The Hero’s First Teacher

The first teacher of Rizal was his mother, who was a remarkable woman of good character and fine culture. On her lap, he
learned at the age of three the alphabet and the prayers. "My mother," wrote Rizal in his student memoirs, "taught me how to
read and to say haltingly the humble prayers which I raised fervently to God."
As tutor, Doña Teodora was patient, conscientious, and understanding. It was she who first discovered that her son had a talent
for poetry. Accordingly, she encouraged him to write poems. To lighten the monotony of memorizing the ABC’s and to stimulate
her son’s imagination, she related many stories.
As Jose grew older, his parents employed private tutors to give him lessons at home. The first was Maestro Celestino and the
second, Maestro Lucas Padua. Later, an old man named Leon Monroy, a former classmate of Rizal’s father, became the boy’s
tutor. This old teacher lived at the Rizal home and instructed Jose in Spanish and Latin. Unfortunately, he did not live long. He
died five months later.
“My First Inspiration”
Mi Primera Inspiracion was the first poem written by Dr. Jose Rizal during his third academic year in Ateneo de Municipal. He
wrote the poem in 1874, before he turned 14. He was delighted to see his mother, Doña Teodora Alonso, released from prison
that same year so he dedicated the poem to her.

- Interpretations:
1. He was delighted to see his mother, Donya Teodora Alonso, released from prison that same year so he dedicated
the poem to her.
2. He also dedicated this poem to his mother’s birthday
3. About the love between a mother and a child. A mother is the first teacher and first inspiration for a child.
The story of the moth
The "Story of the Moth" is a fable that Jose Rizal wrote when he was a student in Ateneo Municipal de Manila. The story is
about a moth that is attracted to a flame and eventually burns itself. The story is believed to reflect Rizal's own struggles with
temptation and his desire for self-control. The story also highlights the dangers of blindly following one's desires without
considering the consequences. Rizal's use of the story in his own life may have helped him to resist temptation and make wise
decisions.
Another factor that historians believe influenced Rizal's thinking was the moth's willingness to push the boundaries. To seek
additional insight outside of the norms and to push into one's comfort zone while risking the dangers that come with it.
Was Rizal a student activist at UST?
Rizal displayed his leadership in student activism when he was pursuing philosophy and medicine at UST. He espoused the
cause of brown-skinned Filipino students against the Spanish and mestizo students