Sunday, February 28, 2010

GIFT-A-TEACHER, with L.I.F.E. and Transform a Nation

The saying goes that little knowledge is dangerous always seem to be true. What more when we know a lot. Knowing a lot from being a book-worm, highly educated, highly trained and exposed may lead into two—wisdom and humility or pride and prejudice.

I came to reflect on this when I attended the two-day lived-out Leadership in Filipino Education (L.I.F.E) Workshop given by OCCI Fullness of Life Foundation, Inc., and the GiftaTeacherMovement. LIFE is an experiential program designed for leaders in public and private sectors; the school teachers, government employees, the police, the soldiers, NGO’s and religious groups.

The workshop is so effective that it concretized in me to consider reviewing my paradigm if it is going well with the things I want to do—of which from the beginning involves helping people and the society changes. The workshop also made it clear to me that knowledge is power only if practiced. That every now and then, my comfort zones prevent me from realizing my objectives in life as I want it. This is not only detrimental on my part but also to people I am serving.

If the workshop shaken me and directed me to reconsider my values, I believe that it will also do the same to other teachers and school leaders who could be given the opportunity to undergo the workshop. I just can’t imagine the magic of transformation it will do to each teachers who are in contact with the average of 35 to 50 pupils and students a year. Being the prime-movers of the society, teachers are the great catalyst that will help transform the society from what it is today. There are about 555,000 public and private school teachers who are creating significant impact on the future of our children. About 20 million students learn under these teachers in a given year; year after year!

However, not everybody teachers could afford to participate in this type of workshop considering the Php1,500.00 registration. I, on my part was able to attend only because there are ten of us from our division who were financed by our division. But still, I still need to shell-out a relatively large amount for food, transportation, and accommodation expenses hence the workshop is a live-out one.

That’s why, I recommend that, interested kind-hearted individuals sponsor a teacher they know or they prefer, possibly their teachers starting grade school or elementary and high school or secondary. Even the whole teaching staff of let say of both highly depressed schools in far flung communities and cities. Teachers or schools, you think need this more than the rest although everybody needs this as far as my experience is concerned. I call on kind-hearted individuals in and out of this group. What is Php1,500.00 or even ten thousand pesos considering the impact that it will create. As I said before in one of my exchanges, it is where we could do more, people development.

Please help these teachers to learn and embrace living a life of excellence, of taking responsibility in every area of their life and committing to quality and constant improvement. For more information on how you can help your teachers and schools, please For more information on how you can help your teachers and schools, you may contact OCCI Fullness of Life Foundation, Inc. at +63 2 687-1309/ +63 2 632-7553 (t/f) Penthous, Emerald Bldg., F. Ortigas Jr. Rd., Ortigas Center, Pasig City or at www.giftateacher. com, fullnessoflife@ occiseminars. com, and www.occiseminars. com.