Posted by Teacher Ria in Advocacies | 2 Comments

PGMA Builds a Nation of Readers!

Finally, our leaders take the right step towards building a nation of readers!

In an article in the Philstar.com, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde was quoted as saying that PGMA “wants books to be within reach of the common man. She believes reading as an important value for intellectual formation, which is the foundation of a healthy public opinion necessary for a vibrant democracy”.  Finally, some good sense!

With that, the tax on book imports have been lifted. As I have said in my previous blog posts, I believe that books are essential in making us better and wiser people. It isn’t often that I get to say this, but today I  can say I am proud of something our President has done.

It’s sad to note, however, that a certain video scandal and actors supposed bashing that took over the limelight and was the focus of the Philippine Senate instead of the Book Blockade. More Filipinos were aware of that problem rather than the more pressing issue. It was not our senate, it was not or congressmen or lobbyists that fought to defend our children and the future of our nation.  Heck, it was not even really our President that made the change happen. They were too busy. It was the blogosphere, it was cyberspace, it was US who made sure we have a future with LITERATE and INTELLIGENT citizens. Citizens who will hopefully never, ever make the mistake of thinking that reading books and novels are not educational.

With that said, I applaud all the people who worked hard, lobbied and rallied towards the abolition of the Great Philippine Book Blockade of 2009.  To the bloggers who posted about this, Facebook members who joined the cause, online petition signers, mainstream media writers and all others who made their voices heard: here’s to us! We can make things happen!

Posted by Teacher Ria in Teacher's Corner | 0 Comments

Keeping Schools Safe from the AH1N1/Swine Flu Virus.

The Department of Health (DOH) has confirmed that the dreaded AH1N1 or Swine Flu virus has made its way to Philippine shores. Despite protective measures taken in airports and other ports of entry to our country, it is frightening to know that we no longer can claim to be free of the virus.  According to reports, a 10-year old child who returned from travelling with her family to the US and Canada, tested positive for the virus. Further reports indicate that she is recuperating well while under strict quarantine.

This is especially concerning now that classes are but two weeks away.

Aside from placing ourselves in a sterile bubble, what can we do? More importantly, what should schools do to safeguard their students and faculty from acquiring the illness?

1. Strictly enforce a “do-not-come-to-class-if-you-are-sick” policy. While most kids love to be absent for any reason, often times they are forced to go to school because of the concerns their parents may have about what they would miss in class. While absenteeism is indeed a contributing factor to low grades, sometimes it is more logical to have kids stay home from school especially since they are often contained in one room where they are in close contact with twenty-five or more other students. Teachers can provide supplemental activities for students who are absent, thus allowing them to keep up with the demands in class.

2. Teachers should keep a bottle of alcohol or hand-sanitizer handy at all times. Albeit handwashing is still best, sometimes it is not accessible or feasible at an instant! For example, in my toddlers class, sometimes lining up twelve 2-3 year olds is not so easy, especially since I am a stickler for “no yaya in the classroom”.  As an alternative FOR THE MEANTIME while the others are lining up, I use alcohol or sanitizer until I get them to a sink to wash. Having this handy is also helpful as it is easily accessible after a child sneezes or what-not.

3. Keeping tissues nearby is also a big help! I personally am not a big fan of hankies, I prefer tissues. This may be different for others. I find that tissues are better because it is disposable, whereas if I use a hanky to wipe my students’ nose, I kinda keep the germs on hand, right? Correct me if I’m wrong though Bottom line, it’s a preferrence.

4. Teach students the proper way of handwashing. I think a lot of us are guilty of washing our hands too quickly Reminding the kids (and ourselves) that we should wash our hands with soap for about 20 seconds in running water. If possible, use liquid soap as bar soaps are often breeding grounds for viruses and bacteria. After washing, drying hands with a disposable paper towel is recommended. For younger kids, having a timer with a bell or something similar to that can help mark how long they should, as I call it, “rub and scrub” their hands.

5. Teachers and parents can also benefit from reading articles about the illness so they can be aware of the signs and symptoms of infection.  According to the World Health Organization “Early signs of influenza A(H1N1) are flu-like, including fever, cough, headache, muscle and joint pain, sore throat and runny nose, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhoea”.

6. For those working with young children, it would help to get to understand their language. Sometimes we do not understand what they mean by “ouchie”. Perhaps we also don’t know that they are experiencing muscle and joint pains, as we don’t see or feel it, unlike when they have a fever. Being able to ask them what hurts and what they mean by this “hurt”  can definitely clarify things.

7. Air out and sanitize classrooms after it is used. Germs can remain in stagnant air, so allowing a classroom to “breathe” after classes can be a good way to expel these germs. This is especially true for classrooms with airconditioners running during class hours. Usually what happens after the janitors/cleaners are done with fixing up the room, the door is closed till the next day.

8. Consider getting vaccinations against the flu/pneumonia. I believe that as a teacher, I should be responsible enough to ensure that I do not inadvertently infect my students, this is why I chose to get the flu vaccine.  While this will not keep you protected against the AH1N1 virus, you can help keep your immune system at par with all the viruses we are exposed to.

9. Eat healthy. As with the previous suggestion, keeping our immune systems healthy can be good ways to keep us safe from infections. Loading up on nutritious food with lots of vitamins and minerals is one way we can keep ourselves healthy.

10. Lastly, be vigilant. Watch out for what is going on around you. By being aware of subtle changes in behavior in children is key. Often times before the onset of illnesses parents and teachers note some form of change (i.e. appetite, activity level, sleep) in the kids. These may signal the start of the body’s attempt to fight off infections.

Posted by Teacher Ria in The Library | 1 Comment

Lessons from the Rainbow Fish

Authors note: I am still amazed at the statement “reading books and novels are not educational“. To prove that statement wrong, I will be doing a series of book reviews to show how through these supposed non-educational materials, we can learn what is truly essential.

One of my favorite childrens books is Marcus Pfister’s Rainbow Fish. It is a very simple tale of a fish living in the ocean but it’s message runs deep. Often times kids are initially attracted to the beautiful colors and sparkly scales this little fish has on the cover of the book but once the story is read to them, they learn very important lessons ranging from being nice, to sharing, and even to loving once self in spite and despite of things around them.I love using this story whenever I talk about the themes “self” and “friendship” in my preschool classes. Believe it or not, even my toddlers (around two-and-a-half to three years old) remember the lessons rainbow shares very well.

The story revolves around a very beautiful and sparkly fish. Rainbow is undoubtedly the most beautiful fish in the ocean. However, because she is boastful and proud, she belittles and is mean to those who are not as pretty as her. She also refused to share her sparkly scales with a little fish who asks for one. Because of her attitude, she has no friends and is lonely. With the guidance of Mr. Octopus, Rainbow realizes that it doesn’t matter if you are the prettiest one of them all if you have no friends at all.

After I read this story to my kids, I overhear them telling each other things like “remember Rainbow said to share” or “Do you want to be like Rainbow and have no friends?”. Granted the toddlers may not use as well-crafted a sentence or two, the essence is there. For my older kids, the story shows them how beauty is more than just skin-deep and that inner beauty is what really counts.

Another bonus to having storybooks as springboards for lessons in the classroom is that it extends to so many different subject areas. For example, with the story of Rainbow Fish, I am able to teach math. How? As a follow-up, after the story I do an arts and crafts activity where the kids make their own rainbow fishes. They have free-range to place the scales of Rainbow. Then I use this to practice simple math equations like if Rainbow Fish has 10 scales and she gives away 3 to her friends, how many are left?. There are so many more variations to this depending on the characteristics of the scales we use in class. So tell me now that story books are not educational!

This book is definitely a must-have in any school or home library. I personally have 3 copies of it Click on the photo above to be redirected to Amazon.com and add this to your shopping cart!

Stay tuned for updates on my book review series.

Posted by Teacher Ria in Life Lessons, Teacher's Corner, Tips and Tricks | 0 Comments

And the Underdog, Kris Allen takes the win!

I have always loved rooting for the underdog, albeit  I may enjoy the popular choice better. This years American Idol finale was no execption. While I enjoyed watching the outlandish and lavish performances by crowd favorite Adam Lambert, I secretly crossed my fingers for an upset.

And an upset we all got!

In the latest idol shocker, Kris Allen, the quiet and understated crooner, won the coveted American Idol title leaving many Lambert fans in shock at the results. Immediately after the win the clamor of the upset filled microblogging sites. However, let me, Teacher Ria, take this moment to savor the win of the underdog.

Posted by Teacher Ria in Advocacies, Teacher's Corner | 6 Comments

We NEED a Country of Readers: NO TO THE PHILIPPINE BOOK BLOCKADE!

‘...novels and reading books are “not educational”.‘(1)

Add this to a long line of baffling statements people in our government has said.

I strongly reject the notion that a reading book or a novel serves no educational purpose. Just because we are entertained by a story, a book, or whatever reading material, this does not discount the fact that these are avenues for learning and growth. In a country that sorely needs education, they are making achieving this even more difficult. How can we, as a country, progress if we keep the people from accessing information?

While  Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight Saga and J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter Series are not textbooks filled with facts and figures to inform us about historical events and similar data, these books encourage us to THINK and IMAGINE. These are crucial components of problem solving and logic reasoning. We don’t learn how to share and be self-aware with an almanac do we? But with books like Rainbow Fish, The Giving Tree and The Missing Piece we learn what it means to be human.