10 Things I Learned About this School Year 2011-2012

Oh yes! And it's official! I'm having my 2-month hiatus right about now. That's one of the perks of being a teacher. When our students are on a vacation, we too are also entitled to our own vacation - with pay of course :)

Last year, I've written my first list on 15 things I learned about this School Year 2010-2011 edition and this year, my list trimmed down to just 10. I dunno if I was just excited or nothing really "big or serious"' happened this school year. Nonetheless, I am still doing a rundown on the highlights of the School Year 2011-2012. 

10 Things I learned about this School Year (2011-2012)

10. ...that handling seniors this year was a blast.  

I am more of an upper year level-kinda-teacher because I can easily relate to them.

goofing with them on their prom

9. ...that you can have 12 medals and other awards all at the same time.

The seniors' valedictorian got more than 15 awards during their recognition day. Whew!

never had one during my younger years - inggit?!

8. ... that almost all of my co-teachers have their own version of "National Bookstore" inside their bags. Ask them anything (stapler, correction tape, marker, etc.) and they have it - in the most weird places. I needed a stapler one time in a mall and a co-teacher gladly handed me her cutesy tiny stapler from the said kit. Another time, I needed a masking tape in a jeepney and another teacher gave me one. Truly amazing! Me? I've got a pen in my bag - that's it :)

they have all the things I needed

in all shapes and sizes

7. ... that you can definitely juggle many things all at the same time -

 thanks to that thing called "'Time Management". 

This year I juggled work, school (MA class), travel, family, friends, lovelife and the other stuff. 

Good job Carla!

first day funk

6. ...that field trips are not necessarily free for all the teachers

 (specially if you don't have an advisory class). 

Good thing I hitched on someone else's field trip.

yes Anika! that's what you think it is!

5. ...that Christmas parties of a class will always be the same no matter what.

And yes! I won tons and tons of stuff during the faculty party.

shoot mo teh!

4. ...that post-holiday classes will always be the laziest time of the year.

blangko

3. ...that teacher's day can be celebrated even without 

the traditional gift-giving programs at school.

celebrating teacher's day in an art contest as a trainor

2. ...that it is possible for a person to not have a first name. 

Yes, you read it right - no first name. 

I have this one student who was falsely registered by her mom.
What happened was, she mistakenly wrote the first name on the middle name portion 
of the birth certificate leaving the first name part empty. 
Thus, the student don't have a first name - we call him on his last name by the way.

Tsk tsk tsk.. talk about negligence.

 

1. ...that students will go out of their way to sustain their school needs - 

one example was my hair for money post. 

This was when my student sold her waist-length hair for 300 pesos

 just to buy herself a pair of P.E. uniform. 

Truly touching...

shoulder length at this moment

This is what I really love most about my job - the unexpected learnings I get from the everyday saga of a public school teacher. We may not be compensated well compared to other jobs but sleeping at night is the best part of the day - knowing that each and every day you wake up, you will face a day of teaching and learning process all at the same time. 

To my batch this year, I know that you won't be able to read this now 'coz you don't even know that I have one, just what I always say during my class - "Wag magmamadaling tumanda, dadating din kayo diyan... enjoy nyo lang ang pagiging bata na may responsibilidad sa pag-aaral at sa pamilya"  

my favorite "teacher-photo" taken a year ago