Last August 2013, my husband composed an e-mail to CEM (Center for Education Measurement) stating that he was following up the approval of his submitted test items that he made about Grade 3 Science for next year's Achievement Test. His e-mail was immediately acknowledged and he was informed that the test items were approved.

I: "Papa, it's finally done! Congratulations! Did you delete the soft copy?"

Hector: "Yes, Ma! It's done!"

Kuya Ross: "Mama, what is Papa doing? What soft copy did he delete? What is it all about?"

I: "Anak,  Papa was invited by CEM to write test items about Grade 3 Science to be taken by students in the Philippines. According to the contract, once those test items were submitted to CEM, Papa should delete both his soft and hard copies and he did it!"

Kuya Ross: "How would they know if Papa really deleted them? They were not looking?"

I: " Anak, we have to be honest. Being honest means you should be true to your words and actions. You have to do the right thing even if nobody or regardless who is looking. The test that Papa made will be taken by you too next year. Papa could have saved a copy for you so that you'd know the answers but he didn't because that was cheating! Cheating is wrong, right? What he did was he kept his promise to CEM and followed the contract."

Kuya Ross: "Oh, I see."

I: " When you see money in your classroom, will you keep it?"

Kuya Ross: "No, Mama. I will give it to my teacher so that she can ask or look for the owner of the money."

I: "Very good! It's the same as what Papa did. It's an act of honesty. When we are honest, Kuya, people will trust us. God will be happy too because we are doing the right thing."

Kuya Ross: "Yes, Mama. I'm so proud of Papa."

I: "We are proud of you too, Kuya. You have to keep it in mind so that when you are already a dad, you'd know how to teach your kids."

Kuya Ross: "Yes, Mama. Thanks!"

The smile on his face showed that he was happy with what his Papa did.   

Experience is really the best teacher at the right place and time. 


    

I've been teaching for 14 years now and as I look back, I realized that a teacher's subject designation is simply a decorative post that was assigned to him/her due to his/her academic specialization. Teachers in general are simply people with excess awareness of their humanity that they simply want to share it with others. A teacher is an individual that has the capacity to make people dream, cooperate, aspire, succeed, and most of all fail. You might be wondering why I gave so much emphasis on failing? 

Failure is a powerful tool that enables a teacher to create a "TEACHABLE MOMENT". A fragment of time where a person is stripped of his defenses and biases and is simply "intellectually and emotionally naked". Most parents will definitely disagree with me but I am also a parent. When a person fails he is simply put on state of confusion where his self image that was built on his early successes are simply shattered. Most parents tend to abhor failure because they want their kids to develop their full potential and unparalleled self-confidence. Traits that are perceived to be necessary to gain success later on in life. 

My son is quite competitive and if I might add quite gifted intellectually which tends to make him over confident to the point that he neglects strengthening his fundamental skills in school. As he grows up, he continued to develop his own identity based on how people see him parallel to the things he can do best. Success in his endeavors gave him self fulfillment but most of his learnings and realizations were from failures. It enabled him to know himself more and it gave me the window to challenge him more to be better than who he is now. Personally, watching my son fail is very painful but it is necessary. Because it made him more resourceful and it allowed him to see his limits and is simply forced to overcome them. Allowing him to look for more options and in cases where options are very limited, made him think out of the box. But there is a catch, in those moments of confusion we as parents should be the very people that would make him realize his life lessons and be the guide to them. 

Next time your kid comes home defeated, smile for there will be a day that he will come out a better person - stronger in all aspects. 

I noticed that since Janine Tugonon, Miss Universe 2012 1st Runner-Up, broadcasted her break-up with his boyfriend Jaypee Santos on national TV, names used as  adjectives became a trend here in the Philippines. "Na-Janine Tugonon ako!" would mean that your partner was so proud to announce about your break up because he/she fell out of love and found another lover.

"Na-Jed Salang ako!" (Jed Salang was the estranged husband of Philippine Comedy Concert Queen, Ai-Ai delas Alas, who allegedly found by the latter his real intentions of marrying her) would mean that your partner inflicted physical harm on you and left you because he/she couldn't get something from you. 

When you flaunt your shopping spree, expensive possessions like signatured bags, clothes, shoes, etc., only to find out that you purchased all of them using other people's hard earned money, you are being called "Napolic" (from the name Janet and Jeanne Napoles, the controversially involved personalities in Philippine Pork Barrel Scam).

It is normal for us to talk about these personalities and have our own sentiments or comments. While doing so, (let's admit that they made the country stop) I think it's time for us to reflect on what these persons teach us--- simple lessons in life that we often miss.

1 We have to think first before we act. In all the things that we do, there are CONSEQUENCES. Everything that is happening to us is connected to the GOLDEN RULE by Confucius, "One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself."

2 We are responsible in all our actions. God gave us FREE WILL but we have to choose in doing what's right in the eyes of God and men. For others, it is hard to do what's morally right, but it's worth it! I believe that we would lose everything that we acquired including the trust of our loved-ones when we're getting something through wrong means. It is also best to talk less to commit less mistakes. Words and actions come hand in hand.

3 We have to accept our faults and do our best to change for the better. Nobody's perfect! If we are eager to improve our ways, it starts from within! If we are true with our intentions, others would notice. We don't have to explain.

We are humans and sometimes we like to spend time meddling with other people's businesses. Somehow there are moments in our lives that we tend to become like them. Face the fact that we have weaknesses too. We also commit mistakes. Why don't we try delving into our own lives first? Let us see their issues in all angles, in such a way that we could learn something.

Kuya Ross was complaining about the Penmanship drills that his Papa prepared for him. He was frowning and whining while writing lazily.

"Kuya, do you remember when Mama used to complain why I had to do so many household chores while chasing your baby brother the whole day? Did you like it when Mama was behaving that way?"

"No, Mama."

"I also don't like it when you do that. I feel so sad."

"Me too, Mama."

"You know what, when I was grumpy, I ended up not finishing anything because I wasted so much time complaining. I didn't even consider your feelings when I whine. I changed my way of thinking because I realized that I should be thankful because God made me a stay-at-home mom. I could take care of you, Papa, and Bunso. I work from sun up to sun down, do tasks that I think I couldn't do all at the same time. I also have a business to take care of despite the fact that I have so much work to do as a mom. There are so many things to do yet so little time! Doing more tasks means we are productive. Through these tasks we learn something new everyday. We have to be happy and thankful that we have a chance to work harder. That means we are blessed and we have a purpose."

"Mama, what makes you happy and thankful that you have so much work?"

"When I see that everybody's happy with what I do, it makes me happy too. Imagine, I am not paid for what I do here at home. I don't dress up like office girls do and get paid with money when I take care of you. But I still do it Kuya. Hindi lahat natutumbasan ng pera, anak. Masaya ako at naaalagaan ko kayo kasi mahal ko kayo. When we love what we do, others would feel it. It gives us more drive to do so much more. Kaya ikaw, Kuya, you have to be thankful that your teacher gives you so many assignments. That means she loves you and she wants you to learn. Show her that you love her  by doing your best. When you do your best, something good will happen. Trust me."

He kept quiet, then continued doing his drills. I kissed him on his forehead and did my motherly duties. I knew I left something for him to reflect on. I prepared a glass of cold orange juice and baked macaroni as a reward for his hard work.