A Filipino Short Story of Love

A Promise of Forever

It’s simply just a story of love where the Filipinos are the victims of tragedy, oppression, chaos, personal grudges and envy. It’s a story that currently gives us freedom to find someone whom we trust so much and make us blossom again with the help of Omnipotent Being.

“Tuna sandwich?! Again?” I thought to myself as I
opened my lunchbox. Well, as usual, I’m sitting here in my table, alone without a care in the world. “Where is he?” I asked myself. Then the cafeteria door slammed open, and speaking of the devil, the devil is here. I thought he was going to come over, but he just looked my way as our eyes locked, and then he looked away. Ouch! Did that really happen?

That afternoon, I went to the library hoping I’d get a glimpse of him there in our usual “dating place,” the Fiction Area. Oh well, we both love to read. Anyway, when I got there, it seemed like my heart has been crumpled like a paper. He’s not there anymore. What happened? Did he completely forget me? Am I really nothing for him now? What did I do? Is it really over between us? Before I could formulate more questions in my mind, tears started to fall involuntarily. The damage has already been done, it’s over…

Weeks have passed and still no communication between us. He didn’t even dare to call me or even just send me a letter like he used to. He still looked my way at the cafeteria, but he never even tried to come over, not even once. I usually peep in the library, but I always find him there with another girl. It hurts to think that he replaced me with someone and what’s worse is that he brought her to a place where memories of “us” were once made. He doesn’t know it, but I’m still here living in the shadow of the past that we once shared. I couldn’t do anything but keep all the hurts to myself.

April 23 came. “Today, I thought to myself could have been our 2nd anniversary… but, it’s done and we’re over…” I couldn’t help but cry to myself as I reminisced those times when we were together. I wiped the tears off of my face and bravely made my way out of the comfort room and headed for our classroom.

To my surprise, he was there alone, sitting on his chair like he was in deep thought. I couldn’t make paint out of his face. I couldn’t even understand the facial expression that I was seeing. Is he in pain or is he just sleepy and tired? Did the two of them break up…with that girl I saw with him in the library? I was about to come over and comfort him when his jock friends got to him first. They surrounded and comforted him as he silently cried. I knew it! Something really is wrong. I’ve got to do something.

That same afternoon, I wanted to talk to him, even just for a small friendly talk. I couldn’t bear looking at him when I know he’s not okay. I just want to comfort him, that’s all. I was about to approach him when he walked past me and headed to the library. But this time, he’s alone. I watched him stay there for, like 5 minutes. And then he headed straight home. Or so I thought. And well, I followed him home.

I was thinking he’s turning right, but to my shock, he turned left. Where is he headed to? To the house of that girl? Out of my curiosity, I still continued to follow him. I don’t care if he’ll think of me as a stalker. Who cares anyway?

I was stunned! He’s going to the cemetery? But why? Who’s there? What’s wrong? Well, I know he’ll never talk to me, so I just continued to follow him. From afar, I could see him sitting in front of a grave. He was talking to himself, it was weird. I decided to get out of my hiding place and approached him. I just want to keep him company, at least, even just as a friend.

I was about to tap his back. But my eyes fixed on the name written on that piece of white marble. I was shocked! I was speechless! “Just Mary Jane McCool” Oh my God! Me?! That’s me?! I wanted to grab Jose’s arm but I couldn’t! I want to shout out loud and cry out to him but no sounds came out of my mouth. I’m helpless; I couldn’t do anything… but cry.

Then I heard Jose say, “Baby, we could have been 2 years now, I wish I didn’t leave you alone. If I were there with you that night, then you could have been saved from that bastard who took advantage of you! Babe, remember Chris? My girl neighbor, she was the one who helped me go through all of these. I know you would understand baby. But babe, I just want you to know that you are still the queen of my heart and will forever be. I still love you, I’ll never ever forget you, baby. Happy 2nd Anniversary! I love you baby…” he was crying as he said those words. Gosh… I wanted to hug him tightly but to no avail and tell him that I love him too…but I can’t. “Oh baby, I love you too…” I cried as I said those words over and over again wishing that he would hear me. But I know, deep within his heart, he knows how much I love him. It’s been 5 months since I died but our love for each other never ceased. Someday, I know he’ll find someone new, and I just want him to be happy…

But this I’ll promise… I’ll always be with him…forever.

--oo--

With the help of partner outbound inbound services. Find them in this Outsourcing blog site.

100% Passed on Texas Standardized Test due to Filipino Teacher

A Filipino tutor has proven that social background and lack of equipment have nothing to do with teaching science as he helped an entire class in Texas pass the state’s standardized examinations.

According to a report on Galveston county’s Daily News, when Rhante Lubrico first went to the newly-formed island charter school in Galveston, the Ambassadors Preparatory Academy, it didn’t have any science labs or microscopes. Worse, Lubrico held classes in a trailer.

Fresh from the Philippines, Lubrico was recruited over the Internet to teach fifth graders science. His students were from the low-income and African-American populations that school superintendent Pat Williams said historically struggle on the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills or TAKS test.

Worse, only four of Lubrico’s students knew anything about science.

Williams said Lubrico started the school year teaching his fifth-grade students on a third-grade level. He tested his students at the beginning of the year to gauge how they would fare on the TAKS exam and only two passed.

The school head said Lubrico, 37, is her most exceptional teacher.

The Philippines’ loss was definitely the United States’ gain as she found Lubrico through an online recruiting Web site.

Lubrico said he left since he was frustrated with the education system in the Philippines, where he worked for 14 years as a public school science teacher.

He said the government did not provide teachers with the resources they needed so he agreed to come to Galveston.

Improvisation

For the first two weeks, students thought Lubrico was mean, Williams said. They called him "Mr. Homework."

But as time went by, they warmed up to him.

The dreaded homework was partly the key to his success. He gave the students homework they were sure to understand because it was a review of what they learned that day in the classroom, and that gave them confidence.

Lacking a big budget, Lubrico improvised and drew all of his own science posters and other visuals. Because he didn’t have science labs, Lubrico packed his students in a van and took them to the University of Texas Medical Branch, where they used microscopes.

He studied the state’s science curriculum and taught every concept to his students. Then he went beyond the curriculum. He developed his own test-taking strategy he called RUUNER — an acronym for read, understand, underline context clues, eliminate choices and review.

He convinced his students that science is the easiest exam of all — all they had to do was understand the concepts and facts, he said.

Easy exam

By the time the TAKS arrived, Lubrico’s students were ready.

"‘This is easy,’" Lubrico recalls his students telling him.

One student not only answered all the questions; she explained in the empty space next to the questions why she chose the answer. Another student wrote a note to the people who would grade the exam: "Dear TAKS people, this is so easy for us," Lubrico said.

By the time school was over, Lubrico had given the students not only a solid understanding of science, but also confidence they didn’t have before, Williams said.

"He made them believe in themselves," Williams said. "He made them believe they could do it."

Nine months after Lubrico discovered that only four of his students knew anything at all about science, Lubrico got the results back from the science TAKS exam — 93 percent of his students passed.

Scores on the TAKS science exam traditionally have been so low that the state considers a school acceptable if 40 percent of students pass. Statewide, 81 percent of fifth-graders passed the science exam, according to preliminary results from the state.

Out of Lubrico’s class of 15 students, 14 passed the exam. The only child who didn’t pass qualified for special education.

Thirteen students answered every question correctly. One student missed one question.

100 percent

But Williams wants more.

The results for the charter school, only a year old, will not count toward the school’s rating. Per state policy, the school will remain unrated until it completes its second year.

Williams said she wants to strive for an exemplary rating. Based on the school’s results this year — 93 percent passed science, 72 percent passed reading, 58 percent passed math and 83 percent passed writing — the charter school would have been rated acceptable.

She said it is not acceptable to expect that a certain number of students will fail.

"I’m not satisfied until 100 percent of the students pass," she said, "These are just state standards that we should be well above. I’m not bragging about this because I want 100 percent passing rate."

While most public school districts have preliminary results, official results won’t be available until the end of summer.

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A truly Pinoy Teacher - blogger

At last i found a Filipino blog that lecture somewhere in Philippines. His content will be more relevant to our local classroom teaching - learning situation. He was called by his co-teacher as Tito Rolly, He has 20 years rocking teaching experience. I believe that spirit of idealism is very much alive in him.

His latest posting is about lingo ng wika. These are some text that can be read in his blog

Lubos na naiiba ang nakaraang Biyernes sa aming paaralan. Sa unang pagkakataon, naisipan ng administrasyon na ipagdiwang ang buwan ng wika sa naiibang paraan. Nuong mga taong nakalipas, naalala ko pa na talagang nagmimistulang piyesta ang huling araw ng pagdiriwang at ang bawat silid aralan na napalalamutian ng mga banderitas, ay napupuno ng kung anu-anong pagkaing pilipino. Mayruon pang nagdadala ng isang buong lechon, umaapaw na pansit, manok, kaldereta, at kung anu-ano pa. Subalit tulad ng pagdiriwang namin ng pasko, sumusobra ang....

Siyempre Pinoy na pinoy and setting. Well he started blogging in the year 2004. If i am DepEd boss i will give him medal or any form of award for being to early in adopting technology. Well i started to create or design school sites when i joined deped but my blog is too late in compare to his.

Some post dated may 2004 are here..

Monday, May 17, 2004

1st day in the office

My new job is a little interesting. It's totaly different from what I've learned in school. Not only because I am a Fine Arts graduate and being in-charge of discipline to at least 600 students or so and the classroom management of 30 teachers is different but more so because I was a teacher's nightmare in elementary and high school. Well, not entirely true. I was also loved by some. The thing is, being an outstanding student, I was not.

Anyway, I was reading the cases of students placed under Strict Disciplinary and Disciplinary Probations knowing that they will be the first cases I will be looking at come opening day of classes, I was contemplating why these students were placed in such a predicament. I can only look back and think of the days I was still a student. (And that was a long long time ago.) What prompted me to do what I did that caused me too much trouble? I can only think of one basic answer: "Blame it on my youth." In other words, I didn't know any better. And yet, I know I cannot use this as an excuse to errant students. I am here to guide them. Teach them how to live in a world that is full of rules, follow a strict conduct of morals, ethics, etc... in other words, everything I rebelled in during my heyday. Ah, this is going to be a tight journey. All I can say to myself is "brace yourself, man. Hold on to the rails so that you don't get thrown out of the ship."

Sir Saludo ko sayo.. Anyway if you want guys to visit his web log here is the URL
http://titorolly.blogspot.com entitle mga turo ni Tito ORLY

Tips to learn faster and better

Hacking Knowledge: 77 Ways to Learn Faster, Deeper, and Better


Life-changing knowledge does typically require advanced learning techniques. In fact, it's been said that the average adult only uses 10% of his/her brain. Imagine what we may be capable of with more advanced learning techniques. Here are 77 tips related to knowledge and learning to help you on your quest. A few are specifically for students in traditional learning institutions; the rest for self-starters, or those learning on their own. Happy learning.
Health

1. Shake a leg. Lack of blood flow is a common reason for lack of concentration.
2. Food for thought: Eat breakfast.
3. Food for thought, part 2: Eat a light lunch.
4. Cognitive enhancers: Ginkgo biloba. Ginkgo biloba is a natural supplement.
5. Reduce stress + depresssion.

Balance

6. Sleep on it.
7. Take a break. Change phyical or mental perspective to lighten the invisible stress.
8. Take a hike.
9. Change your focus.

Perspective and Focus

10. Change your focus, part 2. There are three primary ways to learn: visual, kinesthetic, and auditory.
11. Do walking meditation.
13. Turn out the lights.
14. Take a bath or shower.

Recall Techniques

15. Listen to music.
16. Speedread.
17. Use acronyms and other mnemonic devices.
Visual Aids
18. Every picture tells a story.
19. Brainmap it.
20. Learn symbolism and semiotics.
21. Use information design.
22. Use visual learning techniques.
23. Map your task flow.

Verbal and Auditory Techniques

24. Stimulate ideas.
25. Brainstorm.
26. Learn by osmosis.
28. Laugh. Laughing relaxes the body.

Kinesthetic Techniques

29. Write, don't type.
30. Carry a quality notebook at all times.
31. Keep a journal.
32. Organize. Use sticky colored tabs to divide up a notebook or journal.
33. Use post-it notes.

Self-Motivation Techniques

34. Give yourself credit.
35. Motivate yourself.
36. Set a goal.
37. Think positive.
38. Organize, part
39. Every skill is learned.
40. Prepare yourself for learning.
41. Prepare yourself...
42. Constrain yourself.

Supplemental Techniques

43. Read as much as you can.
44. Cross-pollinate your interests.
45. Learn another language.
46. Learn how to learn.
47. Learn what you know and what you don't.
48. Multi-task through background processes.
49. Think holistically.
50. Use the right type of repetition.
51. Apply the Quantum Learning (QL) model.
53. Get necessary tools,
54. Learn critical thinking.
55. Learn complex problem solving.

For Teachers, Tutors, and Parents

56. Be engaging.
57. Use information pyramids.
58. Use video games.
59. Role play.
60. Apply the 80/20 rule.
61. Tell stories.
62. Go beyond the public school curriculum.
63. Use applied learning.

For Students and Self-Studiers

64. Be engaged. Surprise students
65. Teach yourself.
66. Collaborate. .
67. Do unto others: teach something.
68. Write about it.
69. Learn by experience.
70. Quiz yourself.
71. Learn the right things first.
72. Plan your learning.

Parting Advice

73. Persist.
74. Defy the experts.
75. Challenge yourself.
76. Party before an exam.
77. Don't worry; learn happy. Have a real passion for learning.


If you want to get the explanation of its topics just visit DepEd Cebu Province web log