Meet My Very First Students in Assumption Iloilo -- Reading 5 Class, School Year 2010-2011

I started teaching in Assumption Iloilo in June of 2010. I had teaching loads both in the Intermediate Grades and in High School. My subjects included Reading-Grade 5, Journalism-Year II, and Journalism-Year III. It was difficult at first because I had three different preparations and I was just learning the ropes but eventually I managed to cope with the demands of the daily grind.

Reading is actually a fun subject to teach. In Assumption there is a separate class for Reading. Part of it is the regular library instruction held at the Jeremiah Bibliotheque at the ARC Building where the photos in this post were taken. During that time, the librarian in-charge was Rovilyn Debalucos. 

Honestly, I prefer teaching Language to teaching Reading. Reading for me is a pastime, not a requirement. But I'm a teacher, an English teacher at that and I'm expected to teach the four macro-skills, one of which is Reading. So when the load was given to me by Ms. Merlina Patingo, Assumption Iloilo's Academic Coordinator, I yielded.

This group was unique. They had different personalities, different backgrounds, different intelligences, different demeanors, different enthusiasms, and different talents. But they're never problem students. They never gave me migraines and nightmares. Probably, one thing that helped me deal with them is 'understanding'

In the classroom, I did everything to make them like my class. Sometimes it was difficult to get their attention but a little motivation did the trick. I really wanted to inspire them and give them a love for reading, and indeed, it was easier than I thought.

One thing that I can remember about our Reading class was the storytelling session. These kids loved imaginary stories that had to do with magic, mythical creatures, and heroic exploits. Most of the time, they would leave their chairs and squat on the floor to listen to my stories. Their imagination and curiosity took them to far off places and lands where magic flourished.

Another thing which I can't forget was our speech choir 'The Bells', a heavily onomatopoeic poem by Edgar Allan Poe. Until now they can still memorize this extraordinarily difficult poem. They presented it on staged during the 'Family Day 2010'. Towards the end of the school year, I also asked them to memorize Abraham Lincoln's immortal speech 'The Gettysburg Address'.

These kids are very special to me. They learned a lot from my class and in return I also learned a lot from them. Ask them about synonyms and antonyms, word clines, graphs, symbols, timelines, alphabetizing, outlining, reading strategies, and thinking skills and they will answer you with confidence and ease. As a neophyte teacher then, I learned from them how to be patient, understanding, and child-like.

Now they're in Grade 8. Most of them were in my English class again last year. Every time I bump into them around the campus, I smile and talk to them. Some already have boyfriends and girlfriends. Others have just secret crushes. For me, they're still the cute little boys and girls in my Reading 5 class four years ago.

"A teacher affects eternity. Nobody knows where his influences stops."  - Henry Brooks Adams, American historian and man of letters

With Gianina Ng and Alex Francia. Too bad, these two transfered to Ateneo de Iloilo but I am happy for them.

To this group, I say, "Thank you for the chance to teach you. Thank you for the memories! Until next time!

Post Script:

List of students whose faces appeared in this post:

Hannah Sudaria, Michelle Cabrera, Gianina Ng, Jennifer Pesongco, Paolo Lorenzo Fuentes, Allaina Aguro, Zachary Jo Alfonso Pijuan, Bea Salazar, Nikaia Mendoza, Frances Tan, Sophia Sombong, Joaquin Nebiar, Carlos Pesayco, Alex Francia, and Patrisza Jaca