Curse of Chucky

It's Halloween night and I want to be scared hehe... so I watched the "Curse of Chucky." Since I was a child, I have been a fan of this slasher film about a "Good Guy" doll possessed by a serial killer, Charles Lee "Chucky" Ray. 

This film is so much closer to the first three installments. A straight-forward horror, lesser comedy and more killing actions and fight scenes. The story traced back how the human Chucky was killed and transferred his soul to the doll. He was really insane and obsessed with Sarah, who was pregnant with Nica. He kidnapped Sarah and he was haunted by the policemen. He escaped after stabbing Sarah's stomach (that's why Nica was paraplegic). The policemen shot him to death. Since he was a voodoo practitioner, he was able to transfer his soul to a doll in the toy store.

His frustrations to transfer his soul to a child still persist in the film, this time his target is Alice, Nica's niece. At the end of the film is the epic cameo of the adult Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent) pointing a rifle to Chucky's forehead.

Great film! 

Curse of Chucky Movie Poster

My horror movie marathon is not yet over, tomorrow I will watch Insidious 1 and 2, and Carrie. :D

"Wicked" The Broadway Musical in Manila 2014

Great! They extend the dates for the "Wicked" The Broadway Musical  next year.

But still the Ticket World website is giving me a pity stare 'cause I can't buy a ticket yet... -__-

I hope I could get my mid-year bonus sooner, because every time I visit this site to check the availability of the dates many bars are turning from green to red (excellent to limited)! I can never forgive myself if I will miss this one. I am a fan of the classic "The Wizard of Oz" and its parallel novel "Wicked"... Stories about wizards, adventures and magic always fascinate me... Also, it's been a dream for me to watch a musicale show, so I will really consider this as a treat for myself. I hope I can invite some friends to join me in this geekiness hehe...

Throwback Thursday (#TBT)

If you are also active in social network sites like Instagram, Facebook or Twitter, you might be very familiar with Throwback Thursday. I don't know how this digital trend started or who has the credit of coining these words and spreading it as a viral hash tag (#TBT), but one thing for sure is that it is becoming part of our weekly social media routine. There would be no Thursdays that I wouldn't see a post with this hash tag. Most of the times, it's really flooding my news feed, and I bet you're also experiencing the same or perhaps you are already hooked to this installment. Is this just a fad? I don't think so...  It seems that #TBT is here to stay. 

But what is this hash tag? How can we participate with trend correctly?

Based from the different articles that I've read online,  I consolidated the rules or etiquette in using this hash tag and came up with the following five pointers:

1. Throwback Thursday is meant to be fun. Choose a picture that will amuse your friends.
2. The picture must be more than 3 to 5 years ago. But the more vintage your photo is, the more it has the right to be posted with #TBT hash tag. So dig in your photo albums, and start scanning your non-digital photos. 
3. Alright, so Flashback Friday is trying to steal the limelight, then use the #FBF every Friday that you feel nostalgic! But please, it's a big no-no to use #TBT to any other days of the week. I think this rule doesn't need further explanation. 
4. Consider your friends' sensitivity in posting an old picture with friends and tagging it with them. If you think the person won't be happy about it (a captured picture of his awkward moment). Try to seek his permission first before posting and tagging it.
5. Do not overuse #TBT. I think posting two throwback pictures every Thursday is enough... posting more than two is already nostalgia overdose. 

It's not even Thursday yet, and I'm starting to see photos with #TBT here in my feed... trying to be an early bird for tomorrow... Wait... I'm seeing a #WackyWednesday tag! What's this? Do we have to set another rule for this? 

Edmodo: Where Learning Happens

Edmodo is emerging as one of the frontiers when it comes to Content Management Systems (CMS) for education. Teachers and learners call it as the Facebook for school. Its features are similar to the said social network site. 

Edmodo Welcome Screen

Nic Borg and Jeff O'Hara designed this 21st Century learning tool with the goal of closing the gap between how students live their lives and how they learn in school. Although, most schools block social networks to avoid distraction while learning, these two IT experts clung to the  idea of harnessing the power of a safe and secured social networking to connect teachers and learners anytime and anywhere. It is also designed to support the K-12 curriculum that is why it is very timely that all Filipino teachers should also learn and practice this tool.

What are the features of Edmodo that we can maximize to connect ourselves with the learners and to other people and resources? While visiting their site, I immediately checked their about section and learned that there are four key features of Edmodo that would really convince us to use it. These features are as follows:

1. Engage - Edmodo is designed to engage students and take an active role in their own learning. Interactions between the teachers and learners can be extended through online discussions, polls and surveys. Giving feedback to the learners' output is also possible. There are even badges that students can collect after a remarkable performance and behavior. 
2. Connect - Teachers will act as the center of powerful networks of students, fellow teachers, administrators and even parents. The moment that you signed up for an account in Edmodo, you will be asked to create groups for each of your class. Each group will have a group code that you can distribute to your students. The students will use the group code to sign up for an account and become part of your group. Emails are optional in signing up for a student account.
3. Measure - Edmodo has its very effective way of measuring the progress of our students. The teachers can create online quizzes with automatic scoring and grading system. You can also pulse the student reactions to the quizzes, assignments and discussions. Cool badges for great performance and nice behaviors are easily available. You can even create and share your own badges. 
4. Personalize - To amplify an effective learning plan, there are many applications that can be integrated as supplemental to normal online class instructions. The teachers can access both free and premium applications in Edmodo Store. 

I would say that Edmodo is a very promising learning tool. There is no doubt that both teachers and learners will benefit from this. It is just that teachers should have the right attitude towards technology used to improve education. But probably many are still skeptic about Edmodo and even other ICT tools integrated in teaching and learning. However, like many progressive countries, we need to revolutionize our education and emerge with best practices integrating technology to produce graduates that are competent enough to face this fast-changing world. 

It just needs your little time and effort to learn this very powerful ICT tool. 

So sign up for a FREE ACCOUNT (yup, it's true ... the best things in life are FREE!) 

Here's the link: http://www.edmodo.com

Philippine Holidays for 2014

Proclamation No. 655, s. 2013 was published last September 25, 2013 at Official Gazette. President Benigno Aquino declared the following regular and special holidays in 2014:

Sources: 

http://www.gov.ph/2013/10/01/list-of-nationwide-holidays-for-2014/

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/09/30/1239872/list-philippine-holidays-2014

ICT in Education Planning and Management

Last October 4, 2013, instead of enjoying with my fellow teachers in the World Teachers’ Day celebration in our school, I attended a seminar workshop about Information and Communications Technology in Education Planning and Management. But I didn't regret accepting the task to attend to this event, because I knew that I would learn something new from this.

The learning event was sponsored by Felta and Intel. It was held at Astoria Plaza, Escriva Drive, Ortigas, Pasig City. Educational supervisors, ICT coordinators and computer teachers from different divisions of Metro Manila were invited to this event. The keynote speaker, Mr. Benjamin Vergel De Dios, guided the participants into a modular approach of developing an ICT program for every DCS.

First, every division was asked to present the CHALLENGES that we were currently encountering about ICT program implementation. Then, the speaker talked about the uses of ICT in Education particularly in teaching and learning process. He also discussed about the stages of ICT development and its pedagogical uses. I was amazed when he presented the ICT Master Plan of Singapore and Korea. How I hoped that we could do the same in our education system. Mr. De Dios said that they succeeded because they had a vision.

Mr. De Dios, while discussing the Stages of ICT Use

The next activity was about writing our VISION. In writing our vision, the speaker gave us the following guide questions:

• What do we do?
• How do we do it?
• From whom do we do it?

After stating our vision, which we proudly presented to all other ICT leaders, we were guided by the speaker to come up of at least TOP 5 PRIORITIES for ICT program to achieve our vision.

Lastly, all ICT leaders were encouraged to conceptualize an ICT PROJECT by setting goals and objectives, identifying components and activities, and allocating funds. He even shared some of the ICT projects and best practices of other schools around the country to serve as our inspiration in working with our own.    

Conceptualizing ICT projects for your division

Mr. De Dios, in his closing, shared a challenging quote from Karen Salmansohn, “Don’t shrink your dreams. Super-size your courage and abilities.” It is indeed a challenge to transform our education system through ICT. With limited resources and cynicisms, we might really shrink our dreams and just settle for pre-historical approaches. But an ICT in Education leader should strive with his super-sized courage and abilities by upgrading himself and improving the learning situation of his school/division. 

Mr. and Ms. Teacher Idol 2013

As part of the World Teachers’ Day celebration, the Faculty Club of Gen. T. de Leon National High School organized the Mr. and Ms. Teacher Idol 2013 “The Ultimate Search for GTDLNHS Teacher Idols.” I never expected that this event would turn out to be huge. The support of students and teachers for this event was overwhelming. The goal of this project, as an income generating activity, was to support for the expenses of faculty dinner and dance party.

The logo that I designed for this event:

The pageant was a personality and popularity contest. 

The following were the criteria for judging:

Popularity (ticket canvassing)                                           50%
Fashionista Attire and Long Gown/Formal Wear          25%    
Q&A/Interview                                                                   25% 

During the pageant night, all teachers and students screamed at the top of their lungs calling the names of their bet teacher idol candidates. In the end, Mr. Rainier Concepcion and Ms. Sheila Marie Juralbar, both from English Department, were crowned as Mr. and Ms. Teacher Idol 2013. First Runner-Up winners were Mr. Robert Obispo and Ms. Maricon Valeza, both from Science Department and Second Runner-Up winners were Mr. Jesher Baldove and Ms. Archie Vergel, from Math Department.  

TEACHnology Tools of the 21st Century “Creating Interactive Presentations”

As our final requirement for our Knowledge Management subject in our graduate program M.A.Ed. Educational Technology, we organized an ICT literacy seminar-workshop titled: TEACHnology Tools of the 21^st Century “Creating Interactive Presentations.” 

The banner I designed for this seminar-workshop

We held it last September 28, 2013 in Sta. Elena High School, Division of Marikina City. Some selected teachers of the said school were our participants.

As the class president, it was indeed a challenge to delegate tasks and coordinate all our efforts to make this event a success. I was glad to have very cooperative classmates, who would always participate actively and perform their duties wholeheartedly.

We were very thankful to Facebook Group, because it became our official bulletin to keep everyone updated about our preparation. Our class was also blessed to have Mr. Ryan Lee on our side, because he took the role of being the speaker. It was not an easy job for him, but he generously shared his talents in his topics about: Advance PowerPoint and Creating Newsletters with Publisher. As a treat, Ms. Dessa Joy, also our classmate, shared to our participants about the power of Edmodo as a course management system.

Here are some pics during the seminar workshop. (Photos below credit to Sir MJ Serafica)

Participants were amazed while Sir Ryan discussed
the Advance PowerPoint

Busy working with their Class Newsletters

Participants were listening intently while Ma'am Dessa
discussed the Edmodo registration

After the tiring day... how about a nice pose :)

After this event, we all went home tired but happy, because we had finally surpassed the challenge to share knowledge and promote dynamic teaching and learning through ICT among our fellow teachers.

Maka-KaLIKHAsan "On-The-Spot Recycled Project Making Contest"

Last September 27, St. Louis College of Valenzuela, on their College Week, invited all fourth year high school students to join the campaign against climate change. As part of their Eco-Fair, they held the Maka-KaLIKHAsan, an on-the-spot project making contest. I chose two of my most creative senior students and we joined this very challenging competition.

In this contest, the goal was to come up of a recycled product out of scrap materials that SLCV provided (old diskettes, egg trays, cartons, CDs, old newspapers and magazines). The final outputs were judged according to the following criteria:

·         Use of Recyclable Materials – 40%

·         Creativity and Craftsmanship – 40%

·         Originality – 20%

After revealing the materials to be used, the coaches were given the chance to collaborate with their students on what particular output they could come up with using those materials. The coaching was limited to ten minutes, so I maximized the time in helping my students to figure out their output. Then, we decided to come up with a TABLE ORGANIZER. Here is their recycled product:

Office table organizer with flower vase and picture frame 

These are the outputs of other schools who also participated:

While the outputs were being judged, we attended the Kabataan para sa Kalikasan Forum. We learned a lot from the speakers who talked about small ways that the youth can do to battle against the danger of the climate change.

When they announced the winners, my students were filled with joy, because in spite of so many beautiful entries, we still bagged the THIRD PLACE! My students received trophies (the trophies are also recycled, made of twisted old newspapers coated with bronze paint) and a cash prize of 1000 pesos.  

With Ms. Venus Bucud, SLCV College Marketing Officer

A Very Frenzied Week

Wow! I couldn't imagine how I survived the last seven days. To give you an idea how frenzied my schedule was, here’s a peek:

• September 27 : On-the-spot recycled project making contest in St. Louis College of Valenzuela
• September 28 : TEACHnology Tools for the 21^st Century Learning, an ICT literacy seminar workshop we organized as our final requirement in Knowledge Management course
• September 29 : Bulletin board/school organizational construction with a Sir Mike and Ma’am Cora
• September 30 – October 3 : Preparation for the Mr. and Ms. Teacher Idol 2013
• October 4: Attended ICT in Education Planning and Management

This will also explain why I haven’t had a post for a while. I want to tell all my wonderful experiences and crunch them in this single post, but I am afraid that I may miss some details and insights I feel like sharing with you, so I have decided to post these events one at a time.