Noong Grade School Ako...

It has been two decades when I started studying in elementary. Malamang, halos lahat naman ng bata nagsisimula sa pre-elementary then elementary (which is now favorably known as Grade School). Maraming mga bagay ang mararanasan mo at firsts and most of them were truly worth remembering. And of course, you would never forget the teachers that most likely molded and nurtured you with quantity and quality education: moral, emotional, informative at marami pang ibang klaseng aspect. When I graduated in Grade Six in the year 2000, I thought it was only a simple graduation that finally (I even didn't think about it either), tapos na ang elementary and going to next chapter of my student life which is high school. Yun pala ang dami-daming magbabago that you wished na sana hindi ka na lang nag-high school. On those days, we were reminiscing our joyful past starting from Grade One up to our very last days of being Grade Six. Notorious to teachers, bullies to other pupils and students, crushes by him or by her, lahat ng yan mararanasan ng isang elementary student. Fast forward to 2013, I am teaching Grades Three and Four at sa halos araw-araw kong litanya sa loob ng faculty lounge at sa loob ng classroom na may mga students akong abot hanggang langit ang inis at galit ko dahil napakakulit, napakatamad at napaka-irresponsible, nagre-rewind sa akin ang aking elementary days. Then a question pops up on my mind, "naging ganyan rin ba ako or naging ganyan ba kami ng mga kaklase ko noong elementary ako?"

This blog post is about reminiscing my happiest and darkest past of my beautiful grade school years. Ang sarap lang balikan ang mga dati kong ginagawa na nakakatawa, nakakahiya, nakakalungkot at nakakaiyak na mga experiences ko with my teachers, classmates, schoolmates and the school itself. Thankful ako, sobrang-sobra, sa aking alma mater na Saint Francis School (now known as San Francisco de Sales School) for nurturing my fruitful six grade school years with so much knowledge and experiences that will surely last a lifetime. I'm going to find out if the things I have done before is as same as what my students and the other students are doing now. It could be better or it could be worse.

KULIT BATA - If I am too much irritated with those pesky children inside my classroom, I became also the favorite of my teacher when it comes to being scolded and reprimanded. Lalo na noong nasa Grade One ako. Nagalit sa akin ang adviser ko dahil simula pa lang ng klase, pawis na pawis na ako dahil sa laro. May time rin, kasama ko ang classmate ko na same wavelength ng kulit ko, dinala kami sa Guidance Counselor (during our time, when you're going to the Guidance Office, kabahan ka na!) dahil lagi na lang kaming nagkukulitan. Pinagalitan naman ako ng Grade Two adviser ko dahil lagi akong umaakyat sa High School building, which is back then bawal na bawal umakyat ang mga elementary students sa second floor ng mga buildings. Napagalitan rin ako ng Grade Two teacher ko dahil dighay ako ng dighay (burping) without saying "excuse me!" Sabi niya sa akin, "ang bastos mo naman!" At noong Grade Six ako, pinagalitan rin ako ng adviser ko dahil habang nanonood kami ng pelikulang Jose Rizal sa Multimedia Room, hindi ako nakikinig at naglalaro lang ako. Turns out, at 12 years old, pinagalitan pa rin ako. I could not compare my naughty bits to my students. Hindi ko lang din masasabi kung makulit ako, makulit sila, or same lang ang kulit namin.

TAMAD - Noong Grade Four ako, pinatawag ang parents ko dahil hindi ako gumagawa ng assignment sa GMRC. We were getting our scores and out of 10 to 15 assignments, less than 5 lang ang nagawa ko. Ayun, napagalitan na ako at the same time, pinakuha ang diary ko at nagsulat ng love letter to my parents ang aking adviser. Takot na takot akong umuwi noon from school dahil hindi ko alam kung papaano ko ito ipapakita sa parents ko. Well, wala na akong magagawa, I need to face the consequences. May tatlo akong palo sa likod ng sinturon and the following day, my mother and my sister came to school to talk to my adviser. Noong Grade Five naman ako, nagkaroon kami ng family reunion sa isang resort sa Cavite and we had an overnight stay there. Pag-uwi ko sa bahay, tinawagan ko ang classmate ko to tell what we did in our vacation. Bigla niyang sinabi sa akin na mayroon pala kaming project sa Math tungkol sa mga shapes and polygons. Sobrang gabing-gabi na noon, bumili ako ng cartolina at plastic cover para gawin ang project. Natapos ko naman siya but not in a beautiful manner. Ang masaklap, Sunday night ko siya ginawa, Monday morning siya ipapasa. Maraming beses na nangyari sa akin noong Grade School ako na tinamaan ako ng sakit ng "tamaditis." And kids, hindi maganda yun. How can you satisfy yourself with good grades if laziness comes with it?

ACHIEVER - Hindi sa pagmamayabang but naging achiever rin naman ako sa class (in my own right, haha!). Starting from Grade One to Grade Six, hindi ako nawala sa Star Section. Meaning, kasama ko ang mga honor students ng aming batch. I could also say that my grades are all good, I never had less than 85 as my grade (except MAPE and HELE, hehehe!). Noong Grade Four ako, naging achiever ako noong First Quarter, and as Top 8. Nawala ako ng Second Quarter, bumalik noong Third Quarter (I forgot na!) dahil sa tatlong Quiz Bee ako naging First Placer, at nawala ulit noong Fourth Quarter. I am not consistent, that's true! Umiiyak pa ako sa best friend ko noon over the phone dahil siya, Top 2, ako wala ni isang place sa honor roll. Speaking of First Placer sa Quiz Bee, sa tatlong subjects ako nanalo: Spelling, HEKASI and Science. Hindi ako nag-aral noon, kung baga, stocked knowledge ang ginamit (haha!) Grade Five ako, sumali ulit ako sa Quiz Bee at hindi na katulad noong Grade Four na puros first place ang nakuha ko. First Placer ako sa Science, Second Placer ako sa HEKASI, Third Placer ako sa Spelling. Grade Six, wala na! Tanging isang Quiz Bee lang ang sinalihan ko, HEKASI at hindi pa ako nanalo. Hindi rin ako nagpatalo sa mga pataasan ng scores kapag exams; magtatanungan kayo kung ano ang score mo sa English, sa Filipino, sa Science at sa kung anu-ano pang subjects. Lahat talaga ng bata, lalo na't you have something to be proud of, ganyan ang pasttime, ang magyabangan ng scores at grades. In our own little way, we are achievers!

TEACHER'S FAVORITE - I also became teacher's pet or teacher's bet or teacher's favorite: favorite pagalitan, favorite utusan at favorite pahiyain sa klase. Favorite akong pagalitan ng adviser ko noong Grade One dahil sa kakulitan ko. If I became too rowdy, papaupuin niya ako sa pinakalikod malapit sa teacher's table. I remember my Mom went to the school to talk to my teacher para lang palipatin ulit ako sa harapan dahil pinagpe-piyestahan ako ng mga lamok sa likod ng aming classroom. Favorite student ako ng adviser ko noong Grade Three dahil sunod ako ng sunod sa mga utos niya. Naging instant katulong niya ako that every time she needs something to eat, she will ask me to go to the canteen and buy her food. Favorite naman akong pahiyain ng teacher ko sa MAPE noong Grade Four. Mayroon siyang tawag sa akin (which I don't like to share it) so my classmates would have a good laugh against me. At favorite din akong pag-tripan ng teacher ko sa HEKASI noong Grade Four dahil nakakatuwa raw ako masyado. Anumang klaseng "favoritism" yan, kung deserve naman, why not. Regardless na tawagin ka mang teacher's pet or "sipsip" sa teacher, mas maganda if you're doing your work properly.

BEST FRIEND, BARKADA AND BULLIES - Lahat ng mga Grade Schoolers, naranasan magkaroon ng instant best friend (na may contract at gestures), barkada (having time with friends or one thing in common) and the dreadful bullies (tagging names, kukunin ang baon, biglaang pagti-tripan) at ako dahil naging Grade Schooler ako, naranasan ko yan. Ang kauna-unahan kong best friend ay si Dino (na ngayon, isa na siyang engineer). In everything that we do, magkasundong-magkasundo kami. There was a time na nag-away kami niyan, Grade 6 dahil biniro ko lang siya. Hindi pala nakakatawa ang joke ko so napikon. Nagkabati rin kami afterwards at nagkapatawaran sa isa't isa. Ang isa ko pang best friend ay si Meliza (na isa na ngayong successful government employee). Marami rin kaming common things that we love like slumbooks (or autograph), daily cake (Cupp Keyk na Mocha flavor, Choco Choco, and chocolate candies which I forgot the brand), Ikaw Lamang of Jaya and Janno Gibbs, and yung Grade Five na student (haha!). May time na rin na nag-away kami niyan dahil sa isang issue na kami rin naman ang gumawa. And of course, nagkaayos din. It is too hard to tell if you can create your own circle of friends at an early start but for me, nagkakaroon lang ako ng barkada kung may pare-pareho kaming gusto. Nagkaroon ako ng barkada dahil mahilig kami sa Ghost Fighter. Nagkaroon ako ng barkada dahil lagi kaming recite ng recite sa klase. Nagkaroon din ako ng barkada dahil pare-pareho kami ng crushes. May kababawan man and not so sturdy ang foundation, we didn't bother! And yes, if you have been a victim of bully, I was also became one. When in Grade One, na-bully ako ng mga kaklase ko. We were in first row and the four of them didn't talk to me for I really do not know the real reason. I was also bullied with some of my classmates in Grade Three by getting my food. I was bullied by some of my batchmates in Grade Four though hindi ko naman pinapansin dahil hindi ko naman sila kilala. And yes, I was also being bullied by some lower Grade Schoolers (nakakahiya man) and because of that, nagiging too emotional ako because of the words they were saying about me. All of those things about socializing with other kids may have certain issues: to gain friends, to lose friends and to be a victim of bullies.

THE TEACHERS - Teachers are considered the second parent of the children. After their homes, school is a place that a child can go and stay for almost half of their daily schedules. And the person responsible for them are the teachers. My teachers in Grade School were really memorable to me. Si Mrs. Kua, my Grade One adviser, ay lagi akong pinapagalitan dahil na nga rin sa sobra kong kakulitan sa klase noon. Pinaupo niya ako sa likod, pinabalik niya ako sa classroom ng Prep, dinala niya ako sa Guidance Office, pinatawag ang parents ko, the works of being a Grade One student. Pero love pa rin niya ako. Ang hindi ko makakalimutan kay Mrs. Kua ay noong nag-birthday celebration ang classmate ko at hindi niya ako binigyan ng loot bag as souvenir sa birthday. Noong tinanong na siya ng mga classmates ko kung bakit wala akong loot bag, siya pa ang galit! I only realized just for today that siguro galit na galit siya sa akin that's why hindi niya ako binigyan ng loot bag! Si Ms. Arela naman ay adviser ko noong Grade Two, na naging Mrs. Montalbo. Mataray siya at one time, sinungitan niya ako dahil nagsabi lang naman ako na nawawalan ako ng five pesos (malaking pera na yun before!). Pero she's one of the most beautiful teachers in St. Francis before. Mrs. Mendoza was my adviser in Grade Three and siya ang teacher ko na ginagawa akong utusan. Well, I like it because it's a sort of being favorite. I remember the time she was talking to my Mom. When she saw my Mom, aba'y ang sabi ay, "Good morning, Mrs. Balota, the mother of my favorite student!" Nakakahiya man pero nilunok ko na lang. Mrs. Cabilar was my adviser in Grade Four and Six and she was known in our school as the "matapang" na teacher. I remember one time, I was just walking around our school when I saw her calling a student, and then "blaagaag!" Pinalo niya sa ulo ng book ang student na tinawag niya. Well, may kakulitang taglay siguro ang bata so he deserved it. Siya rin ang adviser ko na nagpatawag sa parents ko dahil hindi ako gumagawa ng assignment. Lastly, si Ms. Guieb, ang adviser ko noong Grade 5 at siya rin ang isa sa mga teachers ko in Math for three consecutive school years (from Grades 4 to 6). Noong Grade 4 ako, malapit sa house namin ang tinitirahan niyang bedspacer so kapag may ipapadala siya sa akin ng mga lesson plans niya, ibibigay or ipapabigay ko lang din para sa kanya. Not only them, I also had other teachers na favorite ko rin like Ms. Villaflor, Ms. Ingua, Ms. Orijuela, Mr. Marfil, and so many more. I wonder kung nasaan na silang lahat. Are they also looking at my pictures that now I am also like them?

Those were the days that I'm still young and did not know the things I was doing. As a teacher in Grade School, you deal quickly with the lessons because the kids are eager to listen and learn but hard to discipline since they're kids, basically. Though I had problems before that I've faced, somehow I've outgrown it and still learning some things from it. And the sweetness of the kids, it's really irresistible! Talagang mapapayuko ka at mapapatiklop ka sa kanila that even though you're always getting angry at them, they still love you back. Revenge is somehow sweeter in Grade School because a student that you've got angry with will never think of bad things against you; rather they will say they're utmost apologies. Those were the things I would surely miss when I enter the next chapter of my teaching career.

Few days, I'll be leaving the premises of Grade School as I am now challenging myself in the world of High School. New and more matured students, higher level of learning and so much more. I don't know what's going to happen to me and to my students but I know that God put me in this because He knows that I can do it! Hindi naman ako bibigyan ng bagong sitwasyon kung hindi ako handa. I will do everything and anything for the sake of the kids and also to myself!

And also, most of my high school students became my students before, so I guess there's no problem with it (well, almost?).

Toodles!

2 Years of Writing Anything

I may not have a very formal training in writing but having more than 17,000 views makes my writing hobby interesting. And yes, my Brouhahas has been two years in the Internet world, giving a hearty laugh to you and an interesting stories to tell. Honestly speaking, I really do not know what to write. I cannot also give you the things that you should do to maintain this kind of blog. I do not have enough followers and I do not even know if those viewers are really reading my posts (hehehe). But I do believe in my talent, of course who couldn't agree more but myself!

I just wanted to thank my friends who always uplift my spirit in reading my posts. Though most of it has lots of grammar lapses and incomprehensible utters, it doesn't matter since I am maintaining a semi-formal (if there's such?) kind of blog. My friends whom I made my piece, my study, my topic and my idea to all of my writings here. I don't know if they really liked it; it is just that I wanted to share to the whole world how much I love them! Though I'm not really confident to share what my family is, I will make sure to make a full blast about them.

To some of the websites and other references I am using for some of my posts, thank you for somehow lending your thoughts and ideas to my blog. I am afraid too much with what we have right now as plagiarism ek-ek but of course, I am using your references with consent or permission. Without these things, my posts would not be readable and somehow interesting to read.

And of course, to all of my readers. Call me a very hands-on to my blogsite, I am always looking to the stats of my views. And it really touches my heart every time it makes the views worth a hundred to a thousand! I still remember the first years of my blog, I am wishing to have at most 2,500 views before my birthday of 2011. It didn't pursue but why should I if day-by-day, the views add up! And if the views of my posts boost up to more than 50 views, it makes me a bit proud of myself.

I just don't know but I am just thankful! Two years of writing anything is a mixture of joy and experience. I feel the joyfulness every time I publish one post to my blog. I don't know if the people will like it or not, it is what I really love the most. I learn some much from experience. Though most of my posts are about the things I had, it brings me too many lessons.

God, thank You for the gift of writing. I may need more kind of training in the near future or whatever, I promise that every piece of work of mine is always for You!

Thank you guys for making my blog worth reading!!!

Toodles!!!