you'd know that you were not able to give your best in either.
Everyday teaching was no easy feat at all. As Forest Gump puts it, "life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get.." So was my day to day, week after week and, yearly experience.
It was a very small class size composed of a maximum of thirteen children and every year, three children with special needs would be included in my roster. Two would be specifically diagnosed and the third one, usually an outsider, would come up with a condition I could'nt exactly pinpoint, but having had the opportunity to work with different kinds of children, veteran teachers and even the children themselves would have an inkling when a child is in need of scaffolding regular schooling alone cannot provide.
Since their condition is also marked by difficulties in speech and communication, they repeat their words. They have a hard time saying what is called for in a specific situation. Some hardly utter a word or two, or mumble with everyone around left clueless with their undecipherable messages. It would take a trained ear and constantly being around them to understand what they mean. Their gaze wander and the inability to make prolonged eye contact seems to be the norm. Some cry for no reason at all or throw tantrums when the class schedule is interrupted or completely changed. They can be sensitive to sound and afraid of just about anything. At the extreme opposite end, there are those who are still and quiet, seemingly unmindful of the goings on around them. It was always a challenge to make them come alive to take on active roles in the group.
The other children in my classroom learned to be more patient and accepting of different kinds of behavior and personalities. Many times, it would simply mean letting people be. I know they will bring this understanding of others when they go out to become part of bigger school settings and groups of people, because I did.
The mainstreamed kids in my classroom were always a mystery. They had their own way of doing things. They were amusing and fun to be with. Its been two years since I left that school but their odd ways keep me smiling to myself while I am alone in the bus sometimes. There were challenging days, yes, but those days repeatedly introduced me to myself as a teacher.
Everyday teaching was no easy feat at all. As Forest Gump puts it, "life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get.." So was my day to day, week after week and, yearly experience.
It was a very small class size composed of a maximum of thirteen children and every year, three children with special needs would be included in my roster. Two would be specifically diagnosed and the third one, usually an outsider, would come up with a condition I could'nt exactly pinpoint, but having had the opportunity to work with different kinds of children, veteran teachers and even the children themselves would have an inkling when a child is in need of scaffolding regular schooling alone cannot provide.
Since their condition is also marked by difficulties in speech and communication, they repeat their words. They have a hard time saying what is called for in a specific situation. Some hardly utter a word or two, or mumble with everyone around left clueless with their undecipherable messages. It would take a trained ear and constantly being around them to understand what they mean. Their gaze wander and the inability to make prolonged eye contact seems to be the norm. Some cry for no reason at all or throw tantrums when the class schedule is interrupted or completely changed. They can be sensitive to sound and afraid of just about anything. At the extreme opposite end, there are those who are still and quiet, seemingly unmindful of the goings on around them. It was always a challenge to make them come alive to take on active roles in the group.
The other children in my classroom learned to be more patient and accepting of different kinds of behavior and personalities. Many times, it would simply mean letting people be. I know they will bring this understanding of others when they go out to become part of bigger school settings and groups of people, because I did.
The mainstreamed kids in my classroom were always a mystery. They had their own way of doing things. They were amusing and fun to be with. Its been two years since I left that school but their odd ways keep me smiling to myself while I am alone in the bus sometimes. There were challenging days, yes, but those days repeatedly introduced me to myself as a teacher.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
The will of God involves giving our lives for the sake of others.“Christ’s vicarious deeds and particularly his death on our behalf, become in turn the principle and model of the self-sacrifice that makes community possible... the church is the church only when it exists for others.”-Dietrich Bonhoeffer
I successfully did a demo teaching in a Chinese Christian school today. To God be the glory! Because of His great love, we are not consumed. Great is His faithfulness.
The offer is good enough, I just don't understand the six days a week work schedule. How will I prepare for my lessons? Does this mean I will be giving up my Reading Workshop Saturdays?
On my way home, boarding a jeepney to Pag-asa, I met my former elementary schoolteacher. She happens to be my homeroom teacher when I was in grade six. She was all of a sudden explaining how to become a principal in a public school. Amazing how a masteral degree can do that for me!
Up to this day, I remember what it would be like to attend classes in one of the biggest public schools in Quezon City. The bathroom reeks with urine, the stench unbearable, chairs were lacking, the cramped rooms worsened the heat summer brings save for the humid air a single wall fan provides. I did my data gathering there and almost everyday, I would be weeping on my way home. My heart melts knowing that 90% of Filipino school children go to public school and until now, such despicable state breaks my heart each time I recall my three-week stint.
I do love to teach and sometimes, if I could only afford it, I would like to teach in the public school, maybe in grade one. I can imagine bringing all my storybooks, have a screen installed in the door and in the windows as an ounce of prevention against dengue. I would have lots and lots of crafts for the children, lots and lots of poetry and immersion in English as a second language so that they would understand the textbooks predominantly written in English. They would be lovers of words and life. Numbers will not become a threat and they will be full of dreams beyond them.
Sigh. I know I have the tendency to burden myself with the things I cannot solve completely. I do want to do something, however small or seemingly insignificant.
I continue to seek Your heart Oh God. I continue to seek Your face.
Please bless PACE and the kind principal who interviewed me today.
Lord, You are my Shepherd. Please direct my paths..
For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.
You are sovereign dear Lord.
I successfully did a demo teaching in a Chinese Christian school today. To God be the glory! Because of His great love, we are not consumed. Great is His faithfulness.
The offer is good enough, I just don't understand the six days a week work schedule. How will I prepare for my lessons? Does this mean I will be giving up my Reading Workshop Saturdays?
On my way home, boarding a jeepney to Pag-asa, I met my former elementary schoolteacher. She happens to be my homeroom teacher when I was in grade six. She was all of a sudden explaining how to become a principal in a public school. Amazing how a masteral degree can do that for me!
Up to this day, I remember what it would be like to attend classes in one of the biggest public schools in Quezon City. The bathroom reeks with urine, the stench unbearable, chairs were lacking, the cramped rooms worsened the heat summer brings save for the humid air a single wall fan provides. I did my data gathering there and almost everyday, I would be weeping on my way home. My heart melts knowing that 90% of Filipino school children go to public school and until now, such despicable state breaks my heart each time I recall my three-week stint.
I do love to teach and sometimes, if I could only afford it, I would like to teach in the public school, maybe in grade one. I can imagine bringing all my storybooks, have a screen installed in the door and in the windows as an ounce of prevention against dengue. I would have lots and lots of crafts for the children, lots and lots of poetry and immersion in English as a second language so that they would understand the textbooks predominantly written in English. They would be lovers of words and life. Numbers will not become a threat and they will be full of dreams beyond them.
Sigh. I know I have the tendency to burden myself with the things I cannot solve completely. I do want to do something, however small or seemingly insignificant.
I continue to seek Your heart Oh God. I continue to seek Your face.
Please bless PACE and the kind principal who interviewed me today.
Lord, You are my Shepherd. Please direct my paths..
For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.
You are sovereign dear Lord.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Goals
Goals for 2010. I should have goals. Lord, I commit these goals to you..
1. malunggay juice everyday
2. consistent bible study and prayer in the mornings
3. gainful employment by May 2010
4. finish one book a month
1. malunggay juice everyday
2. consistent bible study and prayer in the mornings
3. gainful employment by May 2010
4. finish one book a month
Friday, February 5, 2010
Should I or Should I not?
I always get caught between two roads, always have to make decisions and it always takes me almost forever to make them. Ooops, duty calls and so I should go downstairs and attend to her.
They are on their way home- ma, K Tong, Alf, Grace and the two kiddos who went on a roadtrip. Still searching and praying for God's direction. What's next Lord? I also want to try teaching college. I just don't know where. That, or teach grade one in a school with a multicultural setting. Just to put to good use everything that I have learned this past two years.
God, please make me what You want me to be. Bring me to where You want me to go. Not what I want but what You want. Not my direction but Yours. I do not want to oppose Your perfect will and Your perfect plan for me. I ask for Your peace. I do not want to fret Lord. I do not want to fret. I rest in Your promises. I rest in Your faithful word.
Signing off now.
Later,
They are on their way home- ma, K Tong, Alf, Grace and the two kiddos who went on a roadtrip. Still searching and praying for God's direction. What's next Lord? I also want to try teaching college. I just don't know where. That, or teach grade one in a school with a multicultural setting. Just to put to good use everything that I have learned this past two years.
God, please make me what You want me to be. Bring me to where You want me to go. Not what I want but what You want. Not my direction but Yours. I do not want to oppose Your perfect will and Your perfect plan for me. I ask for Your peace. I do not want to fret Lord. I do not want to fret. I rest in Your promises. I rest in Your faithful word.
Signing off now.
Later,
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