Teacher Arlene August 15, 2007

A teacher for the first time

By Arlene Paredes
Inquirer
Last updated 01:23am (Mla time) 08/15/2007

Published on August 15, 2007 in the Philippine Daily Inquirer

Inquirer link [here]

I never thought I’d become a teacher one day. But fate, I guess, had made plans for something far beyond what my imagination could conceive.

After switching from one type of day job to another for several years (while also working as a freelance writer), I wound up as a teacher.

My classroom is not the traditional kind that most of us are familiar with. It is designed for a maximum of four students only, so I am able to pay a lot of attention to the students for the entire 45 minutes of the class. This setup is necessary for a learning plan that is highly interactive, rich yet compact, and fast-paced for young learners of the subject (English as a Second Language).

I started teaching ESL just this summer. To summarize how I feel about the whole experience so far, I’d say it’s been fun, challenging and seriously fulfilling since Day 1.

First, teaching is fun because I’m surrounded by kids whose laughter and antics liven up my otherwise boring and predictable existence. Second, it’s challenging because every child has his or her own learning style, and designing a lesson plan to match these learning styles and the children’s varying scope of interests is definitely not easy.

The subjects I teach are Basic Phonics and Writing. In Basic Phonics, I rediscover words and share them with the children in the most creative and fun ways possible. Inviting fun into the classroom is easy. Teachers can relax, make jokes, encourage kids to talk. However, the challenge is how to use fun creatively, such that the children will not just have fun, but will learn, too.

In Writing, I teach what I’ve always loved doing, but that is not to say that everything is breezy in the Writing class. In fact, it’s just the exact opposite.

Resistance and challenge

It’s so frustrating to witness the resistance level of some students when it comes to writing. Their resistance comes understandably from the fear of not doing the writing task right. On top of that, they’re not even writing in their first language.

The challenge is how to make the students believe that if the teacher, who is not a native English speaker like them, had written compositions in English, then they could do it, too. Planning a 45-minute class in a style that is most beneficial to everyone in the classroom is definitely not a walk in the park.

Finally, I’d say teaching is a seriously fulfilling task because in all the years I’d been working since I left school, teaching is the first job that has marked my weekdays as truly and undeniably productive.

Everyday, students are richer in mind and experience because their teachers labor hard to add a little bit more to what they already know. Everyday, teachers are molding children’s minds.

Teachers never labor in vain, I guess, although this is hardly ever obvious. In fact, it’s so easy to take what teachers are doing for granted. I know this to be true; I was a student for 15 years, after all.

I had absolutely no idea about all the mental and emotional stress that go with this job. Of course, I’m thankful I have this enlightening experience now. Without it, I wouldn’t be rediscovering every day the saying “teaching is a noble profession.” It is, indeed.

E-mail the author at crypticmess@yahoo.com

Wall climbing in Boracay August 30, 2006

My Bora climbing experience
Arlene Paredes

Published on August 30, 2006 in the Philippine Daily Inquirer

IF YOU sports enthusiasts out there ever decide to fly to Boracay during the rainy season, remember you may miss doing some water sports, but you can still flex your muscles right in the comfort of Patio Pacific, the only resort with wall-climbing facility that is perfect for fun-filled barkada sports.

This author tried wall-climbing for the first time. I didn’t really expect to make it to the top. Sometimes it’s better to just enjoy the journey, or in the case of wall-climbing, the way to the top, than be too occupied with the destination.

We climbers first checked the equipment at the Patio Pacific Alpha Fitness Centre and did some warm-up exercises to stretch our muscles.

Legwork

“Remember, use the power of your legs and feet,” Kuya Richard of Patio Pacific told me as he helped me don the harness that would ensure my safety during the climb.

“Keep this rope between your arms and don’t let it bother you,” he said, noting that some beginners mess with the rope, making their climb more difficult than it should be.

Whether my legs and feet have sufficient “power” for the climb, I was going to find out.

Curiously though, when I looked closely at the holds on wall, I was thinking of how to hold rather than step on them. I was definitely thinking of handwork rather than footwork. This would later result in shocked and stressed arms the morning after.

(After the climb, I read some stories on wall climbing. I learned that beginners are not likely to understand that the sport requires more precision in footwork than anything else.)

I asked the guide if it would be okay to climb barefooted since I didn’t think my beach sandals could help make the climb any easier. Kuya Richard said some people actually prefer to climb barefooted. So I did.

After the first few steps, my instinct was telling me to look up and check the distance left from the top. This is wrong. This is not enjoying the journey, this is impatience.

The right thing to do is look down and check for holds to step on. Once you found another hold to stick your foot on, that’s when you look up to find a handhold that could clear several inches to the top. Progress in steps and give in to the thrill, not fear, of doing it.

Kuya Richard was observing me very carefully, shouting some directions when he noticed I was getting stuck for over five seconds. As much as possible, trainers will let you strategize your own climb. But once you’re stuck, trust them when they say “right” or “left,” it is the way to go. If your foot slips off at first attempt, relax. Direct your weight properly to place your foot at a right angle and you’ll get comfortable in no time.

After a few minutes, I noticed my arms were beginning to ache and my fingers were shaking. I knew I wasn’t doing it right but I had no time to care, I was almost at the top. I thought if I fretted about not doing it right, instead of just giving in to the thrill, I would mess up a few meters to the top.

I was laughing when I grabbed on the last handhold to the top. Not knowing I could do it but enjoying anyway resulted in an awesome “Dear Diary” moment. I finally did it!

Bell

“Ring the bell!” Kuya Richard yelled.

“What bell?” I yelled back. I was so high throughout the course that I forgot I was supposed to pull the bell string once I had cleared the wall.

Of course, it’s not over until the bell rings!

After ringing the bell, I held on tight to the rope as I was told and just let gravity take care of me. What can I say, it’s always exciting to fall if you know someone’s going to catch you.

Once I was back on the ground, Kuya Richard first checked my hands for any scrape or cut. Clear. Then he asked me what body part was most stressed at that point. I said my arms. And my fingers were still shaking. He laughed, “You didn’t do it right.” I pleaded guilty. But I was still definitely ecstatic.

Now remember, your legs are stronger than your arms. Trust your legs to place your foot properly on the holds. Use them well. The next time I try wall-climbing, I’ll bear that in mind.

Pampering

After the climb, what should one do?

Do cool-down exercises to relax the muscles.

Alpha Wellness Centre boasts of cutting-edge equipment for pampering the body, the Alpha Capsule. This “unearthly” capsule combines dry-heat sauna, aromatherapy, ionized air (healthy molecules absorbable by the human body), massage and soothing music for a completely relaxing experience.

A 30-minute stay inside the Alpha Capsule and a separate 30-minute Swedish massage are more than enough rewards for the wall-climbing challenge this author had to face. (Inquirer link here.)

E-mail the author at lhenparedes@gmail.com

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Eye Hero September 7, 2005

Heroes in someone else’s eyes
Arlene M. Paredes

Published on September 7, 2005 in the Philippine Daily Inquirer

YOU ARE YOUNG, HEALTHY AND full of dreams for your family and yourself. The sight of your loved ones inspires you to pursue your undertakings and hope for the best in your future. You are studying in a reputable university, trying to make your dreams come true or still trying to figure out what you really want to do with your life. You have a vision for yourself. And you want to see this vision fulfilled. Now, when your mind is focused on living and getting everything you can get out of life, how would you react if an organization were to approach you to consider what you can do after you die? Would you be willing to be a hero and continue to live long after you’re gone?

“Be a hero in someone’s eyes; be a cornea or eye donor.”

For over 10 years now, this is what the Eye Bank Foundation of the Philippines (EBFP) has been doing—encouraging Filipinos to leave a legacy of sight and bringing a fire of hope to people in need of sight-restoring surgery.

It was the eve of National Heroes’ Day when 2bU! attended “Vision for a Vision” dinner at the Nicotina Garden Pavilion and joined a roomful of modern-day heroes led by Dr. Minguita Padilla, founder and president of EBFP, in celebrating 10 years of restoring sight to those in need of a cornea transplant.

The cornea is the transparent tissue covering our eye and transmitting light to the brain. An accident resulting in eye injury, a disease or some hereditary conditions can damage the cornea and subsequently reduce vision to the point of corneal blindness. EBFP’s mission is to alleviate corneal blindness, one of the top four causes of remediable blindness in the country and in the world.

EBFP, a nonprofit, nongovernment, humanitarian organization, hopes to convince more people to pledge their corneal tissue for the sake of those who are blind. “At any one point there are at least 300 people waiting for corneal tissue in the reservation list of the Eye Bank. Although the four to five months waiting time is very good by world standards, each additional day in darkness is like an eternity for someone ignited with the hope of restored sight. With the help of our generous supporters we hope to cut this waiting time at least in half so that we may help more people, and help them more effectively,” said Dr. Padilla.

EBFP manages and operates the Santa Lucia International Eye Bank of Manila (SLIEB), which is the only internationally accredited, active, state-of-the-art, 24-hour eye-banking facility in the country.

Asking for organ and tissue donation calls for a lot of courage. Fortunately, the founder of EBFP has more than just unwavering courage; she has the firm determination to fulfill the EBFP vision and bring sight back especially to indigent Filipinos. “We were working practically alone, very quietly (in the beginning)… In fact some people said, ‘You’ll never make it,’” shares Dr. Padilla, grateful that financial and technical support eventually reached them and more people have continuously supported the eye bank and the EBFP vision.

A donated cornea and eye tissue is the only chance for many people to restore their eyesight. Topnotch broadcast journalist Che Che Lazaro is one of the many grateful recipients of a cornea transplant. An 18-year-old girl, whom we shall call “Baby Joy,” from Binalonan, Pangasinan, had congenital corneal blindness which slowly affected her since she was 2 months old. She was finally able to regain her eyesight around two yeas ago through the help of EBFP. A member of Cafgu (Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit) slowly lost his vision during a mission in Mindanao in 1993. He regained his eyesight just last year after two successful corneal transplants.

However, thousands of people are still waiting for heroes with generous hearts to donate his or her eyes upon death or the eyes of a family member who had just died. The good news is we can all be eye donors. We can contact EBFP and pledge our cornea tissues now.

Sarah Geronimo, one of the youngest celebrity supporters of EBFP, says she is very happy to be a part of the “Tears of Hope, Tears of Health” campaign of EBFP. The young singing champion muses, “Tickets din po ‘yun sa heaven…”

With all things considered and put in good perspective, wouldn’t you want to be a hero in someone else’s eyes, too?

“Vision for a Vision” was a fundraising dinner attended by the supporters of the “Tears of Hope, Tears of Health” campaign of EBFP and Visine Refresh. The night was a culminating activity for Sight Saving Month, highlighted by an auction of precious items previously owned by celebrity supporters of EBFP, like director Jose Javier Reyes, actress Rica Peralejo, broadcast journalist and cornea recipient Che Che Lazaro, former Bb. Pilipinas Universe Abbygale Arenas-De Leon, top photographer Jun De Leon and makeup expert Juan Sarte.

The Eye Bank Foundation of the Philippines is at Suite 246 Makati Medical Center, 2 Amorsolo St., Makati City. Telefax No:. 8935995; cell phone 0917-8935995; E-mail eyebank1@ultimate.info.com.ph (Inquirer link here.)

Important facts about eye donation

MANY BLIND PEOPLE CAN SEE almost perfectly after a corneal transplant. The damaged corneas are replaced with clear tissues supplied by the bank.

Anyone, regardless of age, whether or not you wear eyeglasses or contact lenses, or had an eye disease may donate their corneas for transplant.

One may choose to donate their corneal tissue alone or the entire eye. Other parts of the eye may also be used for sight-saving surgeries.

There are no visible signs of the eye or corneal removal. Once removed, they are replaced with an eye cap or prosthetic so that the appearance of the face is maintained.

Corneal or eye donation is not contrary to most church doctrine. Organ donation is not a desecration of the human body. It is supported and approved by the most religious denominations.

Source: The Eye Bank Foundation of the Philippines primer

E-mail the author at lhenparedes@gmail.com

Christmas in June July 27, 2005

Merry Christmas in June
Arlene M. Paredes

Published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on July 27, 2005

WHO said Christmas can only be celebrated in December? Twelve blessed children had their Christmas in June. And it felt just right.

They were meek and rather bashful on stage, answering questions in at most, three-worded phrases, but what they lacked in words they made up for with the genuine expressions of gratitude and delight in their beautiful little faces as they received their Christmas wishes in June.

Twelve children, aged 4-17 years old, received their Christmas wishes from Make-A-Wish Foundation (MAWF) Philippines during “MAWF Christmas in June” at the SM Megamall Ice Skating Rink in June 29.

Recipients of Christmas wishes were: Wilgein Oraye, 4, with acute lymphocytic leukemia; Bryan Jasper Manila, 7, with brain tumor; Lani Versoza, 11, with brain tumor; Alvin James Castillo, 7, with acute lymphocytic leukemia; Paul Rodriguez, 7, with acute myelogenous leukemia; Brian Edward Hermogeno, 7, with beta thalassemia (blood disorder); Yanna Rose Guevarra, 6, with acute lymphocytic leukemia; Ana Margarita Pangilinan, 17, with acute lymphocytic leukemia; Jayson Tunay, 9, with acute lymphocytic leukemia; Bianca Ericka Valencia, 8, with yolk sac tumor; Samantha Luz, 14, with acute lymphocytic leukemia; and Juan Carlo Ramos, 4, with acute lymphocytic leukemia.

The children are separately confined at the Philippine General Hospital, University of Sto. Tomas Hospital, Philippine Children’s Medical Center and Fe Del Mundo Medical Center.

Three of them wished for a Gameboy SP, another three wished for a television, while the others separately wished for a bike, a remote-controlled car, a cell phone with radio, a cell phone with camera, a discman, and a Spiderman toy.

Their wishes were rather simple, mostly things that they could use every day, things that a regular kid would wish to have. This means my friends and I could sponsor a wish and take part in the wonderful mission of MAWF: “We grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.”

Astonishing courage

It was a blessing to witness the wish-granting ceremony and see the precious smiles on the little children’s faces. This author felt truly humbled by the astonishing courage the children displayed: though they were all suffering from a serious illness, there was not a clue on their faces that they were ready to give up or stop enjoying life to the fullest.

Despite the discomfort of masks and their ailing bodies, they were radiating with a different kind of energy-the kind that would generate strength and hope in the hearts of those who would care to really look at them. It should not be surprising, though. They are children. If anyone could inspire us at the most trying times in our life, it would be the children, with their unfailing hope and unwavering faith.

Christmas in June was made possible by MAWF Philippines along with MAWF-Canada (represented by Canadian Ambassador Peter Sutherland and Gerard Belanger, head of Canadian International Development Agency), Philippine Daily Inquirer, Toy Kingdom, and individual sponsors, Celine Madamba and Elaine Maralit.

MAWF was founded in 1980 when a little boy named Chris Greicius, who was suffering from leukemia, realized his wish to become a police officer. Since then, MAWF has granted the wishes of over a hundred thousand children with life-threatening medical conditions all over the world.

Here in the Philippines, MAWF first granted a wish in 1999. Christian Lanzar, who had hemophilia since birth, had wished to sing to the world. His wish won Best Wish of the Year International. MAWF made Chris’s wish possible in a grand fashion when it made Christian sing with no less than Regine Velasquez at the Manila Peninsula fountain during the millennium welcome celebration, broadcast all over the world. (Inquirer link here.)

Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Philippines holds office at Suite 303 I-Care Building, 167 Legaspi Corner De La Rosa St., Legaspi Village, Makati City 1229. (Telefax: 840-1553, Website: www.makeawish.org.ph ) Donations are accepted through RCBC Peso Account No: 1-288-36555-1.