eing a Student-Teacher for the Rehoboth Children [TCA-RCHI
Literary Program] has a great contribution to me as a future teacher visualizing
my career as a professional in the aftermath of my studies as an Education Student
at the Tarlac College of Agriculture [TCA].
Who says that being a student-teacher is an easy
task? It takes a half of your life in order to infused knowledge to your
student. However, serving to be a teacher of the Children of Rehoboth gives me
the opportunity to apply and to make it in-real life all the knowledge,
principles, theories and norms of education we acquire from our College.
I hope that by someday I could contribute more to
the Rehoboth Children’s Home. I could barely see how piteous the Children are
that their parents are absent to guide, monitor, and care for them. These
beautiful Children are precious gifts from the Almighty and they deserve to
have a normal life; having parents and a complete family that will give them a
full support; and a family which will be there during their ups and downs.
Through this blog, I would like to share how my life
with a Rehoboth Child improved, and how it changed me to embrace the noblest
profession of all—teaching!
August 15, 2011. A day that was
fine and all of us are so excited to meet the Children, more especially those
children who are assigned to us for us to teach in the entire School Year. We
actually met the children but, by that time our feelings were quite so normal,
and during that time, the fourth year students were still the ones who tutor
the children. I would be glad to teach
those children too if time comes, I said to myself and yes, this is the day
I have been waiting for.
What Happened
before That Day. We had several
talks, lectures, discussion, and briefing about what is the Rehoboth Children’s
Home, Inc. [RCHI]; the [TCA-RCHI] Literacy Program and; who the Children in the
shelter of Rehoboth are. Madam Nancy Ramores, our Adviser and College coordinator
for the program, talks about the Children in the Literacy Program; their
behaviors and attitudes towards reading and also, she has given the names of
our students. Madam Nancy also gave us a hint about the background of our
students. She also reminded us about our limitations as their teacher [particularly
on asking the children about the further background of their lives - which was a no-no].
‘Jun Ross’ Is
the Name. Madam Nancy assigned the name ‘Jun Ross’ to me. By
that time, most of us are imagining the face and physical features of our
students. Want know how I imagine Jun Ross? I was thinking then of a little kid
that is weird, traumatic and good looking,
because some of my classmates told me that they already saw Jun Ross and they
say he is good looking. Maybe, I said
to myself because his name sounds good.
Nervous to Meet
the Kid. When the Children arrived at the venue of the
Literacy Program [TCA Integrated Library], I was nervous then to meet my
student and, I could not explain well why. The woman then from Rehoboth that
was assigned to supervise the children call me and directed me to Jun Ross the kid. Absolutely, he looks good, and
it made my confidence to be in a low level jerk.
So what to expect to me right back then? I do not know why, but I was
trembling to go to meet him and to talk to him, because he looks like spoiled-brat
with no ideal personality. What can I do then, of course, I should talk to him
and teach him the way they teach us to be a good teachers. I do not know then
how to start and where to start until minutes have past and we can now talk to
each other like normal good strangers who became friends. Maybe I was wrong of
my first impression to Jun Ross and truly, I was wrong.
Fortunately,
Unfortunately. Unfortunately, I forgot to make a journal about my
MWF life with Jun Ross while in the Literacy Program – not since Madam Nancy
had reminded us to make a journal about the things that was going-on to our
student and with us. Fortunately, unfortunately because of that, this only second
semester I started to make my Personal Journal about Jun Ross and I. And I
would like to share it here.
I began to write this journal below last February 15, 2012, a day after this Year’s Valentine’s
Day, and unfortunately, there was some discrepancy on dates—but it doesn’t
matter anymore, the story behind those journal has more of significance. Some
of them has a title, some don’t have.
The
Journal: Memories, Experiences, Realizations
February, 15,
2012
My Confession
Jun Ross and I have read different storybooks and I
find it very difficult to look for good storybooks that would interest him.
Madam Nancy had recommended a storybook entitled, “The Oliver Moon and the
Potion Commotion”—she was given that book on the first semester of this School
Year 2011-2012. From the time she gave the book to me I was reckoning to its
suitability and appropriateness on Jun Ross’ age. The storybook is somehow for a preschool child not for a high school of
his age. So then I asked Sir Tom, Rehoboth coordinator for the program, if
the book is appropriate for Jun Ross; he then changed the book to a book which
I think more suitable for him.
Before we set ourselves on the Literacy Program, I thought
it was just reading and teaching reading was our task for the Children—for Jun
Ross; but then I realized that it is more of that. It is matter of discovering
his level in Decoding and Reading [with Comprehension] Skills. Aside from that,
we also need to make a good session plans, and this session plans should
comprised of During Reading, Before Reading and After Reading activities [see
how hard and challenging the tasks that we are carrying for the sake of studies].
Despite the difficulties and the great challenges of
teaching, I could say that all are worth it especially whenever I could see
that Jun Ross is learning from me and he has a lot of improvements. THAT’S THE
GREATEST PRIZE for a teacher to see that his [or her] students are learning.
These are the storybooks that Jun Ross and I have read
together:
1.
Oliver Moon and the Potion Commotion [first
semester]
2.
Calamity Jack [first semester]
3.
Animal Stories [second semester]
4.
Thanksgiving Day [second semester]
February 10,
2012
For the last days of the month of January, I was
thinking of what would be the next story book that Jun Ross and I will read. On
the other hand, I was also thinking about the suitability and appropriateness
of the suggested techniques and approaches which we may use in teaching the
Children. In the case of Jun Ross, he was able to read but to comprehend what
he is reading is a great challenge for him and so for this reason, I was
planning a structured assessment for his Reading and Comprehension Skills progress.
However, I made some doubts in my mind if I should go for it because I might
deviate from the usual task that we are doing on the Program. What was the best
thing to do then is to inform our adviser, Madam Nancy, regarding on this
matter. She had asked me some questions about the process of Assessing Jun
Ross’ Reading and Comprehension Skills and then she gave me the leeway to do
it. “If you think that could somehow help
Jun Ross improved his reading and comprehension then, why not do it”, said
Madam Nancy.
Gaps
At the age of Jun Ross, he should be in the fourth
year level of High School but because of some parental disturbances, Jun Ross
was affected too much from it and so he
was late to arrived. It was so sorrowful that he was a less fortunate
child, thanks to Rehoboth who rescued him and give him hope and another life.
Reading storybook seemed to be inappropriate or less
effective for him. So what I did is to assess if Jun Ross – after 3 years in
the Literacy Program – has gone so far toward his journey to become a fully
literate man; someone who can read with comprehension; someone who is fluent
enough to understand how important reading is.
February 20,
2012
Conflicts
In accordance with our Personal Attendance sheet,
Jun Ross made 3 absences in our sessions by this time, and as the semester is
about to end, he was always late. Most of the time in our sessions, we often
need to be in a hurry because for a few minutes, it was time to go home. It was
a predicament on my part. Out of curiosity, I ask him if there are any problems
with regards on the way I teach, with me or, on with my teaching strategies
used.
Jun Ross was ashamed but politely answered my
question. Good thing that he learned to explain and defend his stand.
The very gist of his statement of problem was the conflict of time for school and for the
Literacy Program. Although I am irritated because we lacks enough time for our
session, I need to understand Jun Ross’ situation; he was just concerned too
much of his grades in school and that vouched me.
To prevent the conflicts of time, I seek for
assistance and advices to our adviser and subsequently we had a talk with Jun
Ross about his time between the school and the program during MWFs. I noticed
then that Jun Ross was surprised for this encounter and that is why he speaks
much less than what we had then. I knew that he maybe more outspoken on this matter with me as his personal teacher
than the other entity on this Program.
I was touched when I discovered the extent of his
concern about his studies in school and his grades, and in attending for the
Literacy Program to meet me. I knew then that he appreciates my efforts to make
him learn.
February 22,
2012
Bad trip
We are supposed to proceed on the fourth
Comprehension Skill [Following Directions] but because it was suspended by
Madam Nancy, we have missed this day
absolutely for nothing! She was late to suspend our sessions for the
children and so, I feel so mad about it. All my efforts and expectations for
this day became a trash.
Badly, my classmates [some of them] grab this
opportunity to go home early and take it for granted. They said that they will
conduct an activity but actually not most of them do it— only a few. There was
a wide time wasted which should be spend for teaching the Children.
I feel very bad at this moment for what had
happened— so sick! I do not get my
classmates attitudes towards the Program. Maybe they wanted to quit or give-up
from teaching the Children and they were just force to do it because it was a
requirement for the completion of the course.
Do they know how
important it was? We are blessed to have these Children to be taught
and to have an experiential–learning by doing in order to apply all those
principles that we are learning. We are so fortunate to have these Children. We
help them, and they help us more to improve ourselves as a future teacher.
February 29,
2012
This day, Jun Ross was so late! And I have waited for him for a very long time until I
finally saw him arriving. It really makes me mad whenever he was late or absent. But what can I do, I think his
school should be the one to be given more importance than that of the reading
tutorial [Literacy Program]. I cannot blame him because it was not his mistake.
Our sessions for the Literacy Program begin at every
4:30 in the afternoons of MWFs and 5:30 pm was the dismissal. To calculate it,
I consume almost 20-30 minutes just by preparing my materials and waiting for
him to come— and when he did not came, hour of our session was lost and wasted.
Jun Ross was the one who was assigned to me and I
could not afford to teach other children while waiting for him because I am not
prepared for them. So, most of the time, I just waited for Jun Ross to come.
I always tend to review our past, past and present lessons to Jun Ross to refresh his mind
about our lessons because he shows that he did not learn anything from those
and I did noticed that he lacks motivation. Sometimes I make it to the point of
assessing myself— am I effective teacher
to/ for Jun Ross? It seems that Jun Ross is always in a ‘blank slate’ mode every time we start
our lesson.
I give all my efforts to search for the best things
for him and to teach him very well – but [blank!]
March 2, 2012
Absence of One, Absence of Others?
On this day, because the elementary pupils and some
of the high school students of Rehoboth have no classes in the afternoon, they
arrived early and so, the reading tutorial sessions began too early – different
from the usual.
Just before they arrive, Madam Nancy sent us a text
message informing that she will not be able to meet us. She also said that Jun
Ross can not come because the Children arrived early and so they will also go
home early as well – not the usual 5:30 pm. Because Jun Ross was dismissed in
school by 5:00 pm, he’ll just go Home.
Our adviser is absent and so, Jun Ross cannot come
again because, again, of the conflict of time. Bad!
Madam Kath, the one who supervise the Children, also
told me that Jun Ross could not come. But then, I insist to wait for him.
And when 5:00 pm came, my classmates were done with
their students. Madam Kath and the Children walk for home, and so my classmates
are about to go home.
Hopeless to wait for Jun Ross, I went home!
March 5, 2012
The Abysmal
It was very bad day for me because Jun Ross was
absent for today. I have waited for him, but nothing had happened.
Conflict of time was so stubborn. It really makes me
mad. Why not? My schedules in
assessing the comprehension of Jun Ross was being interrupted.
So much for that madness and my stomach is churning.
I love teaching Jun Ross and would missed my MWFs
without meeting him.
Should I punish him?
Maybe?
Not?
March 7, 2012
It’s a yes, yes
show! Jun Ross was present today and wears nicely, and
one more thing that makes me happy is that he came very early this day that I
do not need to wait for him.
I intentionally ask him why he is too early for
today and why he is absent last Monday and for a long time. I showed to him our
Personal Attendance sheet and he could not believe when he saw the number of
times that he was absent. He answered my questions with a nice smile which shows
how sincere he was.
He told me that he was absent last Monday because
they had a long quiz on their last subject and that he was not able to come
because they were late to dismiss. And why he came early this day with Madam
Kath and the other Children? He told me that they do not have classes this
afternoon. It’s great because it
gives us the chance to fill-in those days that he was not present.
Jun Ross and I dwelled on the third to the last
Comprehension Skill— the ‘Making Inferences’. I could see then that Jun Ross
did not miss our topics about Comprehension Skills. He looks so bored and when
I asked him some questions about our topics for today, he was hesitant in
answering those questions I posted.
Some indicator that he is not interested with our
topic is that he looked so bored and he tends to yawned. I’m mad on these behaviors
he exhibiting to me.
But by the way, after so many days of waiting, Jun
Ross was able to submit to me all his assignment and other paper works. I had
checked them all and Jun Ross was able to answer excellently some of them while
the others are leaved blank. I put question marks on those assignments with no
answer and I asked him why he leaved those with no answer. He told me that he
forgot some of the details about those despite that there were directions
given.
Nevertheless, I was pleased to discover that Jun
Ross had an improvement/ development. I found-out that there was an improvement
to him the way he answer my questions and other follow-up questions.
I could say that sudden improvement/ development of
my learner cannot always be found on the test papers I was giving to him to
answer. Improvement of Jun Ross was very apparent on the way he answer my
questions and on the way he reason-out to defend his point of view.
March 9, 2012
What an Ice
Cream Celebration!
The Invitation for the Ice Cream Celebration was
from Sir Tom. He told us about it during the last of February. Right after
then, all of was so excited because some of us will be a first timer in setting our footsteps at Rehoboth Children’s Home,
Inc. – and one more thing is that it would be our first time to attend in an
Ice Cream Celebration [ice cream makes us more excited for that affair].
As planned, we arrived at the Rehoboth before the
said time of 4:15 pm. Our adviser Madam Nancy was with Sir Arnold Lorenzo, our
Institute Extension Coordinator, and his wife, Madam Blessie Lorenzo. They are
all waiting in a shed when we arrived there. Our other classmates who came
there earlier than ours are having a visit then on the Garden of the Children. By
the way, I saw Jun Ross who was then watching other children playing table
tennis. He did notice me but did not welcome me. Is there any problem? I did the same thing.
In the Garden of the Rehoboth Children, you can see
different kinds of herbal/ medicinal plants. It was not posted there but I
think it was a ‘botanical garden’. The garden lot area is divided and groups
from the children were assigned there to plant different kinds of medicinal
plants and to take care of their plants and area of responsibility. Their names
and group names were posted there for each area divided for recognition to
those who will visit.
When my classmate, Edelyn and I arrived there, we
saw that my classmates are having picture-taking of the garden and with the
children. All of them are enjoying the place as we join them and the Children
are very cheerful to see us as we take our tour on it and as we appreciate
their works for the garden.
After the visit in the garden, others called us for
the program which was about to start. Sir Tom and his wife, Madam Leah
spearheaded the program and both of them made it very great. Madam Leah talked
about her favorite books and asked us about our favorite books; while Sir Tom
had the awarding of Certificate of
Achievement for the Children with
us to award personally to our students. All of us were so proud of ourselves
and for the Children that we taught for this year like Mr. Jun Ross O. Parajes
who is beginning to discover the purpose
of reading towards success in life.
I am so proud of Jun Ross even though he did not smile as I award his certificate! Why?
I could see then how my classmates were so proud of
their students and for the other Children for their Achievement this year on
the Literacy Program. Some others do have tears
of joy.
I am so glad and so proud for everybody who did
their part for the success of the Literacy Program this School Year 2011-2012!
Next thing that we did is that we had games with the
Children. There are games for us and for the Children. Obviously, everyone
enjoyed. Such a great day with the
Children, I said to myself.
So, where are
the Ice Creams? A great treat for the success of everybody— a melt
in the mouth cone of Special Ice Cream by Sir Tom.
Ice Cream melts, but this day of experience shall remain ‘solid’ in my mind.
March 14, 2012
‘Til we meet Again!
Jun Ross arrived with the other Children and with
Madam Kath, who will supervise them for today.
This day conveys mixed emotions to me because this
has been the ending of the Literacy Program this year. It was both sad and
happy occasion— sad because it’s a
goodbye for a while; and happy
because we will close this year of the Literacy Program having good memories
and experiences with the Children. We will surely miss those beautiful
Children. I will always remember those times we shared during MWFs and the Ice
Cream Celebration where we gave them Certificate of Achievement— that even Jun
Ross did not smile when I award his certificate, still, I am so proud for this boy. Jun Ross is definitely an Expert-Novice – someone who is a
beginning learner but expertly learning even though there are difficulties and
challenges arising along the mid-way of his journey to learn the beautiful
purpose of Reading.
— JR Aquino- Payne
