I have not been blogging as often as I used to because I’ve been trying to develop myself in the field of nontraditional nonformal education.  Simply, I am  learning to be a teacher, mentor, trainer or coach — a possible lifelong career for a mom past 50 who desires to continue being useful, helpful and youthful.

This 23 January 2010, together with a very competent and compassionate coach Albert A. Basa (Top 3, April 2009 LET) and topnotchers and professional teachers, I will help conduct and administer another round of LET review for would-be teachers at the MindGym in Quezon City.  With a new set of competencies, a change in the focus of evaluation and a host of other adjustments in the LET effected last October 2009 — part of a would-be teacher’s preparation for his/her licensure exams would be to choose a review center which would provide targeted refresher sessions and pertinent review materials for impact and time management.

Using proven memory techniques and study aids practiced by MindGym memory coach Albert, the LET review sessions would empower reviewees during test taking as they are given tips to easily memorize theories and concepts of psychology, philosophy and education — necessary for analyzing classroom situationals in the licensure exams.

While MindGym is a start up learning center, it’s performance as far as producing topnotchers and passers has been commendable.  It has coached two of the October 2009 LET topnotchers: Angelica “Ericka” Villafuerte (Top 4) and Sheryll Raquipiso (Top 5).  In teacher Ericka’s feedback at sulit.com.ph, she writes:

I took the exam last October 2009 and enrolling in MindGym was definitely the best decision I made in preparation for the LET.

The coaching was very thorough, and given that the class was limited to only a few people, we were able to set our own pace for the review. The MindGym coaches were very approachable and took the time to make sure that none of the reviewees were left behind.  It also helped that we were free to ask questions or have something repeated for clarification.

Also, the environment was very conducive for learning and not very constricting (as I’ve heard that other review centers fill auditoriums with reviewees to the point that those in the back cannot even hear the lecturers, nor are all the questions entertained).

The drills were very helpful too as it trained us to work under pressure.  It also allowed us to keep track of topics we were having difficulty with.

I can honestly say that I would not have been able to pass (and thankfully, top) the LET if not for MindGym.

Are you an education graduate who would like to take the licensure test for teachers soon?  Or, do you know anyone who has been teaching for a while and still lacks the necessary license to get a permanent position or to get promoted in school.  This intensive coaching at MindGym would be a good investment for a noble lifetime career:  being a teacher.  And I am blessed to be — not just a coach but the mom to all in this LET review.

DCP was the first Corporate Planning Vice President I ever worked with as I began my career as power economist 29 years ago.  I can still remember how he used to recount amusing stories about how he and his other pioneering colleagues in the Philippine electric power industry toiled to erect some of the first electric woodpoles in Laguna in the 1940s — to bring light to a few homes and establishments in Luzon.  For an economics graduate like me, Working with DCP made learning the technicalities of power engineering, system planning and the power utility business — doable, interesting and fun.  DCP has been generous to his staff when it came to approving field work in the provinces where we had to see for ourselves how the power system and market operates and to mingle with the men behind the gigantic power structures — to effectively use the hard and lifeless data we receive at our desks in Manila for the power projections we need to develop for the corporation.

DCP treated his staffers just like his very own family members.  And this made working for him simple, light and fun.  I still remember the wonderful “asaltos” we celebrated at his home every year where executives, employees, colleagues, suppliers and family members gather the night before his birthday — to welcome another great year ahead for him.  Attending his asalto has become a tradition which no one dared to miss and regret later.

DCP was like a warm, affectionate and doting father to me.  I was so touched to see him and his wife on my wedding day despite his hectic schedule.  When he retired, my bond with DCP lived on through his daughter who became my co-parent at SHS and his grand daughter who remains Aleli’s friend to this day.  During those times when I saw him attend school affairs of Nika and Aleli, I never fail to tell him: Sir, ang kisig pa rin ninyo, walang kakupas-kupas at parang hindi kayo tumatanda.  Ano po ba sekreto ninyo? (Sir, you are still looking good, fresh and young.  What’s your secret?)  For a man who lived to be 88 today, I couldn’t believe his usual reply: alcohol, smoke, play and fun.  In his charming ways, he didn’t exactly tell me his answers to his longevity.  Instead he motioned with his hands and face: drinking, smoking, golfing and a naughty smile.

To my dear DCP, another Scorpion who left a positive sting in me (that I have developed my own kind of loving sting as well), I pray that the Lord may continue to shower your life with more happy tomorrows to look forward to.  You have most of the things anyone could wish for in life by now, so here’s to you — 88 birthday greetings from all over the world to welcome another blessed year ahead of you.

1. Afrikaans: Veels geluk met jou verjaarsdag!
2. Alsatian: Gueter geburtsdaa!
3. Arabic: Eid milaad saeed! or Kul sana wa inta/i tayeb/a! (masculine/feminie)
4. Armenian: Taredartzet shnorhavor! or Tsenund shnorhavor!
5. Brazil: Parabens a voce!
6. Breton: Deiz-ha-bloaz laouen deoc’h!
7. Bulgarian: Chestit Rojden Den!
x. Cambodian: Som owie nek mein aryouk yrinyu!
8. Catalan: Per molts anys!
9. Chinese-Cantonese: Sun Yat Fai Lok!
10. Chinese-Mandarin: Sheng ri kuai le!
11. Croatian: Sretan Rodjendan!
12. Czech: Vsechno nejlepsi!
13. Danish: Tillykke med fodselsdagen!
14. Dutch-Flemish: Gelukkige verjaardag! or Prettige verjaardag!
15. Dutch: Hartelijk gefeliciteerd! or Van harte gefeliciteerd met jeverjaardag!
16. English: Happy Birthday!
17. Esperanto: Felichan Naskightagon!
18. Estonian: Palju onne sunnipaevaks!
19. Euskera: Zorionak zure urtebetetze egunean!
20. Filipino-Kapangpangan: Mayap a Kabaitan!
21. Filipino-Tagalog: Maligayang Bati!
22. Filipino-Visaya: Maligayang Kaadlawan!
23. Finnish: Hyvaa syntymapaivaa!
24. French: Joyeux Anniversaire!
25. Frisian: Lokkiche jierdei!
26. Gaelic: Co` latha breith sona dhut!
27. German: Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!
28. German-Badisch: Allis Guedi zu dim Fescht!
29. German-Bavarian: Ois Guade zu Deim Geburdstog!
30. German-Bernese: Es Muentschi zum Geburri!
31. German-Saarlaendisch: Alles Gudde for dei Gebordsdaach!
32. Greek: Eftixismena Gennethlia! or Xronia polla!
33. Hawaiian: Hau`oli la hanau!
34. Hebrew: Yom Huledet Same’ach!
35. Hungarian: Boldog szuletesnapot!
36. Icelandic: Til hamingju med afmaelisdaginn!
37. Indian-Malayalam: Pirannal Aasamsakal!
38. Indian-Marathi: Wadhdiwasachya Shubhechhya!
39. Indian-Gujrati: Janam Divas Mubarak!
40. Indian-Hindi: Janam Din ki badhai!
41. Indian-Kannada: Huttu Habbada Shubhashayagalu!
42. Indian – Rajasthani: Janam ghaanth ri badhai, khoob jeeyo!
43. Indian-Tamil: Piranda naal vaazhthukkal!
44. Indonesian: Selamat Ulang Tahun!
45. Irish-gaelic: La-breithe mhaith agat! or Co` latha breith sonadhut!
46. Italian: Buon Compleanno!
47. Japanese: Otanjou-bi Omedetou Gozaimasu!
48. Javaans-Indonesia: Slamet Ulang Taunmoe!
49. Korean: Sang il nal chuk a hap ni da!
50. Klingon: Quchjaj qoSlIj!
51. Kyrgyz: Tulgan kunum menen!
52. Latin: Fortuno natalis!
53. Latvian: Daudz laimes dzimsanas diena!
54. Lithuanian: Sveikinu su gimtadieniu! or Geriausi linkejimai gimtadienio proga!
55. Luxembourg: Vill Gleck fir daei Geburtsdaag!
56. Macedonian: Sreken roden den!
57. Malaysian: Selamat Hari Jadi!
58. Maltese: Nifrahlek ghal gheluq snienek!
59. Maori: Kia huritau ki a koe!
60. Norwegian: Gratulerer med dagen!
61. Pakistan-Gujrati: Saal Mubarak!
62. Pakistan-Urdu: Saalgirah Mubarak!
63. Papiamento (lower Dutch Antilles): Masha Pabien I hopi aña mas!
64. Persian: Tavalodet Mobarak!
65. Polish: Wszystkiego Najlepszego!
66. Portuguese: Feliz Aniversario! or Parabens!
67. Portuguese-Brazil: Parabens pelo seu aniversario!
68. Romanian: La Multi Ani!
69. Russian: S dnem rozhdenia! or Pazdravliayu s dniom rozhdenia!
70. Samoan: Manuia lou aso fanau!
71. Serbian: Srecan Rodjendan!
72. Slovene: Vse najboljse za rojstni dan!
73. South Afican-Xhosa: Mini emnandi Kuwe!
74. Spanish: Feliz Cumpleanos!
75. Sri Lankan: Suba Upan dinayak vewa!
76. Sundanese: Wilujeng Tepang Taun!
77. Surinamese: Mi fresteri ju!
78. Swahili: Hongera!
79. Swedish: Grattis paa foedelsedagen!
80. Switzerland: Vill Glück zum Geburri!
xx. Syrian-Orthodox: Tahnyotho or brigo!
81. Telugu: Puttina Roju Shubakanksalu!
82. Thai: Suk San Wan Keut!
83. Tibetian: Droonkher Tashi Delek!
84. Turkish: Dogum gunun kutlu olsun!
85. Ukrainian: Mnohiya lita!
86. Vietnamese: Chuc Mung Sinh Nhat!
87. Welsh: Pen-blwydd Hapus i Chi!
88. Yiddish: A Freilichem Geborentog

Reader, any ingredient/s for a long and happy life  which you’d like to share with me?

Presently, online sites, blogs, and discussion boards related to the Philippine Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) licensure exams are now bursting with a mix of comments from LET takers:  anxious, impatient, resigned or hopeful about forthcoming test results.  I look forward to the results also but not with as much apprehension and stress as younger examinees — because with or without a license, I want to be part of people’s lifelong learning experiences in my own capacity.  While everyone anticipates the LET results, I mull over these random thoughts.

1.  As a mom, when Aaron and Aleli were in prep, elementary and high school, was I ever concerned that their teachers were licensed?

No.  I remember I was more watchful of the way teachers understood my kids’ tantrums and moods; their show of concern when my kids were sick, forgot their lunch, or got low in their favorite subjects; their personal values/mannerisms/pronunciation and how these were copied by my kids.  I appreciated teachers who tapped my kids potentials and pushed them to perform better; who stood by them even if  they’ve not won an interschool art or science contest.  I’ve been touched by teacher who proxied for me as  loving guardians to my kids when I frequently left for office out-of-town trips.   I was mindful of teachers who were unreasonably stern, rigid and harsh; those who taught with mediocrity; and those who passed on their responsibilities to parents in the guise of school-home partnership strategies of learning.

2.   Is passing the LET a sufficient measure of a beginning or novice teacher’s teaching competencies?

No.  Personally, I think the LET merely establishes a floor — reflecting a broad range of basic knowledge, skills, abilities and dispositions –  which may help ensure that new teachers can perform responsibly with the minimal competence desirable for fresh entrants in the classrooms.   For me it should not be taken as a single measure of an education graduate’s potential for effective teaching in school.  For national standardization and hiring though, in the absence of any valid basis of competency, the LET would do for entrants.  But, it should be taken with the consideration that teaching competencies improve over time through continued practice, skills upgradeing, faculty feedback, mastery and professional development.   New teachers, just like other career newbies, are works in progress with much room to grow and improve over time.

On another angle, for oldies like me with decades of hands-on teaching experience from the work place, home and community, the LET imposes an unnecessary restraint to be of immediate help in remedying the shortage for teachers proficient in specific fields. If I were not challenged enough to have (some sort of) a passport to teaching, I would have foregone the LET since I felt it’s not practical for me to memorize general knowledge (supposedly stocked) which have changed since the time I learned them several decades back.  Though it was difficult to retain knowledge items in my short-term memory solely for LET use, I conditoned myself so I could be part of the teachers’ fold.

3.   Is it an assurance of quality teachers for the Philippine educational system?

The LET will definitely not assure the country of a pool of quality teachers.  The task of teaching is multi-faceted, complicated, and demanding and requires teachers to have a wide array of knowledge, abilities, skills and attitudes.  Teachers have to teach students new knowledge and use this knowledge together with learned skills meaningfully. Teachers have to motivate and be sensitive to needs of students with varied personalities, cultures and learning needs.  They have to plan lessons, prepare instructional aids and manage the classroom and overall learning environment.  Considering all these functions of a teacher, a paper and pencil test as the LET will never be a sufficient gauge or single measure for ensuring quality teaching.

4.   What valuable lessons did I learn from the LET?

a.   Commitment to accomplish something requires finding and making time even when there seems to be none. I scheduled at least an hour of review a day on weekdays a month before the LET; however, I met intervening activities (on top of my regular home work load) which couldn’t be deferred.  There were family concerns which had to be prioritized, new tutees who urgently needed help with their school work, and family reunions where attendance was a must for all.  I managed with quality sleep of 3-4 hours a day and loaded myself with Stresstabs, vitamin C, and food on demand.  It worked for me.

b.   I can’t do it all, I demanded for a little help. For a week, I took a leave from being a mom and wife and from home chores.  My husband and kids had no choice but  to contend with dirty floors, dried up plants, piles of dishes on the sink, and food to go (unless husband gets inspired to cook).  This gave me a liberating feeling that I am worthy of time and some leeway to accomplish what I want, of putting myself first.  For almost all times in the past, I strived to meet everyone else’s needs, demands, expectations and requests without thinking of my own (as a typical firstborn and person pleaser would).

c.   Focus is powerful in getting things done, meeting targets and even budgets. Since I tend to have multiple goals at a given time, I consciously decided to concentrate on reading only LET review materials for the review hour I planned.  For several days, this was so difficult for me since I stashed up on self-improvement books I got on bargain and just couldn’t resist opening and finishing a chapter or two of any book I lay my hands on.  After nights of dealing with my book tempters, I would be seen propped up in bed and holding my reviewer but in deep slumber.  To focus on LET review (with barely two weeks left), I fixed up a study room at my sister’s space and committed time to do nothing else but review.

d.   Cooperative learning works. Group review and practice with my resourceful and unselfish classmates (Ariel, Jane, Tintin, Wee and Winnie) made reviewing fun and learning new stuff lighter and easier.  With them, my knowledge gaps were filled, some hazy mock test items were reasonably answered, and my “just-to-pass” attitude progressed into getting higher than 75.

e.   Being alone opens up realities which we often fail to see and accept; it allows us to experience our genuine selves as we rarely do. At the LET venue, I was all alone but I didn’t feel sad.  I did not see any familiar face in the test venue, not even the shadow of some acquaintance.  I was the oldest examinee in the room (most have been through college only over the past 3-5 years).   I was the only one who wore a skirt (to shorten lost time in taking restroom trips), long sleeves  and closed shoes – since I interpreted the LET dress code to mean dressing “as a teacher” should.  I was the only one in the room who brought a big bag of snacks and drinks (as if going on a picnic with the family).   Being alone made me empathize with the stress of a third time LET examinee, feel like the mother who accompanied her daughter to her test room (and even brought meals for her during the break), and appreciate loved ones who took time to text messages of encouragement the whole day — to think beyond myself.

f.   Not all “practice makes perfect”. Reading and hearing about the corruptibility of licensure tests, I relaxed myself and worked only for a grade a little higher than 75 (a first in my life since I’ve always had a perfectionist’s tendency). This proved to be a good position to take; otherwise, I would have been so frustrated and stressed with the type of test items which came out during the LET.  (I couldn’t list the flaws  I noticed because of a confidentiality  agreement which LET takers were made to sign.) Practicing for the LET using past years’ items and commercial reviewers may not ensure a perfect score; however, it familiarizes the examinee not only with sample test items and answers but also with some human errors one would surely stumble upon in the actual test.  The erroneous answer keys, some typo errors (which made test items senseless) and items with no plausible answers cited in some LET reviewers served as simulations of the real LET.  With mock up tests,  I had an authentic learning experience in test taking which allowed me to use my time efficiently.

g.   God will lead the way. While writing this blog, I am not yet sure if I will pass the LET or not.  What I am sure of is that since I’ve done my best to review for the licensure and prayed hard enough for God’s guidance (with the help of the sisters of Sta. Clara), the LET would be an answer to my prayer for a direction to take.  Passing the LET would mean taking a new path towards the education field; else, it’s time for me to redirect my future towards other paths which continue to remain open for me to pursue.

I had a pleasant lunch and a sweet snack earlier with my daughter Aei and her former classmate in creative writing, a charming lady which Aei fondly calls “Ate Ces”. This is the first time I’ve invited any of my daughter’s friends to join us for a lunch out. I wanted to give my daughter (and myself ) a break from the usual “lutong bahay” (homecooked food) which we’ve been eating. I wanted a respite from my routine home chore of cooking-setting the table-eating-cleaning up-washing the dishes. And, I just wanted to relax and enjoy lunch with my daughter, whom I’ve barely really spoken with for the past days given her hectic schedule and sleepless nights as she completed school projects for UP Communication Research (ComRes) and a part-time web design job for my sister’s architectural firm. We had beef “pares” (beef stew) and seafood fiesta (a tomato-based dish with shrimps, mussels, squid and clams) in a budget food strip by the road.

Over lunch, I got to know Ces a bit more aside from sketchy facts Aei earlier told me about her: that she is a full-fledged Doctor of Veterinary Medicine currently taking up masters in Creative Writing. Unlike Aei who is still trudging through ComRes, Ces has already graduated and worked as a Veterinarian. Also, while Aei is just 20, Ate Ces is turning 30 this Friday. Their commonality: both of them enjoy writing and photography and both of them are unattached.

Our lunch turned out to be an exchange of career views and plans, seemed like a career coaching session. I shared with them why I rushed to finish my B. S. Business Economics in 3 and a half years, be able to work immediately and to pursue Medicine. I was employed shortly after graduation since economists during my time (late 1970s) were in high demand to serve as corporate planners and researchers but I never got to pursue my dream of becoming a doctor anymore when I began to enjoy a salaried employee’s life. Aei took ComRes for practical reasons, time and budget constraints; she really wanted to shift to Fine Arts midway her sophomore year but an analysis of her course options made her choose to finish ComRes. Unlike Aei, Ces really liked to be a Vet and has already worked as Vet for two years when she realized she wanted to pursue her passion to be a writer.

Talking with them made me look back at my past career options, successes and flops and my present interest in moving forward to a new “post-retirement” career. I am not a career coach so I decided not to give any advice, to judge nor to influence either of them. I just listened and make them think about what they really want in life. I have heard much of Aei’s ramblings and rantings on what she wants to be and what she needs to do first. Ces told us about what she wants to do in contrast to what her parents and siblings expect her to be doing at her age.

I shared with them real life stories about some extreme career decisions which some family members and friends made: decisions which made some glad they followed their inner voices and decisions which others regretted having made at all, just to please their loved ones.

As we talked, instead of giving them answers to questions I perceived were brewing in their minds, I gave them more questions to ponder on like the following. (Asking them was beneficial for me also since it enabled me to look back and see where I am now and where I should be headed for.)

1. What gives you more satisfaction: being happy doing what interests you or getting a high compensation? (For me, doing what interests me is more satisfying, so long as I can provide for the needs of my family.)

2. What would be more fulfilling: working freelance in your home office for long hours or working fixed hours from 8 to 5, for 5 days a week in a corporate firm? (I have tried both and each option would have its own pros and cons, depending on the demands of your family and other priorities.)

3. What do you prefer: having some peaks and slacks in work/salary or getting a stable flat weekly/monthly income? (I want a reasonable fixed income from work and extra income or bonuses from sidelines, secondments or moonlighting if permissible — unfortunately this was not allowable in the government firm I worked with and so I had to retire.)

4. Do you want to be your own boss or work with a well-known, established company? (Working with a big public corporation gave me financial stability, taught me discipline, geared me for accepting rigidities; gave me sufficient resources to use, paid vacations, regular work hours and bonuses regardless of the company’s profitability. Being self-employed meant being free to be and do as I pleased, being more flexible, having more time with my children and family, facing risks always, getting windfall gains sometimes and absorbing losses when tough times come.

5. Would you want to create your own market niche or will you follow the trend or what is marketable and popular? (I went with what’s tried, tested and expected; but, times have changed that I wish my kids find their own niche, work smart, be happy and rich, also .)

6. How do you plan to balance work and life in your career when you become a mom and have a family? (Thirteen years ago, an early retirement was my answer to my work-family dilemma. Now, I’ve itched to learn and work anew and be useful to my family while growing towards a life path I am just beginning to discover. Life is really full of trade-offs and we can only be happy if we make the choices and take the consequences ourselves.)

After lunch, when Ces had already left us, I felt happier when Aei lightheartedly told me “Mommy, you know what? When Ate Ces asked me for advice, I gave her the same scenarios and asked her the same questions you asked her over lunch … almost just like you did …”

My heart smiled when I heard Aei’s words. I felt proud to be her mom. Oh, I felt relieved knowing that Aei knows where she is headed for even as she oftentimes sheds tears when under stress and seems to be at a loss.

Someone up there must have brought Ces, Aei and I together for a happy and meaningful lunch today.

Advance happy birthday “Ate Ces”! May you find what you really want out of life. As the cliche goes: life is what you make it. Make it a celebration of love and thanks always.

I share in the happiness of my cousin Frenie and godson Mark as they pass the June 2007 Philippine Nursing Board Exams. These two have been in my prayers for the past months. They are the only ones I know who took the exams – so, it’s a 100% passing rate for my candidates.

Frenie is our youngest cousin (my mother’s side). She belonged to the batch of RNs who had to retake the Board because she was luckily part of the controversial June 2006 batch. Nursing is a second course she took after an A.B. in Economics, in search of better employment prospects.

Mark is one of my favorite godchildren whom I have seen from childhood through his teens till now. Nursing is his personal choice; he would have been a marine engineer (and earning) by now if he took a different path to satisfy his dad. Oh! I never imagined that he’d be a nurse since he felt dizzy at the sight of blood when he was a kid.

But, whatever their overriding reasons are for taking nursing, it is not for me to question at this point.

While I am a people-person, I have never considered becoming a nurse because I always had the notion that nurses are supposed to lift, push and pull patients and hospital equipment which seem undoable with my body structure (I want to preserve my back, my wrist, my spine). I have the misconception that nurses are just GAs (grand alalays, like yayas) to doctors – I think I can organize, lead, and control better than wait for instructions, assist and watch time pass by. I don’t like wearing nurse’s uniforms that consist mainly of starchy skirts and caps, thick white stockings and white rubber shoes. I can but would prefer not to work while the world is celebrating Christmas or New Year ’s Eve, relaxing on weekends and sleeping at night. However, as a mom-wife, I have become a loving, self-proclaimed “nurse” of first instance when my kids-husband get sick.

I only hope that Frenie and Mark’s decisions to become nurses have not been purely for material obsessions (attractive salaries, bonuses, job security, houses and cars) or money but for the nobler pursuit of caring for others and making a difference in the lives of the sick whom they touch in their day-to-day work.

Frenie and Mark (and other recent passers), passing the Philippine Nursing Board exams is just a beginning. There’ll be more exams to hurdle, interviews to pass, screenings to get over with and personal choices to make before you reach the land of your dreams.

Take your next steps but first, pause for a moment and reflect on the kind of nurse (and where) you want to be for life. When you land a nursing job, remember to listen with your head and heart. Look beyond yourself and you’ll fly high (without drugs and liquor) and be happy you realized your dreams.