Orientation for the Candidates of Online Flexible Learning Tutors and Associate Tutors

I was overwhelmed, delighted and flabbergasted, because of the invitation that I received yesterday. I was invited by the DepEd NCR Office to attend the orientation of candidates for Flexible Learning Tutors and Associate Tutors. 

I just can't believe it! 

Just two months ago, I accepted the challenge of my school head to be part of the GURO21 Course 1: "Facilitating the Development of 21st Century Skills for Southeast Asian Teachers." I spent my weekends pounding the books just to accomplish the module assignments. I devotedly attended online chat sessions and actively participated in our virtual class discussions. Last January, I was fortunate to be one of the learners who were invited to attend the revalida (an oral defense of your learning portfolio). To my surprise, our online tutor chose me to give our class reflection, a task assigned for the top performing learners of the class. This is indeed another achievement for this wonderful journey... 

And just as I thought this is the end of my SEAMEO INNOTECH/GURO21 story... 
A memo from our Division Office informing me about the said orientation was sent to our school.

After I read the memo, my head teacher saw how I beamed into great happiness! She knew that to become a trainer is really one of my dreams.

I went the orientation today excitedly. I met my other fellow GURO21 learners who were also invited as candidates. We talked about our past experiences as GURO21 scholars and shared our common feelings of 'overjoy' for the thought that we were chosen and that we could be part of the SEAMEO as online tutors. 

Dr. Maria Teresa A. Namoro, Assistant Chief of Secondary Education Division, DepEd NCR, gave her opening remarks, explaining the memorandum of agreement of SEAMEO and DepEd and the plan to open the third batch of ICeXCELS and GURO21. 

During the orientation proper, Dr. Namoro discussed about course background. She enlightened everyone about the course and its objectives. She also discussed about the roles of flexible tutors and associate tutors.

Ms. Elizabeth Meneses, Education Supervisor, talked about the course policies and requirements, while Dr. Rowena Ontangco, Regional ESP Coordinator, explained the rating rubric guide and criteria in grading the performance of the ICeXCELS/GURO21 learners.

The orientation in itself is both promising and challenging. This is indeed another chance for me to prove to myself that I am really a Brave Teacher! I am thanking God for blessing me with so many wonderful opportunities. To Him I offer my gratitude and devotion. 

Bahay Kalinga-Valenzuela Outreach Program

Ever since I was elected as one of the faculty club officers, doors of many opportunities to organize and participate in different school-based activities and community services have opened. It is a fulfillment for me to be part of every activity that encouraged the teachers to explore, grow and develop their full potentials, and most specially those activities that help them connect in the real world beyond classrooms. 

Just last Sunday (February 23), the GTDLNHS Faculty Club organized a community service program titled "To Love and Serve." The program aims to sponsor some goods and foods to the beneficiaries of Bahay Kalinga - Valenzuela. Bahay Kalinga , which serves as the homage for hundreds of homeless adults and street children (who are usually victims of abused, violence and abandoned), is an effort of the local DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) to take care of the abandoned and indigent people. 

With my fellow teachers at Bahay Kalinga - Valenzuela

We conducted spiritual counseling and a short lecture about hygiene to the young and adult clients. Our student teachers even prepared a short dance number to entertain and energize them. 

Mrs. Rosalyn Lo, our faculty club president, pledged that the support of our organization to Bahay Kalinga through in-kind donations will be a quarterly endeavor of the club in year round basis. 

My heart melted when I saw the young clients (ages 4 to 7 year old). I couldn't imagine how their parents abandoned and even maltreated them. I just hoped I could do more than this. 

Please if you are also a teacher, do a community service like this. 

Don't say 'we are only teachers, why bother?' 

We may have a 'just to get by' salary, but it should not stop us for thinking ways on how to reach out for the less fortunate. 

This activity made me realize how blessed I am. :')

You are already blessed to have a place you can call your home... and even more blessed to have a loving family that comforts you.

List of National Holidays for 2014

By virtue of Proclamation No. 655, s. 2013, DepEd has released the dates for the national holidays. The info-graphic shows a legend whether the holiday is regular (meaning for both schools and offices), special non-working (for both schools and offices), and special (for all schools): 

Source: DepEd Official Facebook Page

Araw ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela

I know this is really a late post, but I just really want to tell the world how many elementary and secondary public schools and enrolees we currently  have in our Division. Below is the info-pic by DepEd Official Facebook Page posted last February 14 - the Charter Day of Valenzuela City.

ALSconnect: Kaalamang Pangkabuhayan

ALSconnect: “Kaalamang Pangkabuhayan,” which is part of the Alternative Learning System Project of Division of Valenzuela, enhanced the total experiential learning of ALS students and opened opportunities for out of school youth and adults to acquire productive skills. Mrs. Remedios Santos, TLE/EPP Supervisor and coordinator of this project, calls the participation of all TLE secondary teachers to help in achieving its goal, which is to educate out of school youth and adults who would like to take informal education through life skills short term courses.

To respond to the challenge of this project, the Technology and Livelihood Department held the Hand and Foot Reflexology Training today, which is the first mini course offered by our school. This was attended by some invited parents and guardians of our students. Mrs. Shirbenly Garcia and Mr. Joel Managbanag, the course instructors, gave short but comprehensive lectures and demonstrations about hand and foot reflexology. Each participants were provided with free training kit and course module.

The training is indeed a successful kick-off of the series of training that we will organize for this ALSconnect: Kaalamang Pangkabuhayan Project. 

Mrs. Garcia, my fellow TLE teacher and a massage specialist,
demonstrating the proper hand reflexology 

The participants while doing their return demonstration on hand massage

A Great Cover of Disney's Frozen OST

Among all the different covers done in the glory of the very phenomenal Disney film of 2013, this cover of "Let it Go" (originally sung by Idina Menzel/Demi Lovato) by Alex Boye with the One Voice Children's Choir is indeed the most successful. Their trending video hit more than ten million views and liked by almost two hundred thousand people  (and still counting).

Idina Menzel should sing this song in Oscars with Alex Boye and these bunch of very talented kids! :)

Now, I'm starting to imagine how Idina will perform this on stage... no doubt, she will surely belt it out.. but I'm more excited on how they will creatively set the stage and its production design. I hope it will appear like theatrical. Just like when our very own Lea Salonga and her partner Brad Kane performed Aladdin's OST "A Whole New World" in Oscars stage way back then:

To Take or Not To Take?

Comprehensive Examination

• According to its web definition, comprehensive examination (commonly abbreviated as comps or compre) is an intensive examination testing a student's proficiency in some special field of knowledge.
  
• According to some of my friends, who already experienced this, comprehensive examination, which will last for five or more days, is a "judgement week." During these days, the graduate student will prove himself that he is worthy to pursue the masters degree and proceed with his research study.
  
• According to my own perception, comprehensive examination is like "I'm caught between the devil and the deep blue sea," I don't know if I will take it or not... BANG! 

Am I afraid? Yes ... kind of... Though I feel confident that my professors did the best job they could do to help me immerse as an Educational Technologist, but I still have that little space for doubt if I could really make it... If I could get straight High Pass for all those exams... If I could Pass even one exam... These thoughts really make me human... Yes, I'm afraid of uncertainties. 

I'm currently talking to myself now...

I should decide whether to take it this coming April or this August or not... or never? Should I just settle for acquiring the units and stop aiming for its completion? 

Time is of the essence.

I need to decide.

With God, All Things Are Possible
I'm Keeping My Faith

A Poem for Personal Significance

Believe You Are Special
By Og Mandino

Realize what a unique and shining star that you are,
No one that lives today, and 
No one that comes tomorrow
Can walk, talk, move and think like you.

This poem never fails to uplift my spirit every time I feel insecure and worthless.
We are created with individual talents and gifts. We are uniquely made by God. 

Find your own worth, because God sends you here to fulfill a mission that only you can accomplish. Do not compare your journey with someone else’s journey, their journey is another story. Live your own story and do not forget to include characters that will help you develop your fullest potentials and appreciate you personal significance.

Happy Sunday Everyone! J

    

Somewhere Out There

Somewhere Out There...

Such a beautiful song... a heartwarming theme song of my most favorite animated film when I was a kid - Steven Spielberg's "An American Tail." I dunno but I will immediately go melancholic every time I hear this song. I feel like I'm missing my childhood days. Is it because I'm getting older? Perhaps.. but a song like this will always remind me how blessed I am to have enjoyed my childhood years... And Fievel is so cute, who can't appreciate this mouse and his adventures. 

Going back to the song... It has always been my LSS, I have this song as one of the most played on my phone. Many have covered this song already, but the movie version never fails to touch my heart:

Though I also like the popular version of James Ingram and Linda Ronstadt:

And this version of American Idol runner-up, Clay Aiken:

Okay, fine... I need to admit it, I like this song no matter who sings this! :D

My Facebook cover with my favorite line from this song: 

#obsessed.with.this.song

OMG! Funny Pic

I bumped with this photo on I am Idiot xD Facebook page, Up to now, I can't help but to burst into laughing every time I see this... or perhaps I just feel for this very cute but dumb shark... OMG! LOL 

#veryfunny #omg!

Source: https://www.facebook.com/IamIdiotPage

IT Festi-Val Programme Invitation

This is the programme invitation I designed for our upcoming event. 

So happy that this was already approved by our Education Supervisor for ICT, Dr. Mendoza.

Programme Flow

Programme Invitation Cover

Combating the Disease to Please

I bought a book titled "101 Ways to Love Your Job" written by Stephanie Goddard Davidson. This very little pocketbook contains powerful tips that will turn your every work day a "great work day!" I personally enjoyed reading it and I learned a lot, from personal mastery to mastering people skills in the workplace. But if there is a topic that I would really like to share with you, it will be all about the author's "Special Section for Chronic People Pleasers."

Disease to please... this is as common as common cold in any working environment, and I bet that if you are also a teacher or office personnel, you probably have two or more fellow afflicted with this very dangerous disease. Or perhaps, you aren't just aware of it, you are also a carrier of this disease to please virus. What is this disease all about? What are its symptoms? How can we prevent or cure this?

What is the Disease to Please? 

According to the author, this disease is a condition where we try to fix other people's problems, make them feel better, let them use us as a free therapist, and generally consider their needs over our own. Once a person is afflicted by this disease, he can still cure it, through saying "no" politely, without hurting the current relationship, one can get away with this condition. The following are the two reasons why people usually fall into the trap of acquiring this disease:

• We continue to accept the role of being the office therapist or family fixer
• We always feel responsible for every pain that we encounter

Common Symptoms

First symptom: When most of your office mates or fellow teachers are always seeking your advice and asking them to help you out, as if it is part of your job description. Of course, helping is a good deed, but if you think that you're overdoing it at the expense of your own happiness in the workplace, then consider my diagnosis, you are starting to become a people pleaser. 

Second symptom: If you are willing to waste so much time for doing something just to let your fellow know how great you are as a friend/co-worker, and you started to buy the idea that you are the superhero of your workplace, and you seem to enjoy every time you hear those shallow flatters, then you're in danger my friend. You are afflicted with the disease to please.

How to Combat the Disease to Please

The good news is that this disease can be stopped. It can be stopped, not by any medicine, but by YOU! If you feel that the theme of pleasing other people at the expense of your own happiness is always recurring and starting to affect your work and personal life seriously, it's time to take some initiatives in eliminating this disease. The author suggested the following:

1. Do not show your worry or concern every time someone approach you for advice or help.
2. Turn the tables. Instead of showing your sympathy and immediately suggesting something that you can do to help him, tell him how confident you are that he can work it out by himself.
3. Ask him what he already did to solve his problem.
4. Post the following quotes in an area in your workplace, wherein you can always see them often. Always review those you like best:
• "Naturalness is the easiest thing in the world to acquire, if you will forget yourself-forget about the impression you are trying to make." ~ Dale Carnegie
• "The people who seek all the applause from their outside has their happiness from another keeping." ~ Claudius Claudianus
• "He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away." ~ Raymond Hull
• "Just trust yourself, then you will know how to live." ~ Johann Woflgang von Goethe
• "People who want approval get the least, and people who need approval the least, get the most." ~ Wayne Dyer
• "Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you believe that you can too become great." ~ Mark Twain 

Training for Trainers/Solidarity Meeting

Just this morning, together with my Head Teacher and other fellow trainers, we attended the Training for Trainers and Solidarity Meeting for the Second I.T. Festival this February 28. During the meeting everything is clarified from the mechanics and contest rules to the criteria for judging. The following are the contests the will be held:

• Website Designing with HTML and CSS;
• Tarpaulin Designing with Adobe Photoshop;
• Logo Making with CorelDraw;
• PC Assembly ;
• Cosplay Contest; and 
• I.T. Booth

We are all excited for the event, everyone wants to win for sure, but of course only the best of best will be recognized. I hope that we will still be able to bag some places. Also, I was assigned to facilitate the Web Designing Contest. Whew! A very overwhelming assignment indeed. But I'm glad that our solidarity meeting with other trainers for web designing went well. 

By the way here's the tarpaulin layout I designed that we will use as our Official Banner for the program. :)

I.T. Festival Official Banner

February - Please Be Super Good To Me

This is it! "Buwan ng mga Puso" (month of love)! Ayiieee!

For those with special someone to celebrate the love season, Happy Valentines!

For those with no one, like me, don't be sad, smile! For us it's Happy Single Awareness Month! LOL :D 

Well, I can say that January has become a good start for my 2014. I did accomplish most of my goals, except on my very long list for leisure and recreation. I became so busy professionally last month that I missed to do some of my personal rejuvenation activities. I swear this month, I will make up for these activities. 

What will keep my life exciting this month? Let me count the ways...

• The 2nd I.T. Festival! Last year, we bagged the championship in Web Designing category and second place in Graphic Designing category. I hope that we can still place this year. We're doing a very intensive (but somehow enjoyable) training with the students that will represent our school. I'm praying that they would give their best shot to win it... Cash prizes are at stake, :D and that is one of their strongest motivators. But of course, it's the honor that they can bring to our school again that is our utmost concern. 
• Our Sunday walk and Badminton session in QC with my sister and nephews and niece!
• Read "How to Achieve More" and "The Son of the Witch" for leisure
• SM Aura experience with my friends

Whoa! I can't believe it, so many tasks to accomplish for me this month. In God's graces, I hope I can accomplish all these. 

By the way, I attended the Candlemas at Our Lady of Grace Parish, Caloocan just this afternoon. Honestly, it's my first time to attend such a special celebration of Jesus Christ's Presentation to the Temple. I feel so blessed. :)

#life-is-a-trip-buckle-up!