"I dreamt of stars. I got a planet."


Dr. Josette Biyo: World Class Teacher

Dr. Josette Biyo


“Being world class doesn’t mean going international and showing our best out there. Being world-class is passion and commitment to our profession. Being world-class is giving our best to our country and our people. For teachers, being world-class starts right inside the classroom.” 1 -- Dr. Josette Biyo

When she first stepped into the stage to present her teaching methods to the panel of judges nobody must have thought that she had any chance of bagging the 2002 Intel International Excellence in Teaching Award. How could she, when she was just a simple high-school teacher from a small town in a third-world country who actually had to borrow a laptop from another event participant to use for her presentation?

But the odds were evidently in her favor because she did win not only the award but also the respect, awe and admiration of the entire world.

She bested more than 4,000 candidates from around the world to win the award, which is given during the largest "pre-college celebration of science" in the world. A holder of a Ph.D. in Biology, Dr. Josette Biyo was awarded the prestigious award for her work as a Science Research teacher in the Philippine Science High School in Iloilo. The innovations she introduced to the method of teaching Science Research included:2

creating a scientific library
conducting field research
establishing links with research institutions in the country
conducting science seminars and forums in the school
teaching students laboratory and field techniques

Dr. Biyo also constantly worked towards expanding her "classroom" beyond its four walls. She took her students to field trips to do research and interact with scientists that work on the scientific institutions in the Western Visayas region. She also ensures that the science concepts she discusses inside the class would have social relevance. She designed outreach activities for students and teachers. Through these programs, students were trained to teach primary health care to the people in the barangays. They also taught how to make cough syrup from plant extracts and soap from coconut oil. Students also gave lectures on environmental protection and conservation. Dr. Biyo believes that aside from developing the knowledge and skills of the students, field works allow teachers to see the individual capabilities of his or her students. 3

As a result of her efforts and innovations, Dr. Biyo's students have over the years conducted studies on oceanography, marine life, physics and robotics--no small feat considering the general lack of resources and vital tools like computers in the country's public schools. 4

According to Dr. Biyo, the reason why she won the Intel award was that she studies consistently and works very hard to learn new skill and improve her craft. She further adds that she wants her methods to remain "interesting, relevant, and fun for students. For just like any product, the measure of teaching success is clientele satisfaction." 5

Teachers around the world could do well to follow Dr. Biyo's example.

nostalgia..

Just last month, I deleted/cancelled my account on Friendster. It was not an easy decision, especially that I have a lot of friends, almost 100 plus as far as I can remember (95% of them are actually friends) and stored a lot of photos there. I had also some friendster groups which I habitually check for their latest posts or announcements. I just realized that I am so obssessed with it, that everytime I open the computer, instead of doing research and reading valuable information, I spend almost an hour viewing profiles of persons I have never been met or answering nonsense surveys in the bulletins. Well, friendster is not that bad, maybe just in my case. It's still a good channel to meet people and see others' lives. It is somehow a melting pot of people from all backgrounds. I am just too engrossed, I think.


The first movie that I watched in cinema. I was like five or six then together with my brothers and sister. It is the movie that first broke my heart and made me cry. My tears fell when the father of Simba, Mufasa fell on the cliff because Scar didn't help him. The soundtrack of the movie sang by Elton John is really heart-breaking.
One of the articles that I read stated that Lion King is based on the story of Shakespeare's Hamlet. I want to watch Lion King again but I don't have a copy of the movie.

blogging again...

This is a comeback after about one to two weeks of hiatus. Well, I haven't accomplished anything like my major projects, I am still resorting on cramming, working on the last minutes, thus, sacrificing the quality of my works for the sake of passing. Huh, how can I remove this pest on me. I'm eaten up by this rotten system of mine.

How am I now? Happy, maybe and hopefully. I don't have anymore fights with my friends and dormmates except not communicating on a friend this past month. But I just leave it that way because it's better than having a misunderstanding. However, I am still optimistic on renewing our friendship. Not now, maybe. It's just takes time and a lot of prayers. On the other hand, my relationship with my other friends sounds good. I am happy with their company, may it be on the dorm or in the classroom.

the long and tiring vacation...

Since there will be a faculty and staff retreat in the Ateneo, that means no classes, Yehey!! However, that does not mean I am just going to sleep and eat all day long because my teachers have given alot of projects to work on. I thought I could rest my body and mind just for these days. What a life!

I have to prepare my four Educational Technology projects such as Online Treasure Hunt and Webquest. Am I majoring in EdTech? How about the reflection paper and prelim in my Theology subjects? I haven't started them yet... Take your time, I said to myself. But I don't want to resort to the same old habit of cramming.

university dress up day, the Big Day

I thought I couldn't make it but I did. No, this is not a major problem, this is about the University Dress Up Day. A day before yesterday, I was short in money and I thought it would be better if I get absent than not to wear formal. Fortunately, my mother gave me money to buy what I desire. Well, that kinda assured me that I would not be absent in the Dress Up Day.

I even became a rebel and tried to argue the importance of the activity to my dormmates. But honestly, I am just envious because my dormmates have prepared already their attire for the Big Day. As each of them lined up to iron their long-sleeves and fitting their attire, I am just walking by and watching them. However, having the desire to wear corporate even just for a day, I decided to buy the long-sleeves right after breakfast.

Then came the Big Day. At 8:30 am, I and Jarick, my dormmate, went to the centro to buy shoes, for him and long-sleeves for me. However, I still have no long-sleeves at all. So, I waited that the boutique to open at 10:30 am. Then I bought my long-sleeves at Parklane. The long-sleeves was pretty good and the design was simple yet formal. At last, I have now my corporate attire.

Many students complied with the memo, however, there were still who just wore casual dress. Wow, it was such a rare event and it's good to see students wearing corporate attires. Some looked like an encyclopedia seller, an insurance dealer, a DI (some said I looked like one,he3) while others were stunning and fabulous.

I think the Dress Up Day is not just for a show, it's more than that. It is for students to prepare for the corporate world. And proper dressing is one important component in that kind of world especially now that one should be competitive.

But there's one thing that made me sad....I wasn't able to get a picture of myself...he4

jogging

Nakakapagod pala mag-jogging. I woke up at 3:30 am, I don't know but maybe I'm too excited or ayaw ko lang maulit yung una na nagising na ako ng 7 am. Then I sleep again and woke up at 4:15 am, gising na pla si Neil, my dormmate. Parang uulan pa yata kaya baka mapostponed yung jogging. Pero Neil insisted that we push through so inisa-isa ko na ang iba na pwedeng sumama. Sinimulan ko kay Jesper, then kay EK, tapos kay Loed, James, Jerome, Regz, Jeff at si Jerzon. Pito lang kami na nag-jogging, Ako, si Neil, Jesper, Jerome, Jeff, Loed, at si Jerzon. Pwede na rin at least sumama o napilitan lang, he3. Si Loed ata oo, he3.

Nag-warm-up kami sa Xavier Hall then we went to the Covered Courts kahit dalawang ikot lang. Umaambon pa habang nagjo-jogging kami sa labas ng Ateneo. Destination: Basilica Minore. Nung nakapunta na kami sa Basilica, nag-pray kami at humalik sa image ni Ina. Lumakad na lang kami papuntang centro para sa snacks. Bumili kami ng tinapay sa Polangui Bakery at Pepsi sa Mercury Drug. We ate aour food at Master's Square. The rain fell but we decided to just walk to Ateneo. Hay, salamat...

Sa mga sumama SALAMAT talaga: Neil, Jesper, Jerome, Jeff, Jerzon, Loed. Sa hindi, sa susunod na lang... Mwahhhh....

contrast...

It's Preliminaries week. I have six exams to prepare for, good that my Theology exam was moved to Monday and a take home exam as well, less burden huh. Despite these mind-cracking exercises, I feel that I am not a bit serious of these exams right now. It seems that I am not afraid that one of these exams fails, maybe I am used to it or just sheer laziness. Somebody bang my head and say, "Hey, you get up, stop that friendster, and review your notes!".

Thank God that I resolve my personal conflicts. I am more energized and contented with life now. This day, I got a subscription from Kerygma on my Theology class. The magazine is such an inspiration and after reading the articles it made me feel lighter and happier.

Until now, I still have no ID. I just rely on my matriculation form for my entry in the university. Just this afternoon, when I entered the other gate, I signed up for a penalty of not wearing an ID. Bad3p!

This day I've finished my laundry. The next hard task: ironing those cramped clothes with some run-ons. Maybe a good arm exercise for tomorrow, :p...