Another Day at Balara
                                          David Bryan Lao

       Last Monday, we went to Balara once again.  There, I met with my second student for the first time ( since I was absent the other Monday) and met with my first student the second time.

       We had a fun start, we had some introductions and we drew pictures for the first ten minutes of the tutorial.  It was quite fulfilling and fun.  Both of them were enjoying themselves.  We then went on to the tutorial proper where they did their best in the lessons.

       My second student was exceptionally fast in picking up the things I taught while the first one had a bit slower pace but was picking up the lessons nonetheless.  My first student had trouble pronouncing the letter "s".  They were quite attentive during the middle part.

       During the last part, they were already tired of the lessons.  They weren't listening anymore and they were asking me to let them play with some gadgets.  Nevertheless, we finished the whole session and did have a fun ending.  I promised them candies the next time we meet.

       It was a fulfilling yet tiring day.  I realized how hard it was to continually catch the attention of even just two students.  It was altogether wonderful nonetheless.  I hope I can get their attention better next time. 
     

                                                               First Day
                                   David Bryan Lao       

          When we arrived at Balara Elementary School, I was excited but also totally afraid; I was smiling on the outside but I was captivated with fear on the inside.

            I went up to the third floor to get my tutee.  When I went there, the teacher told me he was absent so I went to Teacher Yvette and found myself a new tutee.  My new tutee was John Jericho Notilado, a quite shy yet attentive child.  Everything was awkward at first, discontinuous conversations, questions left hanging etc., but then things started working out.  Though he was shy, he was able to tell me a bit about himself and I was glad that he did.  He told me he liked to play basketball and also tag.  He told me he was the fifth of six children.  And lastly, he told me he liked to draw robots.

            We began by finding some common ground and talked about just anything.  Then we began the lessons.  During the lessons, I felt fulfilled.  I always wanted to tutor kids and I could not believe I was already doing it!  

            He had a bit of difficulty with his letters and with his reading so I helped him.  During the mid-session, he shared with me that his mother had a heart disease and that they had no money to buy medicine.  I was speechless, I did not what to say.  After a few moments, I tried comforting him and tried to cheer him up.  At that moment, I realized the plight of many young kids like Jericho.  I began to understand the difficulties children like him go through.  I was thus inspired to become a better teacher so that he could become a better learner and will eventually, be able to help out his family.

            During the last parts, he did kind of get bored so we finished up.  I then took him back to his room and bade farewell. 

            My first day was a wonderful day; I had fun, learned a lot of lessons, had a few realizations and most importantly, had made a friend.  I look forward, then, to the next sessions and hope that I could help Jericho become a better student.

Pre-Tutoring Chills

David Bryan Lao

                Last Monday, we had a demo session for teaching.  It was fun and interactive and I gained a lot of insights.  Moreover, I began to see the perspective of children and learned the things that I should do when dealing with them.  After that, we went to Balara Elementary School.

                When we arrived, I admit I had mixed feelings.  A huge part of me was excited and thrilled that I had this opportunity to teach adorable children yet, a part of me was afraid that I might not be able to pull it off.  It wasn’t a teaching session; it was just a tour of the place in preparation for next week.  We were shown the rooms where the teaching or the tutoring was to happen and the other rooms as well.

                When we went to the higher floors, we met the children.  My excitement grew all the more.  Some of them waved their hands so I waved mine too, I also high-fived some of them. Being around children makes me happy and that afternoon, I was happy and delighted.  I knew I would enjoy teaching these young kids.  Then, a former LTS-2 student who joined us in our tour of the school went to her former students and gave them gifts.  It was nice.  It showed me that teaching isn’t just that, teaching; it is a relationship, a friendship between the teacher and the learner.

                When we went home, I felt fulfilled and felt ready to start.  I was excited to teach.  I was excited to touch lives.  I was excited to make a difference in this world.  And that excitement will manifest itself next week.