MODULE 3

Lesson 1

FAMILY, CHILDHOOD AND

EARLY EDUCATION OF RIZAL

At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:

1. Discuss the family background of Rizal; and

2. Identify the important events during Rizal's childhood that influenced the formation of
his character.

This section presents the background of Rizal's life-his family ang his childhood years in
Calamba.

FAMILY
Jose Rizal was born to a wealthy family in Calamba, Laguna. He was the 7th
among the 11 children of Francisco Mercado Rizal and Teodora Alonzo Realonda.
 Paciano, the second to the eldest child in the family, was the only brother of Jose. His
other siblings were Saturnina, Narcisa, Olimpia, Lucia, Maria, Concepcion, Josefa,
Trinidad, and Soledad.Jose had a Chinese ancestor from his father's side, Domingo -
Lam-Co who married a Chinese mestiza, Ines de la Rosa. Aside from his Chinese
ancestry, he also had Japanese,Spanish,and Malay blood.

There are countless written works about Jose Rizal's life. Since students are

required to study his life and works from their basic to tertiary education, they are

expected to be familiar with the different aspects of Rizal's life-from his childhood to his

heroism.

CHILDHOOD

Jose's parents made sure he and his siblings were well taken care of. At an early
age, Jose was already seen as a welcome companion by many adults because he was
very respectful and polite. His family made sure that he was taught the right values in
order for him to grow up as a well- mannered individual.

At home, Rizal spent many of his childhood days in their family garden. His parents
also made sure to watch over him at all times because he was frail and sickly. His father
also built him a nipa hut where he could play during the day. In his childhood, Jose was
very, curious about the things around him. This is why he enjoyed very much the stories
that his mother told him which also made him interested in legends and folklore.

Since the Rizal family was very religious, Teodora made sure to teach Jose all the
important prayers, especially the Angelus. Along with his. Siblings and parents, he recited
the Angelus daily. Through his family, he was exposed to Catholic teachings and values.
EDUCATION
Jose Rizal's first teacher was his mother by three years old, Jose was already able
to recite the alphabet because of his mother’s guidance. In his journals, he wrote, "My
mother taught me how to read and to haltingly the humble prayers which I raised
fervently to God" Aside from his mother, Jose also had a private tutor, Leon Monroy, who
taught him the rudiments of Latin. Aside from Monroy, Jose was also taught by his Uncle
Manuel Alberto and Uncle Gregorio. The former was concerned with the physical
development of Jose and instilled in him the love for ture while the latter taught him the
value of education.

Jose had his early education in Calamba and Biñan. His education was focused on
reading, writing, arithmetic, and religion. Instruction was imposed very rigidly and
strictly. Teachers made use of whips to force knowledge into the minds of the students.
However, despite the shortcomings of the Spanish system of basic education, Rizal was
able to acquire the necessary skills to prepare him for higher education in Manila.

Jose's first teacher in Biñan was Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz who he described
as tall, thin, long-necked, sharp-nosed, and with a body slightly bent forward. In Biñan,
Jose regularly attended mass, went to the orchard, went to class at 10:00 a.m. and ate
lunch, arrived home at 5:00 p.m., and consistently studied and drew. He also prayed
daily before going to bed.

In terms of academics, Jose was the most outstanding among all his classmates.
He surpassed them all in Spanish, Latin, and other subjects. This made his older
classmates jealous of him. They told lies about Jose to teachers just to discredit him.
Although he was not quarrelsome, Jose never ever backed out from a fight.

Rizal's Influences
Jose Rizal grew up surrounded by influences that have contributed to the
development of his nationalist sensibilities. From his father, Francisco, Rizal learned the
value of self-respect, love for work, and independent thinking. His greatest influence was
his mother, Teodora .It was from her that Jose got his religiosity, a high sense of self-
sacrifice, and love for the arts. His love for freedom and justice was inculcated in him by
Paciano while his sisters taught him to be respectful and kind to women. Part of his
extended family that played a great role in his character development were his uncles
who also taught him valuable lessons in life. He got his love for books' and his being
hardworking from his Uncle Gregorio. His Uncle Jose encouraged him to develop his
skills in painting, sketching, and sculpting.

An equally important influence on the character of Rizal was the environment he

grew up in. As mentioned, he spent his childhood in Calamba, in a family that nurtured

his mind and soul. The Rizal family had a beautiful garden which helped Rizal appreciate

nature. These things stimulated the young hero's innate artistic and literary talents.