We didn’t have computer gadgets before,
yet, we were happy and we were in our best elements.
I grew up and studied in the public schools from grade 1 to 6. We never had kindergarten. I started school at 5 and half years old. My mother was a public school teacher and in grade 1 she was assigned to a nearby barrio, 2 kilometers away from our place.
There were no jeepney’s then. And I couldn’t remember ourselves reporting late for school. The vehicle available during our primary and elementary years was named “Bohol Land Transportation”. There was also another one named “Bohol Transit”. Mao kadtoy mga dagkong sakyanan kaniadto nge tikang-tikang inig saka nimo aron mosakay. Suerte na mi kaayo kung adunay mulabay nga tikang-tikang nga sakyanan. Samtang nagpaabot mi sa sakyanan, maghinay hinay mi ug lakbay padulong sa tulunghaan, inubanan sa among pag-ampo nga adunay mulabay nga tikang-tikang.
When we walked our way to school before, I could not remember feeling the heat of the sun. Those were the days when the big trees, lining the highway, gave us enough shelter and comfort.
There were only few passenger trucks. And they would not zoom in front of you nor would they screetch you to death. During our younger days, we could walk in the middle of the road, should we wish to do so.
There were also times when, going home from school, I would be given the “hitch ride” by the co-teacher of my mother. We, the children, would take turns having the “hitch ride”.
We didn’t have computer gadgets before. Our book was labeled “Pepe and Pilar” and we could not bring the book home. The book had to be shared with the seatmate. We had wooden desks and each desk was good for the occupancy of two pupils. We had to behave, otherwise, we would be given a misbehaving pupil as our seatmate. And we never liked sitting beside a “bully” in class.
When Manang Aurora was in grade 2, she decided to remain in grade 2, so we could be together. This time, my mother was transferred to Baclayon Central Elementary School. All I could remember in grade 2 was our dance, “Hi Lilly, Hello” from our teacher Mrs. Genoviva Revil (Nang Bebang). In that dance, our costume was a skirt of 3 layers of red and white crepe paper.I also remember that we had our “a ba ka da” and “abc: for the English alphabet.
And we were able to dance well, read well, and recite well and compute well with our ‘Rithmetic. We never had any gadgets.
Grade 3 and 4 years were the polishing years for our reading skills with stories of Jose Rizal and the Filipino Legends. That was aside from the “Pepe and Pilar” and some Arithmetic materials we had. We started to practice the kinatay (cursive) way of writing in those years. This was the time when we did not anymore use the paper with double lines. One of those exciting moments we had, was when we would barter our piece of paper with any food brought by a classmate. It was fun!
Grade 5 and 6 years were entirely different years. The school location for our grade 5 and 6 years, were paradise for us. We ate our lunch under the mango tree. We imagined ourselves taking a sleigh ride down the nearby hill. Ug magpadaos-os gyud mi gikan sa gamay nga bungtod padulong sa patag sa ubos. Beautiful memories! And we never had gadgets before.
Ang among painit mao ang mongos ug piniritong kolo gikan sa Home Economics namo nga klase. Yes, beautiful memories. As we went home, we would see some hawks trying to snatch the chick of a mother hen. Adto ni namo makita kilid sa tuna-an sa mananap. We did not see these scenes from the computers.
Those were the joyful and memorable days of my growing up which could not be exchanged with any computer experience. We didn’t have computer gadgets before, yet, we were happy and we were in our best elements. Children, parents, teachers were not stressed. We had to make do with the materials available to us in our surroundings.
Up to now, I cannot imagine why the DepEd insists on blended learning. And I also could not imagine why teachers do not complain. I have yet to see a teacher who is happy with the present set up that they are short of the supply of paper, and where children have to solicit donations for bond paper for the modules.
I have been nagging these questions: Can we expect all parents to have the affordability to buy and secure all the requirements of online teacing? Do all parents and students have smart phones? Do they have laptops? Do they have wifi?
We have two grandchildren in grade school. They have to sleep late or wake up early to connect with the cignal and the teacher. We are not machines. We are humans. And we need 7 to 8 hours sleep to function well. That’s why we have night and day. With the present situation, it seems as though DepEd wants to make our nights as days and our daytime period to be continued as such in the night time.
Our children need role models. And most often, the role models putside of home are our teachers. But where are they?
I love Geography because of my teacher, Mr. Vicente Real,
I love English literature and poetry from my Mom Gunding, Ms. Candida Vale, Ms. Luz Ibaya and Mrs. Edmila Borja.
I love dancing in Physical Education because of Ms. Paz Tubo.
I love History from Mrs. Pening Andoy and Sir Jorge Visarra.
Could this kind of love for teachers be developed and nurtured on line? Why in Heavens name would a government insist on this kind of system of teaching during this time of pandemic? Let’s stay at home and teach the children household chores and gardening skills. Let’s savor the gifts bestowed on us by our Creator. Let’s all be reminded of the fable of the hare and the tortoise. The race is not always to the swift; it is also to the victory of those who travel slowly but surely.
The launching of blended learning is not victory; it’s still early in the day to be saying it. Staying home at this time is a paradigm shift we should consider. If only we would think deeper and deeper!
Finally, I say, let’s all go back to the basics. And this is all I care because before, we didn’t have computer gadgets, but we were happy and we were in our best elements.