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Teacher Who?

Ten years later, I am still stuck in my masteral program. Egaaad. Am I making progress, yes. Am I getting to the finish line? Not really. Hayz. I do love teaching more than anything, but this thesis is really getting the better of me. I have invested so much time, effort and not to mention money in it but I am soooo stuck. What makes it worse is the fact that I want to study something else now. Oh noes. I soon may need to enroll in a debt management program because of my many changing interests. Har. Seriously though, this new thing I wanna study, it’s soooo completely different from everything else I’ve done. And yeah, after it I don’t end up in the academe. Teaching still, yes, but in a different venue. Wish me luck, will ya? But yeah, I wanna get my degree. Heeelp.

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Happy Graduation!!!

It’s that time of the year again…graduation. This year is a little bittersweet for me because it’s the first time I am not part of my preschool’s graduation I haven’t regretted my decision to leave the school, mind you, but days like this, I do miss it. I saw the pictures my old co-teachers posted on Facebook and that made me miss it even more! I remembered how on my last year, just before graduation, we had a “What do you want to be when you grow up” photo shoot and my kids were dressed in the cutest outfits! There were those who came in nurses uniforms while some came with a doctor’s lab coat, some had basketball players jerseys on and one even came as a mad scientist! So cute.
This year the school’s theme was Hawaiian and I’m sure it was super cute!! There were a few kids I still knew in the program and it’s nice to see how much they’ve grown. I hope I’m able to keep tabs on them in the future.

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Little Green Steps

One of my goals this year, not just as a teacher, but as a human being in general, is to go green. I want to be able to make a contribution in whatever small way to saving the earth. After all, I have contributed in my own way many times to the detriment of our environment, right? So I guess it’s time I tried to redeem myself. One thing I have made a point to do as a teacher is to have my students submit homework either via email or printed in recycled paper. When we have pop quizzes and in my daily attendance questions, I use small pieces of old paper. As a shopper, I try to bring reusable bags more consistently. As an emerging vegetarian (I have just recently shifted to this lifestyle), I am thinking of getting myself one of those composters from CompostBins.com so I can reduce my wastes as well.

Whatever it is, I have come to the realization that every little step counts. What inspired me to think that way? Something my student said…

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Switching Gears

Over the past year I have fallen madly, deeply in love with the practice of yoga. So much so I am kinda thinking that maybe soon that’s what I want to teach instead. It still is teaching after all, right??? Let’s see where it goes. It’s funny how the practice has changed so many aspects in my life, and even my dreams. Not too long ago I was contemplating going back to teaching preschool again, or perhaps putting one up for myself to the point that I was Googling and checking out sites for supplies, classroom decorations and equipment. However, with this new realization that maybe I want to teach yoga instead, I’ve been looking for teacher training sites and looking at different studio designs.

Gaaaah…am I quarter life crisis-ing again???? Or worse…am I midlifing??? Egaaad

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Vintage Update

The other day I was in the elevator with a bunch of college students. There were about four of them who had their iPods on and I couldn’t help but look at their headphones. I chuckled a bit because their headsets were so much like the big old chunky headphones I used to use as a child. While it was reminiscent of the old headsets I used to use, theirs is sooo much nicer. One of them had a set of those black shure headphones that was most like the ones I used to use but the others had really funky designs on their sets. I kinda wish I had my set still so I can re-work the design and update it from the vintage era haha. Seriously, though, I still prefer earphones to these sets because their easier to carry along. I can’t help but wonder, however, if headphones are better for the ears because it doesn’t go straight in to the eardrum. Any ideas?

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Summer Lovin’!

It’s just about that time of the year again Yey! I suddenly miss the busy-ness of preparing for moving up day and planning for the summer programs in school. I remember having to draft out lists of to-do’s and what-to-pack’s for the summer fun classes we used to have. I miss having to clean out the backpacks for hiking, inflatable pools for swimming, and sand toys for “beach play”.

Now that I’m in the “adult” world, my summer will be filled with research. Boo. I sooo miss summer lovin’.

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Going With The Dress Code

After my last post, it occurred to me that perhaps even my college students need reminders on going with the dress code. In fact, even I, on occasion, need to be reminded. Especially with footwear! It’s so much more comfortable to just go to school in flip flops rather than heels…especially now that I have discovered the joy of not squeezing my feet into those stilettos (haha). I remember that when I first started teaching, I’d wear not just heels, but formal business attire. Now I don’t. I have only one or two colleagues left who really get all formal now (complete with the tie, tie clips and steel cufflinks). Perhaps I should start going more with the dress code and I can have my students follow suit. What do you think???

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Today’s Random Snappy: This is what school shoes should look like!

Last week I went to Payless shoe store in Nuvali and got a good laugh when I tried on these shoes It reminded me of shoes I  had in the first grade! Although it made me laugh, I liked how they had this in the store because, as those who have read in this blog several times over, one of my pet peeves is really how kids now wear shoes with heels. HELLO!!! It really gets to me because it is such a dangerous option for the kids. I have had many kids in class fall over and get hurt because of their shoes. This, on the other hand, is really how school shoes for kids should look like.

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Getting Back in the Thesis Groove

Okay…I quit my preschool teaching job in order to get my priorities straight, right? I said I would finish my thesis and get the ball rolling with the rest of my professional career. Buy yeah…once again I lost my bearings and got lost in the shuffle of daily life. Since September my thesis has been sitting in a little shelf, the books I meant to read remain shut, and well, I just haven’t gotten things done.

This has to stop.

Wish me luck…

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Make or Break Term

Well, well, well…it seems like only yesterday when the second trimester ended and now I’m at the cusp of what is turning out to be a make or break term for me. I really, really have to figure things out by the end of this school year. Do I want to trade in my books and chalk for something new? As many of my friends know I have given up the preschool classroom this past year (or 2011 should I say) and now I wonder if my classroom has really gone beyond the four walls of a building. Don’t get me wrong: I am not giving up my university teaching job. I’ve just been thinking, maybe I need to teach something more creative…howsabout arts and crafts?? Maybe a class that teaches mandala making or perhaps jewelry making, such as those threaded friendship bands or perhapsmacrame shamballa bracelets? Let’s see, let’s see.

Midlife crisis much? Har.

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Teacher’s New Job

Well, well, well…it’s been six months since I have been “unemployed” (in the preschool setting that is!) and so I really have been exploring all sorts of options that interest me. This is one of my latest explorations…

Cute, right? It was made for my best friends baby shower. Her sister decided she didn’t wanna buy cakes anywhere else but from me. Mwahaha.  Short notice, though, so I couldn’t really experiment much. The icing needs work (flavor wise that is), but I’d like to think it’s pretty cute, yes? So…new project? Let’s see!!!

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The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

This year, the Grinch who stole Christmas is not a green faced cartoon character, but the wrath of Mother Nature. It is so heartbreaking to see pictures of the devastation in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities brought about by Typhoon Sendong. I never imagined that the pictures reminiscent of Ondoy would, pardon the choice of words but I can’t think of any other one to say it, flood my Facebook wall. It is encouraging, however, to see how people are utilizing the power of social media and modern technology to once more rekindle the spirit of Bayanihan and pakikipagkapwa at this time of need.

As many list out relief centers, calls for help, and means of making donations, I’d like to make a shout out too, but this time for the children who are suffering from post-traumatic stress at this point. Besides food, water, and clothing, if you have any old stuffed toys to share, or new if you’d care to do so, please take the time to send them too. After caring for the physical selves of those who survived the disaster, let’s try and help care for the emotional and mental hurts left by Sendong. For more information, please get in touch with Ms. Cathy Babao who is working on a healing project for the children of CDO and Iligan. Quoting from her Facebook page,

Children in trauma have a lot of nightmares. The power of a hug, or something that they can hug cannot be underestimated. If you have old (or new) stuffed toys, ideally teddy bears, that you can donate to the children of CDO and Iligan, please send them to me. I’m working with the Regional Missionaries of the Philippines in Northern Mindanao on this healing project. Please feel free to message me here or send me an email at cathybabao@gmail.com if you would like to help us out. Thanks much!

It’s not much of a Christmas, and yes, we all know Christmas is more than just new things and celebrations, but maybe this time we can really make an effort to bring some sense of comfort and love to our brothers and sisters down south.

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Term End Evaluation

Well, well, well…..the term has gone by so fast. It’s hard to believe that I’m in my last week of the trimester Woot. I guess. This has been a trying one for me, more on the personal side though to be honest, but on the super rough days that came my way this term, I kinda wished I had a stay at home job, like maybe that of a freelance writer or maybe one of those Web Developer Jobs, essentially one that would let me do my work in jammies and have minimal contact with the outside world. However, though there were many days that felt that way, I must admit whenever I’d get out of my classes, I’d always feel so much better. So I guess as a whole the term hasn’t been all that bad. Let’s see how I feel in the next few days, though….grading time. Gaaaah.

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One Step at a Time Mommy Dearest…

Once again I found myself shaking my head in amazement at how some parents become too overzealous about their children’s progress. Maybe I feel this way because I am not yet a mommy, or maybe because I don’t understand where they’re coming from. However, after being around so many mommies and their kids over so long, I realize that there are indeed those parents who just get too worried about the progress of their children. Imagine, I have some parents who want their kids to already be reading and writing, when in fact their fine motors aren’t totally developed yet. In fact, they’re barely out of their baby jogger city mini gt double strollers and so the big motors are still developing. The only thing I could reply to that parent I was talking to then was, slowly mommy, it will come when the time is right. One step at a time.

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Sorry Goes a Long Way

Last week in class I lost my temper. No, I did not throw a hissy fit, but I did let my students know I was upset. I was annoyed at how they take my class for granted and how they feel that they can easily whip out their iPhones with all those flashy iphone covers and play games or take random photos during the session. I hate too how they walk in and out of the room and do other things for their other classes. I’ve even had students who say “I’m sorry Miss, my other major had a project/paper/exam”. Grrr. As if mine was not important.  Grrr grrr grrr.

When I came home, I got an email from one of the kids in the class apologizing for the behavior I had called out. It was nice to receive an apology and though the behavior was annoying, the sorry did go a long way Teachers, after all, are still human

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Today’s Random Snappy: Goodbye Sembreak

Although I technically do not have a real semestral break (since I teach in a school with a trimestral system), I can’t help but feel a little sad that the sem break is over. I was lucky enough to have been able to take a few days off because of the holidays and so I kinda had about 11 days off as well. Tomorrow is my last day and I’m maximizing the break by doing nothing. Well, nothing cognitive or school related that is. Instead, I went to yoga, I sorted pictures, I slept, slept and slept some more haha. While sorting photos I came across this:

These were one of the “sembreak” trips I got to take with my colleagues, although I must admit, I don’t wanna do that again. My other friends, however, loved it. One of them even had the whole shebang of accessories: from sierra designs camping gear, portable water containers (those with the straws hanging from the bags) and even cooling equipment. As for me, I’d rather go to the beach. Hehe.