Mrs Villegas

In 1986, the Philippines had its first woman president. The following year, Letran (Manila) High School had its first woman principal in the person of Mrs Lucita Ablaza-Villegas. I was a freshman then. Prior to her appointment, she was assistant principal in the same department. 

A few days before the Christmas break, two sections competed in raising gifts for a charitable institution in Tagaytay. My section won and, as previously agreed with Ms Edna Marco (our Religion teacher), would be bringing the gifts to Tagaytay. Ms Marco told my classmate Gary Ramos and I to see Mrs Villegas to consult her on what we should wear for our trip.

When Gary and I went into her office, she stood from her chair, walked, and sat near us. We felt at ease. When we asked her what she thought would be the appropriate attire, she asked us what we had in mind. I told her, "Well, Ma'am, you're the boss". She smiled and told us that we can wear non-uniform, but would prefer to have us wear our ID. Towards the end of our visit, she shook our hands and I took that chance to introduce myself as Larry Albano's nephew. She was delighted. (In a separate occasion, she told my classmates that my Lola Piling was her "ninang".)

That delight turned into dismay when, a few months later, she went into our classroom to check if all students were wearing their IDs. Her aim was to ensure that the department was consistent with its policy. She asked who was the class president so I came forward. When she instructed me to make a list of those without ID, I humbly admitted that I was one of them. She gave me a tongue-lashing. Indeed, I acted unbecoming of a class officer. From then on, I saw to it that I wore my ID while in school. As a teacher now, I could understand where she was coming from.

In my sophomore year, she became our Philippine History teacher for a quarter as our teacher was on leave. Every week, she would require us to write a reaction on the editorial of a national newspaper. Initially I was lazy to submit the work. Looking back, these assignments challenged me to read and think critically. She also encouraged us to prefer Filipino over imported goods. To demonstrate, she stood in class and proudly told us, while pointing at her flowery pair of shoes, "Itong sapatos ko, yari sa Marikina". Even though an expat living in the UK for 22 years, deep within me is a yearning to do something for the Philippines. 

There was also a time when I interviewed her for an assignment on the use of the national language. I was shy to see her personally so I left a note with interview questions to her secretary. A few minutes later, a security guard came to our classroom to hand in my note with Ma'am's response. She wanted to see me. I complied and she personally gave me her views and feedback. Working in education can be a challenge especially with time management. For Ma'am, it is not having time, but making time that matters. 

By the time I graduated, Mrs Villegas had already been appointed Director for Student Services. Still, she attended my graduation. As my name was called and walked past her on stage, I could hear her giving me a loud applause. Fast forward, when I had a chat with her in social media about fellow Letranite Fr Rufino "Jun" Sescon being named a bishop, she replied, "Yes Arriba Letran! I'm proud of him".

Mrs Villegas had one unforgettable quotation: "You are Letranites!" Letran was then getting ready for the NCAA games and to stave off any unruly behaviour typical of Letran students, she said these words to us. Season or out of season, her saying serves as a wake-up call. 

You are Letranites! Whenever we despair or become presumptuous, let us put on hope on God who "has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and He has not hidden His face from him, but has heard, when he cried to Him..."(Ps 22:24).

You are Letranites!  When we are tempted to be indifferent to the plight of the least, the last, and the lost in our country, let us, as one Letran song goes, "magkaisa't magdamayan".

You are Letranites! When we have lost our identity as such, let the examples of our patron St John the Baptist, as well as fellow Letranites such as St Vicente Liem de la Paz and Manuel Quezon inspire us to conquer new glories for our and Mrs Villegas' beloved Letran.

Mrs Villegas, thank you for your leadership and friendship. Your passing away came as a shock as we were just chatting about you going to the La Naval celebration and me asking you to give Our Lady a flying kiss on my behalf. Thank you for being true to yourself by being such a light to those around you. Thank you for your reminder that I am a Letranite wherever and whatever my circumstances are. May Jesus, the Light whom you strove to mirror, welcome you into His kingdom of peace and happiness. 

To Coach Nemie, Mary Queen, and the rest of the Ablaza-Villegas family, my sincerest condolences. 

Do It While You Can

Our college has just finished Academic Year 2017/18. It has been such a challenging year for everyone. As a teacher, the challenges range from preparing lessons to assessing students, from completing a host of paperwork to attending this and that meeting or training, from organising an event to supporting a colleague or student. The list is endless!

All throughout the year, a teacher's constant companion is assessing students. My desk had a pile of assignments for marking. At first, I put them all in a box and left them under my desk. It removed (or hid?) the clutter from my desk, but by the time the pile got bigger, it almost became unmanageable.  Having a massive pile, I was forced to bring them home and spend the early hours of the day  (including weekends) checking papers.

Would I have avoided such stress? Absolutely! Part of me fell into the trap of the Mañana Habit. "I'll do it later." "Mamaya na." As I procrastinated, I ended up knackered in the process. As I delayed my actions, I have to devote some time to deal with it rather than spend quality time with my family.

Looking back through this experience, I have learned that the best way forward is to act on a task while I can. Whatever work we do, no matter how many tasks we have to do here, there, and everywhere, I came up with these suggestions:

1. Work on it as soon as you receive it, if possible. Avoid creating a pile. Start working on a few. Set realistic targets like "I will mark 5 assignments by the end of the day". 

2. Make a 'to do list' everyday. I personally find this helpful; I could track my progress as the day goes on. At the end of the day, I was pleased to have achieved all or most of them. 

3. Have a 'can do' attitude. Instead of complaining, "Just do it".

4. Ask support from colleagues. Don't underestimate the power of team work.

5. Most importantly, pray. God is with us all, so why not involve Him in the many things we are supposed to do? Ask His help at the start of the day and, believe me, you would feel more comfortable because He will guide you through and through.

Proactively dealing with tasks on hand will save you some time for other worthwhile activities, including "me time". As a famous song goes "It's now or never".

Feedback Wednesday

A few Wednesdays back, I returned students' assignments and asked them to have a look at their results. I told them too to read my feedback which was written on some parts of their assignment. Not long after, a student raised his hand to say "I do not understand your handwriting!" I must admit that my handwriting isn't really good and so I sat next to the student to read for him what I wrote and to explain further. Later, I saw myself moving from one table to another to talk to students. 

After lunch break, I had another lesson, but this time with two colleagues observing me. Everything has been planned beforehand: register, experiment handouts, etc. However, the technician was absent. Hence, no experiment was prepared. Just the same, "the show must go on". I have to rejig the lesson plan and made it more interactive. A group of students have to complete the missing words in the experiment handout, another group have to put the experiment method in logical order, and another group have to design the experiment. I felt as though my plan won't work, that students would complain, etc. I was amazed, especially with the last two groups, for being proactive. As I move around the classroom, I was able to see how they work, ask questions, and give feedback based on their answers.

After those two sessions, tiring as it may be talking to students one by one and oftentimes repeating myself, I felt satisfied. I may not have taught the students principles and theories, but having that conversation with them was truly a learning experience.

Feedback is a useful tool in teaching because it allows teachers to guide their students and prepare them for their summative assessment. In other fields it is also necessary. Customers feedback a company on the service they provide. Managers feedback staff on their performance. I remember our Faith Section Editor Ana Balla, during the early years of my editorship, to give feedback to our writers because, according to her, it was a way to further develop them. Indeed, it is a useful tool to highlight a writer's strengths and areas for development. For sure, they have appreciated it.

As the Teacher Himself, Jesus gave feedback to people. Remember His conversation with the rich man who wanted to gain eternal life? Or perhaps His comments on His apostles who argued as who is the greatest in God's kingdom? Or how about that exchange of words between Him and the Syro-phoenician woman? 

Some took His feedback to heart, while others scoffed at it. Worse, those not satisfied with it plotted His death. Indeed, not all feedback would be heeded. Lazy students won't be bothered to shape up. Companies may not care about clients' views. Workers might take their boss for granted.  

Holy Week is dawning upon us! I think, Jesus' best feedback was delivered as He was crucified. If you want to know more about it, then please join us in our online devotion The Seven Last Words starting 25 March, Palm Sunday. 

My Diversified Roles

By Pietro Albano

Work in college has gone full-swing for almost a month now. Last Friday saw the end of Teaching Week 2. I guess all my colleagues would agree that we made it and are ready (are we?) for the third week. I have met almost all students in the groups I am teaching this year; some are familiar faces because I have taught them last year or have bumped into them in the corridor. Most are new faces; some fresh from secondary school, others returning to education after a number of years.

Last week was special because it was the beginning of my own studies for the Diploma in Education and Training, an important qualification for those teaching in Further Education. Thus, I am a teacher and a student "from 2pm to 6pm (every Tuesday)", as Ann Ord (my course tutor) would put it.

There were eight of us in the class that Tuesday afternoon, all coming from various campuses and disciplines of the College. One is in Travel and Tourism, two are from TV and Film production, one is from Welding, another is doing her job placement in College, another is involved in supporting students with learning difficulties, etc. Amazingly, we glued together in a flash!

There was one group activity that made me think of my role as a teacher. Ann showed us various roles of a teacher: lion-tamer, gardener, expert, choreographer, and gasoline pump staff. She distributed photos of these around the room and asked us to choose the role which we think best describes us. I chose gardener because I saw myself as someone who sows the seeds of knowledge, cultivates, and nurtures the minds and hearts of students. Then Ann gave us a scenario and asked us if we would stay in our chosen role. She suggested the start of the academic year. I thought of induction and so I made my way to the expert role because, at that stage students would need to see you as someone who could provide direction in the course. The group activity showed us that the teacher's role changes throughout the academic year. 

Indeed, in the first few weeks, they would see me as an expert, as someone who knows the unit or subject inside out. But that would alter when it's already summer. I am about to give some groups their first assignment soon and I would expect them to look up to me for guidance. At times, they may stay behind in the classroom or look for me in the staff room asking me for clarification on what they need to do. As they get the hang of being students and how they are assessed, they will gain more confidence. At that stage, I will ease off the pedal and assume the role of a gardener who will facilitate their learning.

Teachers often face various challenges in the classroom which require adaptability. I could be a lion-tamer one day should the class be rowdy. I could be choreographer to them in another lesson such as when there's an experiment. It's not one-size-fits-all. Regardless, I have to remain open, humble, and passionate. I have to keep on learning. Here goes to my Diploma course!

Erudite

It's been quiet in the Staff Room as the academic year has ended and staff have started to take their holidays. There are still a few of us at work who take this time to prepare assignments, schemes of work, etc. for September.  I will be off in two weeks' time, but it's work, work, and work for now.

I suddenly remembered a similar atmosphere in UST, at what used to be called Center for Educational Research and Development (CERD). We were all sat in our own cubicles, focused on our research work when someone at the door greeted us. "Good afternoon, my erudite colleagues." It was Prof. Clarita "Ma'am Claire" Carillo. We all had a (much needed) laugh.  

Erudite. Learned. Scholarly. Knowledgeable. Aren't these what teachers (and other professionals) should be? Tall order, yes?  I had a nephew who, when he was a little boy, asked me some questions which, unfortunately, I don't know the answers. Having given him the negative response, he retorted "Bakit hindi mo alam? Teacher ka di ba?" (Why don't you know the answers, aren't you a teacher?) Looking back, I should have said "I don't know the answers, but I'll find out for you."  This scenario is replicated in the classroom. You're so preoccupied with a topic then someone asks you a question and then you're caught flatfooted. Simply saying "I don't know" may exhibit lack of knowledge, but assuring learners that we'll get back to them next time is a sign of erudition.

There are, I think, four essential elements of being knowledgeable.

First, keep oneself updated. This ranges from gaining further qualifications to attending training, from working with a more senior colleague (discipleship or mentorship) to taking on board the regular faculty evaluation. I remember Ma'am Claire once told us that the aim of (peer and student) evaluation is not to prove, but to improve. 

Second, be as creative as possible. Gone are the days when teachers dish out all the information to their students. Nowadays, we entice our students to think critically, to guide them in discovering knowledge for themselves, and to weed out the fake knowledge that has sadly inundated the internet. By empowering students, the teacher becomes more of a facilitator in a learner-led classroom. 

Third, honor your yes. The demands of teaching are great especially in this Digital Age. Teaching requires commitment. As Ma'am Claire puts it: “You give it your all because you honor your ‘yes.’ When you say ‘yes’ to something, to a job, to a project, to a task, you give it your all.”

Fourth, follow the Teacher. During the orientation program organized by the CERD to new faculty members in 1998, Ma'am Claire mentioned to us that the greatest man on earth was a teacher. That Teacher once said "Learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart."

To Ma'am Claire, belated happy birthday and congratulations for 11 fruitful years of serving as UST's Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs. Thank you for being such an erudite, kind, down-to-earth, and supportive colleague. Keep up the good work of inspiring teachers and learners. Best wishes!