A teacher's letter

Dear Students,

I know that to you we're monsters, your worst nightmares.  We make your lives hard by giving you too much homework that often times steal your time for doing what you want to do.  But you know what, those homeworks that you do is nothin in comparison to the number of papers we have to check when you and your classmates hand them down to us.  Your 30 mins of homework time is three hours marking time for us.  

We don't just stare on your papers and guess whether to give you a check or an ex, we read your papers carefully, we even think whether your answers are acceptable or not.  So don't get mad when you see a lot of circles in red ink on your papers from your ENGLISH TEACHERS be happy because you know they checked your papers well.  You don't know how many hours they spent just to check COMPOSITION notes, think how many classes your teacher has to mark.  

Don't get angry when your MATH and SCIENCE teachers return your papers a little late because you don't know how much time they spend trying to figure out the workings on your paper, analyzing carefully your HIEROGLYPHIC HANDWRITING and PUZZLE LIKE SOLUTIONS and figuring out which equation comes next just for you to get the marks that you deserve.  

Don't get mad at your teachers when sometimes instead of teaching their subject they preach you things about life because we just can't stand there and pretend that we didn't see your rude actions or hear your foul language. 

Don't even tell us that YOUR PARENTS ARE PAYING FOR US, because you don't know how much sacrifices we do just to be a good teacher to you.

When you are still asleep, we are already awake (some didn't even have time to sleep) preparing ourselves to be available to you, some are even fighting illness just to be present for you, we are already awake making sure we have everything we need for you.

When you are happy having your lunch, we are still working, marking papers or making preparations for you, say a simple program or planning a trip, which often times you ignore, neglect, and comment :  BORING.

When you are busy chatting with your seatmates, our minds are busy thinking how to catch your attention so you can understand what others have already understood because they listened.

When you are comfortably eating with your friends or family, we are shedding our tears thinking about the families we have left back home, thinking whether they are well or not, whether they have eaten or not, or when can we all see each other again or not.

When you are arleady sleeping we are still awake, doing our works for you.  Some are preparing games that you won't even appreciate, lessons that you find boring, visual presentations that you find cheesy, trips that you call lame.  You don't know how much it pains us when all our preparations are wasted because of your lack of appreciation.

When you are happy spending your holidays and weekends out of town we are still at school working, making sure the lessons are all ready for the week, making test, marking papers, reseacrhing for new developments in our subject areas.  We spend weekends at work praying that our sacrifices would in return give good outcomes for you.

So please don't say that YOUR PARENTS ARE PAYING FOR US.  Yes it is a fact that you pay for our wages, but it is also a fact that YOUR PARENTS CANNOT PAY THE DEDICATION AND SACRIFICES THAT WE DO FOR YOU.

ONLY YOU CAN...

A simple appreciation is enough for us.  A simple respect would suffice.  A simple THANK YOU is enough to make us continue what we have vowed for:  that is to be a DEDICATED, HARDWORKING, and LOVING TEACHER to you.

Yours,

Your teacher

Donaire's defeat

I was just watching our Filipino boxer as he fight against a Cuban boxer Rigondeaux.  He started his bout well; he's all focused and from what I've seen it, he could have finished the fight early.  But then Rigondeaux's strategy shifted into running around, evading Donaire's attacks.  He probably felt the strength of Donaire's fist so therefore, his plans shifted to evading a knockout punch.  He was successful.  He was booed by the viewers, but he didn't mind that.  He was fixed to his plan of evading Donaire, and probably tiring him and making him frustrated not to give him his knock out punch.

On that account, Donaire grew impatient.  He became frustrated and forgot about his goal:  TO WIN the match.  SO he followed this fast new boxer around the ring and would eventually be surprised by an attack from Rigondeaux which he didn't anticipated because his strategy went on to chasing him and not to attacking him.  As a result, Donaire lost.

His defeat gave me a clear message when we give in to distractions, we lose our focus, we get frustrated and we lose track of what is our goal.

Life is the same thing.  We would have our goal and we will start it fresh and right, but then distractions will face us that we didn't expect.  We would get distracted and we would get frustrated when we don't meet our goal to the timeframe we set for ourselves.

But meeting the goal is not about racing to reach it.  It is about meeting our goal no matter what and no matter when, what is important is that we reach it.

But we can always meet our goal at the right time if only we will stay focused and not get distracted in the course.  Expect that there would be distractions and we should always have plan B or even up to plan Z.  But we should never lose track of what our purpose is.

If only Donaire stayed with his plan and remain focused, he would have won the battle.  His goal is to win the match, not to chase an evading fighter. We do not want to be another Donaire.  We do not want to say to ourselves, IF ONLY....  In fact, we don't have to.  We just have to stick to our goal.

STAY FOCUS and never give in to distractions in life, DO what you are supposed to do.

Health is Wealth

People who are so engrossed with their works actually take one of the most important things in life for granted:  HEALTH!  Yes.  Health.  

Their work overwhelms them, fully filling their thoughts that even drinking water, eating meals, going to toilet are all set aside to complete and finish their tasks.

Continued practice like this could only lead to one thing:  SICKNESS.  Yes.  Sickness.

Yes it is true that we can accomplish alot when we do a lot.  But we should not take our health for granted because our body needs time to recuperrate from all the sleepless nights and skipping meals routine that we usually we do when there is a deadline to beat.

Adults needs at least 6 hours of sleep so that cells can replenish their lost strength.  And a good amount of water to balance the electrolytes in our bodies and to detoxify us from the acid build up due to stress.

So work work work and no rest is actually bad for us.  Because the moment our body says I NEED A BREAK!!!  we couldn't do anything else.  As a result, days at home mending the sickness and being "unproductive".  

So therefore, if we really want to achieve more in life and in our work, we should balance the hours of work and hours of rest.  Eat when its time to eat, drink when we are thirsty, and sleep when we are tired, even exercise like stretch, walk around to help circulate the blood in our bodies, and pause, talk to your friends when you feel like you're on the verge of exploding with the work that you haven't accomplish.

YES we have deadline, but YES we can die as well if we don't give our bodies what is due to them.  Yes we need to work but YES we need to rest too.

Our body is the only vessel of our GIFTS and SKILLS that GOD gave us.  So if the body gives up, all these will be useless and we can't contribute to HIS purpose anymore.

So before it's too late, let us love our body and pamper it with tender-loving-care... REST!  STOP blaming other people from GIVING you their FLU or COLDS or COUGH because they aren't the one to blame, it's US because if our body is properly rested and if we give our body what it needs, then there'll be no point getting sick.

What are mistakes for?

When I was younger, I used to sulk in solitary because of regrets.  I regret doing this and that, I regret meeting this and that, I regret going here and there.  I regret a lot of things that happened to me in the past because they made me fail, they made me cry, they made me lost, they made me unrighteous, most of all they hurt me.

But after quite sometime.  I realized that I should not be regreting the fact I experienced all those in my past.  I realized I should be thankful that I experienced them and I was able to endure them and I was able to make myself anew upon seeing the LIGHT.

WHY?

Because If I hadn't done those mistake in the past, I have nothing to tell my students that they shouldn't do this and that because this might happen to them.  I have nothing to tell my friends to be strong on this and that because in the end this will happen.  I have nothing to testify to my fellow christian community how GOD let everything happen to us to mold us into the kind of christian that HE wants us to be.  I have nothing to tell the world that life is good no matter how hard life is, life is indeed good because it is only through experiencing all the facets in life that we truly know ourselves, our friends and our GOD.

Had I not committed those errors, I wouldn't be able to tell you how a naughty child is whipped, how a lazy person gets nothing, how a whining student is left behind, how a rude mouth gets justice, how a deceitful lover is humiliated, how an unfaithful friend is picked out, how a disobedient child is punished, how an insensitive,undutiful, overconfident wife gets cheated, how an irresponsible person loses his belongings, and how a hard-hearted lump of clay  is singled-out by the POTTER Himself to be molded by His own hands to become a TEACUP.

Friends... there is nothing in this life that we can regret.  Everything has its own reason.  And one of the reasons that I can think of, is that every mistake that we did in the past, every failure that happened to us, every tear, every pain, every wound happened that we may live and tell the tale to the YOUTH of how all of those made us who we are now, how all those made us a better child, a better friend, a better partner, and a better christian, that they may strive to be the BEST.

And if we are able to do that... our mistakes have served their purpose.

A simple question to parents

A lot of times parents rage into the school principal complaining about why their kids got a C on conduct or being called for a meeting because of their children's misbehavior.  They would burst into anger that they would say that teachers have been mistaken about their children because their children are so tame at home, they are very behaved and their kids couldn't hurt a fly.

So with this, teachers are placed on a hot seat, ending up teachers being confused as to whether they should report a developing misbehavior about their students or just let it go.

With this, I have some few questions for parents.

PARENTS... Do you behave, act, or speak in front of your family the same way in front of your friends?

If your answer is NO... then there is your answer when we, TEACHERS, call you for your child's misbehavior at school.


More often than not, parents are the ones who teach their children to be hypocrites, to hide who they really are, to wear a mask on their faces because they set too much standards for their children, they overlook at how their kids behave with other people because all they look at is how they behave in front of them.  They pretend that they know their kids enough to judge the people around them that they are wrong about their kids.

Have you seen your children play with their friends on a normal pay time?  Have you heard your children speak with their friends over the phone or a regular get together?

Think again.  Have I spent enough time with my kids that I know who are the people they go with when they are not inside the house or I am too busy with my work to know details of the people they go with? Have I talk to my kids enough that I have heard of the things my kids want to express today or I am too busy to even listen to what made them unhappy today?  Have I accepted my childrens' teachers meeting time that I know how my kids do at school or I am too busy with my circle of friends?  Have I listened to my childrens' teacher as to how they behave at school or I am too busy to listen to my childrens' teacher because I know my children?


So PULEAAASE before you rage to our boss that you can't believe your child did this or that, THINK again and assess yourselves: Have I known my child enough?

Doing good

Men's initial reaction when people do them bad is to fight back.  Reciprocate evil with evil.  It is so embarrassing to admit but yes, I was like that.

When people hurt me; through words or deeds, my initial reaction was be angry, raise the red flag up and blast right back at them.  I reciprocate their tone with my equally high notes of howl.  In the end, conflict intensifies.  They feel bad, I feel bad, pain is inflicted on both ends.

Sitting right next to one of the most patient people I have ever met, I slowly realize the value of being slow to anger, and being silent whenever the need arises.  Through her I realized that I should not reciprocate evil with evil, but with kindness.  Though I will be hypocrite if I say that I always have time to control my temper, because sometimes I also slip and slide, often, I am able to pause, think and breathe before I speak and argue.

I realized that it will give them more of my understanding if I will not answer back, if I will not argue back, If I give them more time to blurt out what they want until they have calmed themselves down.  I have learned to control my temper and take time to listen to my heart that tells me not to speak so quickly without thinking what to say.  

I learned that if people do bad to us, it is indeed a victory for us if we reciprocate them with kindness.  Not only that we have proven to them that there is a greater understanding by being calm but also we have proven that there shouldn't be any conflict as long as people are willing to wait until other people are done with their piece.

John wesley said..."let us do all the good that we can, by all the means that we can, in all the ways that we can, in all the places that we can, at all times that we can, to all the people that we can, as long as we ever can."

I know I haven't perfected the art of self control, but I will continue to practice it because I know, it will bring me closer to HIM.  I will continue to try and reciprocate bad deeds with good deeds, hate with love, rage with serenity, impartiality with equality to give honor and glory to THE ONE above.

First Things First

I was tasked to do an unbelievable task:  organize the celebration of the Indonesian Independence, Prefects' Investiture, Awarding of the certificates for primary and secondary students and prepare traditional games for the students.  

WHOA!  That was the first thing that came into my mind.  I thought, is it possible?  Can I do that?  

The preparation is tedious.  The task is arduous.  And I was thinking that the participation from my colleagues wouldn't turn out 100% because some are busy with the musical as well.  

I was sick to my stomach to the sight of a chaotic event because of mismanagement and lack of preparation and coordination.  I am ready to accept that the event would be a mess because it is too much for students' limited time capacity for behaving, and it is too much for me to handle.  

With so many tasks already assigned to me being the prefect mistress, Prefects' Cup every friday, Science-Robotic Club coordinator, a collaboration project with a Singapore-based school about water purification, planning all school events, being in the school committee, form teacher of P5 and having 36 periods a week class with 4 sessions of remedial classes, I was thinking really hard if I really can do this.

I literally cried on the first day of the preparation because there are so many things that I need to attend to and I do not know how will I stretch my 8 hr regular work to accomplish all.  I was thinking that I would compromise my "me" time more than I have compromised since I came back from the holiday.

Then I read about this passage in the Bible  in Luke 12:48 New International Version (NIV)

48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

I reflected on the passage, and I was so ashamed of my self for thinking that I cannot do the task given to me.  God was telling me that He knows I can do this because He knows me.  He knows the talents He gave to me that is why He knows I can accomplish the tasks.  He is telling me that help will be given when I need it, where I need it, If I will ask it.  

So I calmed... but only for a while, because just as the event is getting nearer, so are the trials getting harder.  A teacher is absent and I had to attend her class, such as the time that I should be using for the preparation of the event and some other personal work is "wasted" to a work that is not supposed to be mine.  I took it so negatively that even if I know its just a trial, I succumb to my human emotions of anger.

A week before the event, teachers' tasks are dissiminated. A teacher volunteered his students to help in the games since his kids are not going to be busy.  WHEW!   But just as expected, some will not do their part "with love" because they think that is "just an extra job" for them.  I took it soooooooooooo negatively that I succumb once again to my human emotion of impatience.

On the eve of the event, the greatest blow ever... We forgot about the chinese awards so the chinese department just hand in their "chinese written" certificates an hour before I was supposed to go home and rest.

My jaw dropped.  Not of astonishment but out of frustration... "HOW IN THE WORLD WILL I KNOW WHAT AWARD THE STUDENTS GET BECAUSE THEY ARE WRITTEN IN CHINESE???!!!"  So I succumb for the last time to my human emotion of desperation.  I was near my boiling point.

I looked around and saw some other colleagues who are still around that time.  Though I know that they will be angry for the help that i was going to ask of them, I humbled then asked them anyways.  And they did.  WE RE-SORTED EVERYTHING from scratch.  And a chinese teacher was still there and helped labelled the awards into Bronze, Silver and Gold!

What a relief!!  What a help!

I couldn't eat.  I can't feel hunger.  My mind is racing as to what will happen the next day.  So I went into my room, knelt down and pray my heart out to God and surrendered all to Him.  I told Him that we all did what we can.  Everyone did their share and that I surrender everything to Him.  

D-Day comes and to all our astonishment... The seemingly chaotic event turned out to be a success!  Well, not to my expectations but It still turned out to be quite ok considering that the event is from 7.30 to 12.00.  We managed to get a hold of the students, parents came in for their kids, students including the prefects performance did great.  We manage to do everything according to plan.

In this journey, God showed me that we need to trust everyone in the group that they will do what is assigned to them according to their own pace.  We cannot expect people to work like we do because they are different from us.  He also showed me that when a task is done with great love, everything will turn out right.  He taught me patience and responsibility that we are responsible to our task and that its success or failure will be on us too so either way we should do our best and never give up.  He taught me humility.  I was a proud woman that I don't ask help to people around me in turn making me stressed because I am doing more than what I can handle.  I learned to humble my self and seek help when I need it.  And the most important lesson that God showed me in this journey is that when we seek His kingdom first, all the things we pray for will be showered unto us.  No matter how busy I am, no matter how I tired I am, I make it a point to start the day with HIM and end the day with HIM.  Like telling HIM that I cannot live a day without HIM, that I am completely dependent on HIS grace.

"Apart from HIM we can't do anything, we are nothing.  But with HIM we can do everything!"