WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER READING CURRICULUM

For the second time in two years, Veritas Parochial School hosted The Gathering 2, an overnight celebration of discussing books, meeting fellow book lovers, and listening to music. The school's book clubs have decided to do this every first Friday night of December. Last year it was all about Twilight. This year, it was all about 10+ books--a veritable explosion of pages! Students discussed George Orwell's Animal Farm and 1984, and Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games,among others, to listeners in their PJs, lounging on sleeping bags.

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Podcasts of Libba Bray's A Great and Terrible Beauty and Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book were broadcast. Top discussants won prizes and enthusiastic applause.

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Unbeknownst to the sleeping book lovers, I spent the night/early morning poring over reader's journals submitted to me by senior high schoolers who opted out of the book talk. The journals were a revelation, for like most journals, they chronicle the reading process meticulously, but unlike most journals, they were bursting in color, favorite passages, even a movie stills collage. Creativity to the fullest!

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All this leads me to wonder why the Department of Education can't see what's right in front of them: young people thumbing across the pages of books, discussing plot and character, making book trailers, making scrapbooks--generally enjoying the reading process. If you were a parent perusing the pages of the English curriculum, with all the macro-skills blah and the Understanding By Design-BS, you'd be afraid for your child. Could he really master all 95 reading subskills? Will not spotting the main idea outright jeopardize his job-acceptance chances? Will his teacher penalize him for not buying 3 textbooks and 3 workbooks in Language, Reading and Speech, respectively?

In my 17 years as English teacher, I can now safely assure all worried parents that the Philippine English curriculum does not decide the fate of their children. Former DepEd Undersecretary Juan Miguel Luz, speaking to Diocese of Paranaque educators in June 2009, cites an international study claiming that a literacy-rich home environment is actually the BEST INDICATOR of student success:

100 books in the house
1 computer in the house
the child's own study desk in the house

(Source: TIMSS 1998, 2003)

And by student success, we don't just look at reading, but maths and sciences as well.

In Finland, a nation that consistently tops international examinations, the teachers are not boxed in by a national curriculum; they design their lessons with their students and make adjustments when necessary. Teachers and students practice equity in the learning process.

Bottomline: invest in books, a working personal computer, internet access, a study desk, and TIME with children as they read and ask questions.

As for me and the Veritas community, we just simply enjoy books, and make them available to all. We have future projects that will put 3 brand new non-academic books in every high schooler's hands for him to keep.

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I don't need an international study to tell me the overflowing benefits of reading for my students.

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I just listen to their book talks and browse their journals, and I'm happy.

MUGaling! MUGaling! MUGaling!

Two of the best gifts I received this Christmas are mugs. Seriously. While a lot of Pinoys may wrinkle their noses at the sight of their Nth mug from underneath the Christmas tree, I, on the other hand, am and will always be a grateful, ecstatic receipient of that ceramic coffee-cradling wonder.

Because people have generously gifted me with mugs throughout the years, I have never felt the urge to buy one for myself. For that, I thank my benefactors! And so, in the spirit of Yuletide joy, where a cuppa cappuccino or scalding hot chocolate is second only to family, I'm featuring my TOP 5 FAVORITE MUGS:

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This is a gift from my friend and colleague Dong Lapira. It's one of the many cool designer mugs from Multiple Choice.

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This mug is a survivor. I once had half a dozen of these, from an old Nescafe grocery store promo. This much-used, much-loved mug is perfect for those tiny sips of coffee while soaking in sitcoms like "Will and Grace" and "How I Met Your Mother."

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Ok, I admit I bought this one for myself. I wanted a maroon mug (Go Maroons!), but the UP Shopping Center had none on stock. This is the one I use in school, promptly at 3pm every afternoon.

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Peanuts! I love Peanuts! This classic cup has never been used for drinking, at least not by me. I once used it as a pencil holder, and now, it just sits in our dining room glass case with the rest of the breakables.

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Teachers Mine, Arra and Tine gave me this one for Christmas. When I opened the bag, I said to myself, "Finally!", for I've given so many Starbucks mugs in the past, and have never really received one. The classic, clean design of this one is a testament to my everlasting love affair with Caramel Macchiato.

Edit: This just in! (Or I just unwrapped this):

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Though obviously this is not a 600-year-old mug, it represents a much-revered Vincentian institution. I know that whenever I use this, it would feel like drinking from a holy cup. :)

GOLDEN VOWS: Uncle Inar and Auntie Conching Rosal say "I do" again! You're invited to view pics of the wedding of the half-century...

The groom and his sister, Charito

The charming Terol sisters

Bottom (L-R): Auntie Charito, Auntie Lina

Top (L-R): Auntie Vita, Me, Kuya Al

The bride and groom: Auntie Conching & Uncle Inar

(L-R): Auntie Elvie, Auntie Vita, Kuya Al, Auntie Lina, Ate Cacay,

Auntie Charito, Ate Ging

It was a lovely, solemn affair, broken only by Ate Cecel's tearful Prayers of the Faithful, and the bride's zealous "I do." So sorry I missed the reception, but I heard everyone had a grand time there too! Congratulations to two of my idols, Uncle Inar and Auntie Conching!