Let me take you back in time when a baby girl was born to a young couple. The young couple was very grateful with their first child. Their family and friends and all the people around them were cheering with them. Everybody was amazed of the young little girl. To them she’s like a winged seraph from heaven.
The young little girl has a very fair skin as white as the snow and a red cheek as red as the apple. She is like Snow White. Some said she has that kind of complexion because her mother used to eat apples dipped in a fish sauce when’s she’s pregnant with her. But of course those are just myths and speculations and it doesn’t really have any scientific basis. The reality is even her mother has a fair skin and a rosy cheek which she got also from her parents who have Spanish origins. The young baby is a complete carbon copy of her mother.
The baby became the apple of the eye of the whole clan. She became their unconscious clown. Like that of other babies she also never failed to make them smile.
Everybody witnessed her growth and development. She was 6 months old when she started to sit alone and tried to stand on her own. Since her parents were very supportive she was able to take her first step before her first birthday. When she learned to walk she became more active and started jumping, climbing, running all around the house and playing all day long.
Months later she started uttering few basic words like “pa, ma, yoyo, yoya”. She was very talkative and asked a lot of out of this world questions. She loves talking to people and even to strangers. She’s always the darling of the crowd.
Years later she had 3 more brothers and a sister. Since she’s the eldest even at a young age she understood the role of being an older sister and a leader and that she’s always responsible for her siblings.
She attended school at the age of 4. Quite ironic that a kid like her who loves the crowd and was very bubbly at home didn’t want to be left alone inside the class. Her father was always with her inside the classroom. If she cannot see him she will burst out and won’t be attending the class anymore. She’s okay at home but a bit shy and intimidated inside the classroom. She’s a fast learner though. At the age of 4 she’s already well verse with the ABCD song, can already count one to one hundred, able to comprehend and easily follow instructions.
When she’s in kindergarten she became more timid and shy. She was the youngest in the class but definitely not the smallest instead one of the tallest. Her classmates were always against her especially the boys. They treated her very differently. They love bullying her and making fun of her. At first she remained quiet but eventually learned to fight back. It’s when she learned to throw them everything that her hands can grasp when she’s mad because of their bullies. It’s when she learned to hit them as well.
Though one of the smartest, one of the first to learn to write her name, count numbers and sing ABCs still she didn’t get the sympathy of her classmates. This made her lost her self confidence.
When she was six years old she was encouraged by her mother to join the dance number of their school for their upcoming town fiesta but somebody commented that she cannot dance because her legs are both left. She still tried but got disappointed when she really cannot follow the dance steps and because of that she never tried dancing anymore. There was also a time when she’s about to render a song number for one of the occasions in their small village. While on stage she imagined people laughing and mocking at her. She stammered while singing, she felt embarrassed and instead of finishing the song she walked down the stage, ran to her aunt and cried. Because of that she let herself believe that she’s neither a good singer nor a good dancer.
At home she’s full of confidence, energy and enthusiasm. Everybody appreciates her, everybody loves her, everybody believes in her but in the school it’s the other way around. The very talkative and smart kid at home was a very quiet and shy type one inside the class though still one of the best.
Since she’s good in News Writing and in Science she was chosen to be the school representative for the 5th grade level to the News Writing completion during their English Festival and to the Science Quiz Bee during their Science Month but sad to say that she failed to bring home the bacon unlike the other representative of their school. Her classmates called her loser.
Second rated, crying baby, weakling, and loser those were her titles when she’s in elementary. Second rated because she’s always the second honor and never did she become the first. Crying baby and weakling because she easily cries, she easily blushes then loser because she’s the only loser in the team during the per year level news writing competition and science quiz bee.
When she’s in grade 6 the school run out of representative for the oratorical competition. Just to have someone who can represent the school to that contest her adviser asked her and their valedictorian to memorize an oratorical piece written in a 3 pages of yellow paper back to back and she made it in a span of two days compare to their valedictorian who had a hard time memorizing the piece and surrendered when he learned that she’s done memorizing. Their adviser discovered that she has a very good memory.
During the competition she was not really excited but somehow praying not to be the last placer again. She was just there to represent the school but no longer motivated to win. All she wanted is to do what is expected of her and go home. She went on stage trying to regain all the confidence she has. She was a bit nervous but tried to counter it act. She did not look at the viewers but instead focused her eyes on her adviser slash coach who was very supportive of her and has a strong belief in her. She was able to finish the piece and was amazed of the loud applause she heard from the crowd. During the awarding she’s no longer expecting her name to be called since she’s already used to it. She knew already that it will be another record of failure but she was surprised when she was announced the first placer. She cannot believe it and so she cried She was shocked yet overjoyed especially when her grade 5 adviser the only teacher who did not show her support on her, who didn’t believe in her capabilities tap her back and congratulate her. With just that simple gesture of that teacher she’s able to gain back all the confidence and courage she lost years ago. Because of that victory she’s able to win back the trust of her classmates. At the end of that school year she graduated as the class salutatorian.
Saying goodbye to childhood and hello to adolescence was also a struggle in her part. She was a bit boyish but not a lesbian when she was in elementary just to show her classmates that she’s strong. It was actually her defense mechanism. She’s glad she’s the tallest in the class it served as a powerful weapon against those bullies.
When she reached 12 she started noticing some differences in her body which she’s familiar with because that’s what they learned from their Science subject when they’re in grade 5. She was not actually surprised about those changes but didn’t want to experience it yet. She’s not yet ready to leave childhood.
One of her most unforgettable experiences was when she had her first monthly period. That one was full of bloopers. She’s very naive and even cried because she never anticipated it. Good thing the whole family was very supportive. That was like more than a week bed rest for her because of dysmenorrhea.
During her first year in high school she’s not yet that conscious she’s still like a kid but when she saw her friends dressing up and they were very particular with how they look like that’s when she also started grooming herself. She became more conscious when she started having crushes.
As everybody says high school is the most exciting part. It’s when an individual explore and discover things on her own. It’s also the most critical part. It’s when they need more support, guidance and understanding from their family because it’s when they battle between being a kid and being an adult.
She was just an ordinary student during her high school years. She had crushes but still prioritize her studies. She enjoyed high school because she was surrounded by intellectual people which eventually became her good friends. They have one thing in common that is having an extraordinary passion for learning. She enjoyed being with them because they believe in her and her capabilities. They brought back the best in her. Some of her classmates even believe that she will be a good lawyer someday because she’s strong and cannot be easily bent. If she knows that she’s right she will definitely fight for it until the end even if it means fighting the battle alone. Her classmates were the one who influenced her to get the pre – law course in college.
The story continues when she’s in college. She went to a university and met people of different personalities, backgrounds and stories but eventually became her good friends as well. They enjoyed being together because they share the same goal it’s to finish college with flying colors and land to a job that contributes to their growth sounds idealistic but true.
Whatever bad experiences she had when she’s in elementary vanished when she entered high school and college. She was never bullied and her school became an extension of their home where she’s always the “lead character”. True enough she finish college though not with “laude” but at least with excellent grades that made her one of the service excellence awardees during their recognition day.
She’s not yet a lawyer and probably not anymore because she discovered that she will be more effective if she will be an educator since it’s actually her first love and ultimate passion.
Her story might be different from other stories that you know or different from your own story. Hers maybe was just a smooth sailing one nothing extra special but I opted to reflect on this probably because she’s very close to my heart and maybe because it was like a princess’ story. She may just be good for nothing in the eyes of her classmates in elementary but an extra special one in the eyes of those people who loved I was just amazed with how she conquered rejections and bullies when she’s in elementary knowing that she’s loved and fully accepted at home. To add more spice to this story I’ve also learned that her mortal enemies in elementary already made peace with her and started to befriend her. This side of the story is a bit funny. That’s what they call “baby war or kiddie fight”. It was probably a very serious fight when they’re young but when they grow old they have forgotten everything and if they’ll be reminded of it they’ll just laugh at it.
Growing is like journeying in a tough and bumpy crossroads. It’s never easy. Adults like us play a very vital role in the lives of our youngsters. If you have one at home then take part. If you are a parent greater are your responsibilities.
Now that we are about to enter a new season in our lives we need to be ready. In few weeks now we’ll finish our CPTE course in few months we’ll take our licensure examination and a little few more months we’ll be full pledged teachers. Once we become teachers we’ll meet more souls. We will have students who have different stories. If you’ll handle preschoolers be aware that you’re building the foundation and that foundation should be strong and firm enough so they will not be easily swayed once they grow old. If you’ll handle elementary you ought to continue the foundation. If you’ll be assigned to the teenagers be excited because you’re responsible of grooming them to be responsible adults.
No matter who your students are be prepared and take heart! As a teacher you need to feel their heartbeats and listen closely to their hearts. It’s not your students who will adjust to you but it should be you who will adjust to them. Keep in mind that each of them is unique. You need not to compare instead understand.
As you enter this so called vocation be very dedicated and try to make a difference in the lives of your students like that of the video shown by one of the reporters of module 3. It’s a story of a teacher named Ms. Thompson who was about to give up her career as a teacher because she seemed cannot figure things out and thought she’s not effective. But she learned her greatest lesson from a student later did she realized that she as well made a great impact in the life of that student who was hopeless before but when touched by Ms. Thompson everything changed. Like her we also play a vital role in shaping the leaders of the next generation. Remember we might handle the next business tycoon, the next international model, the next international artist, the next Ms. Universe, the next mayor, senator or maybe the next president of the republic so take heart!
testimonies of GOD's greatness...GOd really loves 