The new generation of teenagers can really shock me. They engage in a lot of unwholesome activities . What really shocked me early this month was the news that a young high school girl of 15 delivered a child. She was a timid girl who keeps to herself. She sits in a far corner of the classroom as I deliver lessons and activities in their class. No one knew she was almost 9 months preganant at the start of the school year. She performed physical activities in her physical educatin classes, such as jogging, long jump, sit ups ang push-ups. I close my eyes as I try to image her in all these activities. The news broke and everyone was shocked. She declared a two-week vacation. We await for her return. More talks about her and how she got pregnant can be heard in the campus and evenin the barangay. No boyfriend and all, she can be a victim of incest for god's sake! She would never tell the real story. She just wants to finish school.
Another news followed, which didn't came as a shock anymore. Another 15 year old high school student in school admits she's 5 months pregnant. The sad thing is. she broke up with her boyfriend a few months ago yet they are now living together. They both dropped out of school now. All they could tink of was that they could have been more responsible and listened to their parents warnings about going out at night and drinking at a very young age.
These are real cases of teenage pregnancy, and they are getting younger. What a pity! I was asked by some students who's fault is it if a girl gets pregnant. And I stand by my opinion when I said to them that it's the girl who is to be blamed. A simple no and lots of self-control could prevent a pregnancy. The girl has the last decision. The students who discussed this issue withme argued further, "What if I really love the boy, maam? And I need to prove my love? " Then I said, "That's what I was saying, the decision is yours, if you say yes, then accept whatever consequences." I then saw something in their eyes, they are willing to take the risk. I thought further and pondered. Are these young people risk-takers? Are they braver than the past generations? Then their idea of being brave is distorted. I rest my case.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
Class Opening
June 15, 2010, Tuesday
Sta. Ana National High School
Sta. Ana, Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental
Philippines
It was an exciting day for me. As a pubic high school teacher, every school opening is a new beginning, new faces, new sets of students, new stories to hear. I felt like I was in those waves of students coming inside the school campus, I felt the rush inside me. I am one of the class moderators in the fourth year level. It is always a challenge to handle these students with colorful personalities. A few hours have passed and from 45 students listed in my class, they are now 58. I only have 52 chairs! Some of the class moderators were experiencing the same dilema. We just smiled and went on to tackle our objective for the day. I am amazed at these scenarios: the school facade was not repainted, trees were not pruned, no short program to welcome the new school year, teachers complaining about their teaching loads , shortage of chairs, and no internet connection. With all of these, we just waited for our head to do something, or to say something, to give us challenging words of wisdom, we waited, and still waiting. We have heard that neighboring schools did just fine, they have newly painted buildings, the class program were agreed by all faculty members, they are doing fine. We, on the other hand, are trying to do our best. Are we going backwards now? We were doing great and inproving a few years back. Or was that just a dream?
June 15, 2010, Tuesday
Sta. Ana National High School
Sta. Ana, Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental
Philippines
It was an exciting day for me. As a pubic high school teacher, every school opening is a new beginning, new faces, new sets of students, new stories to hear. I felt like I was in those waves of students coming inside the school campus, I felt the rush inside me. I am one of the class moderators in the fourth year level. It is always a challenge to handle these students with colorful personalities. A few hours have passed and from 45 students listed in my class, they are now 58. I only have 52 chairs! Some of the class moderators were experiencing the same dilema. We just smiled and went on to tackle our objective for the day. I am amazed at these scenarios: the school facade was not repainted, trees were not pruned, no short program to welcome the new school year, teachers complaining about their teaching loads , shortage of chairs, and no internet connection. With all of these, we just waited for our head to do something, or to say something, to give us challenging words of wisdom, we waited, and still waiting. We have heard that neighboring schools did just fine, they have newly painted buildings, the class program were agreed by all faculty members, they are doing fine. We, on the other hand, are trying to do our best. Are we going backwards now? We were doing great and inproving a few years back. Or was that just a dream?
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