Thinking of my experiences during student teaching or

practicum days is quite interesting and challenging. Having the

chance to nurture students is so fulfilling. Even how tired I am
after the discussion, still the feeling of fulfillment is there
especially when I can see that they are learning from me. Their
smiling faces while telling Thank You Ma’am always made my day.

Those experiences bring excitement especially when

SPAAFI announced that I got hired. On that same day, things are
really playing on my mind like what will going to happen, what
will be the new set-up of learning and what kind of teacher I will
be as I know that things would be different this School Year due to the pandemic. I know we’ve been
trained to be a good educator but still I have doubts on myself especially in these trying times. We are
experiencing this pandemic that affects globally, I know we have lot of adjustments to do and I have to
cope up the new modality of learning.

On the first day, I noticed that my colleagues are very

busy and are really trying their best to adopt the new normal. I
even noticed that they really are having a hard time. Then, a
question popped up on my mind. (Will I be able to do this? Should
I continue?) However, when the management handed me the list
of my loads and saw the list of sections and subjects that I will be handling, I felt challenged and told
myself (I CAN DO THIS!).

We started contacting our students for the requirements that they have to submit specially the
Christmas cards. We have to contact them one by one if there are corrections. It’s quite hard this time as
I don’t have their contact information. Or if I have it, the
challenge is the poor network because most of the learner’s
here are from upland areas and most of them don’t have
internet connection and gadgets as well. Some parent’s also are
financially unstable so when we asked them to come to school to
submit all the requirements needed, it will took them days as
they still have to look for a budget for the transportation and for
the meals in a day. So we have to look for an alternatives just to
comply the requirements needed. By hard work and perseverance we we’re able to complete it. Kudos
to my advisory class together with their parents as they are so cooperative amidst this crisis.

We started creating modules for our students. Another

challenge this time, especially during the production. There are
times that we have to stay beside the printer the whole day just
to print one subject for the whole class. There are printers that
are having defect and cannot be left alone as we need to hold the
papers for smooth production. There are also times that we have to report weekends just to complete
the needed numbers of modules per subject for all the students.

Modules really take time as we have to think not only

twice but thrice or more when encoding the content. We must
produce modules that are quality enough so students can still
learn effectively in this new normal. Yes, there are times that it’s
quite tiring. From creating the module itself to the production,
segregation and distribution. Yes, I admit sometimes it’s tiring but
I keep asking myself why I am here and why I get started. Well, it’s
my choice and really accept the challenges .Yes, I am here to help
and I am here because this is what I wanted to be. This is my duty
to do my job and responsibility to the best of my ability.

As an educator I have to reach out my students from

time to time and let them slowly understand the process and help embrace this new modality. I
know this is not easy for them specially dealing with Mathematics subject. Some students are telling
us during our home visit that says (Ma’am if only this is a face to face discussion maybe we
understand the topic, maybe we can answer because we already tried our best to understand the
examples provided but still it would be better if you are with us ma’am discussing this.) there is no
one here who can help us in our studies. We are living with Grandma who does not have any idea
about this topics. They are busy earning for a living. So, as teachers we have to let them understand
that even how hard it is we have to continue learning, we have to be firm and we have to let them
feel that even if we are not with them we are willing to help them. Never give up!

Eva Mae J. Cabungcag