For Better or Best

There is power in positivity. This is one of the things I have always believed and that was re-enforced after the discussion on evaluation and assessment. Early on in life, I learned to be positive about all the issues that come my way. I learned to be positive even amidst my heart bypass operation and the many problems (mostly financial) in our family. And indeed, it helped me and others around me to see things more lightly, to deal with problems more calmly.

In evaluation and assessment, it is also important to dwell more on the positive notes of evaluation rather than on the negative points especially on the person being assessed. Of course, not all the time, the evaluation will come out positively, but in the field of education, the positive assessment must always be presented while the negative ones be given discreetly, discussed privately, no need to elaborately write on the paper. Evaluation should be done with the goal of guiding and nurturing the teacher, and not to shame or defame a person. I like this principle very much and I wish our country would emulate.

Think of the standard marriage vow in a wedding ceremony, “for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer,” and note the sequence of events go from positive to negative. It should not be the case for us. Rather, we should go from better to best. I am not saying however that we forget about the negative comments of a child or an evaluator because it too can help us become better people after all. What I want is the negative things to be discussed orally with the person involved and in private rather than put it in detail in his or her record and be a part of his or his history.

I remember my first regular stint as a teacher in a progressive school, I was observed by my superior on my first day and her observation created a lasting impact in my mind and in my teaching profession altogether. I even remembered the day she discussed with me her findings. I know I am neither a perfect person nor perfect teacher but because of her gentle and loving approach in discussing to me her assessment of my teaching, I became more passionate of teaching after that encounter. To this day, even if I’m no longer teaching professionally, I know I will still love teaching for life as I am also a student of thought.

I was also evaluated a number of times while I was still teaching at a science high school although I don’t get to know the results of these evaluations as it were never discussed with me, whether in writing or in person. However, I am confident that I have fulfilled my responsibilities as a teacher-adviser. Maybe, my evaluation results during my teaching in the science high school were no longer discussed to me because I have passed their expectation and maybe because I already have previous teaching experience, however, I would rather they discussed these results with me because I know that these kinds of assessments will help me improve myself to be a better person. I know that improvements are a continuous process of changing and re-changing yourself, and that I can never really be perfect, unless I’m already with my Savior. So, as long as I’m here in this world, I know I still have things to work out for in myself. And I firmly believe a good evaluation and assessment is a key in order for someone to continuously strive to be better.

Evaluation is necessary in nearly every aspect of our lives in order for us to strengthen our weaknesses, improve our skills and to look for innovations. And as much as possible, we should do our daily tasks as if we are being evaluated at the end of each day. There are a few people who do this, who only perform well when they know they are being evaluated. This result to false evaluation and instead of being able to help, this kind of evaluation may cause further harm to the person than good. Some other times, this kind of evaluation leads to the person being evaluated holding grudges to the evaluator himself or even to his or her co-teachers being evaluated.

Now that I am in the position of being the one to evaluate the teachers and personnel of Claret School of Quezon City where I’m currently the head of Marketing & Research Center, I have with me my previous experiences of being evaluated and the knowledge to be objective as much as possible in doing my evaluation. What exactly is my goal? Do I want to know those who are not performing so I can fire them, or do I want to help them become better teachers? My main goal right now is to present a school with quality as may be seen in the student performance and other indicators. I know that evaluation is one of the key in order to achieve this goal. If I know the main assets of the school and the main weaknesses, I would know which programs to incorporate that can help us improve these weaknesses and further strengthen our assets.

These coming months, I’m scheduled to do our school evaluation, one of product evaluation and then on process evaluation. It is important that I make sure we have a firm foundation towards the quality education we are aiming in the school that is not far from the vision/ mission of the school. I just wish that the teachers as well as the personnel would not fear the evaluation, rather, that they should gladly entertain being evaluated. Also, evaluation should not be tied up with monetary equivalence.

So evaluation must be done to make them better teachers if not the best. The choices are clear, for better or best!

Photo Credit: https://losedabooze.wordpress.com/2013/11/20/striving-to-be-my-best/

A Night of Ladies and Gentlemen

(Speech delivered on Junior-Senior Prom for Roosevelt College Science High School, 2011)

Photo Credit: www.signupgenius.com

Most (if not all) of us would agree that the days we spent in high school were certainly the best days of our lives, and probably, one of the most memorable. It was in school that we made BFFs, competed to excel, hoped for places in the sports teams, and learned some significant lessons about life. The memories we were able to make as we go through our everyday routine will always be etched in our hearts and our subconscious. Sometimes, what we did in high school has likewise significant impacts in what we will be 10 to 15 years from now; other times however, what we did while we were in high school led us to another thing that turned us into the other way around. We won’t be really sure what the future holds for each of us in here, but what we know is that, we are actually making that future already in every decision we made, in every good or bad deed we acted impulsively, and even in how we deal with the pressures and the surprises that come our way.

We are here today not just to dance or to have fun. This is not only the Junior-Senior Prom. Look at it this way. Every step you take NOW is a realization that you are all growing up already as the ladies and gentlemen you will become. And it is my prayer that you stay true to that – ladies and gentlemen. By definition, a lady and a gentleman are a woman and a man of refinement. And I actually like that word, refinement. It means the result of improving something; it means the process of removing impurities. It means to us a constant desire to improve what there is to improve and remove what undesirable we can find in ourselves. It is a lifelong process, yes, as nobody is perfect except which has been perfected by the grace of the Lord, and even then, may not be perfect still while we are living in this world. There is no instant solution to perfection anyway. So, we all have a long way to go. And I would like us all to start that long process now. Today when we are in our finest dresses and coats and tuxes, let us live up to our outside garment. Let us in the inside be as fine, as beautiful, and as presentable as our outward appearance.

I know you all have come a long way already. We all have come a long way. And we still have a lot of things ahead of us. College for the seniors is very much nearer already than we hoped it would be. And we are not to stay in high school forever. Because that would mean we are not growing anymore by way of the mind and heart. Sooner than we realized it, the juniors now will also be busy already with their college requirements. Time is swift indeed and there is no denying the need to cope up with time, and not let time cope with us.

Of course we also have to have fun. What is a prom without the fun, some may say. Why not have fun while also having the best of what life can be. And it can be the best if we live up to it with the refinement a true lady and gentleman has. I say, let us all dance our hearts out, sing our feelings in, and live our life in accordance with the will of our True Master and Creator who is looking at us right now with pride for a masterpiece He has made in each of us. Ladies and gentlemen, let us not spoil that masterpiece, YOU. We at least owe that to Him, who has made each of us according to His image.

Let us enjoy this night with respect to each other and in hopeful prayer that tomorrow, we are better than we are tonight.