A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.Β ~Henry Adams
Last week I talked about my favorite gradeschool teacher. Todayβs theme is about oneβs favorite subject but I would really like to highlight the teachers behind those subjects so this post would be a mix of both. This time Iβm picking 3 of my highschool favorites.
Β ΒI was a slacker back then, I would skip class if I have difficulties with it (our 4th-year Accounting subject for one). I know β that didnβt help in learning to like the subject at all. If there are two subjects that I have perfect attendance with, that would be English and Filipino. I have a penchant for learning new languages, then and until now. Should there have been different languages taught in highschool, I would have loved it! Along with these classes, I enjoy Literature, be it English or Filipino.
Because my dad always sends postcards when he was away, the places heβd been to piqued my interestβ¦thatβs why I love history and geography. Add also my momβs college books of short stories, mythology, history books and novels that I read as a child to my influences.
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It was with the influence of Maβam Galarse (along with one of my grade school English teacher) that I pursued a course and career in Journalism.
Hanggang ngayon, inaalala ko ang mga turo niya sa Panitikan man o Balarila. Ginagamit ko ang mga iyon sa pagtuturo sa aking mga anak lalo na at iba ang wika na kanilang kinalakihan. Narito ang ilan sa aking mga akdang isinulat sa Filipino.
Maβam Galarse was, aside from being an effective teacher, a sensitive adult. I say that because she was one of the few teachers who saw me as me. Sheβs also the one who made me like tikoy (Chinese mooncakes). During lunchtime we often have our bentous (lunch box or for older generations; bugong) and would eat in the classroom. She would be there too eating hers on her table. When she had brought tikoy, sheβd call me over and give me some. ^_^ It was from her that I Β learned cooking tikoy coated with egg. Β I was all the more surprised when during graduation she gave me a whole box of tikoy as a present!
Her thundering voice is one that will echo in my head, thankful for the lessons but most especially for the kindness and her sincerity as a mentor.
(I was half-finished with this entry when the lappy stopped and there was no autosave! π Had to write down what I can remember β itβs not half as good as the first one.)
Maβam Gala as we fondly nicknamed her has a friend whom she lovingly calls βkaibigang putik.β Loosely translated as mud-friend or a good-for-nothing friend. Itβs obviously a term of endearment but it could also be an inside joke that we students donβt know about. π
We sometimes refer to her as Maβam Camantigre β the real surname being Camantigue. Iβm divulging this assuming that she knows of it long ago, if not, then the cat is out of the bag.
The moniker also reflects her having a strong personality albeit being small. ^_^
Maβam Camantigue was one of the honest teachers who showed concern when I was misbehaving. (I did a lot of times.) And she was upfront about it instead of keeping mum.
I learned a great deal about grammar and vocabulary from Maβam Camantigue. Itβs not so clear to me now what the scope of her lessons were but Iβve always regarded her as one of the best English teachers that I had.
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Maβam RHB, just like Maβam Gala, has tapped one potential I was eager to develop β to face a crowd. She might have forgotten it but I donβt. She would call me to her class, Iβd then explain what the APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Conference) was about. Β From there, I was somehow able to conquer my uneasiness before a crowd.
In class, Maβam is the bubbly teacher who always had a joke that weβd certainly guffaw on. Why? She always picked the corny ones. π Despite, weβd always have a good laugh. And we certainly enjoyed class for those! Last week, my former classmates and I were discussing about those jokes and itβs amazing we Β still recall most of them! They sound funny now that we are reminiscing them.
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These three are my most favourites but there are a lot of subjects that I also enjoyedβ¦
English β 1st year with Mrs. Bayan
Literature and Optional English β 1st year-2nd year with then Miss Samson
Technology and Home Economics β 1st year with Mrs. Rojas
Asian History β 2ndΒ year with Mr. Gabriel
English β 3rd year with Ms. Alba
Stenography β 3rd year with Mrs. Belardo
English β 4th year with Mrs. Gemanil
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Having favourites mean having the oppositeβ¦in this case, subjects that gave me headaches as a student.
That would be Numbers and its proponents. Chemistry tops my list followed closely by Physics. Accounting is next and until now I never enjoyed it β to think that I have to actually learn it (again) for our home-based business, I just canβt. This reminds me of the graduating studentsβ deliberation day. Having made it to the top, our Accounting class teacher came to me and askedΒ βmatalino ka pala?β ahihihi. Thatβs because aside from skipping her class often,Β Iβm the last to finish our tally exercises. Despite, they were the best teachers of their field- all of them were (and are).
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Favorite or not, I will always be grateful to all my teachers for the knowledge they imparted and for helping me be a better person. When I became a mom and when I talk to my kidsβ teachers, only then did I realize how teaching is never an easy profession. It takes a lot of patience, a talent for organization and focusing skills to be an effective one. I truly believe that teaching is the most noble job, especially so because a teacher will influence an invidual for the rest of his or her life.
All that said I still stick to my claim, I was and still is a student made Β for letters β not for numbers.
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shared to:
Edit: I asked another teacher ( who happens to be my bestfriendβs mom) if she has photos of my two teachers above. Β She asked a colleague to upload them on facebook, hence the recent photos. Maβam RHB has an FB account too so I took that photo and messaged her that Iβll be using it, she hasnβt agreed yet. π
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Where did you get these pictures of your teachers?
I also had fond memories of my teachers. My most fave is my 4th yr English teacher who happens to live around the area now. A few years ago my bff (our valedictorian in hs) and I took her to dinner to celebrate her b/day. Our busy schedules prevented us from repeating the experience.
itβs so sweet that you still remember your mentors..
hereβs my entry Most Hated Subject
wow, ang nice ng picture nila teachers⦠napansin ko lang, minsan kung ano yung ayaw natin, doon din pala tayo babagsak heheh.. yun nga ayaw mo ng numbers but then you have to kasi sa business niyo. just visiting..
http://everyday-is-a-new-day-vhen.blogspot.com/2011/06/my-most-hated-subject-ever.html
see yah!
iβm impressed! you have decent photos of your favorite teachers! mine was cropped from an old class picture. hee hee.
i had a feeling, while writing my post, that a lot of Girl Talkers would hate the same subject that I do, and I was right! hereβs to hating math (and numbers in general). heehee
Aww!! so nice of you to have acknowledged your teachers in such wayβ¦
What a nice post with all those teachers being featured! If they get to read this, they sure would be proud teachers and lucky, too for for having a student like you! I can tell you excelled in your student years! π
As for me, I wish I can say I LOVE MATH, but nope, NOT really! My husband does, though! π
See you at mine!
well said..
dropping by from Girls Talk..hope to see you at my HISTORY Class (Hatest Subject).
another number hater here, lol!
care to visit MY ENTRY?
well-written tribute girlβ¦I bet theyβd be happy to read this.
Weβre on the same boat, I love languages and history too!