7 Things teachers should do to reduce that "End of the year Stress".

Teachers' job can be stressful, but we learned how to handle it our way. :)

We all know how our job as a teacher can be overwhelmingly draining. If you are a teacher, you  know exactly what I am talking about. Humans as we all are, we wanted to get that well deserved weekends and holidays! While we consider ourselves lucky if we get a national holiday one or two in a month but most holidays just don't happen instead we get make up days for the snow days that we wished it didn't happen in winter. Believe me, I always check my calendar and circle the holidays in red!


 It is probably one of the reasons why most people don't want this job because of the very minimal holidays we get during the cycle of academic year. On the other hand, I say that we are still lucky because we have the summer holidays. That, by the way, we all deserve after a tedious 10 months of lesson planning and grading and dealing with the different behaviors of children and parents on some occasions.

That remaining two months before the school year ends could be very very stressful. And so I came up with this list of things that teachers can do to somehow help us reduce stress while doing year end reports and forms to fill out, tons of test papers and students' projects to check and all other things that seem to be never ending. Hope these will help.

1. Listen to your favorite music. I have my earphones on and I have downloaded more than a thousand songs in my phone with all the music that I like from R&B to classical music, Latin music, Filipino music, pop music, etc. Music helps me stay in phase with what I am doing, and helps me focus too. This probably works to most people.

2. Make in between conversations with fellow teachers while at work. BUT pay attention to the time! Conversation is only a way for you to not drain your energy doing one thing straight for 8 hours.



3. Take a trip to the cafeteria and back. Walking can make your blood to get into full circulation  again after long hours of sitting in your desk checking and grading students' work.

4. Get those magazines and books handy. I have two on my desk. When you feel that you had enough for the day, but actually no..you just want to have break but it is not your break time yet because you're not even half way on the pile of tests papers that you need to check. Hey, grab that magazine or that book and read few pages. It will ease that feeling of "is it 4:00 o'clock yet?".

5. Change venue. Sometimes, it feels like I don't want to stay in my classroom to work. What I normally do is take all the urgent tasks that I need to do and work on it in the library, in the section where it is always empty and spend my time working on it. Believe me, you'll get significant amount of work done. 

6. Tidy up your work station! It is always pleasant to sit in your desk in the morning, with all your things in their proper places, rather than looking at piles of tests papers, work books and laboratory reports stack like mountains on your desk and under.

7. Start your day with a SMILE. Yes, I always do. And I believe it can make a difference. I greet students and fellow teachers everyday with a simple hello and a smile. I always feel the need to spread happiness and positivity around, especially like this time of the year when all requirements are set to due.

I can't wait for my most deserved summer break!

And don't forget to put the Philippines in your bucket list. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g294245-Philippines-Vacations.html

I Dreamed of this, Too!

I came across the blog of Nathan Allen about a month ago and from that time on I became a frequent visitor of his blog pages. And his Facebook too! One of the reasons is because I haven't been in my country in quite awhile and in his blog he features beautiful spots in the Philippines that not most of the visitors and tourists would visit. Not for any kind of wrong reasons but must be because these places are not very well advertised in the country's tourism.  So, I want to help promote my country in this aspect because in all sense the Philippines has a lot to offer to people who wanted to have a perfect island get away. Aside from affordability, I think these places in the country is so perfect to get close to what nature can offer.

"El Nido, Palawan, Philippines" Photo credit: Nathan Allen

I am a stranger in my own country. And right now, just like when Nathan says "I dreamed of this" I also dreamed of this, going to beautiful spots in my own country. I have never been to these places and I certainly want to check these out. There are more photos that are posted in Nathan's blog and each time I see them, I am always in awe.

"Bantayan Island, Cebu Philippines" Photo Credit: Nathan Allen

These pictures just make me want to go home, to be honest. :-)

To see more of Nathan's blog about the Philippines, here is the link

http://www.idreamedofthis.com/2014/02/18/a-foreign-blogger-s-letter-to-the-philippines/

Re-blogged with Permission: A foreign Blogger's Letter to the Philippines by Nathan Allen

Filipinos: Think, Think, THINK!!

-By Nathan Allen

When I was in the Philippines, a friend of mine said "Nathan, you think too much".  Actually, I heard this from a few Filipinos.  Really?  I mean, I know I tend to analyze things, but "thinking too much" is precisely I how I dreamed up a way to (modestly) travel the country for a year - then write an in-depth article on Filipino culture (an article that, guess what, Filipinos seem to LOVE). 

Filipinos:  I am asking you to think MORE. 

Eleanor Roosevelt said "Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people."  Sadly, perhaps due to colonization and other factors (I'll get to these later), the Philippines may have established itself as a country full of "small minds" - people that were discouraged from being ambitious, and kept from their potential.  Those in power wanted to keep it that way, and to some extent I believe it's still the same today.  The masses are encouraged to keep consuming products and stay focused on (and distracted by) trashy, mindless TV and gossip.  I've seen it happen in the US.  It's good for the economy, but bad for the culture (it makes things easier for a government to manipulate its people and keep them powerless).

CONSUMERS AND COPYCATS

The Philippines seems to be a country full of consumers and copycats.  What do I mean by that?  Media consumption - TV, radio, and Internet...and it's all designed to manipulate you one way or the other.  Encouraged through the media is shopping - you've got to have the latest shoes, bags, and phones.  Otherwise, your value in society isn't very high. 

Just like in the US, it's a very shallow, endless cycle of consumption, but Filipinos, what are you producing?  What are you contributing to the world? 

You are widely known to be some of the best cover-artists in the world.  You can recreate almost any song - sometimes even better than the original!  Pinoy vocalist Arnel Pineda becoming the lead singer of the iconic American band "Journey" is a good example of this.  You're such gifted musicians and vocalists, and aside for the US and UK, I'm pretty sure you can speak English better than any country in the world - so where are your own musical contributions?  I know you have some classic Filipino songs, but I'm talking about international hits (and Fil-Am artists don't count). 

Filipinos, perhaps hundreds of years of colonization have left you holding back your talent...and feeling like you don't have a voice - that your opinions don't matter, and have no value.  That is understandable (given your country's repressive history), but we live in a different world now, and I hope you can begin to take the first few steps away from that oppressive past.

(*Note, if you are using Internet Explorer and you can't view the screen below properly, you may need to upgrade Internet Explorer for free HERE)

EDSA LRT Station, Pasay

LIFT YOURSELVES UP, BUT DON'T FORGET WHO YOU ARE

Now, with your growing economy, you are heading in the same direction as many wealthy western countries.  You are "modernizing", and that appears to be a good thing.  Do you know what the irony is, though?  In our countries, the "higher standard of living" is not what you might think.  Most of you have plenty of "quality social time".  The amount of time we have to reflect and enjoy life with friends and family is shockingly little.  Unlike most of yours, our families arebroken and very disconnected.  In the "developed" world, we seem to be losing our humanity - we barely make eye contact when we're out in public!  Yourfamily-oriented culture and sense of connectedness is something that you REALLY have going for you in the Philippines. 

In our countries we work too much, are completely stressed out, and have countless new diseases and psychological disorders that I believe are popping up because of life in our hectic modern world.  A therapist is practically a requirement for life in any large American city.  Filipinos, do you even know what a therapist is?  No?  Good.  Haha:) These disorders (just like therapists) are rare in the Philippines.  This seems to be the price we pay for being "advanced and developed" nations.  The point is, I do hope you can break free from this "colonial" mentality, but aside from that...

Filipinos: Don't try to be more like us, try to be more like YOU.  I believe what the the world needs now is more you, not more us.

In my last article about Filipino culture, I mentioned how a few people in Manila seemed to be ashamed to speak Filipino with me.  I didn't like that; I hoped they would be proud of their culture.  I got the impression that they admired me so much - just for being white!  When I would go through security anywhere in Manila, I was the only one who wouldn't be searched.  I seemed to get a free pass, again, because I was white.  That was something I loved about Cebu and the Visayas...there, the security searched me just like everybody else.  It was fair.  In general, people down there weren't impressed with my white skin.  If I was going to impress them, I would have to earn it.  They were proud, and I loved that.  I don't mean to promote regionalism here; I just would love to see all Filipinos develop that sense of cultural pride. 

Truly the "Pearl Of The Orient Seas"

Filipinos (from north to south), please know that your culture and who you are is something unique and special in the world - something precious that's rapidly disappearing, in fact.  Please don't be afraid to be proud - I know you prefer to be modest, but I don't believe pride and modesty have to be enemies.  I believe you can be proud without thinking or acting like you are better than others.  Be proud of your culture; your heritage.

Philippines, I hope soon you will become known for being more than just a friendly country with affordable opportunities for foreign-owned businesses.  My hope is that you will gain a reputation as a nation of innovators and entrepreneurs...as creators.  I have never seen so much talent be so under-utlilized.  With your stunning beaches and lush mountain provinces, you are also poised and ready to take the world's tourism industry by storm.   However, your ecosystem is delicate, and it needs to be protected and preserved.  I'd love to see your country pave the way for environmentally-friendly tourism. That would be an innovative and much needed contribution to the world!

At the very least, I hope you can share the Filipino way of life with the rest of the world, because we could certainly learn a lot from it.

The "Crab Mentality" - Is It Helpful?

Please put an end to the "crab mentality" - lift each other up, don't pull each other down.  If your country is ever going to rise up and share its treasures with the world, you will have to foster an environment of praise and support for your countrymen. 

Filipinos:  You are some of the most talented, soulful, and generous people I have ever encountered. Please know that you DO have a voice, that your ideas DO matter, and that your contributions (whether they be musical, artistic, or intellectual) WILL be felt. 

Believe it, and the rest of the world will, too. 

Oh!  One more thing.  If you work in government, do not EVER forget your responsibility to represent the PEOPLE - a people and a culture with a lot to offer the world.  YOU represent them on the world's stage. Do NOT let them down. 

- Nathan Allen

Click on this link to go to Nathan's blog 

http://www.idreamedofthis.com/2014/02/18/a-foreign-blogger-s-letter-to-the-philippines/

All I have left is Hope

I knew the time would come that I have to be far from the people I care most in my life. It was very painful. I struggled to keep myself strong while I put some of my clothes in the luggage. I tried to assure everyone that I will be okay. And I made a promise that I will come back. At first, I thought I could keep what I said, that no matter what I will stay. It didn't happen.

I am now one of the fathers who sacrifice their time of being with their children to make a living thousands of miles away. It hasn't to be this way. I tried so hard to be with them as they grow up. I wanted to see them grow in my eyes, so I could guide them to the way I want them to be. But the world is not favoring my  plan. It took me awhile to see that the world somehow is against me. I fought, we fought but it didn't happen.

As I moved from airport to airport to get to my destination, tears were falling from my eyes. I didn't realize that I confided to this woman who sat beside me. She assured me that things will be alright. This is the moment again that I began asking why some things that happened are just too hard to understand. I wanted to scream to let go of my frustration, and all I have was a heavy heart.

I made a promise.
Things will be alright.
Despite the sadness and longing, I always tell myself that things will be okay.