Visit my new blog: http://pseudopedantryandmentaldiarrhea.blogspot.com/

Blog in blogspot. It’s much better. At last, after an umpteeth attempt to publish a blog in blogspot, I was able to maintain it.

Three cheers for me.

So much for the busy schedule…

I haven’t really written anything for the past few weeks, and I know you can clearly see that. I haven’t got time to comb my hair or to powder my nose… the only thing that I get to powder my nose with is chalk dust. Heck.

Things have been really busy since the start of classes. Right after the week that classes have started, we have to rush to compute the students’ grades so we can put them in their report cards. Unfortunately, the Fourth Year students (my section with the other one) had to be the last one to submit again. This time, the other adviser and I had everything ready, not unlike before when we really had to cram, letting teachers fill up behavioral forms. One of their teachers had to cram for their grades so we had to wait for her to actually compute for their grades on some subjects… After she passed their grades, we have to cram with the list of honor students and all. Talk about being pressured.

After that, we have to serve as proctors for the National Career Assessment Exam (January 17). I, with other teachers, had to go to another school (that is, Saint Mary Magdalene in Kawit) and administer the exam there. What’s really annoying is that A____ didn’t even use the school bus to drive us there. Good thing that we teachers have agreed to meet at McDonald’s N_____ and go there together… Or else, we’d look like we’re on a seperate, personal business venture. Just imagine us, arriving one by one, saying:

A____ teacher: Uh… I’m the proctor for the NCAE.

Saint Mary Principal: Ah, yes, do come in. (and then she explains what to do)

Then, all of a sudden, another A____ teacher comes in, and another. Watak-watak. It’s like we’re pursuing a personal business with the school.

What’s even funny is that we didn’t know where the entrance of Saint Mary was. I felt like we were in a maze. Remember those little boardgames that you used to play when you were young? We’re like in a larger than life boardgame entitled, “Help the A____ teachers find the Saint Mary Magdalene Principal.” Tamang-tama. Four players each. Parang Dora the Explorer.

Anyway, it was really such a drag for me to administer the test. I wasn’t able to read the examiner’s handbook quite thoroughly (What an idiotic move, Darth Anne) so I was quite in a daze. When the examiners were already inside the room, they already knew where to sit, and I was like, “That’s not where you’re supposed to sit,” and the students were all wondering why did I let them sit the way I wanted them to. It turned out that their first seating arrrangement was really correct, and I had to let them go back again. This is an apt blooper for Bitoy’s funniest videos.

The students were quite helpful, actually. They already know what to do that you can practically be out of the room because they don’t need your assistance. More importantly, they are quite behaved and tamed, unlike the students in A____ (no offense intended). But at that moment, I also wondered on what was happening to my students. I was wondering whether they were as clueless as I am - I am clueless about proctoring the exam, and they are clueless about answering the descriptive questionnaire.

After the exam proper, we teachers had to go to the principal’s office. This was the longest part of it all. We had to tear the answer sheet on the perforated line one by one. We also had to write a narrative report (and I didn’t think that I wrote what I supposed to write), and we had to fill up sooooooooo many things. Only one expression was evident in our faces. WE WANT TO GO HOME. A____ teachers were already tired, but there was still so many things to do…

Of all the A___ teachers who proctored the exam, I was the most unlucky. I had to proctor Room # 4, and one of the students there was absent. Our Division Head told us that whenever a student is absent, we have to leave a designated answer sheet and exam booklet for him, so that was exactly what I did. Turned out that the principal in Saint Mary didn’t know what to do as well, so we waited for a confirmation about it. I was stuck there for one and a half hour in front of the principal, while the other teachers were there, waiting. After a half an hour, the teachers of Saint Mary who proctored our students arrived. I was really annoyed of one of their teachers who was leading their group. He was talking behind me (good thing I didn’t see who he was or else I could’ve done something violent), explaining what to do for students who were absent during the exam, and when he was able to know why I did what I did, he was like, “Bakit mo ginawa yun, papahirapan mo lang si ma’am (the principal).” I got so annoyed that I was on the verge of standing up and giving him a piece of my mind, when thankfully, Sir E____ said that it was clearly our Division Head’s instruction, and he explained everything about it. It was a real drag, I tell you. A real drag. That particular teacher from Saint Mary had a very condesending tone, and it was very irksome.

Back in school, I was able to know that the very same teacher who felt very superior over us said something very tactless with our students as well. Instead of helping our students to answer the Descriptive Questionnaire part, he made fun of them when he knew they didn’t know how to answer them. The thing is, both Saint Mary and A____ had some wrong points. Yes, it really was evident that the folks from Saint Mary are more behaved than our students, but it was just plain wrong for that teacher to refuse to offer assistance whenever our students need it. It was wrong for him to tell them some comments which will make them feel bad about themselves. For A___, it was wrong for the administration not to let their teachers attend a seminar for NCAE proctors. If that happened, we could’ve done more to help our students so they wouldn’t be clueless about the exam. Second is that it was wrong for the students to act “just as they are” during the exam. There were reports that they had piggyback rides during the break, and that most of them didn’t bring their lunch when they were told to bring one. They told me that they were just letting the teachers from Saint Mary know what they are in real life, but I think they equated the idea of being open to other people with being rude to the visitors. I told them that people, for everyone they know, have different personalities to show. I may not be the Ms. Anne that my students know in this blog, but this is the Anne that my friends know. And for those Saint Mary teachers, since they are visitors, A___ students could’ve exhibited courteousness towards them.

And some of them weren’t able to do that. Just imagine - one of my students actually ate the sandwich of that Saint Mary teacher with a condescending tone!

Anyway, at least I was able to get back at him through that. =)

P.S. I’ll write again soon… we’re so busy working with the students about the cheerdance competition…

Yay! I have stuck to my decision not to blog the entire week… yes, I admit that I did check my account two weeks ago, but what the heck. I just checked if somebody actually bothered to leave me a message, and there was one of my friends who remembered.

The first week of school has already passed. I admit that it has been a drag for me again to wake up so early for work. My body clock has been used to sleeping late (late, as in 2am) and wake up moderately early (uh… around 8am?), but unfortunately, it’s back to my real life again. Life as a high school teacher is indeed more challenging than being in a clerical job, but the pressure of understanding your lesson and letting yourself appear like you have studied the lesson for a week or so (but actually, all you need to learn, you’ve only learned this morning) is a gargantuan task. The nasty kids are in school again. Back to the normal "Shhhhhh"s and the normal QUIET!! statement every day. That is a reality which is really hard to accept, but heck, life’s like that.

Three more months, the Seniors will be out of the school, and a lot of events are coming up soon. Two of the most awaited events will be the cheering competition and the (ano pa ba?) Junior and Senior prom. On Monday, my "industrious" students are going to start practicing for the competition. Unfortunately, the Senior class holds the title for the contest, and they are not giving up the title. Perhaps this whole thing has been influenced by the contest in UAAP, in which all of the schools are vying for the title. It’s okay for me to have the cheering competition because the kids like it anyway, but the problem posed for this situation is for us teachers. We have to monitor their practice every damn day. Both of the advisers have to be in school while the kids do their stunts ala the "Bring it On" movie.

Great. Just great. Isn’t it really neat for you to wake up around 5am, have work from 7:45am to 4pm, then have a unpaid overtime for two hours?

THOSE DAYS WILL BE THE GREATEST DAYS OF MY LIFE.

At this point, you know for sure that I am being sarcastic.

Another much-awaited event is the Junior-Senior prom.

The costume’s easy. I’ll just contact the nearest funeral homes. They have a package deal which consists of the get-up, the transportation and the "mukhang natutulog" look. Tamang-tamang pang-gabi.

hehehehe…

I’ll write again sometime. I am quite disoriented.

It’s the second day of 2007, and so far, all that I have been doing is computing grades. Anak ng tokwa, ang corny ko. I should be enjoying my two-week vacation, but instead, I am working on the grades of six high school sections of seniors, juniors and sophomores.

Ugh.

But at least I am through with that now. What I am not through with is the exam that I have to furnish for our project in PNU. Oh, the agony! Yahoo mail has been down for a while, at least on this laptop, and I am really getting annoyed with the server. Prepaid lang kasi, walang pera pang-broadband.hehe.

Anyway, three months to go and my students will march out of the school and in comes the new batch of seniors again. 2006 has been memorable because of those kids, and as well as the juniors and the sophomores, but I gotta admit that my advisory section (since it’s my first time to actually handle kids and serve as their surrogate mother… ugh. not mother, but sister. I am too young to have 16-year-old kids) has made me real happy the previous year. It was as if I had instant brothers and sisters altogether, and they really make me glad… except for the occasional bouts of naughtiness and querulousness, though… but all in all, it’s still bearable.

I am planning to change the name of this blog… hopefully a different, positive one… Just wait and see. hehe.

Just dropped by… I still have to refresh my memory on "The Merchant of Venice." I’ll be discussing it with the Seniors next week.

Happy New Year, everyone! Hope we will have a better year ahead. Ü

As of blogtime, it’s already 1:30 am, but I am still here, typing the exam. I couldn’t seem to sleep and I am making the best out of my Christmas vacation. We are expected to go back to school on January 8, and contrary to what we have thought - that is, if we go to school, our sick leave and vacation leave will not be deducted - the administration has said that we are in a forced leave. Yup… as in nobody should go to school because… well, the administration says so. It’s really annoying because come to think of it, they should not charge our Christmas vacation entirely to our future (oh yeah - read - FUTURE, because we new teachers do not have a leave yet) SL/VL. There’s something really wrong going on in A________’s administration. Come to think of this, I should not be the one who should complain, because I’ve only been in school for quite sometime (half a year, I presume) and I have yet to know what other "inside jobs" does the school have for us - both mere employees and students alike. But I tell you, staying in this school makes me think of the bad… no… worst things that men of good educational background can ever think about… This school actually makes me think of the high school that I have been in - in JA (of course, name witheld, for security purposes). It is just really ironic that a school has come up with such vile mechanisms which are really malevolent for its employees (including moi) and its customers (my students).

Believe me, I am not one who would start this upheaval of the masses. It has long started since time memorial, ever since most of the teachers have been employed in that school. The administration lacks tact, consideration, and probably most of all, as what those Promil ads have advocated, EQ or emotional quotient. It just pains me because we are stuck in an ironic world. It just pains me that an institution meant to shape both the minds and hearts of its kids are not even equipped with a mind and heart of their own. The school is a home for such puerile personal concerns of the administration in which the masses, even though they use their voice to air their grievances, cannot do anything about. I know that this is the case not only in the institution that I am working for, but as well as to others, to numerous establishments, factories, small time businesses and the likes… I guess that life is supposed to be like this. Karl Marx was indeed right. The only thing that the masses can do against the bourgeois is to revolt. Too bad that we only have a few brave souls to do that…

It’s already 2am, but my mind is still as alive as ever…Perhaps some moron is thinking about me, plotting to assasinate me, perhaps? hehe. A natural John Lennon.

CONTENT EDITED. FOR PRIVATE READERS ONLY.

As of blogtime, Christmas is finally over and I am currently transforming my room into a mini-faculty room, with all the students’ thingamajigs sprawled all over the bed (usually, of course, they are testpapers and book reports, all of which are unchecked). We teachers are not really required to go to work during the Christmas break, but there are some who are very hardworking and who do not want to spend their future sick leave and vacation leave (uh… we new teachers do not have a leave yet) at this point in time. Well, of course, this is a manifestation of an unfair labor practice (although my professor has said that an unfair labor practice only covers the restrictions of employers for their employees to engage in a labor union). I’ll bet that the principal and the president are just quite lonely because they are all alone in their penthouse, with nothing more but their faces to view, and that is quite not a good thing to happen.

I have checked two sections of Second Year students (a big YIPPEE for that) and later on after this blog entry, I will check the papers of the Fourth Year and Third Year students, both in English and Logic, respectively. Then, I will be checking the book reports of "The Old Man and the Sea" and the theater critiques (from our recent field trip) of "The Sound of Music." And so far for my personal life, I still have to accomplish the report that I am supposed to do for my studies in PNU. To tell you frankly, I AM QUITE TIRED. That’s why I blog. I think that this is my only escape from the brutal yet rewarding work of teaching (minus the student stalkers, that is). I often wonder if I am getting the best out of my youth, since I am given a job which requires a lot of maturity far from the work that my colleagues have (no offense intended - let me explain). When I graduated, I often dream of becoming a bigshot yuppie strolling the streets of Makati with a Starbucks coffee in one hand while carelessly yapping on the phone with another yuppie. Being employed in a corporate world involves one to deal with more personal/social issues - you know, trying to find ways how to feed oneself and as well as the family, or complaining how your boss really sucks that you want to suck the brains out of him - and of course, family issues as well, such as how to deal with an income of seven thousand pesos for a family of eight. But when you’re a teacher, you have to deal with issues other than your home. You have to meddle (quite frequently) with the lives of the students you teach, hoping to help them straighten out their lives. I am truly living the life of Amelie - she keeps on straightening other peoples’ lives when she couldn’t straighten out her own. And more importantly, one has to act mature enough (which I fear that I am not doing) so as you would establish a difference with the young people that you teach. You know who I am, and you know that I am probably one of the quirkiest people you’ll meet in your entire life. I am a perpetual youth, a true quality of a Gemini.

Sigh.

Anyway, I haven’t heard any news yet about our Christmas party. I wasn’t able to attend it… Okay, I deliberately planned not to attend it because I don’t want to mingle with the president and the principal. I know that they’d probably deduct a inconsiderate amount of my salary, but nevertheless, I have my principles that I stand for. With the kind of boss I have, the only thing that will keep you going apart from the monetary rewards, of course, is the appreciation you get from the students. Then, everything is finito.

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Last Sunday, I talked with one of my good college friends over the phone. I am quite ashamed that I haven’t been keeping in touch because of the work that I am given, and I am quite thankful that they understand. My college friends and I haven’t seen each other for quite sometime; if I remember it well, it was still last year since we have last seen each other. After graduation, all that has been left with us is the wonder of texting to keep us updated with what happens to our lives. God, I really miss them.

I really admire the strength of character of this girl (you know who you are. Ü) because she has underwent a lot of trials more than enough for a girl of her age to bear. The things that we often complain about - how our boss sucks, how angry we are when we run out of money to buy some capricious item to feed our ego and the likes - they are nothing compared to what my friend has experienced. And with that, I salute her, and pray to God to bless her this new year. I have also managed to text my college friends and I was glad to know that they were all doing fine (and I guess that makes my Christmas vacation worthwhile, not to mention the fact that I am able to rest a bit). There are a few friends whom I wasn’t able to keep in touch with (again, you know who you guys are), but at least we have Friendster and texting.hehe. Just hope that you can visit me once in a while at PNU or at SM Manila… just for once, for a change.

**********************************************************************************

CONTENT EDITED.

**********************************************************************************

I’ll write again soon. I have to go back to my workplace, checking papers. And to think that it’s already 9pm.

Walang tulugan to.

P.S. I was able to find a copy of Lolita yesterday in A Different Bookstore. Yehey!

DAY TWO (continued…)

The hardest part of that day was not about the letter sorting, but it was about that particular activity which almost drove me out of my wits. The students were supposed to be blindfolded in the dark while they sat and they would listen to the things which Brother J____ was saying. He told the students to visualize that their parents were dead. We were supposed to distribute the brown envelopes with their letters in it in their seats - - in the dark. The other adviser had to leave because he went with some kids to their church for mass, so I was left alone. Upon knowing that I was left alone and that I had to do those things BY MYSELF, I was on the verge of crying… good thing that our Division head came over and helped me distribute. There were just some funny things about this particular moment. I couldn’t see in the dark (FYI, I have night blindness) and I had to give a lit candle  to our head so she can light the envelopes with the students’ names so I can see them. The students were seated in such a manner that they are close to each other, and there’s only a little space which separates them from one another. I had to get in between those spaces and distribute the *heck* envelopes one by one… I can’t see their faces as well, so everytime that I would look at their names written in the envelope, I’ll look at their faces first. In short, sinisilip ko muna kung sa kanila nga yung envelope na binibigay ko.

Another funny thing was that those kids were so mobile, and they kept on rocking their bodies as they cry. Some of them would unknowingly shove me with their arms and step on my foot (and vice versa). I had to avoid the sway of their arms. Arrgh.

Oh yeah… before that… do you know that I wrote a letter for each of my students? I was only supposed to write for those who were not able to receive letters from their parents, but I wrote them all, anyway… baka kasi magtampo yung hindi ko sinulatan… Sumakit ang kamay ko dun…

We just watched a movie ("Joseph the Dreamer") after that activity and proceeded to sleep.

DAY THREE - Last day

The first activity for the day was all about giving the stones (which were given to them during the first day) to the persons which they want to say sorry to… Then, the students gave some messages for us (yeah, pretty touchy, except for one particular student’s message, which was really annoying) and then, we gave them some messages as well. Then, they all gave us a group hug (and I was literally crushed) plus the individual hug from each student. Everyone was asking me for a hug, but I really just could not bare to hug the persons who were really bothering me that I just tapped them on the shoulder… Yes, that was nasty. I know. Pero ayoko talaga.

Then, we went home… and when we arrived at Freedom Park, we still have to wait for several students to have their chaperones… We still went home at around 5:30pm (we arrived at the park at about 3:30pm!) after fooling around with the students, talking about sweaty men making buko pies, RR Herrera and LA Lopez, among other topics.

After the retreat, it was back to normal… It was as if the students didn’t have a retreat at all.

Told you that retreats were useless… but at least, the Seniors’ retreat was better than ours… at least I felt the sincerity of their feelings.

I was supposed to write about our retreat last Sunday morning (and when I say morning, it’s early morning, as in 3am), but I was so tired and worn out. Yes, I did still manage to watch a French film from TV5 (that French channel on cable) but my fingers couldn’t seem to type the words out of my weary soul. I want the details fresh off my mind, but I wasn’t able to do that. So here I am now, three days after the high school retreat.

Let me begin.

DAY ONE

Things have been pretty normal, well, at least in the A____ way, during the retreat. I went to work a little later than usual because I didn’t have my first class, which was with my advisory section, Fourth Year. I went with all my things with me, luggage (is luggage appropriate? I didn’t even bring that much) and all. My students from the other year levels greeted me, telling me that I should bring them some ‘pasalubong’ from Tagaytay. I told them that I’m going to bring them something - I am going to bring them soil straight from the soles of my shoes accumulated from Tagaytay… hehe. Tama na yang buko pie at espasol na yan. Lupa na lang.hehe..

Our head, was asking us to buy some candies and some masking tape from the N____ market. It was okay, but the conditions of the school were quite demanding. Dear old president has decided not to bring the school bus along with us. Which means that we have to go to the market, with our bags and the students’ letters in tow, plus, not to mention, some students who have just come from the journalism contest from Rizal are also going to come with us with their baggage along. Hoo-wee… What a great way to start the day… Good thing that Ms. E____, the elementary teacher, pleaded the president that we do need someone to drive us to Freedom Park, since we have a lot of things to bring. Just imagine three teachers, with bags and kids with their own bags in tow. Wah…

When we arrived at Freedom Park, the kids were already inside the bus. The earlier assigned seats in another bus were disregarded by the others, especially by some of my favorite (AHEM - sarcasm) students. The other adviser was really mad, he was shouting and he was really in the verge of cursing because it was all too much. Fortunately, I was able to keep my cool and talk them out of the bus and into the other one. The problem is, we were able to get into the bus, we didn’t have seat to sit on. The students were already seated, and when the bus moved, the two of us were still standing. Good grief. Talk about helping others. The other adviser shouted that the students should give us a seat (for the love of god!) and thankfully, they did.  Problems arose when we were already on the way to Tagaytay - one of my students’ mother followed our bus just to give a bag filled with two 2-gallon bottles of mineral water. Students guessed before that the bag included panties (nalimutan daw), but it’s just filled with two gallons of mineral water. hehe.

When we arrived in Tagaytay, Justin (one of my students) put out his video cam and videotaped his classmates (well, yes, including me) as they walked out of the bus. sigh.

After snacks, a short orientation was made. Their retreat master was this guy, probably only as young as I am, who’s quite… well, gay. I don’t really know if he’s gay, but my students have noticed it too. There was something about him which just seem too feminine.

Anyway, they had several activities, and by 8pm, they had an activity which required them to write a letter to God. This was the point wherein almost all of them bursted into tears as they have read their letters in front of everyone one by one. One of my students even cried for about 15 minutes or so… That activity really hit him that hard.

They weren’t able to finish reading their letters.

DAY TWO

Luckily, I was able to sleep during our first day in Tagaytay. During the teachers’ retreat in May (and god, how I hated that retreat!) I couldn’t sleep a wink. Perhaps it has registered in my system that I have been there before, that’s why it’s no big deal for me anymore if I stay there again.

The boys were the one who stayed in the dorm we have stayed in during the teachers’ retreat. The girls stayed with Ms. E____ and I. I had to shout often, especially with the grade six because they were so noisy. Come next day, the president, who stayed in the same floor as we did, delivered his litany of complaints for us. He has been complaining about the girls making too much noise and yadda, yadda. Heck. Why couldn’t he try telling on those girls himself?

The first activity during the morning was all about writing a letter to oneself, and the students have to read those letters in small groups. We, the advisers, have to join the groups, together with the retreat master, Brother Joseph. A lot of students cried because of this activity again. They made me write a letter for myself again (the students talked me into it for participation) and they told me to be touched by what I wrote (therefore it will lead me into tears) but I wasn’t.hehe.

During the middle of the day, we had to sort tons of letters for our students. God, that was really the most dreadful thing to do for the day. Just imagine us sorting hundreds of letters from different students from each section as well as for other year levels and putting them into their small brown envelopes. Ugh. It was really annoying that I nearly cried because of being tired and annoyed. I was telling the other adviser that I wanted to give up sorting (for the love of god!) but he was still grouping letters for their proper owners. During the retreat, I was able to know what a postman feels like, having letters sorted but none of them being meant for you… well, I did get some letters, about less than ten, that is. But the students… they had too many letters and we had to sort them all… Arrgh…

GOODNESS GRACIOUS.

(Continued in the next post)

CONTENT EDITED.

Last Friday was Teachers’ Day. We teachers were infuriated because the program for the said event has been cancelled. It was just so annoying to know that they have pushed through all the programs, quiz bees and yes, even the running event they have for teachers - - - they want to have an event for everything except Teachers’ Day.

So what my wily imagination did was to conjure up a plan. I am quite pissed off with the administration so I told the other teachers that we should wear black shirts and have some insignia placed on them as a sign of silent protest.

Yes, folks. I am the leader of the "Marxist Movement," and that was contrary to what they believe in.hehe.

Nevertheless, I did not think that the other teachers wil actually take it seriously. They actually wore black! Students were asking us what’s up with the "All-Black Movement." I said nothing. But I know that they know why, especially my advisory section. It was quite funny when the principal came into the faculty and commented about the all-black get up of every single high school teacher. No one actually bothered to talk to her. She also said that we should already go to our respective rooms, because the students were already getting quite unruly. She didn’t even greet us "Happy Teachers’ Day," for goodness’ sake. I am appalled… No, wait… I take it back. I am not quite appalled, because that is expected of the her. I am just enraged.

…

Anyway, yes, the buzz is all about the third floor, where the high school kids were. Justin, one of my students told me that I should not (?) come inside the room not unless one of them tells me to. Talk about being demanding… Turned out that they have a surprise for me. I already smelled something fishy last Thursday when they tried to borrow a pair of scissors and a copy of our class picture from me. I was thinking what was the rationale behind that, and the only thing that I could think of was that they were planning a surprise for me for teachers’ day. I didn’t want to hope that much, so I just let go of that idea. And besides, why in the world will they plan a surprise for me, anyway? I’ve just been with them for only seven months. I don’t think that I have touched their lives that much…

And well, what do you know… I’ve had the wrong idea.

I was already supposed to go to the faculty room because the principal had nagged us to, but unfortunately, the "guards" of our room didn’t let me come and instead, they blindfolded me. I was quite embarrassed of what was happening because our D-Head just arrived, and she saw me being blindfolded by one of my students. She remarked that we still have to conduct regular classes, and I said yes, I know… I just had to know what my students were up to. I was getting quite impatient with what was happening until one of my students, Norlhyza, finally led me to the room. I could not hear a thing except my voice. They were probably suppressing their laughter and all because I asked them, "Nasan na ba ako? Nasa room na ba ako?" and they replied that I was led to the boy’s cr. And then, somebody took off the blindfold and it turned out that I was facing the blackboard. A loud "Happy Teacher’s Day" boomed into my ears as a couple of my students fired a party pooper thingy which popped with much excitement and bright confetti of different colors exploded. In the blackboard, my students have drawn a big "Happy Teachers’ Day, We love you Ms. Anne" and with a face of a bespectacled girl with a ponytail was also drawn.

One word:

AWWWWW (god, it’s not even a word).

I was really surprised. Two students even sang a number (funny as it may seem, it was "Wind Beneath my Wings") in front of the class. Then, they gave me a handmade scrapbook which had our class picture pasted in it, plus some messages written INDIVIDUALLY by everyone in class (god, I am having a fuzzy feeling plus goosebumps as I am typing this). I was in the verge of crying, (just like that last day in Sencor) and they were teasing me, and good thing that I didn’t give in. It was just so overwhelming to see that these kids had actually appreciated my efforts more than my employer does. I told them that I never expected that they would prepare that sort of tribute for me since I have only been with them for such a short while. I guess that even though that they are one of the rowdiest group in high school, the way that I had shown them that I actually care for them paid off. I even thought they hated me, and I don’t even know why I thought of that. Perhaps that I am just WAY TOO DENSE.

There’s that fuzzy feeling again…

The other adviser from the other section was given a cake, three pairs (?) of boxer shorts (haha) and a cap. The other teachers from the other levels were given a cake. But what I received, in my opinion, was the greatest one of all. I know that the kids have prepared their letters with all their hearts (?), and that is what makes the gift really special.

Hmm…

During the day, several letters still came from other sections, and it gave me that fuzzy feeling again. Just imagining that I have touched the lives of these young people makes me smile perpetually…

Oh yeah… about the running event that our principal wanted to push through… We did run, all right… run towards the gate, to the tricycle and went home. The nerve of the principal to pursue that running/exercise even without even having a celebration for Teachers’ Day… Tumakbo siyang mag-isa niya.

hehe…

And I bet she did.

To end this blog entry, let me share you one of the quotes that my student shared in his message: “You might not see that the people in front of you, while you give them knowledge, you give them more than that. You give them love, and you just don’t know it.”

Again?

AWWWWW….