POINTS OF VIEW by EJ: Museo ng Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Experience

Few days to go and we're all up to celebrate again the most awaited season of the year, Christmas. Before we get in touch heavily with a lot of gatherings specially Christmas parties where scrumptious foods are not only best serve for the tummy but also for the lens of camera to be post on instagram with a hashtag #foodporn; get busy or the worst is panicking to go hit the mall buying gifts for the chikitings’ and the families; left and right drinking sessions; and above all, the dilemma of rush hour which create havoc to the physical, emotional and spiritual entity of every person due to the capital T-R-A-F-F-I-C, let’s shout and continue to pursue our everyday routine like going to school, jobs and also washing the dishes :p. As for me, life goes on with my practicum including a big change of body clock to 5’o clock so that I can attend on-time my first period class, talk and talk all day long even if I’m forcing too much of my vocal capabilities just to ensure objectives for the day are achieve, do lesson planning and studying every night which take some of my time spending and checking what’s up and about in Facebook and the everyday drama of the people I followed on Twitter, and of course the Friday and Saturday night session with my friends which makes me so intoxicated on how it feels to have a shot of tequila again HAHAHA. Nonetheless, parties are very soon for me and I reckon this as my biggest reward over my past days of teaching.

Well, reality of teaching is still at the tip of my nose so I better stop making day dreams with such and better face reality with paramount degree of positivity. Ever since I first enter the august hall of Manila High School for practice teaching and was deployed under the leadership of Mr. Lui Paltoub, the lesson I first handled was about money sector were evolution of money, different kinds of bank locally and internationally, the role of central bank and others of like are the topic under of which I first taught and get challenged. As usual, luminous incandescent bulb lights up my head and think of something new for my students. I thought of having an educational trip at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas since I see this as a good avenue to best wrapped up our lesson were we actually unfold last week. The idea of BSP Museum tour was first introduced to me by Franz since he knows someone from the BSP who can actually arrange us a tour. Unfortunately, days are fast passing so instead of waiting for a probability of 50-50, I made some move to contact the BSP Museum thru email. How good fate is to me since they happily answered back my queries and immediately booked us. With the blessing of my critic plus of course the department head of social studies and the principal, we are all set to gambol the museum. Before anything else, I together with Jolina went in advance at the BSP museum to arrange and make some final paper submission to their office. We also checked the museum facility ergo, had a tour in advance to discern what the museum can offer for us.

I do not know what is the reason behind the assiduity and effort I exerted just to bring my teaching class at the BSP museum. From drafting the papers, approval from the distinct persons, personal communication and arrangement with BSP personnel’s and above all is the risk I take just to push through with this educational tour. As the lead person who organizes this trip, 300 students are all filed up my shoulders considering their needs and safety over the duration of our trip. On that particular day I do not mind anything else since I just keep on thinking for my students to the extent of not taking my lunch or anything to eat and drink since I’m totally hands-on to every possibility of things for that day.

My endless gratitude also goes to the people who helped me and supported me all the way in bringing safely all the students at the museum specially my #TuesdayObservers (hashtag I use for my observers) from Unibersidad De Manila and my co- student teachers Jolina Santos, Kaye Ocampo and of course Hazel Magsipoc who luckily bring some of her students (which I would like to make another blog post entry if time permits ^_^) together with us. I do not consider any success of this endeavor without this people who tirelessly been at my side all day long.

My day 15 was a well spent day were my voracious approach to this educational tour leads me to exhaustion yet the fulfillment is there since I knew that I brought something new to my students’ perspective in learning and also I have manifested a good strategy to best effectuate our lesson. It’s the culmination of the whole unit of lesson which is out of the reference book since this is an opportunity of an up close observation and interaction in a structure different from and more informal to what we have everyday.

Here’s a peek to our tour inside and outside the museum:

First Batch of tourist in the museum- IV- 5,7,8

Second Batch of tourist in the museum- IV-1,2,3,4,6

IV-AMITY

IV-BRAVERY

IV- CHARITY

IV- DILIGENCE

IV- EFFICIENCY. Special citation for them since they are the most behaved (in my dreams) tourists of the day. I would love to handle them and get challenge once more with an eye to eye provocation. Share them to me one time Mam Hazel.