Service = Noble deeds

So this morning we finally began our community service activities for our National Service Training Program class. We have to complete about 50-90 hours of community service to pass the course.

Our assignment was to assist in teaching a small kindergarten class in a depressed area near our campus. We actually arrived late because their class starts at 7:30am while our class starts at 8. We had to meet up at school first so we could travel together towards the venue. 8:30 na kami dumating so late kami ng isang oras para sa class nila.

Anyways, medyo stressful. Kahit na hindi sila ganun ka-kulit as expected eh nakaka-stress parin. We read them the "Pagong at Matsing" story, taught them the "Ba-Be-Bi-Bo-Bu", some basic addition and subtraction, and sang some songs namely "Kung Ikaw ay Masaya" at "Ako'y May Bibe(duck)" or something like that.

Masaya naman yung experience. Looking forward to our next "class". Medyo unprepared lang kami today dahil di namin alam kung ano exactly ang magiging assignment namin, pero na-carry naman. Their real teacher was there to guide us as well.

Lam nyo, in my opinion, I think we were just there para makapag-pahinga yung teacher nila. I know it sounds a little mababaw pero i suddenly realized, these people really do need our help.

I suddenly had a really big admiration and appreciation for kindergarten teachers and what they do. Before I just thought teachers were merely underpaid but now, I realized na besides being underpaid, they already have a really demanding and stressful job to begin with. Isa pa, ang ratio ng student-teacher eh sobrang laki. This morning alone we taught 2 different classes(one after the other), tapos yung teacher eh me tuturuan pa na dalawang class din sa hapon. I mean, talk about STRESS!

Sanayan lang rin siguro, tsaka you know, kapag mahal mo rin talaga yung trabaho mo. Besides, sabi nga nila, "teaching is the most noble of all professions". I checked out the meaning of the word and according to www.webster.com, noble means "possessing outstanding qualities; possessing, characterized by, or arising from superiority of mind or character or of ideals or morals".

Well, i think anyone who can resist the call of greener pasteurs overseas and decide to stay in our country to mold our children to become the hope of our country that they are, is a very noble person indeed.