Last Thursday was the first time I joined an ACLE. It was sort of a requirement for my application process in the UP Zoological Society. The program consisted of a film viewing (“Mga Munting Tinig”) and a short talk from a young professor in UPIS. I was very happy to know that we were going to watch that movie, because I heard it was really good. Actually, Alessandra de Rossi, the lead actress, gained lots of recognitions because of “Mga Munting Tinig”. The film revolved around the story of Melinda Santiago, a fresh college graduate who decided to teach in Malawig Elementary School. Despite opportunities abroad, she chose to pursue her passion in a small rural community, hoping that her presence would somehow make an impact to the lives of people who suffered from poverty. She was surprised to see the malpractice of her co-teachers and even the principal in Malawig Elementary School. In her first days of work, she learned that not all the students went to class everyday because their parents didn’t believe in the importance of school. Often, the parents asked their children to help them in the fields. Sabi nga ng mga magulang, sapat na ang matutong magsulat at magbasa dahil lahat naman ng mga anak nila ay sa pagsasaka rin ang bagsak. In the film, only the mother of Popoy and Obet was supportive of her children’s education. A lot of kids wanted to go to school. Despite the demands of his father, one student, hoping that someday he could become a pilot, expressed his desire to continue studying. Sadly, his classmates just laughed at him upon hearing his aspiration. Many of them already gave up on their dreams, because their parents told them that they would just be farmers in the end. Meanwhile, a female student also encountered a similar problem when her mother asked her to stop schooling. The reason was that she would only get married in the end, and what was important was to learn household chores. Melinda saw the situation and hoped to make a difference. She started by just doing her job – uniting her students and reinforcing their belief in education. Melinda told her students that they would someday reach their dreams; nothing was impossible. I remember a scene where she gave away ice candies to those who participated in the lecture. She also kept praising her students for their good qualities. When a chance came, she built a small choir and used her musical skills to teach her students how to sing. She received no support from her co-teachers and the Principal. She had a really hard time convincing the parents to let their children join the choir. Notwithstanding these, she did her best because she wanted to tell the kids that there is hope. The hardest challenge that came along their way was the death of Popoy. The choir somehow lost life and interest in fighting and winning. This event in the movie particularly made me realize the effect of emotional stress in the process of learning and achieving one’s goals. At some points in our life, we lose hope in pursuing our dreams. This is when the people around us play very significant roles that often determine the direction that we would take. After the death of Popoy, Melinda remained strong and hopeful, though it was also very difficult on her part. Through her support, the students regained their optimism, and they worked hard to win.
After the film, an alumna of UPZS was given the chance to share her experience as a teacher in UPIS. When she entered UP, her initial course was Biology. In her upper years, she realized that she wanted to take a different path, so she shifted to Education. She shared to us how she enjoyed having the freedom of being able to teach in the way she believed the students would learn most. However, she also told us that UPIS was the least priority when it comes to the funds of the entire university. Often, teachers like her spend their own money to facilitate their teaching methods. The salary is not really high, but she learned to adapt by finding sidelines. This shows how much she loves teaching. She told us to pursue our passion, even if other people may think we’re already too late.
The movie and the talk inspired me a lot. I learned how passion could push people to do things that many would not understand. I also saw how motivation could drive the learning experience of people. This ACLE changed my views about people who choose to live difficult lives just to fulfill their passion.
After the film, an alumna of UPZS was given the chance to share her experience as a teacher in UPIS. When she entered UP, her initial course was Biology. In her upper years, she realized that she wanted to take a different path, so she shifted to Education. She shared to us how she enjoyed having the freedom of being able to teach in the way she believed the students would learn most. However, she also told us that UPIS was the least priority when it comes to the funds of the entire university. Often, teachers like her spend their own money to facilitate their teaching methods. The salary is not really high, but she learned to adapt by finding sidelines. This shows how much she loves teaching. She told us to pursue our passion, even if other people may think we’re already too late.
The movie and the talk inspired me a lot. I learned how passion could push people to do things that many would not understand. I also saw how motivation could drive the learning experience of people. This ACLE changed my views about people who choose to live difficult lives just to fulfill their passion.
No comments:
Post a Comment