Monday, June 30, 2014

Assistant Superintendent Interaction

At the school we just went to (Camp Vin National HS) there happened to be an Assistant Superintendent at the school. When she found out we were there without her pre-approval, she scolded Techie and told her to "follow the proper protocol"! A little awkward, and very unnecessary.


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Don Black School visits

Today we visited two very different schools.

The first was the Mary Help of Christians College Division, where aspiring Catholic values educators learn theor craft. These students chose to study moral declination so they could feel closer to God, and chose this route over teaching a different academic subject for this reason.

We discussed many new educational techniques with them; activities like think/pair/share, ask 3 before me, and differentiated instruction. We even did a turn and talk with the students, and they really enjoyed it!

The second school we visited was the Don Bosco Technical School, part of the Mary Help network. The all male student body learns electrical wiring, machinery, and car repair among other vocations in a private Catholic environment. What made this school so interesting was that it was a religious technical school; we dont see many of those in the U.S.!


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Sunday, June 29, 2014

First day of school

Just finished our first day of school at Mary Help of Christians College (MHCC). We met with the principal, guidance counselor, and saw the nursery school.

The students were playing in some type of color war type activity where the students were broken into teams. Each activity they completed was tied to a moral or value that the school tries to teach them.

After meeting with the guidance counselor, I find it interesting that we share many of the same issues. Differentiating instruction, reaching troubled students, and difficult parents were her main concerns. Maybe we aren't so different!


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"Do you know what is selfie?"

It seems as though students in the Philippines are just as connected to social media as students in the U.S. I have received several follow requests on Instagram and a few Twitter mentions. Craziness!


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Welcome!

This was the welcome poster that greeted us as Mary Help of Christians College. What a amazing feeling!


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Saturday, June 28, 2014

Today, Stephanie and I went with Techie, our cooperating teacher, along on their weekly Oratory. Every Sunday, teachers and students at Mary Help of Christians College meet with poor families in local rural areas and conduct church ceremonies with them. As described by the students, they hope to enlighten their lives by teaching poor children how to be morally just, upright citizens.

After visiting a church, we went to visit families who participate in the Oratory every Sunday. They were so excited to meet us and talk about how the work of the students has enriched their lives. They were extremely friendly and eager to talkb about their experiences.

I really enjoyed chatting with the students at MHCC. They told me knock knock jokes and took a ton of selfies. Just like American teenagers!

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

This is a very hectic time in my life.

In 4 days, I get married.
In 6 days, I leave the country to take part in the Teachers for Global Classrooms cultural exchange program in Manila and Calamba City, Philippines.

I am feeling a strange combination of excitement and nervousness, joy and fear, calmness and anxiety.

I look forward to new experiences, new friends, new places, new food, and learning as much as I can about my adoptive country for the next few weeks. I also look forward to spending time with my new wife at the end of my trip!

I am excited to take part in the Teachers for Global Classrooms program and represent the United States and our education system. Though I have spent a lot of time abroad, I have never had any experience educating children while traveling. I look forward to the opportunity to combine two things I am passionate about: traveling and education.