Teaching students to succeed

by Randy Tudy

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It is always a joy for teachers to see their students succeed in class.  However, the joy is more than doubled when they see their students succeed in real life.

We have one professor in our school who always teaches principles of success during the first day of each semester.  There are college students who already memorize these principles because they are under these professors for several subjects.  

When I see this video below, I remember professor Jun.

As teachers, it is our goal to lead our students to success in life.  Watch this video and learn. 

Reasons why college students lack EMPATHY

by Randy Tudy

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I read an article about the Generation Me who lacks empathy.  While this study is done in the United States of America, the findings of this study are worth reflecting in understanding our college students. With the advancement of technology, we expect change in behaviour among students.

So what are the reasons why college students lack empathy?  Click here to read the entire article and watch an attached video to it.

Discovering talents among our students

by Randy Tudy

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Have you known students in elementary who are not performing well but excel in high school or college?  Some of these students are called late bloomers.  Well, this is not only true to students but to a lot of people.

This idea brings me to think of my role as a teacher.  If there are students who only excel in later years, it must be because I am not able to draw out the best in them while they are still with me.  This could be worth reflecting to all teachers.

This is where assessment based on the multiple intelligences comes in. It is part of our mission as teachers to let the students discover their own talents and skills.

The video below is an example of a young girl showing her world class talent.  What I also appreciate about the sponsor (American Idol) is its focus on discovering talents.  I suppose this is also the role of teachers to some degree.  That is why there is high hope for the K to 12 program because Grades 11-12 are the years of mastering particular competencies.

Very inspiring story for teachers

Yesterday, a teacher posted this story in her FB status.  I then searched for the source and found this in the internet at http://www.mrsciguy.com/teachstories.html

I have read this story long time ago but I am posting it here so that those who have not read it will be inspired.

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The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?" He reminded the other dinner guests what they say about teachers "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." To stress his point he said to another guest;

"You're a teacher, Susan. Be honest. What do you make?" 

Susan, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "You want to know what I make?"

I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.

I make a C+ feel like the winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor.

I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall in absolute silence.

You want to know what I make?

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I make kids wonder.

I make them question I make them criticize.

I make them apologize and mean it.

I make them write.

I make them read, read, read.

I make them show all their work in math and perfect their final drafts in English.

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I make them understand that if you have the brains, and follow your heart, and if someone ever tries to judge you by what you make, must pay no attention because they just didn't learn.

Susan paused and then continued.

You want to know what I make?

I MAKE A DIFFERENCE. What do you make?

Love that makes the world go round

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Again, I was invited this afternoon to be a judge to a speech contest.  One speech which really caught my attention was entitled "Love that makes the world go round".    After the contest, I immediately search for this speech.

I am posting the speech here.  Hope it will inspire you and reflect on this most used and abused word.

Love that makes the world go round

Maham Nadee

Love is the basis of our lives. It might even be the reason for our existence. To love and to know love is the single greatest gift we can experience. Despite our great discoveries in math and science, love remains a mystery to us. Yet it is something that is so complex and powerful that it guides and rules our lives.

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Knowing true love is being in a state that is tantamount to bliss. It is as close to heaven as we are likely to get in this life. Without it, our lives are reduced to meaningless drudgery, misunderstanding and emptiness. What is this mysterious thing called love? Poets, lovers and scholars down the ages have tried to capture it, define it, to depict it and tried to analyze it. Above all, they have sought to understand it. Is it a thought, a feeling or an emotion that simply passes through us or something far more substantial?

Amazingly, might the force of love be a vital energy as important as life itself? Could it be possible that love may even literally make the world go around? Love is the center of our attachments. It is the objective of our lives. Our well being, health and happiness, we think, relies upon our diets, our fitness, and our wealth. Yet none of these things mean anything without love. Love can make us glow and transform our lives.

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 To be unloved turns us painfully into beings without purpose and direction. Isn't it true that love is the basic force that unites us in our families and relationships? Parents don't care for a child simply because they ought to. They care for that child because of and through love. We are united to our siblings and our families not through duty, but through love. That same feeling extends outwards through our friends and even our neighbours. It is the force that enables us to form and live in communities. It becomes clear very quickly that amour  is the fabric of our society. It is the fuel, the driving force and engine, all rolled into one. Without it would we do one single thing for another?

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 Real love asks for nothing in return and wants only to give. Where there is love there is harmony and balance in the world. Where it is absent there is misunderstanding, hatred, fear and jealousy. Look at the troubled spots in the world. Who could say that if love ruled there, the killing, the fighting and the hostility would not stop immediately? Unconditional love for one another has nothing to do with sex, exploitation, or subjugation.

Real love will not allow these things to operate or function. To love unconditionally is to be completely selfless and focus on others. To be unloved is to be misunderstood, to be discarded. It is to suffer the loneliest of all fates; it is to be less than human, utterly miserable, and disconnected from the world. Love is the force that binds us all and drives us forward. When we love to do something don't we do it with passion, with care and with enthusiasm? So much has been achieved in the world through love and the passion and commitment it forges inside us.

To be out of love is to be at the bottom of despair and melancholy. Doesn't the world suffer in the same way when love and the respect it engenders disappear? When we hurt, destroy each other and exploit our planet, aren't we turning our backs on the source of the very energy that is our world? Can you think of one conflict that would not be resolved if love was allowed to rule?

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 Love is being completely selfless; it is to radiate energy so powerful that it could, if we let it, stop conflict and violence throughout the world today. Violence and hate end where love begins, they cannot exist or compete with love. Love is far stronger than hate, fear or despair. That is not wishful thinking, it is a fact. Yet, sometimes we let love out of our lives thinking we can survive without it, but we are wrong.

We all possess the gift to love. That gift lies dormant in us and can be ignited at any time. Love costs nothing but it requires courage, belief, and understanding. That understanding is this: loving is easy, it is free. Fall in love and we have the energy to work day and night, to move mountains. There is a fountain of love energy in every person. Depression, illness, and anxiety can all be battled against with love.

Negative thoughts can be changed into positive ones. Love is simply the most powerful force in all our lives. We can let this force work for us or try and repress it. You can let love into your life or  pretend that it does not exist. Doing so will only make you the most miserable lonely figure of despair. Love, because you want to change things. Love will alter the way you see the world and through that, the way the world is. Love, not because you expect something in return. Love what you do. Love to learn new things, to meet and to know others, to understand and to help. Love makes the world go round. It is why we are here and what we are all looking for.

(taken from http://www.scribd.com/doc/11863904/Persuasive-Speech-Love-Makes-the-World-Go-Round)  

Information, Formation & Transformation

by:  Randy A. Tudy

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This morning I passed by the rooms of our Sunday College students and I noticed something different.  I learned later that all classes conducted a prayer meeting.  In Cor Jesu College, we call this meeting as Basic Ecclesial Community (BEC) Prayer Meeting.  It was good to see all students praying together in their respective classrooms. There were student leaders who acted as facilitators .  The teachers were also having their own prayer meeting just outside the school building.

Actually, this is part of the whole program of the school. First, the school has a quality program of studies (information).  However, students in the school are not only trained to become intellectually giants but they are formed (formation) through  different programs, activities and organizations.  The BEC Prayer Meeting is just one formation activity.  

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It is vision of Cor Jesu College that information and formation would lead to TRANSFORMATION.

Any school, whether Christian or not, education is about information, formation and transformation.  It is a framework which is adopted by many educational institutions especially Catholic schools.

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For us teachers, we are called to be effective agents of information, formation and transformation. We educate the mind and transform the heart of students.  We desire that we become part of the change for the better in their lives. 

Indeed, we are God's instruments to transform society through our humble mission.

5 lessons on success in the making

by Randy Tudy

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"I am going to deliver a speech today but this is not a copied speech.  This is original and I made  it myself."  This was the introduction of one contestant in a speech contest.

The moment she started speaking I could not but be awed by the content of her speech.  Although she did not get the first prize she delivered a very powerful speech.

She narrated her story of how she managed the ordeals of her life in poverty.  She worked as a domestic helper but her boss noticed her potentials.  To make the long story short, she was sent to school.  Now she is in second year college.

While listening to her, I said to myself this girl is success in the making.  She is so determined to succeed in life.  She mentioned Steve Jobs several times and she appreciated this man.  She is her inspiration.

Indeed, I could find in her success in the making.  On what grounds?

1. Inspiration of the Past.  She used her past to inspire herself to succeed.  She did not want to go back to her poor situation.   Instead, make it as a mirror and a force to maker her go forward.

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 2. Gratefulness.  She was so grateful for her boss for giving her the opportunity to study.  This is another ingredient of inspiration in her life.

3. Education. First, she believed her schooling will lead her to achieve her  dream.  However, she studied more.  She studied the lives of successful people.  She made them her inspiration.  In other words, she also educate herself.

4. Determination.  She is so determine to succeed.  I could see it in her eyes and hear it in the tone of her voice while delivering the speech.

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 5. Faith.  She also recognized that she cannot succeed without the help from God.

These lessons are worth reflecting.  Many of us have in one way or another went through a similar situation.  How to succeed depends on our mindset and actions. By learning from these lessons, we can also say that success is in the making.

Effective ways to draw out the best in your students

by Randy Tudy

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I have the privilege of being one of the judges in a speech contest for 2^nd year students this afternoon.  The contest was part of the final examination of these students taking up Speech subject.

That was not the first time I acted as a judge on this kind of competition. Thus, I tried to help contestants especially those who were so nervous or those who obviously showed little self-confidence.

As my way of helping them, I kept nodding my head when they got eye contact with me. Why do I do that?

1. Personal experience.  It is part of my personality when I am in front of people to be affected by their reaction. If I’m speaking as a teacher or speaker and I see people nodding their head, I am so encouraged and my speech would normally go well. I gain inspiration and strength based on the reaction of the audience.  I am more effective if I notice the people to be interested on what I am saying.

2. Self-confidence.  I nod my head to let those struggling contestants gain self-confidence.  Seeing me doing such will boast their confidence.

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3. Agreement.  Obviously, nodding is a sign of affirmation to what one is saying.  Contestants will gain more confidence if they see me agreeing to what they are speaking about.

4. Performance level.  I nod my head because I want the contestants to give their best.  If they develop self-confidence and see that I am agreeing to what they are saying, they will be more encouraged to deliver their best.  In theatre arts, we call it performance level.

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 As a teacher, it is my mission to draw out the best in each student.  Students have their potentials.  Many times they are hidden.  The role of teachers is to provide avenues where students can tap these potentials and use them to become successful.

Your first and greatest gift today

by Randy Tudy

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In my other article "Why is it difficult to say thank you", I mentioned about the questions I always ask to my retreatants in the beginning of the retreat.  

Saying thank you can only be made possible if you recognize a gift or you realize how blessed you are.  

Friends, have you ever realized that every morning there is so much to be thankful for because right after waking up you already receive the greatest gift.  

I am referring to the gift of life.  

Do you enjoy reading this article or watching the video?  It only becomes possible because you are still alive today.  In other words, you are fortunate than thousands of people who will not survive today.

When we say "Good morning class" it means the day is good because we are all alive.  So when students reply with the same greeting, it means they are happy to be alive too.  

Watch this video and learn how to value the gift of LIFE.

The influence of Filipinos to the world

Today Filipinos celebrate the 27^th Anniversary of EDSA People Power revolution.   Personally, I find this event worth celebrating.  I was one of those whom they call Martial Law babies.  I grew up with fear. In our barrio, I saw rebels and soliders.  I experienced two big encounters between the military and the New People's Army.  But my experiences was nothing compared to the sufferings of those victims of Martial Law. 

When the former president was evicted through a peaceful demonstration, almost everything changed.

I’m sure teachers will be talking about EDSA to their students.  But what does EDSA People Power Revolution contribute to the world?  There are important points that teachers can inculcate in their students about the lessons of EDSA revolution.

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1. People Power.  There had been attempts in other countries to use people power to overthrow a powerful dictator.  It had never been successful until the 1986 People Power in Manila.  It was a triumphant bloodless revolution.  The Filipinos opened the minds of people all over the world of this enormous power.  Today, we have witnessed several uprising or people power in different parts of the world.  Filipinos showed them the way.  However, not all uprising came to a peaceful ending.

2. Freedom.  The EDSA revolution freed the Filipinos from the slavery of Martial Law.   Democracy was restored.  Freedom of speech was restored.  Freedom is our right both as individuals and as a nation. What we are enjoying today is a product of people's struggles in the past.

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 3. Unity.  It took a call by the late Cardinal Sin and  some leaders to  their constituents to proceed to EDSA to protect the groups of Enrile and Ramos, two prominent military leaders at that time.  When people flocked at EDSA, there was a strong sense of unity among the people. The EDSA People Power revolution was a classic example of a people united for one purpose.

4. Peace.  That bloodless revolution would go down in the history of the Philippines and the world. When humility and love of countrymen/women will prevail, peace is ensued.  Not a single shot was fired.  There was peace despite the seemingly chaos situation.  In the end, peace prevailed.

5. Prayer.  While the world watched People Power on display, Filipinos knew that it was the power of prayer that led the people to such a heroic action. Those people in EDSA continued to pray day and night.  Those who were not in EDSA also prayed.  Religious communities, churches, and other communities were one with those people in EDSA in prayer.  Today, right at the heart of EDSA is a church with  our Lady of EDSA as the patron saint.

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 Let these lessons inspire the Filipinos especially the younger generation to love our country and live up to the spirit of EDSA.  

"Kahit maputi na ang Buhok ko" (An inspiration on creativity)

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One of the things I learned as a teacher is to be creative.  Good teachers find ways to motivate students. 

While I was doing my class observation as a principal, one of my teachers really caught my attention and admiration.  In her class, she prepared a visual aid with a lot of fish (in a cartolina) on it.  Each fish has a word.  During the question and answer portion, students were given a bait and were asked take the fish which corresponds to their answer. Oh, it was really fun.  The students were so excited because they are like fishing inside the classroom.  What a creativity Madam Liklik!

This video also caught my attention.  These two foreigners would surely get the attention of many Filipinos.

Amazing talent! Kudos to the teachers/trainers

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I learned about music from my father.  At first I didn't like to play the guitar because I felt I was just forced to learn.  May be my father really wanted to pass on his talent to me.

When I was assigned in the elementary department, I realized that my father's insistence did pay off.  I founded an organization which was composed of choir members, lectors and altar servers.  I enjoyed teaching music to kids.  It is a joy seeing kids singing the song I taught them.

In this video, I was so amazed of the performance especially the kids.  I salute to the teachers/trainors. I know how difficult it is to train kids.  But this video is really amazing.

For all teachers who work extra hours just to train their students, kudos to all of you.  Let this video be an inspiration to you.

Imagine a world without Filipinos

I am re-posting a very good article by Abdullah Al-Maghlooth|AL-WATAN  which I found in my FB page.  You will also see the name below of the one who shares this article. 

IMAGINE A WORLD WITHOUT FILIPINOS

by Abdullah Al-Maghlooth|AL-WATAN

Muhammad Al-Maghrabi became handicapped and shut down his flower and gifts shop business in Jeddah after his Filipino workers insisted on leaving and returning home. He says: "When they left, I felt as if I had lost my arms. I was so sad that I lost my appetite."

Al-Maghrabi then flew to Manila to look for two other Filipino workers to replace the ones who had left. Previously, he had tried workers of different nationalities but they did not impress him. "There is no comparison between Filipinos and others," he says. "Whenever I see Filipinos working in the Kingdom, I wonder what life would be without them."

Saudi Arabia has the largest number of Filipino workers - 1.019,577 - outside the Philippines and their numbers are still increasing. Filipinos not only play an important and effective role in the Kingdom, they also perform different jobs in countries acreoss the world, including working as sailors. The are know for their professionalism and quality of their work.

Nobody here can think of a life without Filipinos, who make up around 20 percent of the world's seafarers. There are 1.2 million Filipino sailors.

So if Filipinos decide one day to stop working or go on strike for any reason, who would transport oil, food and heavy equipment across the world? We can only imagine the disaster that would happen.

What makes Filipinos unique is their ability to speak very good English and the technical training they receive in the early stages of their education. There are several specialized training institutes in the Philippines, including those specializing in engineering and road maintenance. 

This training background makes them highly competent in these vital areas.

When speaking about the Philippines, we should not forget Filipino nurses. They are some 23 percent of the world's total number of nurses. The Philippines is home to over 190 accredited nursing colleges and institutions from which some 9,000 nurses graduate each year. Many of them work abroad in countries such as the US, the UK, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Singapore.

Cathy Ann, a 35-year old Filipino nurse who has been working in the Kingdom for the last five years and before that in Singapore, said she does not feel homesick abroad because "I am surrounded by my compatriots everywhere." Ann thinks that early training allow Filipinos to excel in nursing and other vocations. She started learning this profession at the age four as her aunt, a nurse, used to take her to hospital and ask her to watch the work. "She used to kiss me whenever I learned a new thing. At the age of 11, I could do a lot. I began doing things like measuring my grandfather's blood pressure and giving my mother her insulin injections." she said.

This type of early education system is lacking in the Kingdom. Many of our children reach the university stage without learning anything except boredom.

The Philippines, which you can barely see on the map, is a very effective country thanks to its people. It has the ability to influence the entire world economy.

We should pay respect to Filipino workers, not only by employing them but also by learning from their valuable experiences.

We should learn and educate our children on how to operate and maintain ships and oil tankers, as well as planning and nursing and how to achieve perfection in our work. This is a must so that we do not become like Muhammad Al-Maghrabi who lost his interest and appetite when Filipino workers left his flower shop.

We have to remember that we are very much dependent on the Filipinos around us. We could die a slow death if they chose to leave us.

(almaghlooth@alwatan.com.sa)

 

What makes you happy as a teacher?

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I taught as catechist in a non-sectarian school in Davao City sometime in 1995. The room was near a major road in Davao making it difficult to compete with the noise of passing cars.  It was a test of patience and determination on my part.  

On my last day with the students, I received the most meaningful gift in my career as a teacher.  A student  put something in my pocket while I was exiting the room.  When I pulled it out, it was a wallet- a gift form this student.  What made the gift more meaningful was the fact that it came from a student who was considered by other teachers as problematic.  In fact, he has many absences in class.  Not only that, this student who gave me a gift was a Muslim.  I was teaching about Christ in our class.  I could never forget that experience.  I considered myself at that time as the best teacher in the world. What a happy life indeed to be a teacher. 

What about you?  Have you found happiness in life in your career?

What makes you happy as a teacher?  Watch on this video and be inspired from these teachers. 

Are you a teacher or an educator?

There were times that I felt so tired after a whole day in school.  There were also instances that I felt not getting up in the morning.  But I have to because ...... I am a teacher, an educator.

To all my former teachers and to all teachers out there, let us be inspired and reminded with this video.

Learn from the top 10 discipline techniques

As I mentioned in my previous article, classroom management is what new teachers are most concerned about.

Try to learn from this video on how to manage a class well.

Lesson from a child who touched the world

I always received an award during the culmination of Flores de Mayo.  The award?  Perfect attendance. I was a faithful participant in our chapel's Flores de Mayo activities.  I remembered how close we were to the church through the Flores de Mayo.  We listened to our catechist.  We sang songs of praise.  We prayed. We enjoyed such moments as kids.

As they say, God is close to children. Children are close to God.  However, people don't really learn much from children's faith.

As a teacher, I always believe in the goodness of each child. In our school, we have a jargon which says, "Drawing out the best in you."  

The video you are about to watch is an example of an honest and humble faith of a child.

You are a dream builder

If there was something I can be proud of as a teacher was the workbook I made. First year college students and transferees of our school used that book in their subject- Freshmen Formation Program.  The first lesson on that book is entitled "My Dream".  Students were asked to write down their dreams in life. In our discussion, I emphasized to my students that dreams are free.  If you dream small, you probably achieve it so easily.  

The video that you are about to see is not the most popular video of Susan Boyle.  If you have not watched that one, just search in Youtube.  When Susan was asked who she wants to be, without hesitation she said Elaine Paige.  You could see one of the judge eyes rolling and ahhs from the audience.  Nobody believed this poor woman who is not gifted with good looks can achieved what she just declared. 

Well, after her rendition of I dreamed a dream she was a superstar.

What you will see is her duet with no other than Elaine Paige.  Very touching to see her realize her dream.

As teachers, it is our role to help our students realize their dream.  We ignite their passion and inspire them to pursue it.

How to deliver power teaching?

You cannot cook the same menu everyday.  Otherwise, nobody will eat your food.  I remember these words from one of our speakers during a convention.  She was referring to a teacher's teaching strategies.  It has to be varied.  Students should be excited to a new strategy.  But if a teacher uses the same strategy all over again, students will not be motivated to engage.  It is already expected.

In order to help my teachers learn different teaching strategies, I complied different strategies that I found useful.  I printed them and distributed one copy to teachers per subject area. 

Two  or three years ago, I shared this video to my teachers. The day after, while doing my daily rounds, I heard a teacher used this technique.  This strategy is very effective to elementary students but this can also be applied to high school and even college students.  Watch this.

12 best classroom management practices

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One of the subjects I am teaching in college is The Teaching Profession.  In this subject, one topic is on classroom management.  In my introduction I will tell my education students, "This is the most difficult subject."  Students might wonder why during examinations they still get higher scores.  I would then told them later about the reality in the teaching profession.  "In your first two years as a new teacher, you will be learning about classroom management.  You will only discover the best classroom management practice when you are already in the field."

As a principal I observed this as the biggest burden among new teachers. They would ask me often what is the best strategy to discipline the students.

Classroom management has been the problem for most teachers especially the neophytes.  If you are one, consider the following (from Best Practices in Classroom Management by Christopher Dunbar):

1. Hold and communicate high behavioral expectations.

2. Establish clear rules and procedures, and instruct students in how to follow them; give
primary-level children and those with low socioeconomic status, in particular, a great
deal of instruction, practice, and reminding.

3. Make clear to students the consequences of misbehavior.

4. Enforce classroom rules promptly, consistently, and equitably from the very first day of
school.

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5. Work to instill a sense of self-discipline in students; devote time to teaching self monitoring skills.

6. Maintain a brisk instructional pace and make smooth transitions between activities.

7. Monitor classroom activities; give students feedback and reinforcement regarding their
behavior.

8. Create opportunities for students (particularly those with behavioral problems) to
experience success in their learning and social behavior.

9. Identify students who seem to lack a sense of personal efficacy and work to help them
achieve an internal locus of control.

10. Make use of cooperative learning groups, as appropriate.

11. Make use of humor, when suitable, to stimulate student interest or reduce classroom
tensions.

12.  Remove distracting materials (athletic equipment, art materials, etc.) from view when
instruction is in progress.

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Reference:
https://www.msu.edu/~dunbarc/dunbar3.pdf