Posted by Teacher Ria in Advocacies | 0 Comments

Am I fat?

Overheard at the elevator in school:

Girl 1: Oh my God, Sis, I feel so fat. I ate pa a mentos for lunch. Am I fat? I look fat right?

Girl 2: Okay lang yan, bawi ka nalang tomorrow. (Just make up for it tomorrow)

Girl 1: Hay, it’s so hard to diet….

Girl 2: I know right?

This was the conversation between two girls who were about 5’4 or so and looked as if they weighed about 100-110 pounds. No joke, no exaggeration. I was flabbergasted at her comment of feeling fat and feeling guilty about having had a mentos for lunch. ONE MENTOS! Can you believe it??

The conversation progressed to various diet pills and strategies for losing weight. It took every ounce of restraint for me not to react to, what seemed to be, a ludicrous conversation.

It’s  sad that this is a common conversation that goes on with teens. They are so preoccupied with weight and being a certain size, that at times, it can be worrisome. While I did not interrupt these two girls (especially since it would have been odd for me to do so!) it got me to thinking of my class project this term for PERSEF class. Every term I give my students an advocacy project to work on and hopefully doing something positive about teenagers and body image. While I know problems like anorexia and other eating disorders will always be part of adolescent growth and development, I hope this project can help make conversations like the one I overheard from happening again.

Photo credit: “252/365: Anorexia Nervosa” by Janine, c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved

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Posted by Teacher Ria in Advocacies, Life Lessons, Outside the Classroom | 8 Comments

Nurturing a Teen’s Self-Esteem: Reflections learned from PBB

Last night, I caught an episode of the television show Pinoy Big Brother Teen Clash (PBB). Even from the teasers and trailers of the episode which aired throughout prime time, I had a bad feeling about what would happen in the show.

The nights episode featured the birthday parties of teens Tricia and Devon (disclaimer lang muna: sa lahat ng girls, pinakanagugustuhan kong mukha ay kay Devon, not the typical showbiz beauty pero maganda mukha niya! OT!!!). Since they are celebrating their birthdays this week, Kuya decided to give them a birthday party each. Sadly, it will be on the same day and their friends can only attend one party. Hmmm….from that pa lang na-off na ako. The idea of having to place a teenager at that position is quite an emotionally challenging experience. Nakaka-trauma kaya! Siguro kaya ako affected kasi alam ko rin naman that this is a personal issue that bothers me rin. For others, maybe this is not an issue. I’ll explain later why this triggered some emotions and negative feelings in me.

Anyway, as I had assumed (based on the trailer) hardly anyone went to Tricia’s party. Granted that she is the “unliked” teen by the others,  it was sad to see how this was played upon even more. While she was waiting for guests to arrive, for example, she heard the other side of the house celebrating as one by one, the Pinoy housemates arrived and cheered for Devon. I felt so bad for Tricia as she tried to cheer herself on despite the tears that were welling up in her eyes. I myself have been in that position many times, whispering to myself “okay lang yun”.  By the end of the episode, aamin ko na pati ako naluha. Yes, this coming from me who used to tell my own mother that she was so baduy because she was not just watchingPBB, pero naiinvolve pa talaga siya!

Now…what does this have to do about me? Well…for one, I was a teen once. A not so pretty and mega super overweight teen at that. As such, I was never the “liked” teen in class. Also, many say I look mataray and suplada because of the way I look (at least when I was younger). Because of that, I was often misunderstood and disliked. I remember how whenever class groupings had to be made, I would often be the last to be chosen. Watching the show last night reminded me of that.

I would always dismiss it and tell myself it didn’t matter. For the most part, okay lang naman talaga sa akin. Or so I thought. A teenager’s ego is quite fragile and a lot of seemingly insignificant events can leave emotional scars that may not be apparent till much later on in life. In my case, that’s true. I always thought I had resolved those feelings and chalked it up to nothing but even as a young adult, I had a lot of insecurities even at work. In fact, one time I was inadvertently left off in an email correspondence between colleagues and this triggered a lot of feelings of anxiety and depression in me.  So much so I needed help to get over it.

Some may say OA naman reaction ko. Pero sa totoo lang, a lot of those feelings are deeply rooted in my poor self-esteem formation as a teen. While I may come across as confident and boisterous, those are cover-ups for my insecurity. I don’t personally know Tricia, pero what if kaya rin siya napagkakamalang maarte at lahat dahil ito rin ang way niya to deal with her feelings?

Adolescence is perhaps one of the most tumultuous and difficult experiences one goes through in life. It is often plagued with insecurities and uncertainties about who one is and the direction one is going in their lives. While this period in life brings with it a lot of new and exciting experiences, it also brings with it challenges that are often hard to explain.

According to Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory of Development, this is a period in which one goes through the developmental crisis known as “Identity vs. Role Confusion”.  In Britney Spears talk, at this time, a teenage girl is “not a girl, not yet a woman”. Whatever way you look at it, a teenage girl is at a crossroads of her life. She is picking up pieces of a puzzle that will complete a picture of who she is and what she is all about.

For me, last night’s experience was a painful episode in a vulnerable teens life. While she was opening an ice cream cone while talking to Patrick, you could see how pained she was that she really wanted to cry. I wonder how this will affect her self-esteem…

I have to applaud Tricia’s response to a very painful experience she had to go through. As she huddled under the blankets when the Pinoy teens arrived after the party, I heard her mutter what I would usually answer, but with less sarcasm: tapos na rin naman, wala na tayong magagawa.  She also invited her housemates to eat cake after going to the confession room and For a 15 year old, that was pretty big of her.

Moving on, however, the episode taught me an important lesson as a teacher What is this? Well, it reminded me about my role in nurturing a child and teen’s self-esteem. Sometimes it’s easy to overlook this. Here are some tips on how to nurture a child (or teens) self-esteem:

1. Give them constant affirmation for the good they do. By recognizing their strengths and highlighting their accomplishments, they can feel better about themselves. This will also help build their self-image.
2. Focus on the positive, not the negative! Rather than saying “sayang may two mistakes ka, perfect na sana e!” say “great job! you almost got it all!” .  Although to be fair, pointing out the two mistakes can be a form of challenging them to do better. Be careful in using it.
3. When punishing or reprimanding them, focus on the negative behavior and not the individual. Many times we unintentionally say ang tigas talaga ng ulo mo, no? or you’re such a bad girl (for younger kids). Rather than saying that, try using words like “what you did is bad” or “Your behavior is unacceptable”.
4. For teachers, when making groups in class, try counting-off or assigning groups rather than leaving the students to pick their own group mates. This is what I’m most guilty of. I often let my students pick teams and I have had times when there is someone that the class does not like and she is left alone. Once, in fact, I had to intervene because no one wanted this girl in their groups and the girl ended up in tears.
5. Provide opportunities for success rather than defeat. This does not mean, however, that he/she should not be challenged to push themselves further.

I am looking forward to tonight’s episode. I want to see how Kuya processes this (I sure hope meron!) and how he will turn this into a learning experience for everyone involved. By the way, hats off to some of the teenternationals who showed concern towards Tricia. I don’t know who said it but after the party, one of them commented that “it’s like they don’t even care”. Let’s see how this transforms these teens not just to be winners in this reality show but to actually become winners in life.

PS: please excuse the grammar and taglish nature of this post emotional issue here!

Posted by Teacher Ria in Advocacies | 0 Comments

Getting kids to eat healthy

When I opened my Yahoo! mail today, I saw a trending topic come up on the top of the screen. It said “Rachael Ray”. Being a big fan of hers, I decided to click it and I thought I would come across articles about a new show she was coming up with or perhaps a new cookbook that would be hitting the bookshelves. I was wrong. The link showed me several news articles talking about her joining the advocacy towards getting kids to eat healthier by encouraging them to cook and giving them healthier food to eat in school in order to battle childhood obesity.

This got me to thinking about how different school baon’s or snacks have become. When I was younger, I remember always having sandwiches and home-made lunches in my lunch box. I used to bring a Coleman of water, too. Once or twice a week, instead of water, I’d be allowed to have iced tea instead.

Nowadays, however, pre-packaged goodies are a dime a dozen. It is a convenient and hassle-free way of preparing snacks for kids. Plus, it’s almost a sure winner!

In my many years of teaching children, I have opened all sorts of juice boxes and seen all sorts of snacks or baon in their lunch boxes. I’ve seen all shapes and sizes of these juices and all colors and flavors of biscuits, cookies and more.

However, it is very rare for me to see healthy snacks in these boxes. Before I’d still see sandwiches, be it peanut butter or cheese sandwiches but nowadays, even that is rare. The most common things I see are as follows:

1. Cupcakes (Mini-cakes, inipit, etc.).
2. Cookies (Plain, creme filled, etc.)
3. Hotdogs and rice
4. Chicken Nuggets
5. Doughnuts

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t begrudge parents for giving their kids these. I probably would be doing the same if I was a mom. My point in this article is not to criticize the kinds of baon parents send, but perhaps to encourage adding something healthy to the lunch box, or perhaps choosing a healthier option.

For example, things parents can do to make their snacks healthier can include the following:

• Send milk instead of juice drinks that are not really made of fresh fruit or are sugar-filled
• Alternate sandwiches to the cookies, cupcakes, etc.
• Try oatmeal cookies or oat-based snacks
• Send lots of water!!!
• Give them yogurt or pudding
• Try fruit cups or better still: cut-up fresh fruit

Eating healthy is a life-long process. I obviously didn’t learn very well from my early childhood experiences in choosing the right food to eat! I think though that to get kids to eat healthy, it should start young and be supported by the school and the parents. I applaud schools that maintain “no junk food” policies and those that don’t sell soft drinks on campus. This may not be enough to eradicate these food items from a child’s diet, but it does lessen it, even just a little. Also, adding fruits and vegetables to school lunches can also be a good way to encourage healthier eating. An example of change  in Philippine snacking nowadays is that of the frozen yogurt craze. Before, I would never see kids or teens eating yogurt, even the frozen type but today, everybody loves it. Even though it is topped by chocolate or what not from time to time, at least it is a healthier alternative.

I also believe, however, that moderation is key. Withholding all the yummy food from kids will not be an effective way of getting them to develop a healthy eating regimen because this will only leave them feeling deprived.

Now, if we’re dealing with a picky eater here, I’d have to say, good luck I know that that’s one of the most difficult battles parents face and getting them to eat their vegetables is not necessarily the easiest thing on earth! Next time I’ll try to write a post about how we can get kids to like vegetables more

Posted by Teacher Ria in Advocacies | 1 Comment

Justin Bieber and Charice sign No Texting Zone Pacts

When Charice and Justin Bieber guested in a recent Oprah episode, they ended the show with the two youngsters signing a pact promising to stay text-free while driving. This is an encouraging move that hopefully inspires other young people out there (okay, even myself) to not text while driving. Admittedly it is hard to be consistent with this, especially given the way Philippine traffic is where we spend a lot of  time sitting in a non-moving vehicle. Nonetheless, texting and driving should not be the case. I am reminded of the post I wrote some time ago, after the death of the young Ateneo student Amiel Alcantara. While it has not been proven, there was talk that a cellphone may have played a role in the accident.

Now that my younger brother is beginning to drive, I try to be more careful with my behavior because if he sees me texting while driving, he may be more inclined to do it too. As such, I promise to lessen if not stop completely checking my phone while stuck in traffic. Also, in my PERSEF classes this term, I will use this topic as an advocacy project (last term was elections!). It’s just kinda hard to break this bad habit!!!

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

Cheers to Second Moms!

When I first started graduate school, I did not only have the chance to learn new things that allowed me to become a better person, but I was also able to meet one of the most influential and inspirational women I have ever crossed paths with. For many psychology students of DLSU, she is known regarded as a big favorite and an excellent teacher. For me, she was (and is) more than a teacher. Through her I have learned what it really means to be happy and how to be able to be true to myself. By working with her in all the different ways we have been doing so (as a teacher, as a colleague, as a mentor and all other roles we have shared) I have really been able to equip myself with the life skills needed to be a good person. In many ways, she has changed my life.

This Mother’s Day, I am taking the time out to recognize not just my own mother, but also all the phenomenal women out there who are like second moms to me.

To my classroom moms, mentor moms and most specially to online moms (a.k.a. editors, blogging gurus, and plurk supporters!), thank you for all the love, support and encouragement you have given me these past years.

Let me invite you, too, my dear readers, to say “Cheers” to your Second Moms, whoever they may be. These wonderful women, be it your lola, tita, yaya, office mentor, kindergarten teacher, deserve a big thanks on this special day. What better way to spread the love and gratitude than by giving them a special Toblerone bouquet, designed especially by Michi Calica? Be sure to log on to www.toblerone.com.ph and check out this fab contest to to discover new ways to thank those 2^nd moms on Mothers’ Day.

Posted by Teacher Ria in Advocacies | 1 Comment

Rules are NOT Meant to be Broken

One of the things I most struggle with everyday is reconciling the fact that while many rules may seem irrelevant and at times, illogical, and the need to follow these rules.

My own sister often uses that as a weapon against me when we fight. She calls me a ‘goody-two-shoes’. However, while most people are okay with bending the rules, I still find it very difficult to do so. Let’s take driving rules for example. It really bothers me when people, especially motorcycles, continue to go forward even though there is a red light in front of them. For others, they rationalize that there’s no oncoming traffic anyway. I try my best to follow these rules even though it inconveniences me, but it’s hard to stick to it when every one else does not follow!

Another pet peeve of mine would be when people park by someone elses driveway. While that may not be a written rule, it is a basic social rule that should not need to be taught. Frustrating, right?!?

I think we would all live in a much better world if we all just try to follow rules a little better and remember, no matter how irrational it is, there must be a reason for it

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

Do Looks Really Matter?

Seriously, do they?

In the past few months, I have observed how television commercials and similar media have seemed to place so much more value on looks, even more than they used to. For example, I was appalled at a TV ad that featured whitening lotion for teens and pre-teens. Seriously??? In an article I had read, the author even pointed out that the ad said something about “start white, start right” (or vice versa). Bottom line, the point was to make it far, you have to have white skin. With that, I got to thinking if looks really matter.

In a perfect world, the answer should be no. However, in the world we live in, sadly often times the answer is yes. For me, I personally see how looks do affect interactions I engage in, but that doesn’t mean I approve of judging others by their looks. What I mean here is that as I have gotten older (and it is physically obvious now) I seem to be able to get more respect from my students. It’s like they see me more as an authority figure as compared to when I was still quite young. As such, I see how looks can make a difference. In this case, it was a “good” effect, but many times, people can use looks as a means for discrimination which I TOTALLY DO NOT CONDONE! Going back to my intro, for example, having darker skin should not be an issue.

I believe that more than changing the way we look through these supposed magic creams, treatments and  plastic surgery, which are big trends nowadays. More than emphasizing that we will be “better” with these,  we need to be able to highlight that we don’t need to CHANGE who we are, but to change OUR PERSPECTIVE of who we are and this can be done by taking good care of physical selves. For example, I struggle with a mild case of hirsutism, which is an off-shoot of a hormonal problem I have. As such, I have a lot of unsightly unwanted hairs on my upper lip and chin. Perhaps, taking steps to remove these hairs such as waxing, threading or the like can be helpful. Checking out a site featuring Laser Hair Removal in Los Angeles made me think also about seeking permanent hair removal treatments for my problem. The thing is, I’m not so sure how well I can tolerate that and if I can afford it for that matter.

On a personal level, at this point in my life, I can still say I will not opt for any physical treatments  such as Botox Treatment Los Angeles. I have nothing against those who want to have it done, and who knows if five, ten years down the line I’d feel the same. I guess as long as you educate yourself and read the WebMD Botox Information thoroughly, you can make a better decision for yourself.

As I’ve said,  it’s not just physical looks per se that matter, but really how we take care of ourselves.The thing is, we don’t really get to get that message across to people, especially young and impressionable individuals. So do looks really matter? Yes, they do. But this doesn’t mean you have to dislike the way you look: you just have to learn to accentuate and highlight your personal beauty strengths.

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

Rewriting Filipino Time.

I used to be a very punctual person growing up.  Now, I catch myself being late a lot. To be fair, I still am generally prompt  when it comes to meetings and appointments. However, because of the notion of Filipino Time, sometimes I find myself dilly dallying instead of getting ready as early as I would have normally used to do.

The idea that it is okay to be late because the event (be it a meeting, party or what not) doesn’t start on time anyway seems to have been so ingrained into todays society that many have lost a sense of value for time. Perhaps this attitude prevails because it has become an accepted behavior among most of us, very much like Pavlov’s classical conditioning. I suppose we also make it acceptable by our response to these kinds of behaviors.

Just this term, the university I work for introduced a program to really emphasize the importance of being on time. Every now and then, we would receive emails reminding us about how we should be in the classrooms on time, even though our students tend to come in later. I guess part of the reason why the students come late too is because they know the teachers are aware they come late so they aren’t 100% prompt 100% of the time. Plus they get away with it anyway.

This coming term, I am going to try to rewrite Filipino time, at least for myself. Perhaps by being more self-aware about my being prompt and conscientious about this, I can affect change around me, after all, this is why I’m called teacher, right?

Posted by Teacher Ria in Advocacies, Featured | 3 Comments

My Right, Your Right, Our Right: Education for All

Education is a right.

However, for many, this may not feel like it. I am lucky I was born to a family that afforded me a good education, but not everybody is as lucky as me. But this does not mean they don’t deserve an education right?

In the radio this past week (I listen to AM stations most of the time whenever I am heading to school), I heard countless tales of the sad plight of education in our country. I heard how some very deserving students suddenly found themselves stripped of honors they should have received if not only for the fact that their parents could not afford to settle tuition dues. I heard stories of how some were not able to attend their graduation rites because of the fees being charged for it.

Yes, education is a right..or is it really?

Presently, quality education seems to no longer be accessible for all. While I may understand why education in a private institution can cost quite a lot, I also know that things can be done in the national level to help control these costs, especially for national universities. However, the money that should be going to quality education ends up in pockets that do not deserve them. It’s a shame that the government cannot allocate the budget that education sector deserves.  Sometimes it feels like only the private sector or citizens like our CNN Hero Efren Penaflorida and his team make clear strides towards making quality education accessible to all.

Just because education is a right, though, it doesn’t mean that you have to be ungrateful, irrational or violent about not receiving this right fully. While I fully understand where the students from PUP were coming from this past week when it came to their rallying and fighting for the education they deserve, I was disheartened by news of the violent protest that ensued. It saddened me that they felt they had to resort to burning the school equipment to prove their point. I have taken part in my fair share of protests and demonstrations but I still believe that violence will not solve anything. At the end of the day, I feel that instead of making a positive impact to the situation, it became an even more complicated one because now there are less resources available for the students.

As a teacher, I personally feel how education is not given the credit it definitely deserves. I will not deny that comparatively, the institution I work for pays me well. However, if I compare this to other countries or other types of industries, its not much. Sometimes, it makes me really think about why I still teach in the Philippines. Whenever I see Facebook updates about my fellow graduates from FLCD who are teaching in the US, I think about finally taking the plunge and making a good living for myself there. However, I still stay. Why? Because I still believe the Filipinos need teachers to stay.

As we approach the 2010 National Elections, campaign promises are being made left and right, and education is in the thick of it. I hope that finally, the next government can finally allocate a decent budget that will allow our millions of Filipinos to claim their right to education.

Posted by Teacher Ria in Advocacies, Autism, Featured | 10 Comments

Apparently, not every Juan can fly with Cebu Pacific after all

Apparently, not every Juan can fly after all.

Contrary to Cebu Pacific‘s tag line that it’s time everyone flies (or every Juan as they so creatively coined), there are exemptions to who they are willing to fly. This is the message they gave to the public when they so insensitively tried to coerce a mother and her son to disembark from the plane they were taking because the son had special needs. The incident took place last December 23, 2009. According to news reports, Mrs. Mylene Alcantara was told by the flight crew that they cannot go on with their flight after finding out that her son was a special child. More specifically, she was informed that the company policy was that no two special needs passengers can be on the same flight. Apparently, there was another child with Down’s Syndrome already aboard the aircraft. They reportedly were insisting that her son was mentally ill, thus they could not travel. I applaud this mother’s strength and courage as she not only refused to be coerced and intimidated by these crew members but also for continuing the fight against the airline. Mrs. Alcantara is now filing a multi-million lawsuit against the carrier.

This is not the first time Cebu Pacific has displayed obvious descirmination towards PWD’s or Persons with Disabilities. In a previous incident (which if not for a blogger’s Plurk I would not have known about), Cebu Pacific refused to board a group of  deaf passengers because of a policy against having two unescorted passengers that require special handling. They explained further that “special handling” pertained to passengers who were pregnant, had disabilities,  medical cases, minors travelling alone and individuals whose physical, medical or mental conditions need special or individual attention (read the entire response via Filipino Deaf from the Eyes of a Hearing Person here and here).

Granted that having unassisted and unaccompanied individuals who need special attention may tax the resources of the cabin crew in case of emergency and increase the carrier’s liability, this seems to not be the case in the situations of both the group of hearing impaired tourists and Mrs. Alcantara’s son. For one, the child was accompanied by his mother who clearly is able to care for her son and attend to his needs. Secondly, as heard over the radio this morning, the lawyer of the family pointed out that special children are not considered mentally ill.

What ignorance on the part of a company! Just because someone has special needs does not make them less of an individual nor does it mean they do not deserve opportunities granted to everyone else. So long as they have their support system on hand, there should be no problems or issues at all. Conrtary to the belief that children with autism or mental retardation cannot behave and act inappropriately, they can be just like other kids in many, many ways. In fact, a lot of times it is the so-called “normal” population that acts inappropriately in-flight. The Cebu Pacific crew‘s behavior takes us back to a time when children with autism, Down’s Syndrome and other physical, mental or other handicaps were institutionalized and hidden from the rest of the world. I, for one, am not willing to go back to that kind of a mind-set. I enjoin a fellow autism advocate and another brave mom of a child with autism as she calls for the airline industry to accommodate individuals with special needs. If I may add, this accommodations should be done with no questions asked!

In the last year alone, I have read so many gripes and rants about the airline, from faulty online bookings to poor customer service, and now this. It is time that the airline started making changes about their policies and procedures. Further, their training of their staff should be revamped. I remember on my Davao trip last year, I had taken another carrier but my friends had taken Cebu Pacific and they had a major rant about one of the crew. I don’t remember what it was exactly anymore, but the point is Cebu Pacific should work on better customer service. While the airline has made apologies to the family, it is not enough. The damage is done.

Cebu Pacific does offer low fares. But their claim on great value? This is something we now have to think about.

Posted by Teacher Ria in Advocacies | 0 Comments

Efren Penaflorida, Jr: The Hero of a Classroom Without Walls

As if being an educator in the Philippines is not hard enough, CNN Hero nominee Efren Peñaflorida, Jr. faces his own set of challenges as he strives to educate Filipino children but he does not let these limitations stop him. Despite the lack of resources and insufficient funding, he still sets off  to give the gift of reading and writing to children who would otherwise be left illiterate and without an education.

He has a classroom without walls, literally. His makeshift classroom is a “kariton” or a pushcart. Armed with just the bare basics, he and his fellow teen volunteers from the Dynamic Teen Company offer street children and out-of-school youth hope for the future by not just giving them dole-outs but by empowering them with an education.

As a Filipino educator myself, I am in awe of Kuya Ef, as he is fondly known. He truly is a hero. Please help make it official by voting for him as this years CNN Hero here. Voting ends on November 19, 2009.

Posted by Teacher Ria in Advocacies | 2 Comments

The Gift of Education

If there is one gift that keeps on giving, that is the Gift of Education.  An education does not expire nor can one outgrow it. It’s rewards are great and boundless. It is sad, however, that not everyone is able to receive this gift. This is especially true in the Philippines. Although we have a public education system, it is grossly underfunded. Millions of Filipino children have little to no access to education.

This is where the Virlanie Foundation comes in. A private, non-sectarian child caring institution in Manila, the Virlanie Foundation aims to provide care, shelter and education to street children who are abandoned, abused and made to work.  Founded in 1992 by Dominique Lemay, the foundation aims to empower children for a brighter future, and what better way to do so than by giving them the gift of education.

However, Virlanie cannot do it alone. This is why they, in partnership with 8 of Serendra and Bonifacio High Street’s classy restaurants have decided to link up with the 8 to Educate campaign.

From October 26 to December 31, 2009, eating at any one of the eight participating restaurants will help educate a street child. By ordering one of the specially marked dishes in ArAma, Cav, Chelsea Cupcakes by Sonja, Fu, Healthy Kitchen, Sentro 1771 and Xocolat‘s menus, the restaurant will make a corresponding donation to the Virlanie foundation.

Diners are also encouraged to make donations by offering donation envelopes when you dine in. For as little as 800 pesos a month, you can support the education of a street child. As a sponsor, you will be paying for the uniform, shoes, school supplies, transportation, meals and special projects of  ” your”  child. In return, you can opt to correspond with the child and will be given regular updates about his/her progress.

The “I Ate To Educate” is a great way to help the children who need it most. Not only do you enjoy a great meal, you also get to give a child the most wonderful Christmas present ever: the gift of education.

Over the next two weeks, I will be featuring items on the 8 to educate menu on my food blog. Hope you go check it out!

Posted by Teacher Ria in Advocacies | 6 Comments

A Time to Be Thankful.

In 2007, the Great Reader’s Digest Global Courtesy Test rated Manila as the 22nd least courteous city in the world. Despite the Filipino people being known for it’s spirit of hospitality, the attitude of gratitude was missing. In an effort to disprove these findings and to rekindle the trait of thankfulness in the Philippines, Toblerone launched the first National Thank You Day. Since it’s launch two years ago, the Philippines rose to the challenge and is now recognized as the Most Courteous Asian Country in recent surveys.

In the same year, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim has done in 2007 when he passed a city ordinance declaring October 20 as the city’s official Thank You Day. Following suit, Congresswoman Cynthia Villar of Las Piñas has also passed House Bill No.5466 to recommend that, because of its merits, National Thank You Day be recognized as a national holiday.

I enjoin you to check out www.thankyoudayphilippines.com and check out the efforts being made in order to pass on the message of how important expressing genuine gratitude really is, especially at this time when being grateful despite our recent tragedies is an important step in healing our battered country’s spirit. You can also check out my thank you day contest sponsored by Toblerone.

Today is truly a day to be thankful. While we may commemorate National Thank You Day on October 20,  let us keep the attitude of gratitude, appreciation and thanks alive everyday.

Posted by Teacher Ria in Advocacies, Teaching Resources | 6 Comments

Blog Action Day: Teaching Kids that it’s Never Too Early To Care about Climate Change.

Today the blogosphere marks BLOG ACTION DAY with a very timely and appropriate theme: Climate Change. I will be the first to admit that for the longest time, I was apathetic to the issue, always just believing that being an individual, I can only do so much. Also, being a big fan of the comforts and luxury that modern life has brought, I often forget to think twice about how my actions today can affect future generations. It also has not dawned on me until now how much we lose if we don’t start caring. However, in light of recent events not just in the Philippines but around the world, it hit me that I AM AN INDIVIDUAL THAT CAN MAKE CHANGE. And simply by caring enough, even my one small contribution can lead to a solution to the negative effect climate change has already brought us.

Going beyond just what I can do myself, I realized that my platform, both as a blogger and a teacher, can hopefully snowball into something bigger than me. Though I may be teaching preschoolers, I have to instill in them that its never too early to care about climate change. I figured, training them as early as now to watch out for their actions and strike a good balance between enjoying modern technologies and lessening our collective carbon footprints in this world. I’d like to believe that this will make a marked difference in their lives. As a Bible verse says, Train up a child the way he should go and when he grows old, he shall never depart from it. Similarly, learning theorists say that through conditioning, behaviors can become automatic.

So what I am doing as a teacher about climate change is implementing little changes and adjustments to my routine in the classroom. These include:

1. Teaching my 3-5 year olds how to segregate trash. Most classrooms only have one trash bin. I propose that we start adding a few more so we can show kids what “biodegradable” and “nonbiodegradable” is. It is a well-known fact that we are contributing to global warming everyday by consuming more and more plastic products that are often thrown away callously. These plastics take years to break down and in the meantime, it clogs up our drainage systems and piles up in dump sites. I have three small boxes in the corner of my room now. Each one is labeled with a photo which allows the kids to know what should go where. There’s one for paper, one for juice cartons/bottles/tetra packs, and one for tissues and similar waste products.

2. Incorporating recycled materials in everyday activities. I used to love a fresh new sheet of paper. I’d make sure I’d have a stack of these papers on hand for what ever activity/exercise I do in class. Using scratch paper was a rarity for me. I used to say that it would be a shame to have the kids make a great painting/drawing that cannot be fully appreciated because the markings on the backside of the paper that is recycled can be seen. Now, the kids do not have fresh papers all the time. In place, I have a box of used papers (from reports and papers of my college students) that they can use for scribbling, writing exercises and similar drills.  Also, other materials such as toilet paper rolls, P.E.T. bottles and empty jars have found its way to the arts and crafts table.

3. Reminding the children to turn off the lights and electric fan/airconditioner when we leave the room. I have to admit, I am guilty of leaving electricity on when I step out of my room, rationalizing that I’ll be back shortly. However, sometimes it is a good 20 minutes before I return. A full-20 minutes of waste!

4. “Green”ifying my classroom! I’ll be honest, I still need ideas on how to do this better, but for now, I will try to have a greener classroom by lessening the use of plastic materials (i.e. containers, food items that come in such containers, styrofoam, straw, etc.). I will also continue to hold on to the belief that I should not use food items as art materials (i.e. vegetables for vegetable prints, macaroni for painting and stringing, etc.).

In the next few weeks, I hope to explore more ways I can make my classroom greener for me, the kids and the future to come. Perhaps I can add some experiments to my science lesson plans to illustrate climate change. I can also try to find more storybooks on global warming, recycling, caring for the earth and climate change. Do you have any suggestions?  What are you doing to teach your kids about climate change.

Oh, and before I forget, one thing I will be doing beyond this Blog Action Day post on Climate Change is being an example to my little preschoolers.

Posted by Teacher Ria in Advocacies | 6 Comments

How Else Can We Help? Dealing with Ondoy’s Emotional Aftermath

Over the weekend Typhoon Ondoy changed the lives of countless Filipinos. He spared no one. He knew no class, race or status. Hand in hand with Mother Nature, Ondoy showed us that we are not defined by what we have or who we are. Stories of loss and devastation are endless, as our stories of survival, gratitude, and yes, hope.

Today, we all begin the monumental task of rebuilding, not just homes, but lives. Many families are literally starting from scratch. As they pick up the pieces and start over, let us all offer up our prayers and support to them. Beyond prayers, let us also all get together and pitch in. There are countless ways in which we all can help. Many of us have taken on the challenge: donating, volunteering, spreading information. And yet, some still ask, how else can we help?

Over the next few days, psychosocial rehabilitation will be an increasing need.After the body is cared for, let us also find ways to help care for the souls of our countrymen. This is another way in which we can help.

If what we were witnessing unfold on television was heartbreaking, I can only imagine how terrifying and traumatizing being in that situation was and still is. When faced with such trauma, it is possible (and highly likely) that individuals undergo an emotional crisis or some form of post traumatic stress.  We might never know the extent of their grief or bereavement. They may be overwhelmed by feelings of anxiety, depression, despair, frustration which may not necessarily be felt right now, but may escalate as the days go by.  Post-traumatic stress can be like a devil in disguise. We may think our friends and family are okay and that they are coping with it but then symptoms and manifestations of PTSD may come like a theif in the night. Read more about PTSD here.

How can we help?

1. Lend a listening ear. Listen to their stories and help them process and grieve. You do not need to offer advice. A sympathetic ear and sincerely caring for what they have to say can go a long way.

2. Offer the right words of comfort. Many of us may think we are comforting with our words, but sometimes, we inadvertently downplay their feelings, thus leaving them even more grief-stricken or pained.

3. Find story books to help children cope with their feelings of loss and devastation. Also, allow them to ask questions and answer these as honestly as possible. This will help them feel safe and assured with what is going on around them.

4. Do not underestimate the small stuff. Picking up their mail, taking their kids out for the afternoon so they can have some time to themselves, or perhaps cooking them a home-cooked meal can be very helpful and comforting.

5. Lastly and most importantly,do not assume you know the answers. If your friend or family member is undergoing  emotional problems or distress, consult a psychologist, grief counselor, psychiatrist, priest, and similarly trained professionals.

* I will update this post when I gather information about how psychologists, counselors and similar volunteers can help providing psychosocial rehabilitation and care. As far as I know, groups are being mobilized and organized as I publish this post.

UPDATE:

Ateneo Psych Department is organizing CISD efforts. Faculty and Psych Students are invited to coordinate with the department for briefing.

Efforts in the South area are being organized by some of my fellow DLSU Grad Students. If you are from the South and are interested in joining in, please leave a comment and/or email me your contact details at yapatoots@gmail.com and I will send these to those organizing efforts.
The Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP) calls on everyone to attend the Orientation and Organizational Meeting on Stress Debriefing for Survivors of Typhoon Ondoy this Saturday, October 3, 2009, 8-12 noon at the Alip Seminar Room, Philippine Social Science Council (PSSC), Commonwealth Avenue, Diliman, QC. This is open to both PAP and non PAP members who would like to extend their help.

Interested participants are requested to send their names and mobile phone numbers to any of the following:

Allan Bernardo – 09176256349

Caring Tarroja – 09285018013

Isabel Melgar – 09209532409

PAP Secretariat – 09277872012

You may also email your name and mobile phone number to jaysaplala@yahoo.com or through my Twitter account, http://www.facebook.com/l/a48de;twitter.com/jsaplala. You may also email the PAP Secretariat, pap_1962_08@yahoo.com .

Your presence this Saturday would be most valuable to those in need. Thank you and we hope to hear from you soon

Posted by Teacher Ria in Advocacies | 2 Comments

He Said, She Said: Ending the Name-Calling Battle.

More than once, I’ve had kids proclaim to their classmates “I don’t like you to be my friend”. Upon prodding, I find out why: because she’s pangit (ugly) or fat. Yes, this comes from four and five year olds. Shocking as it may be, being a preschool teacher has exposed me to the fact that discrimination is not only an adult thing.

It got me to thinking, where this comes from?

Then it hit me: this is the message we give children. We call people names a lot. From the “idiot” in the car that cut in front of us to the wierdo dressed in all black walking in the mall. And those are only the “mild” kinds of names we call others. It’s also the labels we give them and the characteristics associated to it. For example, statements like “ibibigay kita sa bumbay”  or some other derogatory comment like that. Sometimes it’s also the non-verbal signals we give out,  such as suddenly clutching your purse when someone who looks like a goon walks by. Many times we don’t think about our actions when we blurt out a label we have for people.  Often it happens on instinct or reflex, without us much giving second thought about it. I, too, have been guilty of it.

You may wonder where this whole post is coming from. Let me backtrack a bit. It started a few days ago when, while listening to the evening news, I heard the newscaster comment about the upset Ateneo experienced at the hands of (as he put it) “the lowly UP Maroons”.  I sincerely hope I heard him wrong, but that’s how it came across to me. Saying it in a different manner, such as  “The Blue Eagles were defeated by the last seeded UP Maroons” or something like that seems less derogatory, right?

This got me to thinking about how we can end the perpetual name-calling battle. It’s not enough to scold children when we hear them do it. Punishing them may help a bit but not necessarily change it. We need to stop and change the messages we give our children. This does not pertain only to media, especially the media of today where even cartoons teach kids to call others  “stupid” and the like. It should begin with us.