This is Me @fangmishen - Tumblr Blog

You'll never know unless you try. #surf #surfing101 #baler2015 #simplyfangmi #fmshentravels (at Sabang Beach, BA)

#surf #simplyfangmi #baler2015 #surfing101 #fmshentravels

No matter how far it goes... Never give up! Always finish the race! :)) #FedRun2015 #runwithfriends #sjcsaa #5K (at Sm Moa - Open Grounds)

#fedrun2015 #runwithfriends #sjcsaa #5k

Love is...

Today, I believe that I found the true meaning of love. It is when someone thinks of the other half more than themselves. It is setting someone free to not let her feel the pain. It also means being happy for that person even knowing that he truly cannot be yours and just being satisfied with whatever two people share, then you say you truly loved each other. Finding true love takes time and when that time comes, be sure to grab that opportunity. It might happen in another lifetime but it is worth the wait. I love you!

-Fang Mi Shen 4/11/2013

#love

Experiencing the "World-leading" Education

Where to start?

Itinerary:

Nov. 28- Mindchamps Toa Payoh and Paragon

Nov. 29- Blue House

Nov. 30- Chatsworth

Learning is best when it is done outdoors. Upon knowing about the different trips for the practicum class, I automatically voted for the one to Singapore. I believe that even though the trip per se is expensive, but still, I view the experience in Singapore as a once in a lifetime experience that I need to grab!

The whole trip was really great! First, we get to meet a lot of people from each of the schools, but I did not really take note of their names that much. Whaaa! Anyway, the different schools have so much to offer to their children/students, they provided training for their teachers (which I envy and I hope all schools in the Philippines do that for their teachers). Each of the school's philosophy, vision and mission affected their activities and treatment towards their students. Some are more progressive while others have traditional practices along with them and yet the students were still able to learn at their own pace and how they were brought up by their parents. This time, culture comes in... one can see the differences in terms of one's culture. The kids in Singapore are very diverse since they came from various cultures, some became the attentive type of student, who somehow seemed shy, as compared to the international students who were very vocal to the people who visited their rooms.

This immersion allowed me to see the different practices being done by the teachers, it also made me realized that children have more to give and express. They have their own interests which should be noted of every time. My mind then starts to open to ideas that doing project-approach is really possible, although the practices are being done in the Philippines, it was my first time to observed it when I reached Singapore, which I consider something new to me. This experience also encourages me to be more creative inside the classroom. I really love the schools' environment... colorful, calming and creative!

As for the parents that I work with, after the Sg trip, I want to emphasize to them that a school's philosophy, may not be the same philosophy that they wanted for their child. And yet placing them in the kind of school where they are right now is something that you decided before you placed them in... be sure to believe and understand the school first :)) It is important that the school's philosophy is in line with one's beliefs.

Next, culture is really a big factor in deciding for the school's activities, the same goes for the parents and children present in a school. One's culture says it all, some parents are very supportive, and others are very busy with their work. It all boils down to one thing: they wanted the best for their children.

BUT WHAT IS THE BEST FOR THEM?

I believe that the children will know and feel it eventually. And these children at an early age must be able to differentiate the right from wrong; to do's and don'ts which will be very helpful for them as they grow.

Having the right foundation for the children says it all...which was made possible with the help of their government. I guess this made Singapore's education the "World-leading" Education.

Thanks to the schools who made way for this trip to be possible!

“I never thought that this trip is possible since most of the international activities provided by the school are for the citizens of the country; which I really envy. Still, I believe in the school’s international projects and this immersion was a dream come true!

I felt no bias this time around; and this trip was an eye-opener for me because it allowed me to see how the practices are being done abroad which leads me to reflect on how am I doing in my class. It somehow too affected my perspective with the different program models which enlightened me to think more deeply. It even made an opportunity for me to compare how the Philippines is coping with the current trends in early childhood education.

I enjoyed the learning and the company of my friends and professors! Where to next?”

GK - - - Straight from NAIA

Whoa!!! Outreach Program for Gawad Kalinga was a blast! (Even though I felt like some were preparation were just done on the spot. ) The class is just so good with impromptu activities. Don't you think so? We were just lucky to have the undergrad students to be there with us.

It was held last December 2, 2012 Sunday, and I was looking forward for that event even though I had just came home from Singapore. Here are some pictures from the said event:

The program started with the undergraduate students' prepared games for the kids; which eventually was followed by the games prepared by us for their moms which includes: Singing of the Christmas carols , Minute to Win it and Newspaper dance.

This mommy upper picture was using crutches but these did not hinder her from participating in the different games. She was even a member of the group assigned to me for the singing of Christmas carols! And guess what? She was very knowledgeable about the different Christmas songs and she was able to cite plenty of examples for the group to sing. Wonderful!

Finally, the most awaited part: eating! The class along with our professor, prepared the ensaymada,water, and doughnuts; the gifts for the mommies where the Long Champ bags which they truly love and appreciate. :))

The best class in DLSU with the one-of-a-kind-uniquely-made professors, classmates and friends! Cheers! :))

Assessing Myself (based from the rubric sent) and Assessment and Evaluation of MSS

Time to assess myself!

Hmmm... I believe that as a teacher I am equipped and prepared with my subject content and with the pedagogical aspect of teaching my children inside the classroom. I do my best to let the children speak up their minds and allow them to express themselves by encouraging them to participate and by throwing questions like why and how for them to be able to have critical thinking. However, there are times wherein materials are not brought out on time due to time-constraint or maybe I must admit due to procrastination. :p

Next, as much as possible, I want to engage myself with the different activities done by my students so that I will know them well. Being their teacher, I must understand these children and that is what I do; I ask about how they are in school and at home when there are some unusual observations.

With regards to having knowledge on the different resources, I guess at some point, I still need more improvement on that part. With my teaching experiences, this year was the year when I was allowed to teach in English which is not really being assigned to me because I can't teach English without my license (since some school are strict) and because teaching the Chinese subject is always assigned to me. I am glad to be given this opportunity to teach in English and I know that I need to have more resources so that I can deliver my lessons better. I too need to adapt my instruction to the needs of my students.

On classroom motivation and management skills, I believe that as a teacher, I must be able to motivate my student...what I do is that I present to them different objects/ puppets / do magic to get their attention, for me it is very important to make them interested with the topics/lessons to be tackled. Next on management skills, *uh-oh* I admit that this point is somehow my weakness, I think I need to be more firm with the kids at times, they say "to have consistency" ... well on my part, I believe that these kids should be disciplined but not to the point of shouting every time. I have the tendency to be relaxed with them and they just feel comfortable with me. :) *need to be firm at times!*

Communication skills, before, I am not really confident to speak in English since I was so conscious of the grammar. I was always corrected and somehow afraid to commit mistakes, but eventually I realized that speaking it more often made me aware of the correct pronunciation and correct usage of it. This time, I could say that I've improved and there's more to learn.

As a teacher, I allow the kids to be critical by asking them the why's and how's during our story time. They too get the signal with the gestures that I make. Even a look from me could signal what I mean! Well, they get used to the routines after some time and all the things to do become a part of them without me telling them to do so.

I need to update myself with current events by attending seminar-workshops for the improvement and learning. I believe that being a teacher, we are also called to be a life-long learner and this is what I seek that is the reason why I took up the graduate studies in the first place. I want to learn more about these children and understand how they are. Lastly, relationships with the parents and children is one component that we need to take in to consideration. For me, when I was starting my career, I was reminded not to talk with the parents especially when I am so much "hot-tempered". Haha. This time around I believe that I can deal with them better. Next with my colleagues, I am also good with them, one can encounter different type of personalities and I need to accept the fact that they are that way and each has something to contribute for the betterment of the other, after all, all of us wanted the best for the children. *Let's help each other to be better*

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The assessment in MSS is usually held in a week, children in the toddler class are pulled out from class and are ask to do one-on-one assessment with their teachers, wherein they are asked about the different sets of questions/ tasks which are quantified in the checklists of targeted milestones for their age. On the other hand, children who are left inside the classroom are being assessed for their motor activities and skills.

In my opinion, I find it hard doing an assessment and evaluation because these are very subjective even if several rubrics are provided. Also, I believe that checklists are unfair in a way because you just assess the child because it is needed and you did it on the spot and not after several observations... ex: He can jump over a ball.

I guess teachers still do these things assessment and evaluation because we want to make sure that they are on the right track and we want the best for them. On my part, I think observing all these milestones in a daily basis will justify it for the kids and their parents. =)

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My Students' Cute Lines (^^,)

Woah! The year is about to end... here are some recap of the cute and funny lines/ incidents from my students in Yellow Caterpillar Class... this time around, I won't be focusing on one child, but the majority of them.. have fun reading! :))

My 2's and 3's!!!!

M: He likes to remove his socks and shoes, and wants to put alcohol to his itchy foot. –“Put alocol”.

M :“Brush…brush…brush…three times a day…” He sang this commercial song when he was asked to paste the 8 toothbrushes for the book of numbers. - He really does follow pick-up lines easily. (Just remembered Bandura's explanation of imitation behavior)

L: Planets are his favorites, he uttered “I think parang si Jupiter yan o” every time he sees the wall painting in front of our room. Amazing!

S:Here’s the fun and interesting side of her… during the discussion about the parts of the house, teacher asked about which part of the house can protect you from the strong winds… suddenly someone shouted “pader!” Indeed she was right in answering it, and we translated it to wall. J Next would be on “Pp” objects. Teacher demonstrated and asked the children on what mommy use to cook and she immediately answered “Pot!” Very Good! She was able to said it right,. she then also answered “Unan” instead of "pillow" when teacher was asking about the object that begins with Pp and being used in sleeping.

Something Special Part 2

Last November 20, Wednesday something happened again with this kid. Well, it was not really unusual but it happened to me for the first time... this little boy peed on my pants while he was seated on my laps. The strange thing was that he was asked by the helper whether he wants to pee or not; and he does not even say / expressed that he wanted to urinate. Uh-Oh!

Here are my observations: up until now, he likes to lie down on the floor and table; he does not like to seat down most of the time; however he seats down when given a task to do and when given the chance to identify his classmates’ names, he is the only one who can tell them correctly. We (my team teacher and I) were thinking that he might be gifted, but am also thinking that he could have just possibly memorized the names, but there was this girl's name which he could not read and tell. Hmmmm..?

It was also noticed that he keeps on repeating the names of different shapes and words “Circle, triangle, square…try again!” and it goes on and on…

Another incident ... during our practice for the Christmas program, he enjoyed the ballet dancing the steps for the girls rather the ones made for the boys. I believe that he easily memorizes the songs and dance steps which he really likes. :)

As his teacher, I want the best for him... I want him to focus with things, it's just that at times, I find it very hard and challenging to deal with him. Well, kids are just different and each has a special talent which we need to discover and understand. :)

Extra Extra! :))

The school encourage its students to develop special skills that they may have and allow them to explore and cultivate the potential talents that they possess. The following programs are offered, however; these activities are available only during summer which includes: Preschool Readiness, Phonetics/Arts/Music and Movement, Reading Readiness, Magic Strokes, Reading and Language Enhancement, Arts and Craft, Sketch and Painting, Scrap-booking. To add up to that, sports like basketball, table tennis, wushu are also included as part of the sports camp. Chinese conversation and vocabulary and Chinese calligraphy and painting are also offered.

Most of the children who join these activities are the ones who will enroll for the school year. Parents like the extra-curricular activities because they said it helped their child to adapt to the school environment and at the same time, by doing so, the kids had a chance to interact with other children and learn by doing something fun all at the same time :)

I want to try these things out when summer comes!

Here are some pictures! Enjoy! :D

My Senses + My Family + Fruits and Vegetables

I love the school's hands-on activities for the children! Here are some of the pictures with the different culminating activities related to Science and Social Studies...enjoy!!!

*This was held during the month of July, the theme was about My Senses, the different body parts were discussed and we went to Jollibee, wherein the kids used their sense organs in preparing the food, Jollihotdog, and hamburger. They were also given a chance to be the buyer and the one in charge of the cashier. :)

During the month of September, we tackled about the different parts of the house and family. We were thankful that the parents of my student allowed us to visit their house, by doing so, the children was able to grasp a better understanding on the different parts of the house. They too enjoyed the film viewing activity prepared by the child's parents.

Below is a picture of another set of parents, they went to school and became teacher for a day, well, not really for a day, but only a portion. Parents/grandparents/different family members are invited to school for the children to know better about the different family members. This was the last set of parents who went to our class. They shared the story about the Three Little Pigs. Daddy was really good in story-telling! The children had fun listening to the story and playing with their masks! :)

Lastly, the MSS Mercato was the culminating activity for our theme fruits and vegetables. The kids acted as the buyer and as the seller. They had play money with them, and they were instructed to pay before they could get the fruits/vegetables that they want. Potatoes where asked from the kids so that they could buy french fries. The fruits were also made into shakes...and the children ordered the flavor that they want to drink.

These activities made the children aware of their community and of themselves.. :)

Let's Play! Art Attack!

"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing" -George Bernard Shaw

Kids just love to play, every time they come in class, toys are their best friend. They just want to PLAY!!!! Plus, they love running around in class. Haha. *makes me feel dizzy at times* They come in class at around 8:00 and they have until 8:30 to play. Well, at times, as they are playing, they too are being called for their art activity and or some writing and cutting activities with teacher.

Most of my students are boys and they love to play with the different cars and trucks... which eventually they will fight for if not shared with them. We always tell them to share their toys and give chance to others. These boys wanted to be in control, especially of their favorite toys/books in class. *Ay yay yay!* At this stage, they are very much focused with "me, myself and I". They have the tendency to think that all the toys belong to themselves...that's why some would really end up hitting their classmates just because their classmates wanted to borrow a toy. Yikes!

This girl is designing her card for grandparents' day. Good job! :)

The kids (above) are having a contest on who will be able to finish the puzzle first. Some were able to do it while others was not able to complete it without the help of teacher. Next, the kid's favorite toy truck! Lastly this little boy is pasting the circles for his grapes in his Book of Colors. :)

My thoughts:

Play is really important for the children. Often times, parents don't see the good effects of playing, since most of them are focused with academics. Little they know that the best way for their children to learn is through play. (^^,)

Well these kids are very lucky because they are given time to play. Hmmmm... I was even thinking was I given a chance to play in school before? Ahhh...Yes, I recalled some games played... but way back in the 90's we still don't have the slides/much toys in school. (traditional school :>)

Today, after learning so much from the MA classes and seminar-workshops, these all made me realize that playing is really a part of one's life. We can't even get away from it, maybe it could be lessened as we grow older, but who does not want to play??? :) *enjoy + relax + fun*

*more pictures to come*

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In my caterpillar class, one letter per week is being implemented. Vowels are taught first followed by S M R F B N G T P C D H J K L Q V W X Y Z :) First, we introduce the letter and its sound to the children. Usually, I would ask the kids first if they know how to read the letter and I find it amazing whenever my students will be able to identify it. They are also asked to color a picture which begins with the letter, for example, they colored the picture of a gift when taught about the letter Gg. The kids too get excited when we prepare our "magic box" which contains the different objects that begin with the star letter of the week. Giggles and laughs are heard from them as they get surprised by the objects inside. :) They are also given the chance to hold pencils and do tracing of the letters. (Although I find it pressuring on their part, since not everyone has developed their motor skills and often times, they need assistance from teacher.)

We also conduct art/cooking activity related to the letter, example would be our Edible "G"arden --- wherein the kids where tasked to make their garden out of the oreo crumbs (soil), toothpick (stem) and flower-shaped marshmallow (flowers).

I remembered the marshmallow test while the kids were busy making their own edible garden, some was not able to wait until it's really time to eat their "flowers" Haha. I told them just to eat it when they reach home. Whaaaaa! (We all know what it means when they are not able to wait until given the signal to eat the marshmallow... :)) They are just so cute. There's this even one child, he told me "Teacher Mimi, flowers for you.... Happy birthday!" Awwww... This was very touching on my part... it was the first time that a two-year old kid took effort to give me his food (the marshmallow flowers) and even greeted me for my birthday. -sweeeet! <3

We also have our Letter Storybook which contains different stories for the children to remember the star letter of the week (see picture above) Teachers are provided with the bigger version of the storybook which we story-tell in front of the class. I really love it when all their eyes are on me! :))

Next, this picture shows our book corner in the classroom. We also have our library but due to time-constraint, the kids just spend time in the room. I believe that they must visit the library from time to time, for them to appreciate the library at an early age. Literacy is also strengthen by the labeling of things inside the classroom. :)

Our Numeracy and Literacy are both integrated, in a way that the counting materials for mathematics are the pictures which begin with the same letter being tackled in the week. The letter stencil (see picture above) are pasted with an object that begins with the star letter of the week and they are asked to count while pasting it. We also have our "Book of Numbers" for counting. These kids are taught numbers from 1-10 but rote counting from 1-50.

(I believe that more materials should be provided for their counting... what we use most of the time are the pictures we made and just ask them to count along. I suggest that more manipulative must be given to them during open play time and teacher must be able to guide them as they count/use them.) :)

MSS Little Kiddos

Who are these kids?

When I say Mind Specialists School, people who heard it would automatically think that it is a school for children with special needs. Hmmmm... well, that's not the case, but the school accepts children with special needs... and that's really nice.

There are 3 levels for the children who wants to study in the school. First the pre-nursery (1.6-3.2 years old) who belongs to the Caterpillar Class

Second, nursery (3.3 to 4.0 years old), the Cocoon Class

This is a picture taken from our fashion show :)

and the Kindergarten (4.1 to 5 years old), the Butterfly Class

The children came from diverse cultures. Most of them are Filipino-Chinese from well off families. They have their own distinct character and personalities. They are a mix of children who are moody, loud, quiet, smart, funny, sweet, loving and caring. They are children who love to play and just wanted to have fun. They also love to interact with their classmates, and wants attention from their teachers and loved ones.

How could one be upset with these kids? They are just so cute and lovable! ^^,

Where My Kids Stay

Welcome to MMS! Mind Specialists School in D. Tuazon, Quezon City. This is where I am teaching now, after a year of not teaching in school, and just of doing tutorials. Little did I know about the school, and I really did not expect that I will be working here today. Anyhow, I am happy that I am with the school and I was given the opportunity to teach both English and Mandarin to kids. (^^,)

(The works displayed here are the works made by the caterpillar class, 1.7 months to 3 years old)

First of all, when kids enter the school, they are welcomed by the play area, where all the kids love to stay. I must admit that the space of the school for playing is limited because it is just a house-turned-to-school and the playground was placed indoor. The materials here are kid-sized and beyond the fence is a cubbyhole where the kids can place their shoes before they can enter :)

Beside the playground is the office where the principal, headteacher and the secretary stays.

Below is a picture of the bulletin board made by the teachers assigned, and since the theme changes per month, teachers too need to update it every month. This month's theme was about fruits and vegetables :) ...the plates contain the different foods chosen by each kid.

Next, we have the kitchen where cooking and baking activities are done by the kids with the guidance of their teachers. Chairs are provided when there's an activity to be held in the kitchen. :)

Here's a picture of the caterpillar's classroom:

My Thoughts:

The school literally is a house turned into a school. The environment is very homey especially with its wooden flooring. With its space, I believe that there is still a need for more space in the different areas of learning. (manipulative, art, math and science, and reading). All in all, the classrooms are well-lighted, although not all classrooms have skylight due to the fact that the windows are the area where we place our kid's works. Still, it provides for an environment conducive for learning to transpire. :)

'Something Special'

I believe that every one has his or her own characteristics. I believe that every student has their own way of expressing themselves, though not the same but surely they are expressing themselves just the way they are.

There is this smart kid in who loves to sing and dance along the songs which are being played in class. He knows his classmates' names and even can read words. Impressive right? On the other hand, since the start of class, (coming from my point of view) this little boy loves to lay down on the floor, likes to stand up and roam around the room from time to time. This observation was lessened during the start of second quarter but again began to appear slowly as day passes by.

Soon, this child started to remove his socks and shoes. He did that for four consecutive days. He also removed his underwear, and pants twice within the week. Uh-Oh! It was very alarming for us teachers to see how he acts inside the classroom.

All of a sudden, an AHA moment just came to me. I got a piece of paper and drew a chair. I showed the kid the "chair" and he said "It's a chair.." Yes..chair...and you need to sit on your chair while waiting...ok? He was able to follow my instruction... then he stood up again and this time, I drew a smiley and sad face. I asked him which one he prefers... and he said smiley face. I showed him smiley face then chair... "If you sit on your chair, that's a smiley face..." Again, he was able to do it. After the circle time, they were asked to push their chairs to their tables. This kid most of the time won't do it, and so this time, I drew table and chair together and showed it again to him. I told him that he needs to put the chair back to the table. I felt so happy that he was able to do it.

At that very moment, mixed emotions contain me. I am happy because I knew that I am doing my best to help this kid. I am happy that he could finally follow instructions given to him through the pictures used. And yet, I got goose bumps all over me. I felt strange, I felt wonderful and yet I don't know what to feel for this kid. Am hoping that there's nothing really to be worried about, though all these signs were clearly visible. *I knew I could do something*

#10 The MAN in my LIFE

For March 8, 2012

Men in ECE: Teachers and Fathers

I enjoyed Rashmi's report on the role of Men in ECE. I find it amazing, I said to myself: "Oonga ano..." Often times, we automatically relate teaching with females rather than males. Stereotyping in a way? I guess so. I used to have that kind of attitude, that robots, violent shows, boxing, etc.. are for males and what I do is what I consider as "for females". Funny isn't it? I used to label stuffs, "ay pang boy yan". Then should I also conclude that teaching are not for males?

Well, male teachers also have positions in the teaching career, but most of them are found in the elementary or higher years rather than in early childhood education. Here is a data on male teachers from http://www.menteach.org/resources/data_about_men_teachers

As you can see, females are the ones who make up the majority of teaching population. I remembered one time, I asked a male friend to do tutorials with me, but I found out later on that the parent favored more to have a female tutor rather than male because of the issues. You know, adult-male-left-with-young-child-thingy. We cannot remove these kind of issues with parents. Right? It's just hard to prove them wrong. Why do they always have that kind of notion anyway?

Men are just so different, compared to women. I believe there are things which they can do that we, females cannot really fulfill. Therefore, we need to have men in the teaching profession, to make a balance, don't you think so? I have a co-teacher before, he taught religion in preschool, and based from what I heard, kids were really fond of him, especially with his talent as ventriloquist. :)

One more funny memory was when I too crushed my third year male math teacher, who inspired me to do well in Trigonometry. Haha! Males...Man...

Still, there is still a man whom I consider one of the best teachers in my LIFE. It is no other than my PAPA. I remember my dad being so strict and disciplined us so much, especially when it comes to punctuality and taking care of my younger siblings. He too trained me to be independent, e.g. to take public vehicles, jeepneys, do walking rather than riding the car and being fetched from here to there. At some point, I wonder if he really cares for us, because most of my friends were fetched and were not allowed to commute on their own.

But now that I am in my twenties, I realized that what he did made me well.---I became independent. I must admit that I am not that close to my father compared to my mom, not until my grandpa passed away last 2009, the bond between us became strong. He too stayed home, because of our business, that is why I became closer to him when I resigned from school last year. He is also the one who drives me to my tutoring place and to the LRT when I go to DLSU, plus he is the one who drives me home. He understands how my heart feels even without me saying anything. He knows how to lecture me when it comes to BOYS. Haha!

Dad is really funny and got much sense of humor. I am really lucky to have him as my father. ---the MAN in my life.

#9 On Emotional Quotient

For March 1, 2012

Who is the preschool teacher for you???

If I were once a preschooler, I want my teachers to be .... (see photo) and NOW as preschool teachers, we should be aware of our own emotions so that we will be able to work well with kids. ^^,

Here is a link to a test which I used to test my Emotional Intelligence: http://testyourself.psychtests.com/testid/3038 (Try it! It takes time though :))

Here's a portion of my results:

Woah! Well, I agree that there is still room for improvement. I might be reasonably skilled but at times, I still believe that I need much patience, especially with children. Whew!

My classmates echoed a seminar on Emotional Quotient and shared with us ways that students suggested for teachers to do in order to increase their commitment to learning:

1. Don't shout

2. Don't go on things

3. Don't give up on students

4. Enjoy teaching the subjects

5. Enjoy teaching the students

6. Make lessons interesting and link them to life outside the school

7. Explain things and go through things students don't understand without making them feel small.

I am guilty of shouting...I wish I could really avoid that. Sigh. At some point, my students were imitating me whenever I start to be impatient. Haha! Loud voice for example and the "strict commands" I use to discipline a child. When one of my tutees imitated me, I reflected and realized that the words I said, or should I say the tone of my voice was not right; since I was their tutor and i would really fear my teacher if she shouts at me. (Something I need to improve)

Next, about making lessons interesting and link them to life, coming from the science background, and my philosophy that students learn best in doing, I believe that students need to know and understand how things/ lessons are related to their real life first, for them to appreciate it. Thus as teachers, we need to expose in field trips and hands-on activities. Make them appreciate what's in their surroundings and environment.

Another about not giving up, when school started, I must admit that at some point, I was already putting a mind set that my tutee is really this and that way, stubborn, not-really-performing-well in class type of student; that I cannot really do something about it. I keep fighting that mind set, I know that these kids can do it; and as their tutor, I must not give up on them; that I should encourage and motivate them to do more. Reading a book (A Mind at A Time By Dr. Levine) helped me too. It made me realized that maybe the kids were not yet still ready at a certain time; that is why they just won't learn those concepts at that moment. This time, as the academic year is starting to end, I proved to myself that I was right on not giving up on them, because these kids started to get high scores and perfected their quiz!!! Thank God! So proud of these kids.!!!

Lastly, I enjoyed the class, because of our A-B-C groupings. I was the B = listener (A=speaker C=observer) Funny how this simple activity gave the importance of non-verbal actions of a listener and how it affects the speaker. I read a research paper on Verbal Environment; and I learned that truly, non-verbal cues are much powerful than actual words being said. Eye contact, especially meant something to a speaker. (Agree!) That is why as teachers, we should maintain eye-contact to our children, and always be responsible and be careful of the actions we make.

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