Teaching and Platform 9 3/4

Posted Saturday, October 4, 2014 by deehan1914

Things have been clouding up my mind lately. I have been exhausted but not in vain. Life showed me that every cloud has a silver lining. It made my soul formidable. Praise God! I may be at my wit's end sometimes but I consider this journey,with all my heart, beautiful.

It's Teachers' Day tomorrow and I would like to write the wonderful things of being a teacher.



First, I have always felt that teaching is my soulmate. I am a big fan of education and those who champion it. I can't imagine doing anything at this point of my life other than enriching another soul. Heaven on earth is when I see my students learning. I can imagine why Malala was willing to face the dangers of getting education in Pakistan and even more willing to push it further for the benefit of legions who believe in her cause. I feel grateful everytime I come to think of this, my way to school was never despoiled by issues which plague countries like Pakistan. In my country, even rebels would want their kids to develop perspicacity through books. I feel quite disappointed that many students in my place don't seem to appreciate the liberty they enjoy. People living in Taliban-infested areas prayed all their lives and countless even offered their very lives for the right to be educated - a great blessing that many students are turning a blind eye. I salute all the Filipino people who made education possible in my beloved country.

Second, teaching makes me feel able able and human. It humbles me every time I learn something new. It excites me to the core and the thought that I could share it to others usually uplifts my spirit. I find this severely addictive. I know exactly why this is addictive. I remember what Mr. Lloyd Luna said " Self-improvement is a very important parcel of happiness". Hence, it's our natural tendency to seek happiness that drives us to learn and improve ourselves. In management, high turnover is usually because workers are no longer happy with the office climate due to lack of continuous training. We are not happy when we are not learning anything new. This is so human and it makes you a better human the moment you share knowledge.

Third, teaching makes me feel that the platform 9 3/4 is real.Teaching became my portal in enriching my imagination and creativity . Just like platform 9 3/4, this profession pushes me to enter a world full of sweet surprises I never thought would be possible. It allowed me to meet plenty amazing people and enjoy new things. The everyday journey in this profession feels like walking into Diagon Alley for the first time - it's magical. It's difficult to get through but it's memorable and sweet. Just like in the magical world of Harry, things could go nasty in my daily attempt to cast knowledge but it's nothing but part of a wonderful journey. The different shades of emotions that I could feel make my world colorful.



Lastly, it keeps me away from the pangs rampant in this world. The Thank Yous from my students are my happy pill. I can still remember what they did last Friday. Indeed, when you smile at the world, it will smile back.


They were all singing when they entered! How sweet is that?

The Class President , Drake. He fooled me and made me believe that the strange arrangement of of the chairs that day was because of the group activity that the group in-charge will facilitate. You got me on that Drake!










I love their pure hearts! Some cried while saying their thanks to me. That was monumental.











I thought the surprise was over but look at my boys! They entered the room while singing "Nasa Iyo Na Ang Lahat" each with roses! How cute and perfectly sweet! 






Thank you to my 11-12 Sales Management Class and thank you to Flor Rogador for the flowers! You made me VERY happy!

One of my student, Anne, even made a very lovely poem. I love how her gift of making people smile is etched in her poetic lines. Here's her letter.





My happy hormones are at most excited level! I am feeling so loved!

Happy Teachers' Day to all those who taught me how to deal with life. Happy Teachers' Day to all those who have taught another soul. Above all,  I thank my greatest Teacher, My God, for this very wonderful life of learning, sharing and loving.



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Harry and Malala

Posted Sunday, July 20, 2014 by deehan1914








This moment is one of those moments when I just want to scribble the thoughts that are inside of me and forget that I am actually busy. I wish I am Rita Skeeter now so that I can have that magical quill. My hands are tired but I want to blog. It’s just too bad that I can’t use any forms of magic in this muggle world. I don’t want to receive a howling letter from the Ministry of Magic.

I am still musing about the immensely timely source of relief that J.K. Rowling gifted me. That article she posted in pottermore made me dreamy again-Harry with another intriguing scar. I want to go to Osaka and camp in USJ. I want to eat chocolate frogs. I want to be lost in Hogsmeade.

Why do I usually think about Potter and his world these days? It’s because I miss reading about it. I have grown busy with my new job in the University. I am enjoying it to bits. I just miss having the luxury of reading books of my choice and still get paid. I miss reading Harry Potter with Makiko and Tomei. Oh … how I wish to be one of those people thronging USJ Osaka.

I miss my Japanese students.

I miss my previous job. I can easily go back as a part-time teacher but my time now won’t give me the liberty to be back.

I guess I really have to experience this sort of feeling in my lifetime. Hence, I must remain cheerful and accept the things I can’t change as of the moment without losing hope that one day, I can do it again.

Reading has always been my escape to stress and writing seals the happiness within. I love teaching but I also love other things. I might have lost the equilibrium that’s why this feeling of longing to those buoyed in unprecedented levels. I don’t really care if others think that what I do is boring. I know people who could share the same wavelength as mine and their biographies depict the awesomeness embed in reading, writing and sharing. I am reminded of Malala’s United Nations speech which goes, “Let us pick up our books and our pens, they are the most powerful weapons.” I couldn’t agree more.

I have resolved to read I am Malala. I should read to balance my life.

I should take more pictures so that I could have many stories to share to my online students.

I have accepted that God wants me to experience other things now so that when I’ll teach them, I can have lots to share.

The best thing to do is savor the uniqueness clamped in each spectrum. Indeed, it’s a wonderful and colorful life.


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Summer Smear!

Posted Wednesday, June 4, 2014 by deehan1914
Summer vacation for most students ceased already but mine feels like the contrary. I'm still hyping of what will happen for my late summer adventure with my brother next week. I'm beyond thrilled to make exciting adventures and beautiful memories with my one and only handsome brother! Thinking about the underground river, the bewithcing white sand beaches, the seductive water, the enchanting greenery and the gales of laughter that we will surely have makes me feel floating in frenzy. I just love my brother so much that I decided to give him not material gifts but offer him memories with me. He will have his plane ride, his first trip to Visayas and his first trip to Luzon with his beautiful sister!HAHAHAH We will also have our first train ride together! Hahaha! My first ride was when I was a high school student during the National Science Fair. That was year of the Nokia 3310 pa! I am just so excited to be with him during these moments! Thank you Lord God for the blessings! I never thought I can afford this!



Here are the few things that happened this summer.

1. My brother graduated! Finished his degree in Agriculture major in Plant Pathology!
I never thought he could be that clever! Haha love you Dong!






2. Summer in the University.

My summer class made me feel angry and tired but of course happy and thrilled. My students were a headache but I think it's really like that sometimes (unta!lol) . I just realized that "You get what you tolerate". Hence, my rules for the next school year will be more firm (Promise!). I am not saying that I didn't enjoy it, I learned a lot! I claim that all of these troubles, fun and ka ek kan will make a better teacher each term! So, help me God!

I made my students use of the Speech Lab. We had simple call center agent training. Haha! I tried to train them how to cater calls for orders and how to handle callers from hell. This is part of our Service Marketing subject. Dria najud ang Patience is a Virtue! Pictures will follow! I haven't transferred them here in my PC.

I also made my Marketing 1 students talk to the CEO of Flex Thaiyo Co. ltd. via Skype and made them do their product launching.









My advertising students were very busy too. I made them so busy. It was fun to see them doing their best. They deserved the grades I gave them! I made them make a magazine cover with them as the muse, made them do radio ads, perform TV commercials and make a promotional video for Marketing Management. 
 
Promotional Video 1here
Promotional Video 2here

I can't find the link of the other group! 


3. Myra, Maam Orcy, Xycris, Maad Digal, Laarnie and Glazel finished their MBA .








4. I also went to MSU and Iligan! 










5. I went to school again! Once a teacher, always a student! I am earning education units so that I can be a high school teacher too! 

I miss to chronicle many things but I hope this poor attempt to immortalize my summer 2014 thru blog will be enough. Haha! I miss writing and I'm getting poor at it too! Huhhu! I need to do more!

Gambante Janie-san!
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Highlights of My First Sem as an Associate Professor

Posted Friday, April 4, 2014 by deehan1914
I can't imagine being anything else other than being a Teacher at this point of my life.
I planned, dreammed and talked about wanting to be here ad nauseam.
I was sleep-deprived because of work, school and church things but it all paid off.

I am here and I can start dreaming of greater things!
Sitting here and summoning the vivid visions of how I was years ago ignites the vehement feeling inside - the feeling of happiness. satisfaction and thankfulness.

I remember the commencement speech of Steve Jobs at Stanford years ago ( I SEVERELY like watching commencement speeches of popular people in popular Unis). He said someone has to believe that the dots (experiences) you have now will connect in the future. His exact line was

"Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life."

Looking backwards, I can now answer the thundering multifold of "Whys" I had back then.
Those dots (experiences) seemed to be meaningless, directionless and hugely vague but not anymore.
I feel not lost anymore.
Drums should roll because of these realizations!

I always had passion in teaching.
Helping another soul learn is something not everyone can do.
It makes my heart twang with happiness when students would tell me that I inspired them and that the class was helpful in shaping their dreams and their direction.
I remember I had to study Braille because I volunteered as a tutor for a blind college student.
It was moving beyond words. 

My rookie months in the University is full of trial-and-error.
There were some strategies that didn't work and there were some fireworks-worthy activities (LOL).
The following are the 5 most unforgettable moments in my first semester at University of Mindanao.


1. I danced and played volleyball.

I danced. I remember being the last one to be picked during our P.E. 2 class as a group member. 
Nobody seemed to want me in their groups because I have two left feet and I really dance not just like a chicken but a drugged chicken to be exact. It made me happy that I was able to dance quite away from that drugged-chicken description last April 2.




I played Volleyball. I know Quidditch far better than Volleyball. I can tell you how Quidditch started and I can tell you a lot about Victor Krum.Volleyball? I only know some girls ( from Ateneo) because my friends in Facebook flood my newsfeed with their faces. Anyway, as clumsy as I am, I am convinced I can never ace actual Quidditch (lol..could I even have an actual Quidditch? ). With life being like a  kaleidoscope, I played Volleyball and I wasn't a pain in the eye, I guess. Hurray for that! 




2. I made my students talk to a Japanese CEO who has a Company in Thailand via Skype at AVR2. 

It was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO COOOOOOOOOOOOOLLL!!! I made my students very excited and the CEO was thrilled too! win-win! The CEO requested that he wanted to see my students and I could never say No!  



3. My Product Management Subject's Prototype Fair.

I know I made them tired but they have to do all of it. The Promotional Tools, the Product, the Tables and sharpen their product knowledge.  They told me that it was one of their most unforgettable activities as a Marketing student. Sublime happiness that is!







4. I got angry. They Apologized. We're happy again.
My patience barometer was tested and I am glad that I had my shell of sanity intact! I think this is really part of being a Teacher. I am enjoying each shade of the spectrum! I love my BBs biskan pag mga pasaway!



5. We had our Product Launching last term and I made the students both nervous and happy!






I think I should add here some of the things that my students wrote for me. They are like certificates worthy to be hung in Ravenclaw common room! LOL.

Here's from Kevin:

Before this day ends, I would like to thank Maam Janie Anter sa tanan, especially gitudluan mi nimu magbuhat ug Google Doc na super duper blind kaayo mi kung unsay purpose ana, gitudluan pod mi niya kung unsaon pagbuhat ug Blog, ug ang pinaka the best kay gtagaan mi niya ug chance na makipag skype call sa usa ka CEO in thailand. Grabi kaayo among singot atong mga questions. HAHAHA XD

She taught us that we should be updated sa mga trends sa Marketing industry through News report. Siya pod nag tell sa amo about anang Silicon Valley, New york times na page, bloomberg, etc. As a student we don't feel inconvenience, nagklase mi na permi katawa murag walay days na dili happy among klase. So much Fun Superb.

In Product Management Class, na feel namo kung unsay tinuod na marketer jud, we create, we innovate, and we eat. HAHAHA XD with matching tarpaulin and defense pajud. Happy kaayo to na days. and sa Tshirt pod, HAHAHA XD mura walay teacher kay si maam pod murag student. 

Sa karun na 4th year naman jud mi.. (Yeheey) dako jud mi ug pasalamat sa imo that we are not ignorant anymore as a marketer. We changed a lot since ikaw amo na prof. hehehe.. (Pls. Don't Cry HAHAHA XD)

In behalf of our Room 34 2nd Term and Room 214 (Ata to??) 1st Term. Thank you very much maam. Proud kaayo mi na ikaw among Professor. 

and here's from Masagca (she's so funny) this is from  her blog : 
And then I realized, there are only two kinds of teacher that has the power to move me,-one who is intellectually blessed and the other is superbly and genuinely nice to students. Guess what! I have found the 2 in 1 in you!

Ma'am bright jud kaayu ka m'am ai, in any field of learning, you are good at language, business matters, interpersonal communication, culture, earth science and even geography!!!! I remember that day when u talked about locations of some states of US, summer and winter solstice, not to mention the current events (na wa jud namu nasakpan sa TV Patrol), as in.. you just Wowed us every single time. I wan't to be like you when I grow up. hahahahaha (sep sep) Tinuod bitaw ni ma'am.Finally, I, we, wanna thank you for being that kind of teacher that doesn't just sit and listen , read books without explaining,state the obvious, wait for the bell, sign, then leave ( I've known a few,secreyto  lang para bibo). You are doing just the total opposite and more!! And I personally commend you for that. You're an icon to me now, next to Taylor swift and Rihanna. hehehehe
I look forward to having more of you ma'am Janie, next sems and terms sa amung last year sa UM. (unta lagi last)!! Ug sorry sa makadaghang tabi nako/ namu (akong chatmates) sa klase, you know I don't do that in purpose, hobby lang jud ma'am.


Thank you guys! I am looking forward to share more gales of laughter and learning with you!
Ganbatte Janie-san!
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