tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60317962072546393292024-02-19T08:17:29.921-08:00inthenameofthechalkAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-62460674501664853772015-07-14T17:20:00.000-07:002015-07-14T17:20:03.374-07:00First day High<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">Today, I started another <wbr></wbr>chapter in my teaching career.<wbr></wbr> It feels surreal to be in <wbr></wbr>this moment. I feel like I <wbr></wbr>have grown a lot- my <wbr></wbr>perspectives and worldview <wbr></wbr>changed. Being able to be a <wbr></wbr>witness to the growth of <wbr></wbr>young people brings in a <wbr></wbr>different sense of <wbr></wbr>achievement and pride as a <wbr></wbr>teacher. It feels like <wbr></wbr>everything that I poured out <wbr></wbr>is now coming back to me <wbr></wbr>doubled, even tripled.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">Take for example this student <wbr></wbr>Mac. He was one of those <wbr></wbr>students who had a very hard <wbr></wbr>time during the school year. <wbr></wbr>I fondly remember him not <wbr></wbr>being able to finish a <wbr></wbr>sentence when I asked him to <wbr></wbr>introduce himself in front of <wbr></wbr>everybody. But a while ago, <wbr></wbr>to my surprise, he was able <wbr></wbr>to introduce himself not just <wbr></wbr>properly but with full <wbr></wbr>confidence.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">That moment made me realize <wbr></wbr>why I was here. It reminded <wbr></wbr>me that my job is more than <wbr></wbr>just standing in front, <wbr></wbr>delivering lessons and <wbr></wbr>checking papers. It reminded <wbr></wbr>me that I am here to help my <wbr></wbr>kids (okay, I</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">’m calling them “<wbr></wbr>my kids” now) discover that <wbr></wbr>they can be better, that <wbr></wbr>growth is possible and that <wbr></wbr>believing in themselves is <wbr></wbr>the first step in creating <wbr></wbr>the change they want to <wbr></wbr>happen.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">This day also made me realize <wbr></wbr>how lucky I am to be in a <wbr></wbr>community of passionate <wbr></wbr>people. There were a lot of <wbr></wbr>doubts, there were a lot of <wbr></wbr>questions and we did not run <wbr></wbr>short of “lack” be it in the <wbr></wbr>materials and the preparation.<wbr></wbr> But amazingly we were able <wbr></wbr>to pull this day off. Were it <wbr></wbr>not for a team who were <wbr></wbr>willing to run to and fro, <wbr></wbr>were it not for a group of <wbr></wbr>people willing to push <wbr></wbr>through with the show despite <wbr></wbr>all the challenges, were it <wbr></wbr>not for people willing to <wbr></wbr>offer a helping hand without <wbr></wbr>pointing fingers, I do not <wbr></wbr>think that this day would <wbr></wbr>have ended successfully. It <wbr></wbr>does take a group of <wbr></wbr>passionate people willing to <wbr></wbr>reach the goal despite the <wbr></wbr>odds to pull off a day like <wbr></wbr>this.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">More than my own team, I am <wbr></wbr>invigorated by the facebook <wbr></wbr>posts I see from other <wbr></wbr>learning facilitators in <wbr></wbr>various sites. I did see that <wbr></wbr>they too had a lot of <wbr></wbr>challenges ranging from lack <wbr></wbr>of materials to lack of <wbr></wbr>facilities, tables and chairs <wbr></wbr>included (Team Tondo and Sisa,<wbr></wbr> I have to give it to you). I <wbr></wbr>can do nothing but feel at <wbr></wbr>awe at how these people are <wbr></wbr>able to look pass through all <wbr></wbr>these and still put up an <wbr></wbr>amazing first day. I guess it <wbr></wbr>only reflects the kind of <wbr></wbr>concern and the kind of <wbr></wbr>commitment that these <wbr></wbr>teachers have to their <wbr></wbr>students. It’s beyond amazing.<wbr></wbr> It is definitely inspiring. <wbr></wbr>Seeing all those reminds me <wbr></wbr>that I am part of a bigger <wbr></wbr>team who has one goal in mind <wbr></wbr>and that is to bring the <wbr></wbr>education that these kids <wbr></wbr>deserve.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">I guess it makes sense now <wbr></wbr>what that trainer said during <wbr></wbr>the General Assembly. “Oo,<wbr></wbr>napapagod kami. Pero ano bang <wbr></wbr>gusto mo? Mapagod ka nang <wbr></wbr>malungkot o mapagod ka nang <wbr></wbr>masaya?” (Thank you HR again <wbr></wbr>for that amazing training.)</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">I cannot help but feel <wbr></wbr>blessed. All of you, every <wbr></wbr>one of you inspire me.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">#blessed</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">#YouGuysAreSoAwesome</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-87339282571408865172015-07-04T05:14:00.002-07:002015-07-04T05:14:25.961-07:00A Part of Something Big"Be part of something greater than yourself."<br />
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That was the challenge given to us by the speakers during the last day of the APEC Schools General Assembly. It was a challenge that, I feel, my colleagues and I have already taken after being part of the APEC teaching community. However, for the newbies this is definitely something new.<br />
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I remember the fears I had going blindly into the venture. Honestly, I did not know what to expect. All I know was that I wanted to teach and by coincidence or by fate's decision, I stumbled upon APEC Schools. At first it was very taxing. The daily commute from Quezon City to Manila, where the training was, was draining and stressful. I had my share of thinking whether or not I will continue or just go back to my previous job. But as the days went on there were a lot of new and interesting things that got my attention and made me decide to stay. </div>
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Fast forward eleven months and here we are, starting another school year. and from around sixty people inside a classroom we have grown to more than a hundred. The growth is overwhelming but one cannot deny that being part of something that have grown from a simple dream to reality can leave a lasting mark on one's being.<br />
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Seeing all those new faces mingling with the familiar ones makes me realize how people can be united by a single vision. I definitely felt a miasma of passion and excitement. Finally, I can feel that I was part of something great and that I was part of something bigger than myself.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-68491702772341752232015-07-02T06:20:00.002-07:002015-07-02T06:20:45.826-07:00Of Dreaming and Journeys<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I had the chance to share my insights to the whole APEC community.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-63271068831267950182015-06-12T20:32:00.002-07:002015-06-12T20:57:29.497-07:0010 things I learned after a year of teaching in APEC schools<div class="p0" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
Exactly one year ago, I had the opportunity to be part of a chain of schools which promises quality education to private school students minus the skyrocketing fees most private schools offer nowadays. This is a start-up by Ayala Corporation, one of the biggest business conglomerates in the country and Pearson, the world’s leading educational company.</div>
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Having been part of one of Ayala Foundation’s programs in the past, I knew that Ayala is involved in educational ventures such as Centex, Text2Teach and others. This is the first time though that Ayala is venturing into Secondary Education and I was nothing but curious on how this will turn out for the company.</div>
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July 2014 marked the launch of over 12 private high schools around Metro Manila and along with it is the start of a year long journey with a unique model of educating the Filipino youth. I could say that I learned a lot of new things as I journeyed through the school year. Some of them are new and some are good reiterations of basic principles that teachers already know but seem to forget.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">1. Affordable Education is a possibility</span></b></div>
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I guess the most frequent question that I get whenever I am asked where I work is “How is that possible?” To be honest, affordable, quality and private are never really used in one sentence frequently. This new model of education is new to the Philippine setting where quality has always been attached to private schools and affordability to public schools. The concept of Affordable quality private education, however, is not new. It has been done in other parts of the world. The question remains though, how is it possible?</div>
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There are definitely a lot of factors that need to be considered in coming up with a franchise such as this. But for the purpose of this article, we have to get a glimpse of how complicated and costly the educational system has been. To give you an example many private schools require its students to purchase books. I remember that in my highschool alma mater, every student is required to have a copy of the textbook in each subject. Parents need to pay an amount of no less than 4000 Php just to purchase them all.</div>
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In APEC, the use of textbook is not entirely removed but the students are not required to purchase them. The school realized that textbooks can be used as reference materials but majority of the lessons can now be sourced out from the web, unlike before. This makes a lot of sense especially now that the birth of the internet and other technological advances led to the growth, discovery, production and consumption of information in an unprecedented rate. This is something that printed textbooks can not entirely cater to. Also, why purchase something very expensive when you are really just going to use it for a year?</div>
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There are a lot more things that the school does that helps it maintain its quality low-cost status. I believe that it is a model worth replicating and sustaining.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. The Know-it-all teacher is dead.</b></span></div>
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In a traditional worldview the teacher is the sole source of knowledge and information while the students are viewed as empty vessels passively waiting for knowledge to be passed on from the teacher. This is not the case anymore. With the young generation’s exposure to evolving types of media, such as the internet, students nowadays become more and more active participants in the teaching and learning process. </div>
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This has led to a shift in the responsibilities of a teacher from instruction to facilitation. Teachers now are expected to draw out information from the students. With this is the mindset that students, in one way or another, know something about the topic at hand. Teachers are encouraged to see the students’ experience as teachable materials and as jumping boards in the introduction of a topic.</div>
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My personal experience in APEC has taught me the importance of letting students discover the information with the teacher’s assistance. It has taught me to be more open minded and to be forgiving of students mistake which, in fact, is an important element for them to be able to learn a certain material. I do have a tendency to want everything to be right all the time, but then I realized that more mistakes that the students make, the nearer they are in coming up with the correct answer. I have never really seen it that way before but then being with the school made me realize that learning is indeed a journey rather than a destination both for the students and me, as their teacher.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. Discipline is a skill young people have yet to master</b></span></div>
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One of the biggest dilemmas of teachers is handling and managing discipline. A minute attributed to managing a student’s misbehavior is a minute taken away from instructional time. The truth is, it is very hard to manage or handle misbehavior especially if at the start of the school year the teacher failed to establish authority. It is not a secret that coming up with the right amount of authority and being approachable can be very tricky. You want your students to respect you but at the same time to be not afraid of you.</div>
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Another challenge presented by classroom management is developing the skill of catching misbehavior even before it happens. It is more than increasing your teacher radar because it involves creating a classroom environment wherein students are mindful of the rules set in the classrooms and the consequences that go with them. Furthermore, it requires consistency and fairness on the part of the teacher.</div>
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My experience with APEC has taught me a proper mindset on handling students’ misbehavior. I remember clearly how Mary Anne explained that when you think of how discipline as a skill that students have yet to master you become more patient and understanding in handling misbehaviors. The best part of being with APEC is that it teaches you to look beyond the surface of misbehavior and looking more on the tendencies and motivations that cause students to misbehave. It is very easy to reprimand students of their behavior but it is another thing to really sit down with the student and understand where they are coming from and what the consequences of their actions are.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">4. Conversation and constant feedback is key.</span></b></div>
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One of the main reasons that employees leave is stagnation.Doing the same thing all over again can hamper one’s productivity. Being under appreciated can be more dangerous than being overworked. Intrinsic motivation can be useful but knowing that there are people who are able to see your body of work and appreciate it at the same time, can add value to the tasks at hand.</div>
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In the APEC setting we are fortunate enough to have a team of Master Teachers who visit us and observe the classes that we are handling. Creating a culture of feedback helps teachers to always be on their toes and gives the motivation to always put their best foot forward. The feedback that master teachers give reminds us that there is always a better way to do things and that there is always something that can be changed to make the classroom experience better for the students. Without this, I think teachers would just be doing their own thing and would be unaware of the wonderful possibilities that could still be done in the classroom.</div>
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I am fortunate enough to have Melvin, Dianne and Gerald as my master teachers. Their honesty on the things that I did well and in the things that I have yet to do well, makes teaching more fun and positively challenging. Knowing that there are mentors who are always ready to lend a helping hand can be a source of inspiration to do better everyday. More than that, the conversations about teaching, about students and about life make working fun and enjoyable.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">5. Teach the importance of Dreams.</span></b></div>
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School has always been a place where someone asks you what you want to be in the future. It’s no different here in APEC. We always ask our students what they want to be in the future. But I guess the difference lies in how we actually use these dreams to encourage students to perform well in school.</div>
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At the start of the school year, I asked my students what they dream of becoming in the future and I got the usual answers along with some unusual ones. I asked them to make a dream board where they have all their pictures along with the things that they dream of becoming. We displayed it in the classroom and since then we always started the day with our mantra “The Dream Catcher”. We also made a video out of it which you can watch here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9XlDXPEeO0 </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I learned that always reminding students of their dreams can be a useful tool in encouraging them to do well in school. Helping them realize that what they do today may have a big impact on their future. It makes school more purposeful and interesting no matter how painstaking it may get.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">6. The Journey is as important as the destination.</span></b></div>
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During the first term, I observed that students usually would write goals that are related to assessment. It was always about acing the test, getting a high score, passing the exam. It was nice that they wanted to get perfect scores in their tests but after a consultation with MT Gerald, I realized that though the goal of acing a test in itself is impressive, we also have to put premium on the process of achieving the goal.</div>
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So come second quarter, my students tried to focus more on the APEC values. We realize that acing a test is easy, but practicing grit, having self-control or maintaining integrity all throughout the day is more challenging than a thirty minute test.</div>
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Third term came, and I realized that my students would come up with a lot of goals everyday. It was good on one hand but I did see that many of them are not able to achieve these goals. To better help the students, I asked them to write only one goal everyday but in addition, they have to write a paragraph on how specifically they will be able to achieve the goal that they have set for themselves. It was a good exercise on building strategy and at the same time reiterating that goals are not just things that they have to write for compliance but rather something that they have to commit to.</div>
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Fourth term cam and I wanted to tweak the goal making exercise a little. So after writing their goal and their strategy on how to arrive at the goal, I asked my students to exchange notebooks and look at the goals of their classmates. I will then ask them to write a recommendation to help their classmates arrive at their goals for the day. This exercise, I believe, was aimed at promoting collaboration in helping each other achieve their goals.</div>
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One of the usual qualifications that a company considers in hiring its employees is the capability to be goal-driven. I always wondered how a student’s capability to be goal-driven can be honed inside the classroom. When I joined APEC Schools, I was happy to know that the school puts premium on helping students acquire the skill of setting goals. This may be a simple task but it can help students a lot.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">7. Help students make sense.</span></b></div>
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One of the most unique feature of APEC schools is the reflection time. During this time students are asked to reflect on how their day was and to write the said reflection on their journals.This exercise is very useful in terms of helping students make sense of their learning. Moreover it helps students assess their performance through out their day b pointing out the things that helped them and the things that might have distracted them.</div>
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This exercise also helps students evaluate whether or not they were able to achieve the goal that they have set for themselves. Through the reflection time, the students will be able to determine whether or not they were able to achieve their goal. It can also be a way to make students realize the things that they have done to help them achieve the goal or the things that they were not able to do that made them miss their goal for the day.</div>
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In my experience, reflection time can be a very effective tool in knowing the students more deeply which can be helpful in giving appropriate grades in their skills and values assessment. Also, more than anything else, it is very heartwarming to know that students are very willing to open themselves up and trust you with their stories. The students’ journals, albeit discreet, is a form of sincere communication between the teacher and the student.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">8. Values should always be verbs not nouns.</span></b></div>
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Most of the schools in the country have what you call their core values that hey wish to impart to their students. More often than not, these values are painted on the school walls or embedded in the school’s logo. However, the problem is that many schools regard the core values passively, some just have it for show or because it sounds nice.</div>
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In APEC, it is very different. Values are not just fancy word you hang up on the ceiling. They are things that students are expected to embody day in and day out. They are in the very core of the classroom experience and students get to talk about these values all year round. In fact, part of disciplining a student is asking him to identify what values he could have practiced to prevent a certain misbehavior from happening.</div>
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Of course, we cannot claim that the students have already embodied the values after a year of being with APEC but through constant conversation and reminder we are able to bring these values into the students’ consciousness. We are driving a point that these values must be seen more in action rather than in words.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">9. Collaboration is the new black.</span></b></div>
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I remember a few months back, I posted on facebook a status regarding the possibility of removing the honor roll system in schools. I must say most of those who commented saw it negatively and cannot even grasp the idea of a school with no honor system. Right there and then, I realized that thee is something wrong with how most people view education and the education system.</div>
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When I got to APEC, I was able to see that a school can exist without an honor roll system. Students should not be put up against each other and should see school not as a place where they will be marked everyday but rather a place here they can learn for the sake of learning. Furthermore, students should see school as a place where they can help one another to learn and grow.</div>
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Collaboration is a very big word in this school and it cuts through not only in the instruction but also in the management and supervision of the school. When students collaborate, they are able to expand what they already know and they are able to make the academic tasks easier. Also,we cannot deny that the school is going through a lot of birthing pains but collaborating makes it easier for everybody. This made me realize that collaboration should be and is the new norm.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">10. Highlight the positive.</span></b></div>
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At the end of every teaching day, the teachers get a chance to debrief. During this time we are able to talk about any concerns we had for the day and any inspiring thing that might have happened. However, not all days are good and sometimes teaching can be really toxic. There are times that whenever my school head Angeloe would ask me how the day has been, I would come up with a litany of rants and disappointments and what have you. But Angeloe would always ask us again, “So what’s good today?” and we will start mustering all the positive things we experienced tat day no matter ow small they may seem.</div>
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I did not realize it then but I guess I get it now. Looking at the positive side of things is always a choice that we have to make everyday. Teaching can easily be a very frustrating job is you are looking at all the negative things happening either inside or outside the classroom. But when you choose to focus on the positive things, it can make the job less stressful and more meaningful. Highlighting the positive may not seem easy at first but when you are bale to master it, life can get a bit more interesting.</div>
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There are a lot more things that I know will come my way as my professional journey continues with APEC. There are still a lot of things to be learned. There are a lot more students waiting to be inspired. There a lot more new ideas and concepts to be discovered and certainly, there are a lot more experiences to write about. My first year was challenging, indeed, which makes me very excited for the incoming school year, still with APEC Schools.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-44958761808982093402015-06-10T05:24:00.003-07:002015-06-10T05:24:56.867-07:00The Dream Catcher<div style="text-align: center;">
I have a dream</div>
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I am a dreamer</div>
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Today I am one step closer</div>
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Everyday is a chance to do better</div>
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Everyday is a chance to dream bigger</div>
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I believe in myself</div>
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And in the great things I can do</div>
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I'll keep dreaming, keep going</div>
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Keep fighting, keep climbing</div>
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My dreams do matter</div>
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I'll keep my eyes on the goal</div>
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I'll never back down, never falter</div>
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I'm sure I will see it through</div>
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My journey is long</div>
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It will never be easy</div>
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But reward comes to those who believe deeply</div>
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If I fail, I'll rise up and stand tall</div>
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Life is measured by how many times you get up</div>
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Every time you fall</div>
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I'll chase my heart's desire</div>
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Find my niche, find my fire</div>
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I will fulfill my mission</div>
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Set the world afire</div>
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No task is too big</div>
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No goal is too small</div>
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With hardwork and grit</div>
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I can conquer all</div>
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To always try always</div>
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Is what I need to do</div>
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I'll do what I can </div>
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To make my dreams come true</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-17987387471360733822015-06-09T07:09:00.000-07:002015-06-09T07:18:31.240-07:00Bumping into an Old Friend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was walking along Tandang Sora on my way home to Visayas Avenue when a girl suddenly called my name. I did not expect to see a highschool and college batchmate strolling around the area. We had a quick little chat and I found out that she lives near where I live. Today was full of surprises really.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-5857640958227683762015-06-08T05:49:00.004-07:002015-06-09T07:14:29.090-07:00Earthquake Drill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-24960301468990109302015-06-04T18:49:00.002-07:002015-06-04T18:49:13.621-07:00Liza Macuja Elizalde's 2015 Commencement Speech at the Ateneo De Manila University<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You cannot imagine how great an honor it is for me to speak before you today. And that is certainly not a cliché or an exaggeration. Few people would ever guess that despite the many blessings I’ve received in over 30 years as a ballerina, most of my young life was spent pining for something that you all have and I don’t—a diploma from the Ateneo de Manila University.</div>
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You see, I come from a certified Blue Eagle family. My father, his brother and my siblings all graduated from the Ateneo, with all four men in my family in the Honors Class since their elementary grades. Although I married a magna cum laude from Harvard. (Sorry, my husband made sure that I stuck that in there somewhere.)</div>
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When I was seventeen, fresh out of high school, I found myself standing at a crossroad in my life: I was accepted in both the Ateneo and UP for college.</div>
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But I decided to go to Russia instead and pursue my dream of becoming a ballerina in the toughest ballet school in the world, as a cultural scholar of the former Soviet Union.</div>
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Given this opportunity, the diploma would have to wait. I struck a deal with my parents—I gave myself two years to devote to dancing, which was my first love. If it didn’t work out, I promised I would go back to school and become an accountant, which was what my grandparents wanted me to be.</div>
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That was the first big deadline I’ve ever set for myself.</div>
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When I told my parents I wanted to study ballet in Russia instead of enrolling in college like everyone else, my father’s reaction was: “What? So you will become a dancer and just learn to count to eight for the rest of your life?” <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>My mom, on the other hand, was very supportive. She herself wanted to become a ballerina but was forced to stop when a ban in the 1950s prohibited girls from Catholic schools to dance ballet. My grandparents? Well, they still wanted me to become an accountant.</div>
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My dad probably thought I would find life in Russia so hard that I would hurry back home anyway, so finally, he relented. I left right after my 18th birthday and was assigned to the 7th year level of the Russian Ballet Academy in St Petersburg. It was 1982 and the first snow had just fallen when our plane touched down in what was then a bastion of communism.</div>
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In a way, my father was right. That first year in Russia was indeed the hardest year of my life. It was a life that was filled with change and adaptation—new culture, new language, new dogmas, a new method of ballet training, new weather conditions… Then eventually, I had to make new friends and satisfy new mentors. Beginnings are difficult.</div>
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But I stayed. Sometimes being stubborn has its rewards. There were many days in those cold ballet studios in the dead of winter when my body was ready to collapse from sheer exhaustion and it was just my stubborn will that pushed me to continue doing those drills again and again, day in and day out. Even in the many nights when I cried myself to sleep from homesickness or from the soreness of an injury, the pain was gently but obstinately pushed aside the minute I focused on my dream – the dream of becoming not just a ballerina but the best ballerina I could ever become. I substituted the occasional feelings of helplessness and anxiety with visions of achieving that dream. This—plus an attitude of gratitude, an overwhelming sense of appreciation for being exactly where I was and the miracle of how I even got there.</div>
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Despite the many sacrifices, my being in Russia was a great blessing and I survived by putting all my energy in practicing, learning and following directions as I was being mentored in the very difficult Russian Vaganova system of classical ballet training. I was like a horse with blinders. Nothing else mattered but my art. The discipline first shaped my mind and spirit—then my body eventually followed. Not only did I stay to finish the two years of ballet training, I stayed on for two more, this time as the first foreigner to be invited as an artist of the 250-year-old Kirov Ballet.</div>
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This is where that crossroad of my life has brought me. The journey was challenging but it was well worth it because I pursued a path that brought me closer to my heart’s calling. And when your heart speaks to you, you can never go wrong because it never lies. And it will push you to go forward and excel because at a certain point, your dream becomes like oxygen. You need it to breathe. You need it to grow. You need it to live.</div>
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However, in today’s world, the standards of success have become a bit more complicated. You can’t just drill; you need to create. You can’t just learn; you need to innovate. You can’t just follow; you need to lead.</div>
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Today, you find yourself in that same crucial intersection in life that I myself crossed many years ago. What can I tell you now that will make your next steps easier, if not more meaningful?</div>
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My father was right in saying that ballet dancers are drilled to count to eight. It is in these classic eight counts that a segment of movement is born. Then we start all over again with one. From this repetitive drill, choreography is born. So they actually serve as building blocks for creating something new and creative.</div>
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In this fashion, allow me to share with you my own “eight counts” which I hope would serve as helpful references as you find your own rhythm and direction in life:</div>
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FIRST</div>
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Decide and commit to something that you are passionate about. The earlier you do this, the better. Make a decision not just on what you want to do and what you want to achieve in the next few years, but try to picture where you want to be 20 years from now. This was something my father taught me. He was a very wise and logical man. After all, he was an Atenean right? <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>When I was 15, he made me write a list of what I wanted to be and should have done by the age of 35. I came up with the following: to get a degree from the Ateneo and become a teacher; to dance all the classical ballerina roles at least once in my career; to own and operate my own ballet school; to have my own family and be a mom. I committed myself to these long-term goals alongside my short term ones and looking back, I seem to have done everything before I reached 35 – except for the first one. But wait, since I am a ballet teacher, I guess it’s just a matter of getting a diploma then. Hmmm…</div>
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SECOND</div>
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No pain, no gain. I cannot overemphasize this point. Nothing can take the place of hard work – not even talent. As they say, hard work beats talent when talent does not work hard. When my own daughter told me she wanted to become a ballerina, a part of me was excited for her and pleased that I could help her to achieve her dream. But part of me was also screaming NOOOOO because I wanted to protect her from all the blood, sweat, and tears that she would have to go through in order to achieve her dreams. In the end, she pursued her intention and now I know how my parents felt back then—extremely proud!</div>
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THIRD</div>
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Whatever your goal, get good at it! Whatever it is you are passionate about, you need to keep at it and practice. Repeat. Practice. Repeat. While you are practicing and repeating, don’t forget the “and” count — the “one-and-a-two-and-a-three” connecting counts that link together connecting steps in ballet. Bear in mind that there are also connecting points in life that are just as important as its highs and lows. These are the periods of rest, recreation, and stillness. These in-between moments are just as important because they give you a chance to breathe, to balance and to center. So keep on practicing – but take vacations too. Keep your focus… but remember it’s the linking “ands” that keep you connected.</div>
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FOURTH</div>
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Honor your emotions and acknowledge your fears. It’s okay to be nervous, to feel anxious or to have stage fright. That means you care and that you want to excel. After three decades of dancing, I still gag before going onstage! That’s why I make sure to fast before every performance. Seriously, it’s when you stop feeling nervous that you should start to worry because that means you are becoming apathetic towards what you are doing. And that’s a scary place to be in. Your emotions are a part of who you are. Being emotional doesn’t mean you’re weak. Whether you need to deal with pressure, loss, failure, hurt or rejection, our emotions are not a baggage. Instead, they make us human. They make us whole. So cry, laugh, smile, scream… it’s okay!</div>
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FIFTH</div>
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For a performing artist, the performance is the product and thus, the most important part of your work. All the classes, rehearsals, warm-ups and preparation culminate into that one performance. That is what the audience sees and that is what they will take away with them. Treat every time you get to practice your profession as a performance. Don’t save your best effort for another day. Always give 100% so you never have to regret anything. But BE PREPARED. You know in jumping, the deeper you do this step called a “plié” which means to bend (in this case your knees) the higher you are able to propel yourself into the air. The plié is your preparation. The soaring into the air is the goal. The more prepared you are, whether for a presentation, a task or a performance, usually, the outcome is also better. Take this moment now to thank your parents, teachers, mentors, administrators, family, colleagues, your Manongs and Manangs and your friends. For they all helped out to prepare you well. And they will continue to support you in the years to come. Believe me, you will need their support.</div>
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SIXTH</div>
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Do something crazy. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Do something that defies all logic at least once in your life. You never know what could happen from there. I once found myself in Cuba and was asked to dance the full-length Swan Lake. Now you have to know something about Swan Lake—it has the most difficult ballerina role ever. In fact, in Russia, I was warned by my own teacher—who I loved and respected and trusted—that I should never do the roles of Odette/Odile. It’s true. She told me when I graduated that I was already equipped to dance any role out there—except Odette/Odile. “Because Lisa, you will never be a Swan Queen,” she said frankly but with every good intention. Well, my “something crazy” happened twice in my life. First, I accepted the challenge of performing Swan Lake in Cuba with only FOUR DAYS to learn and rehearse it. And I performed what was for me the WORST Swan Lake I have ever done in my career! Honestly, I still cringe when I watch the video. But I did it. No regrets. My second crazy moment was when I resigned from my former company, where I was principal dancer, and formed Ballet Manila in 1995 with 11 other young dancers. No money, no connections, just a lot of drive and dreams to begin with. Well, the company just celebrated its 20th anniversary last month with five times the number of dancers, plus a school and a scholarship foundation that promises a steady supply of well-trained ballet dancers to continue our mission of bringing ballet to the people and people to the ballet in the many years to come! Sometimes closing your eyes and taking that leap of faith will get you there—even if it makes you pass through a lot of heartaches and failure along the way.</div>
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SEVENTH</div>
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This one is a quote I saw on social media but which I felt was truly valid and real: <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“One of the hardest decisions you’ll ever face in life is choosing whether to walk away or try harder.” This is where setting a deadline for yourself is most important. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I gave myself two years to become a ballerina, although honestly I do not know what I would have done if it didn’t work out. (You see I hate accounting. Working with numbers was never my forte—unless of course it involves counting to 8).</div>
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So push yourself through self-doubts, for they will certainly come. Push yourself through rejection. But also know when it’s time to re-direct. Re-boot. And then decide and commit all over again.</div>
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EIGHTH OR LASTLY …</div>
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Serve. Offer yourself to a cause bigger than your own needs or ambition. Find ways to make your dreams meaningful to others as well. One thing that I’ve learned from my family of Blue Eagles is that an Atenean means being a “man or woman for others.” You need to serve. Serve your whole life. Serve yourself sometimes. But serve others more often.</div>
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I met many of you during two separate visits to the Ateneo that have prepared me for today’s commencement speech. With today’s visit, I must say I haven’t been this often to Ateneo since I was in high school coming to watch Dulaang Sibol.</div>
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So what are my eight counts again?</div>
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Decide and commit</div>
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Work hard</div>
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Focus and get good</div>
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Honor your emotions</div>
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Prepare well</div>
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Take the leap</div>
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Set deadlines</div>
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and Serve.</div>
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Fly high Blue Eagle graduates! This is your time to soar!</div>
<span style="font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-30515140122797818482015-06-04T18:37:00.000-07:002015-06-04T18:37:28.345-07:00Teacher deserve a break, you know<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-82672662659196804072015-06-02T20:01:00.000-07:002015-06-02T20:01:04.981-07:00Failure = Opportunity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-28288682900304215642015-06-01T06:07:00.001-07:002015-06-01T06:07:36.863-07:00Back to School<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcEPkYeGYcHR47NFJps_CNBldual-Ve9hKIdEPIDbMQG6RY0FLPXflxNkT_tuRMFQTCD2oXnidaOrYsx3a24kxDOvcnjxQKhEjEbAy58Mms4QyqVmITCuzoJb_N61Yj_E0j1rrYXTkAJ4/s640/blogger-image--617937904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcEPkYeGYcHR47NFJps_CNBldual-Ve9hKIdEPIDbMQG6RY0FLPXflxNkT_tuRMFQTCD2oXnidaOrYsx3a24kxDOvcnjxQKhEjEbAy58Mms4QyqVmITCuzoJb_N61Yj_E0j1rrYXTkAJ4/s640/blogger-image--617937904.jpg"></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-54716052761266597032015-05-28T00:47:00.000-07:002015-05-28T00:47:17.739-07:00Lola's Birthday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-61920537767977685972015-05-28T00:22:00.002-07:002015-05-28T00:33:30.866-07:00The Ibong Adarna Culminating Activity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-24165893798498094972015-05-25T21:50:00.004-07:002015-05-25T21:50:38.027-07:00Waking Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-35643707876332483062015-05-18T01:22:00.001-07:002015-05-18T01:22:12.422-07:00For Mary Jane<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
If there is one thing that I will never forget in the incident involving Mary Jane, it would be the courage she has shown in the face of imminent death. I was touched and taken aback by the letter that she wrote addressed to the Filipino youth. It was simple. It was brave and more importantly it was hopeful.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Today, I decided to read the letter to my students because I believed that they had to hear it. They are the heroes Mary Jane was talking about. I asked my students to re<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">ply to her letter.</span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25.7600002288818px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px;">
Let me share one of them:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
"Dear Mary Jane,</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
I didn't know that people like you still exist today. Even though you are in the worst scenario of your life, you still give us hope and encouragement to live our life according to what is right. You really served as a great motivation for us-the youth.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
I adore you for having courage in risking your life and being ready to face the challenges you may encounter abroad. But unfortunately, you gained a negative result for doing positive and kind acts. I believe you have a good heart and you are not involved in the case you have. You just trusted someone who you thought can held you but led you to the wrong path instead. You did this because you want to give your family a bright future but ended up making it worse.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
I just want to tell you that no pain and heartbreak last forever. I assure you that things will eventually get better. Faith restore hope and hope gives courage. Just keep in mind that our Lord is gracious and merciful. He will never ever leave you nor forsake you. You just need to put your trust on Him and He will lead you to the right path.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
May your life serve as a lesson for us and you may be blessed by God and continue to have a kind and humble heart. I hope this message can somehow give you hope just like what your message brought to me. God bless you! Never forget that there is hope."</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Whatever side your on in this issue, you cannot deny that this incident brought lessons that everyone needs to learn.True enough, even in the darkest of times a single spark of hope can light a thousand more. If a child can learn something from her plight, I am sure that it can also teach us a thing or two.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
+BIL</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-58920475289056740572015-05-18T01:20:00.001-07:002015-05-18T01:20:10.929-07:00Highlighting the Positive<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636348724365px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
It was a hot wednesday afternoon and I was craving for a bottle of my favorite refreshment. I decided to buy from the nearby sari-sari store. I asked the storekeeper if she was selling C2.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636348724365px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Instead of saying that they do not have what I was asking for, the storekeeper offered another product which I was not familiar with. I wanted to drink C2 so I just decided to find another store.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636348724365px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
While enjoying my refreshment, I realized that despite being unsuccesful in pitching the produ<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">ct, the first storekeeper actually taught me about perspectives.</span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px;">
The truth is, all of us have our own set of strengths and limitations. How we use them to our advantage can actually spell the difference between failure and success. The storekeeper had a limitation and that was the inavailability of C2 but she had a strength which was the alternative product she was offering.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Instead of saying "I'm sorry, we do not have what you are looking for" she said "Here is a product that you might like. Why don't you try it out?"</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
She had a limitation but instead of crying and moping about it, she decided to HIGHLIGHT THE POSITIVE!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
When given an important opportunity do we see more of what we LACK or do we highlight more of what we HAVE? When we present ourselves to the world, do we think more of what we can't do,what we don't have or what we are not or do we think of what we can do, what we have and what we are?</div>
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A change in perspective can go a long way. When we highlight the positive -our positive- rather than focusing on our negatives, maybe, just maybe, we might be able to do a succesful sales pitch at life.</div>
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+BIL</div>
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PFLGRD<br />5.13.2015</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-17963093391893734062015-05-18T01:19:00.000-07:002015-05-18T01:19:21.935-07:00When the Universe Conspires<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636348724365px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
Student A and B have always been two of my performing students. You can always see their interest and their enthusiasm in learning new things. The best part is that they always see to it that they are always ready to lend a helping hand especially to their classmates who are struggling with a particular topic.</div>
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Unbeknownst to many, these two are part of a foundation that shelters abandoned children of foreigners. For years they have lived with other children who, like them, ne<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">ver knew their foreigner fathers or lost touch with their fathers who have left the Philippines.</span></div>
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Unfortunately, a few months back, the foundation, which also served as their shelter, closed down. This meant that they lost a home where they can live in. It also meant that they have to stop school since the foundation cannot subsidize their tuition fees anymore. My heart broke for these two. My co-teacher and I asked for the possibility of a scholarship for the two of them.</div>
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Months passed, and we did not hear any news about the scholarship and it felt like we had to face the possibility of losing two of our good students.</div>
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Just this morning, I had a conversation with Student A asking her of her plans for the next school year. She said that it will depend on whether or not she will get a scholarship. In the afternoon, my school head called Student A and Student B to his office and delivered the good news! The school was able to get a benefactor for the two of them and will provide the necessary funds to send them to school until grade 10!</div>
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My heart jumped with joy and I was almost in tears. I realized that good things really happen to good people. It felt like the universe conspired to help these two whose dream is to get a good education. Thank you to the kind-hearted individual who made this possible!</div>
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What a great way to end the week!</div>
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+BIL</div>
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PFLGRD<br />5.15.2015</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-51676666049849142912015-04-21T17:30:00.001-07:002015-04-21T17:30:17.860-07:008 traits of successful people - Richard St. John<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NOl0v54DaXo" width="480"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-379302992297956362015-04-21T17:29:00.001-07:002015-04-21T17:29:20.691-07:00Living Passionately<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.5636348724365px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
Passion has always been a central theme of my reflections. I have always believed that the only way to live life is to live it passionately. It does not only give you direction but more importantly it gives life meaning no matter how meaningless life may seem.</div>
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Today, I had the wonderful opportunity to talk to my students about what passion is and how it can help them in their studies. I asked them to write in their journals what they know about passion and write what they a<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">re passionate about.</span></div>
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When it was time for me to read their entries I saw that there was a commom thread on how my students understood what passion is. Most of them said that "Passion is about doing what you LOVE and sticking to it despite the CHALLENGES that may come your way."</div>
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Let me type that again.<br />"Passion is about doing what you LOVE and sticking to it despite the CHALLENGES that may come your way."</div>
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Their answers are simple. Truth is many of you can come up with deep, academic,philosophical or verbose definition about what passion is. But at the end of the day it is about what these students are saying. It is doing what you love, loving what you do even if times get tough. Their answers are simple but they capture the very essence of passion.</div>
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I realized that if 13 year olds can understand what passion is so can adults. Well doing it is another thing but I believe that the journey to living a life of passion starts with understanding what it is.</div>
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So if you are reading this and you feel like you do not know what to do with your life. If you feel down, because you feel like the universe decided to confuse you. This I tell you. DO NOT LOSE HOPE.</div>
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Find what you love. Keep trying. If you fail try again. You see, just like learning, finding what you are passionate about is a continuous process. And more than the destination its the journey that makes it worth while.</div>
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Always remember that if thirteen year olds can understand what passion is and the beauty it can bring to one's life. So can you.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-62992226563068748642015-02-22T23:56:00.000-08:002015-02-22T23:56:50.187-08:00Getting a ZeroI am not grade conscious. I have never been grade conscious. I remember that when I was a student I would just take a quick peep at my grades then forget about it the second the report card comes off my hand. I remember getting a failing grade in Chemistry and really just kept mum about it. It was not a big deal for me really. Not that I did not care at all. It's just that I knew even back then that numbers will never be able to describe the things that I learned and the things that I experienced.<br />
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I guess this is the same philosophy that I want to share to my students Not to think about the grades that they are going to get but to give primacy to the experience they are going to get while learning. I guess that is what matters most and that is what will remain in them years after they have gone out of school. Truth is, the world is not a big grading machine where you are measured by your General Point Average and your survival depends on whether or not you are still eligible for latin honors.<br />
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(to be continued...)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-15467588891006914222015-02-11T03:03:00.001-08:002015-02-11T03:03:32.679-08:00In memoriam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvISZzxFrd0I-w0-sOVV6f-HVyMNqpZoAMTuL0tOFM1CoU5jWLr32zgirO8NBnt_qWB1HS3bBA3ekC7Yianu-K5JSQ1rDdy-qAK35PU9AOx_5li930jUhZPWqUJ4i-17EmzOc8h7WREos/s1600/2015-02-02+16.38.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvISZzxFrd0I-w0-sOVV6f-HVyMNqpZoAMTuL0tOFM1CoU5jWLr32zgirO8NBnt_qWB1HS3bBA3ekC7Yianu-K5JSQ1rDdy-qAK35PU9AOx_5li930jUhZPWqUJ4i-17EmzOc8h7WREos/s1600/2015-02-02+16.38.16.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-44853052277488761092015-02-09T19:11:00.000-08:002015-02-09T19:11:13.518-08:00I am tired. I want to quit.<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
I will be totally honest with you. These past months have been really hard. I think I am finally feeling the stress and the pressure of the work that I am doing. I guess this is what they call a teacher’s burnout. How I long to be back in the province, in the comfort of my friends and family. I go to work everyday, hoping against hope that I will find something that will fuel me to move forward but most of the time I fail. I ask myself,”Is it worth it?” Am I making the impact that I am supposed to be making? Or am I just holding on to something that I know will eventually break down?</div>
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Then just this afternoon, someone made me realize why I have been holding on for so long. That someone is Khylle. You see Khylle is one of my students. If you happen to enter my classroom, you will easily notice Khylle. He is one of those students who is usually timid and does not recite at all. In fact, if you will take a look at his grades you will see that he is one of those under performing students.</div>
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At the start of the school year, I already noticed that Khylle has a problem communicating not only in English but even in Filipino. When I looked at his journal, I was surprised because I cannot even understand a single word he had written. When I asked him, even he cannot understand what he wrote. It went on like this for months. Whenever I call him to recite, he would just utter an inaudible word. Whenever I ask him to solve, he would rather prefer to stay in his seat and I would just resort to calling someone else.</div>
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But today was different. Today, was a revelation. With the help of his mentor Lorie, Khylle was able to stand for more than a minute trying to explain how to solve a mathematical problem. More than that, he was able to speak words that finally everyone understood. After he recited, the whole room exploded in applause. I couldn’t help but feel that finally, finally after months of struggle, I, together with the class, am seeing an improvement. No matter how small it may seem to some. But for me, it was already a big leap.</div>
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I guess these kinds of moments made me hold on despite all the personal struggles that I am going through. To finally see an improvement in a student who did not even know how to write or speak properly. To see a student patiently coach her classmate even though at times I see that they have a hard time understanding each other. To see a whole class feel proud of even the smallest achievement of their classmate who struggled for months. These moments make all the sacrifices worth it.</div>
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Khylle has a long way to go. But I realized, If Khylle did not give up, If Lorie did not give up on Khylle, If the whole class did not quit, what right do I have to give up on them?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-84171622007404473032015-02-02T02:32:00.000-08:002015-02-02T02:32:45.770-08:00Forty-four seconds of silence"Ang mamatay nang dahil sa'yo"<br />
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As my students sing that last part of the Anthem, I can't help but feel a certain kind of sadness. You see, today's flag ceremony was different from the other flag ceremonies that we had this school year. The flag did not go all the way up. Something that is usually done to signify mourning. And today we mourn the death of the forty-four SAF members who died in combat. Today we spent forty-four seconds of silence to pay our respect to these brave men who lost their lives to restore peace. Forty-four seconds. Forty four lives.<br />
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As we were spending those few seconds in silence. I couldn't help myself reflect on what this event means. As I was immersing myself in that sacred silence, I looked at the faces of these young students before me.<br />
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How many of them will be brave enough to offer their lives for a greater cause? How many of them will spend their days in the service of others? But really, the question I was afraid to ask was, How many of my students will risk their lives for the sake of this country?<br />
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I know that, young as they are, they may not still fathom the significance of what happened or what is happening. But I know, someday, these kids in front of me will make a choice - a choice of whether to spend their lives for themselves or for others; a choice of whether or not to live for something bigger than themselves; a choice of whether or not to live their lives fighting for their dreams.<br /><br />I only pray that when they reached that point - that point where they have to make the biggest decision of their life - I pray that they will remember this moment. I pray that they will remember this forty-four seconds that we spent in silence, giving homage to brave men who fought for something, who lived for something, who served something bigger than themselves.<br /><br /><complete id="goog_1592871098">+BIL</complete>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-23194246197364468232015-01-28T05:10:00.001-08:002015-01-28T06:12:35.331-08:00When war is waged for the sake of peceLast Monday, forty nine members of the Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police were massacred in Mamasapano, Maguindanao. Allegedly the police was to serve an arrest warrant to Zulkilfi bin Hir alias Marwan and Bait Usman. The former is a bomb expert from the Indonesian based terrorist group Jemaah Islamiya and the latter is a member of the MILF offshoot Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.<br />
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The MILF was keen on reiterating that what happened was a "misencounter", saying that the commandos of the SAF did not ask permission from them to infiltrate an area that was within their territory. The BIFF, on the other hand, was saying that they just joined in the fight because one of their officers was near the area.<br />
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The president has released his statement stressing out that he felt saddened by the recent event. He called for a national day of mourning to commemorate the loss of lives. However, he emphasized that there will be no retaliation that will happen as this is what the secessionist groups would have wanted-to destroy the peace process that is being undertaken by the government and the MILF. The president said that these men died while performing their duty of keeping the peace. Stopping the peace process and fighting fire with fire will only patronize what these violent man would have wanted.<br />
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They said that it was a misencounter. They said that it was nothing but self-defense. However, when you look at the number of people that were killed. If you look at how savagely mutilated the bodies were. If you look at the reasons they published just to rationalize the killings. You will think otherwise.<br />
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It was nothing but murder. It was nothing but a massacre. It was nothing but a betrayal of a promise that they themselves made. Whatever happened to the peace process that these two parties agreed on?<br />
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Peace is nothing without justice. The government seem to be hoping against hope that what they are proposing will work, but not holding anyone culpable for these deaths is a betrayal for what these men died for. Pushing through with BBL without holding these murderers accountable is pointless. Though there might be some merit to what these two camps are pushing for, it should be clear that whatever abuses committed by either of them should not be treated as mere collateral damage. Whoever is at fault should pay whether it was the MILF for not exercising maximum tolerance or the government for not practicing foresight on the repercussions of such a meticulous operation.<br />
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The desire for a peaceful society should mean that justice will be served to where it is due.<br />
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<img src="http://www.interaksyon.com/assets/images/articles/interphoto_1422227106.jpg" height="393" width="640" /><br />
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Sources:<br />
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http://opinion.inquirer.net/82091/with-peace-process-why-did-massacre-happen<br />
http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2015/01/28/1417559/do-state-milf-fighters-know-ceasefire-terms<br />
http://manilastandardtoday.com/2015/01/28/a-pusillanimous-peace/<br />
http://www.manilatimes.net/can-peace-process-without-peace/158645/<br />
http://www.tribune.net.ph/commentary/editorial/no-succor-for-50-lives-lost<br />
http://www.rappler.com/nation/81976-saf-killed-maguindanao<br />
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/103759/pnp-saf-casualties-in-encounter-now-50---armm-police-chief<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6031796207254639329.post-73966276698050923452015-01-26T23:08:00.001-08:002015-01-26T23:08:43.592-08:00Dugong Atenista Turns 5 Yeas Old!<a href="http://mymattersofconsequence.blogspot.com/2011/11/five-years-of-dugong-atenista-love-and.html?spref=bl">My Matters of Consequence: Five Years of Dugong Atenista: Love and Heroism</a>: As pronounced by this year's theme: “ Heroes bleed love ...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087294152114122278noreply@blogger.com0