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.

Happy Days with JB 34

I got plenty of emails commenting on the photo of my former class JB 34 posted by Trixie Pama. I am happy to hear some good words from my former students of this class, so I decided to post all your comments for others to read. Thank you guys and I miss you all!



In this photo: Loradel Quimio, Daphne Jo Valmonte (photos), Ruby Ana Macasaet, Angelica Patena (photos), Avis Alibuyog (photos), Avis Alibuyog, Trish Verzosa (photos), Lynette Azie Generoso, Krisandra Ann Malaluan (photos), Cocoi Mella (photos), Charmaine Rodriguez, Pauleen De Grano (photos), Aira Vida (photos), Carmina Reyes, Trixie Pama (photos), Nikki Sosa, Darlene Gnilo (photos), Mavic Casas (photos), Aaron Cortez (photos), Krist Trizha Mendoza (photos), Raul Paras (photos | remove tag), Yvonne Marasigan (photos), Maria Jezza T. Lojo, Audrey Joy Austria (photos), Michael Valdez (photos), Christian Jordan Diaz (photos), Camille Regina Ramos (photos), Arik Aaron Abu (photos), Matthew Quiban (photos), Kurt Patrick Enriquez (photos), James Laygo (photos), Miguel Jaime, Paolo Ross D. Gonzales (photos), Chamie Llamas, Rk Espiridion, Jiaan Dominguez (photos), Anton Santos (photos)

Paolo Ross D. Gonzales
si sir paras, hehe. the memories. :)
Sat at 10:37pm

Meg
kaklase mo pala c avis nung high school.:)
Sat at 5:37pm

Trixie Pama
haha, yup. small world :P
Sat at 5:55pm

Miguel Jaime
antataba niyong lahat!
Yesterday at 8:21am

Avis Alibuyog
classmate ko si meg nung grade school. :) frequent seatmate hihih. i miss this! :)

Micahel Valdez
no trixie!! i miss all of you!
Yesterday at 9:28

Arik Abu
amhighschool!! so five years ago! nakakamiss
Yesterday at 10:33am

Anton Santos
nakakamiss nga to. :P
Yesterday at 7:03pm

No CARE=No kids: No kids =No happiness

As I was reading and checking the reflection papers of my students in LS 407 the other day, I was touched by their simple experiences of being with the pupils of Tambo School. They really appreciated the ICARE program I made for them. It is indeed true that doing service to others in our own little way gives us genuine joy in our hearts. I am posting the reflections of Raizza and Clarisa for others to read and be touched, be inspired by their simple words.

Last week, Thursday was announced to be holiday. Thursday is the day when we go to other school and meet my class for CARE. When we had no classes, we also had no CARE and because of that I really missed my class. I suddenly realized that I am attached to the kids. I really want to be more close to them. I really want to see them smiling at me, answering my questions, participating actively, and waving goodbye at me with the hope of seeing me again.

---Raizza Mayo of LS 407

To be very honest, I am very self-centered and stubborn person. Being the youngest in the family and having all the adults’ attention to me…. When I was a child I always threw tantrums if I don’t get what I want… As I grew up, I slowly grew mature and opened my eyes to many things... I realized that it’s the right time to leave my old ways behind.

Especially now that we have our CARE and I get to interact with less fortunate children more, who rarely get their needs and much more their wants; I have realized that I should be grateful to my parents for providing me with my basic needs and my lavish luxuries: gadgets, high-quality education, everyday necessities and such. I should also be thankful to God for every single, beautiful thing He gave me from the moment I first took a breath up to now, fourteen years later.

---Clarisa Reyes of LS 407

What's your Final Answer?

It was the first day of examination of my students yesterday in LS 309. Before reading the bulletin I asked them to keep all the notes that they were reviewing. I told them to be calm, dispose themselves by praying their personal prayers and ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten them before taking the tests. I enjoined them that keeping the right attitude is the key to passing the test. They should remember that whatever they write on the test paper will be their final answer, and that will be the basis of their academic performance in each area of discipline this first quarter.

Six subjects: done. There are two more on Monday.
Good Luck!!!