Category Archives: Philippines

Learning is Not Just Studying

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To those who do not really know me, beyond being a writer in this blog, I am a teacher. Yes, a teacher of children with special needs. My students call me Teacher Julie and that is what I call my other blog too. In other words, I am a special education teacher.

I just want to say the learning is my middle name. I believe that learning does not just take place within the four walls of the classroom. Learning takes place in our daily interaction with people, with problem-solving skills, decision-making processes and having the correct ideals to be able to help others and most specifically the environment.

How would I answer questions about special education issues?

About the books that I have used with my students, click here -> books

Do you know a child who can’t sit still and loves to move around? Click here -> ADHD

Do you know someone with autism? Click here -> Autism

Do you know someone who is very, very smart? Click here -> Giftedness

Do you know someone who has a hard time understanding words and has difficulty interacting with others? Click here -> Language Development

Do you know someone who can’t function because everything is so hard to do? Click here-> Mental Retardation

How should these children be taught? Click here -> Teaching Techniques

I don’t even want to think about students who go to school too early or too late, 6am – 12pm or 16pm – 6pm..

I don’t even want to think about children who have to walk several kilometers daily just so they could go to school.

I don’t even want to think of the students who study under the trees because facilities are a big problem.

I don’t even want to think about the students, 50 – 70 of them, sitting in a small, hot and cramped classroom.

So I present my children…

My daughter Trixie is a grade 7 student in a university where children with special needs are mainstreamed in their classes.

Here are two photos of my children whom I homeschool through the curriculum from Bo Sanchez company.

This is Julian,with his group mates in the center where I work. He is wearing a blue polo shirt. He will be 7 in July and he is now a second grader.

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He is with children who have developmental delays. They are with Teacher Joy and Teacher Xeres who are both occupational therapists.

And this is our youngest child, Tania:

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She is learning with RV in a dyad setting in the center where I teach as per developmental pediatrician’s recommendation. Both Tania and RV are 5 years old.

I hope you learned something in my post.

Pagkatuto Hindi Lamang sa Pag-aaral

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English translation is here.

Eto naman ang isang isinulat ukol sa paksang pag-aaral. Maganda po ang topic dyan, promise.

Para po sa mga hindi nakakaalam, ang aking buhay sa likod ng blag ay umiikot sa pagiging isang guro. Opo, ako ay isang guro ng mga batang may kakaibang pangangailangan upang matuto. Sa madaling salita, sped ako, ay este, sped teacher ako.

Ang masasabi ko dito ay ang pag-aaral ay ang aking gitnang pangalan.

Ako ay naniniwala na ang pagkatuto o pagiging edukado ay hindi lamang sa loob ng apat na dingding ng paaralan. Ito ay natututunan sa araw-araw na pakikisalamuha natin sa mga tao, sa pag-iisip ng pagresolba sa mga problema, sa pagde-desisyon at sa tamang pag-iisip ng mga paraan upang makatulong hindi lamang sa sarili kundi sa ibang tao at sa kalikasan. World peace and environment, ika nga 😀

Paano nga ba masasagot ang mga maaaring itanong sa akin bilang isang sped teacher? Narito po sa ibaba:

Para sa mga aklat na nagamit ko sa aking mga tinuturuan, paki-click -> mga aklat.

May kilala ka bang batang sobra ang likot at kulit? Paki-click ito -> ADHD

May kilala ka ba may otismo? Paki-click ito -> Autism

May kilala ka bang sobra ang talino? Paki-click ito -> Giftedness

May kilala ka bang nahirapang magsalita o makasabay sa pinag-uusapan? Paki-click ito -> Language Development

May kilala ka bang nahirapan talaga matuto sa paaralan at sa buhay din? Paki-click ito-> Learning Disabilities

May kilala ka bang hirap makagawa ng mga bagay-bagay sa lahat ng aspeto ng buhay? Paki-click ito -> Mental Retardation

Paano ba tuturuan ang mga batang ito? Paki-click ito -> Teaching Techniques

Ayaw ko na munang isipin ang mga batang nag-aaral sa pampublikong paaralang pumapasok ng 6am-12pm o kaya 12pm-6pm.

Ayaw ko munang isipin ang mga mag-aaral na naglalakad ng ilang kilometro upang marating ang kanilang paaralan upang makapag-aral.

Ayaw ko munang isipin ang mga batang nag-aaral sa silong ng mga puno dahil sa kawalan ng mga pasilidad.

Ayaw ko munang isipin ang mga estudyanteng umaabot sa bilang na 50-70 sa isang mainit at masikip na silid-aralan.

Ayaw ko din munang isipin ang aking mga kapwa guro na hirap sa pagtuturo dahil sa kakulangan sa pasilidad at dami ng estudyante.

Mahaba na, sige na nga, eto na ang mga lawaran ko. Sa kabila ng aking pagiging guro, kami ay nagdesisyon na i-homeschool ang aming dalawang batang anak sa paaralan ni Bo Sanchez.

Ang aking panganay na si Trixie ay nasa elementarya ng isang unibersidad sa may di kalayuan sa amin. Siya ay may mga kaklaseng may special needs.

Eto si Julian, kasama ang kanyang ka-grupo sa aking lugar na trabaho. Siya ang nasa blue na polo shirt at magpi-pitong gulang na at nasa Grade 2.

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Ang kanyang mga kasama, karaniwan ay mga batang lalaki na may iba’t -bang pangangailangan sa pagkatuto. Kasama nila sila Teacher Joy at Teacher Xeres na mga Occupational Therapists.

Eto naman ang aming bunso, si Tania:

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Kasama niya si RV, isa sa mga tinuturuan ko. Sila ay magkasing-edad na 5 taon at nag-da-dyad ng learning dalawang beses isang linggo.

Sana po ay may natutunan kayo sa aking lahok.

Inuulit ko po, narito ang English translation.

Blocked Streets

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Weekend had us stay in the house because of this very strong typhoon named Fengshen or Frank that bashed the country.

Saturday morning I was not surprised to see the scene in the photo below. It was a long night during Friday when I can’t sleep because of the noise coming from outside that in turn came from these:

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What in tarnation are these trucks doing here?

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Tough Times are Here, What Lies Ahead?

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Weekly Question #5

Let’s try to be a little practical and wise and philosophical this week and answer this question:

What lies ahead for me (and my family) during these tough times? Do we know where we are heading?

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Tatay of my Children

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Tatay ang tawag ng mga anak ko sa kanilang ama, ang aking butihing asawa. Mabait siya sa mga bata, maasikaso, malambing at mapagbigay (nang-i-spoil kumbaga) ngunit siya din ay nagagalit sa kanila ngunit bihira ito mangyari kasi ako ang me papel nun, hehe.

Tatay (Filipino term for Daddy) is what my children call their father, my loving husband. He is good to the children, he does things for them, he is sweet to them and he spoils has the tendency to allow them to do what they want but he seldom gets angry at them because that is my domain, lol!

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Mas gusto niyang mamasyal na malapit sa nature kesa pumunta sa mga malls.

As much as possible, he would rather go for nature walks or nature tripping than go malling.

Para naman sa aking sariling Tatay, meron akong isinulat dito. Puwede din kayong sumali dito sa pagsusulat na ito, kung me oras kayo.

For my father, I wrote something here about him. You can join me as I write posts, if you still have spare time.

For other Litratong Pinoy entries, click here.