iCARE 407: small groupings

We have been encountering situations in teaching the grade three pupils in the apostolate area. As I have observed, my students are having difficulty disciplining the kids. The kids have been very unruly, noisy, and fidgety in the classroom for the past three meetings. I had to assist the group the last time and helped them pacify the pupils, telling them to stay on their seats and to refrain from standing on their desk. The kids do these every time their teacher goes out of the room to give way to the student catechists.

To address the situation, I suggested to the team to divide the class into three groups and execute the lesson plan in that small group each member is handling. The strategy was very effective. The kids were indeed listening attentively to their big sister sharing some bible stories related to the topic of the day.

We hope to do this regularly to manage the unruly behavior of the pupils entrusted to our care.

CareVille: New shirt-New Enthusiasm

We've got a new CARE polo shirt that we are going to wear every time we do our Lasallian mission of teaching the minds, touching the hearts, and transforming the lives of the public school pupils entrusted to us.

My students are so excited to teach wearing the new shirt and the positive feedbacks of students regarding the new uniform has been an inspiration that leads us to actively make a difference in the lives of the pupils we teach. I believe that now is the perfect time to get motivated to tackle goals that we've set this year.

A special thanks to our administrators for approving our request to have the said polo shirt as our official uniform. May they continue to assist us in fulfilling our goals and help us to move forward during these exciting yet challenging times.
Animo La Salle!!!

Lasalle Ville: Bringing out the best in people

The story of a woman who quit her high-paying job to be a school teacher reminded me of my duty to bring out the best in my students entrusted to my care this year. In the first day of school, she made a different approach by telling her students to write their names, addresses and interests on one whole sheet of paper. While they were doing it she walked up and down the rows and secretly memorized their names.

Then, she told the class that they were going to have the test, they complained, but the test was not for them, it's for her. If she could memorize all their names then all students would get a perfect score in the first test. She correctly called out all their names and the students were impressed. She had their attention. She told them that she's there to encourage and bring out the best in each one of them.

Similarly, it is my commitment to bring out the best in my students as adviser and a subject teacher. In the previous years, I used to criticize and focus on the weakness of my students rather than on their potentials. However, after some soul searching and exploring some ways to find my purpose in life, I was able to find my purpose and decided to live my best life now.

I have shown my concern and care for my students by providing a venue for them to hone their skills, interests, and signature talents to improve themselves in all areas of their lives. Three programs have been implemented to bring out the best in them. These are the i-CARE or Integrated Catechetical and Religious Emissary for my two cream classes, LEAP or the Lasallian Education Assistance Program for the academically–challenged students in my advisory class, and the B.E.C. or Basic Ecclesial Community Program for the rest of the classes I am handling in level 9.

I am convinced that through these programs and the experiences that I have shared with them, they will be encouraged, motivated, inspired, and challenged to bring out the best in them and leave this year level better off than they were previously.

LasalleVille 9: Living B.E.C.

BASIC ECCLESIAL COMMUNITY
(Curriculum Innovation)


Introduction

Many of Level 9 students today would admit they do not have a profound and sufficient knowledge about the Christian faith in its personal and communal nature. Most of them got their simple knowledge of Christian life from the Christian Living classes and ceremonies which are connected to family celebrations and practices such baptism, marriage ceremony and funerals. Only those who are members of Youth for Christ and Search-inners have experienced faith as personal relationship with Jesus the Lord. Furthermore, not many of them recognize the social and communitarian nature of faith. They are not in any way involved in various issues on faith and morals. What they do most of the time is focused on gadgets, not on people.

These situations imply the need to make the faith understands and accepts Jesus’ teachings, to develop faith which is something personal, and to make the faith more active in community involvement. This can be done through the implementation of the program called BEC or Basic Ecclesial Community.

Basic Ecclesial Community is basically a parish-based program which seeks to form small communities in the parish to address the urgent call of informing, forming, and transforming individual’s faith. This program helps the parish priest to facilitate the spiritual, communal, and social formation of the people in the context of community living.

The said program is adopted and modified to fit the Christian Living Curriculum of De La Salle Lipa Integrated School. Its primary goal is to lessen the academic or intellectual nature of Christian Living subject and make its objectives focus on God’s purpose for man, that is, to serve Him faithfully, to worship Him fully, and to love Him more dearly.

It also aims to provide venue for the students to (a) develop a personal relationship with Jesus, (b) experience a new way of being in the Church, (c) share their faith experiences with the group in the context of fellowship prayer services, (d) and to translate into actions the values they have learned from the different activities of this program. To turn these goals into reality, each class is divided into seven small groupings which we may call “Cell groups”.

Methodology

1. Procedure of Implementation

A. Classes were divided into seven groups with 5-6 members each. The servant leader, tapped by the CL teacher, facilitated the choosing of a secretary of the group who documents all the results of sharing and other related activities of this program.
B. All appointed servant leaders served as members of the Core Group of the class. They assisted one another in the implementation of regular activities of the groups.
C. The three meetings in Christian Living subject were spent for each activity.

C1. First Meeting

The class spends the 15 minutes for reflection writing using the Gospel Reflection Book. Then the remaining time is for transacting God’s business, that is, for sharing reflections, thinking of 1 ARK 1, monitoring spiritual growth, and deciding what group intensification activity or G.I.A. will they have for the week.

C2. Second Meeting

The teacher takes the lead in discussing to students the topic of the week taken from the CL syllabus-based work text. He integrates all the elements of the program with the lesson of the week.

C3. Third Meeting

It is spent for prayer service or praying of the rosary which is facilitated by the assigned group. Through this fellowship in the context of prayerful atmosphere the students are able to experience the presence of God in a new way.

LasalleVille: Sowing time for the Aged

When Tom Sawyer was told to work outside to paint the fence, he did not feel to do the work, what he wanted was to play with his friends. Instead of complaining and be negative about it he decided to make the most of the activity. He painted the fence with excitement and enthusiasm. When his friends came, they saw his positive attitude of working with joy. So they asked Tom if they could help to do the work simply because he was working with great joy in his heart. As what the story told us, Tom was just sitting back watching his friends do the work.

Similarly, when our Curriculum Coordinator reminded us of our exposure trip to Sagip Buhay Home for the Aged in Bauan, Batangas I was not disposed to go because I was tired of proctoring for three days, checking papers of my students, making reviewers for my two kids, and encoding grades. Aside from that, the weather was not good, it was raining hard. However, instead of complaining and be negative about it, I decided to go out and meet the elderly there. I wanted to give a little of my time to make them happy. So I prepared myself, put on the best get up, and went to the loading area ahead of time.

When we arrived in the place, I helped my coworkers bring the boxes inside the house. I put a smile on face, put a spring in my steps and approached two of the elderly women with excitement and enthusiasm; I really felt their happiness shown on their faces. I initiated the conversation and told them that we were there for a visit. I called other coworkers to meet other elderly longing for love, care and compassion. When other teachers were already entertaining the elderly, I just took my rest, had my merienda while watching them enjoying the moments in this place called Sagip Buhay.

I realized that I need to do my work with enthusiasm and excitement so that by doing so others would surely help and be there to assist me simply because I approached my work with positive attitude. Meeting the elderly at the Home gave me an opportunity to sow my time with them believing that whatever I sow, I will reap.

It's our time to HELP!

Our family, community, and the Lasallian Family here in Lipa were spared from the wrath of typhoon Ondoy. We just experienced 10 hour brown-out during the time typhoon Ondoy was bringing great rains and severe flooding to different areas in Luzon.

The damages caused by Typhoon Ondoy are tragic and devastating. But this situation shows our resiliency and steadfast support of each other during these difficult times. We need to help our brothers and sisters who are suffering, waiting for whatever assistance we can give them.

Here in our school this morning, we just had our offering activity as part of the opening of our Marian month celebrations. We informed and encouraged the teachers, staff, and the students yesterday to offer relief goods for the victims of typhoon Ondoy for the said activity. They responded positively and we were able to contribute in our own little way to alleviate a bit the situations of our affected brothers and sisters in Metro Manila and other provinces.

We are still knocking at the hearts of kind people to help. Our school is accepting donations for the typhoon victims. WE ARE WAITING FOR YOUR HELP!!!

Let the games begin!!!

We just started our Intrams last Tuesday and the class has been preparing for this event since last week of August. My class LS 309 is gradually improving in their performance everyday in every way. I often tell them to give their very best in every thing they do because that is what Lasallians are known for. This is also the right time for me to deepen my rapport with them and to take a temporary rest from the classroom setting. I hope that they will also cherish the moments they have with one another each day of the Intrams 2009.