THE SECOND HALF


after a grueling first year of teaching, i shall be starting my second year as high school cle teacher tomorrow. looking back to where i was a year ago, i can say that a lot of things have surprisingly changed.

i remember this episode in the game show family feud where the question was "anong trabaho ang nakakapagpatanda?" my answer was teaching and it was quite obvious that such is the top answer for the question, and one does not need a rocket scientist to prove such claim. yes, i feel old - besides the fact that i'm in my quarter-life at present - because i'm in that position where i am teaching people younger than me by at least ten years. perhaps the teaching profession has been quite formative for me after leaving the seminary as this has been a venue for personal growth and maturity, and in more ways than one, i also assist my students in their own situation at present. more importantly, it is through the teaching profession that i am continuously instilling virtues and values that needed further development outside the structure where i was for twelve years. i know that there are far more changes to behold, and yes, i'm ready to face and discover them as they come along the way.

last march, i listed ten themes that somehow defined my first year of teaching. this time, i'm listing ten things that i look forward to in my second year of teaching, which is often dubbed as the "golden year" for anyone who has gone through this profession.

10. the new basketball season
don't worry, this has nothing to do with the on-going nba finals (i even chose not to blog about it since it's a sure banner for tinseltown). i'm actually referring to that renewed and rejuvenated drive to play basketball, which i found last year and was further fueled during the summer break. besides regular pick-up games every tuesday, there are also games every monday in olgms, a possibility of joining an inter-school faculty basketball league, and more games to play with the students. of course, the blue eagles are defending their championship this coming uaap season, and don't forget the much anticipated fantasy league for the 2010 nba season.

9. please don't stop the music
last year, the music played the band named leather bound. yet with the departure of our drummer and the tight schedule of a sessionist, the band might be moving to another direction this coming year. i'm beginning to entertain thoughts of having an acoustic band instead, which is still quite logical considering our roster. though we have a new member who can play rhythm guitar, a drummer would still provide that "glam" genre that we're known for. other than that, i also have to begin considering on buying a bass guitar of my own as well as ponder on taking some vocalist chores just in case the songs hit higher notes. well, find a drummer first.

8. newbie no more
i'm no longer a newbie in school. after a year, it is expected that i should have taken a good grasp of the system as well as some acknowledgment of the people inside the "jungle." that only means that there will be a new group who will have to do presentations during faculty assemblies. however, there are only a handful of newbies due to the financial crunch which caused some compression in class sizes as well as a period where hiring of new employees were put on hold. incidentally, a classmate of mine in high school is now part of the community as a guidance counselor in high school and a fellow josefino is also teaching cle in grade school.

7. moving out?
i have been strongly considering on finding a place just near school where i would be staying during weekdays. i have to admit that commuting from our house to school is very tiring, and driving a car just made things more costly. despite the additional time for sleep as well as the relatively wide leeway that such may provide, i still have reservations about it. i have this feeling that moving out would be more costly on my part and it may be more of a hassle since i am left on my own to do everything else. well, i'm giving myself time for this, but for sure, i'm taking this option if i'll be going for a third year - in case i won't find a "better" offer somewhere else.

6. controversy creates cash
life gets more excited when it becomes spicy. a few months back, things even got spicier with some controversy that hounded the first half of 2009. was that a good or a bad thing? on the one hand, it was quite awhile since something like that happened, but on the other hand, it just made things a little more interesting. let's just say that the burning wick met the last heave, but will it happen again this year? hopefully not. for one, the controversy i referred to did not generate any cash - not a single centavo was added to my bank account. so i'm folding my cards this game, unless something really interesting happens with the chips on the table.

5. changes
there were movements within the school structure that have been going on since the last few weeks of the previous school year. colleagues gone, new heads assuming posts, while old reliables return to familiar roles. more so, there is a new set of advisers and mentors with their respective assignments for this coming year. let me just say that these changes just made the scenario more interesting than last year. why? i don't know if this is a good or a bad thing, but i'm not an adviser this year - and if things will fall in its proper place, i will no longer have the chance to be one. but then again, i'm spared from all the fine print. in the end, thanks, but no thanks.

4. old and new
i had the privilege of teaching first year students last year, which for some is not the most pleasant of experiences for a new teacher. well, it was a great experience for a new guy to handle other newbies as it facilitated much on the transition for both students and the teacher. this time though, i have to contend with both old and new students as i am tasked to teach in two different year levels. i don't know if this is lucky enough, but i'm handling a section which i handled last year, and coincidentally, this is where the bright boys belong. i believe that familiarity breeds contempt, but sometimes taking it to one's advantage might just do the trick.

3. licensed to thrill
one of my professional goals for this year is to be a licensed secondary level teacher. after taking units in education last year, i'm bound to take the licensure examination for teachers this coming september. honestly, i intend to get this license before i make the big decision, just in case things would go haywire and staying would be a palatable option. yet in respect to my initial and original goal of teaching in college, having a teacher's license is a good idea. not only will this solidify my resume, it will also enrich my strategies in the craft. for now, i have to work on the requirements, do some review for the test, and do my best to attain this rather elementary goal.

2. triple prep
yes, you read it right. i'm having three preparations for this school year: first, in teaching high 1 students for the second consecutive year to three sections; second, in teaching high 2 cle for the first time to two sections; and third, in handling a one-to-one computer based instruction class for a section in each year level. last year, i had the chance to slack off because i was only preparing for one lesson, but this year that would have to stop. and with the one-to-one instruction coming up, i think there's really no room to sit back and watch youtube all day. it is my hope that this year's triple prep would propel my performance inside the classroom.

1. the big decision
i remember my bishop telling me that there is no such thing as "forever regency." somehow, someway, sometime, i've got to choose whether i return to the seminary or not. though i have been quite vocal on staying put and enjoying what i'm doing, i have to say that the discernment process does not really stop here. let me emphasize that the reason for leaving is to confirm the decisions and actions i made during spfy. so far, everything is a work in progress, and i suppose it does not stop at all with the big decision coming up. with that, i look forward to the crucial months from october to march where something big will shake up the known world.

the school year is beginning in a few hours time, and as always, let me end by saying what i have to say: just bring it.

deo gratias.

confession dated 10:51:00 PM