Thursday, April 16, 2009

Transformation

Education in De La Salle University is one of the best in the country. One of the contributing factors is the presence of some outstanding professors who passionately impart the process of learning. Another is the available resources which are readily accessible to those who need it. Moreover, there are a lot of co-curricular opportunities where one can hone leadership skills and professional attitude. Last is yourself. All factors are futile if one does not allow oneself to experience the Lasallian education.


Professors need to emphasize more on learning process rather than acquiring the knowledge itself. In my five years of stay, only a handful of professors were able to do that. I salute these educators for not giving into students’ whines, complains, and sweet talks. They are the ones who did not waste students’ time by talking about irrelevant experiences in their field and just assign reading materials. Rather, they have consistently discipline students to own the painful process of learning. Later we realize, we are spontaneously applying what we learn in the class to real life situations. We feel privileged to have been taught by them that whatever grade we receive, we know it’s worth it. To professors Angeli Diaz, Judy Freya Sibayan, Zenaida Manalo, Eligio Maghirang, Elsie Velasco, Ginny Santiago, Gerardo Largoza, and Laureen Velasco; a standing ovation for a job well done.

It simply amazes me on how comparatively rich our resources are. Aside from the library, we also have readily accessible academic online journals waiting 24/7. Did you know that foreign visitors are even surprised by the number of study areas in the University? Moreover, the school gives you online access wherever you are in campus or even at home. Multi-media materials are also available for audio-visual inclined students. There are different offices for health, career services, and physical facilities available for students’ use. The University does not have resources like those from Ivy League school. But relatively, our campus has more than adequate resources than other state universities in the country. I highly appreciate our library resources and accommodating people from the clinic.

I am amazed by the number of opportunities for growth through engaging oneself in extracurricular activities. Whatever your talent is, surely there is a place for you in the University. These are not just avenues to hone leadership skills, but also a chance to build your network of resources. More importantly, it is a place to develop skills that cannot be learned in classrooms alone. It is like a microcosm of the working environment in the professional level. You will learn how to deal with a non-performing colleague even when you have tests and projects due this week. You will also experience firsthand on how to work with a superior who has an opposite definition on what should be done. Let us not forget those who appear to have a very big vision but lacks commitment and integrity to work. Moreover, those who are very present in planning phase but always fail to show up on the activity day.

On the other hand, let us applaud co-workers and staff who have been a source of motivation especially when things are not going well according to plan. To those who share the burden of work even if outside their responsibility, thank you. For the initiative and committed staff who tirelessly help out in the execution of plans, you deserve medals of appreciation for making your officer’s life a bit easier to bear. For the executive members who have their eyes constantly on their vision and always work to achieve it, my greatest praises for you. There are a lot of times when thoughts of quitting pass through your minds, but you never did. I hope you will lead this country out of its current situation.

To my current and former fellows in The LaSallian namely Paulo Mutuc, Angela Velasco, Airi Beltran, Crezzeile Francisco, Anne Ng, Bien Tang, Michelle Reyes, Alejandro Almendras, Paul Garilao, Chessie Sta. Ana, Juric Cancio, Paul Matthew Jiao, and Abdul Onos; I could not have bared the bittersweet experience in the publication if you did not help me. Special mention to my fellows in the Council of Editors particularly Ivan Mendez, Toni Delmo, Eli Malicdem, and Stan Geronimo for sharing their wisdom and understanding the pains of being in the position. To our adviser, Sir Bombit Largoza, you have shaken our world and taken steps that helped us realize the process of understanding the word excellence. Miss Fritz De Vera, Ate Virge Pastor, and Miss Anne Valerio; you are the ones who truly needs the acknowledgement. Without your altruism to serve in the Student Publications Office, it will not exist.

Transformative learning has always been existing in the University even if it was not a formalized method of teaching. The core of its concept is for an individual to motivate and facilitate one’s own capacity to own a particular learning process. By doing this, you will be able to love learning per se because you have discovered how you learn best. You just have to allow and let yourself experience first the painful process. After that, learning will be more like a hobby rather than just being an academic requirement.

Education in De La Salle University is one of the best in the country. One of the contributing factors is the presence of some outstanding professors who passionately impart the process of learning. Another is the available resources which are readily accessible to those who need it. Moreover, there are a lot of co-curricular opportunities where one can hone leadership skills and professional attitude. Last is yourself. All factors are futile if one does not allow oneself to experience the Lasallian education.

Professors need to emphasize more on learning process rather than acquiring the knowledge itself. In my five years of stay, only a handful of professors were able to do that. I salute these educators for not giving into students’ whines, complains, and sweet talks. They are the ones who did not waste students’ time by talking about irrelevant experiences in their field and just assign reading materials. Rather, they have consistently discipline students to own the painful process of learning. Later we realize, we are spontaneously applying what we learn in the class to real life situations. We feel privileged to have been taught by them that whatever grade we receive, we know it’s worth it. To professors Angeli Diaz, Judy Freya Sibayan, Zenaida Manalo, Eligio Maghirang, Elsie Velasco, Ginny Santiago, Gerardo Largoza, and Laureen Velasco; a standing ovation for a job well done.

It simply amazes me on how comparatively rich our resources are. Aside from the library, we also have readily accessible academic online journals waiting 24/7. Did you know that foreign visitors are even surprised by the number of study areas in the University? Moreover, the school gives you online access wherever you are in campus or even at home. Multi-media materials are also available for audio-visual inclined students. There are different offices for health, career services, and physical facilities available for students’ use. The University does not have resources like those from Ivy League school. But relatively, our campus has more than adequate resources than other state universities in the country. I highly appreciate our library resources and accommodating people from the clinic.

I am amazed by the number of opportunities for growth through engaging oneself in extracurricular activities. Whatever your talent is, surely there is a place for you in the University. These are not just avenues to hone leadership skills, but also a chance to build your network of resources. More importantly, it is a place to develop skills that cannot be learned in classrooms alone. It is like a microcosm of the working environment in the professional level. You will learn how to deal with a non-performing colleague even when you have tests and projects due this week. You will also experience firsthand on how to work with a superior who has an opposite definition on what should be done. Let us not forget those who appear to have a very big vision but lacks commitment and integrity to work. Moreover, those who are very present in planning phase but always fail to show up on the activity day.

On the other hand, let us applaud co-workers and staff who have been a source of motivation especially when things are not going well according to plan. To those who share the burden of work even if outside their responsibility, thank you. For the initiative and committed staff who tirelessly help out in the execution of plans, you deserve medals of appreciation for making your officer’s life a bit easier to bear. For the executive members who have their eyes constantly on their vision and always work to achieve it, my greatest praises for you. There are a lot of times when thoughts of quitting pass through your minds, but you never did. I hope you will lead this country out of its current situation.

To my current and former fellows in The LaSallian namely Paulo Mutuc, Angela Velasco, Airi Beltran, Crezzeile Francisco, Anne Ng, Bien Tang, Michelle Reyes, Alejandro Almendras, Paul Garilao, Chessie Sta. Ana, Juric Cancio, Paul Matthew Jiao, and Abdul Onos; I could not have bared the bittersweet experience in the publication if you did not help me. Special mention to my fellows in the Council of Editors particularly Ivan Mendez, Toni Delmo, Eli Malicdem, and Stan Geronimo for sharing their wisdom and understanding the pains of being in the position. To our adviser, Sir Bombit Largoza, you have shaken our world and taken steps that helped us realize the process of understanding the word excellence. Miss Fritz De Vera, Ate Virge Pastor, and Miss Anne Valerio; you are the ones who truly needs the acknowledgement. Without your altruism to serve in the Student Publications Office, it will not exist.

Transformative learning has always been existing in the University even if it was not a formalized method of teaching. The core of its concept is for an individual to motivate and facilitate one’s own capacity to own a particular learning process. By doing this, you will be able to love learning per se because you have discovered how you learn best. You just have to allow and let yourself experience first the painful process. After that, learning will be more like a hobby rather than just being an academic requirement.

A green drop in a bucket...

...will hopefully make a difference in this seemingly hopeless country, Philippines.
Carmela "Melai" Prado is my name; nice for you to drop by. I'm a print layout artist editor learning to be a grammar nazi due to demands of extra-curricular work, The LaSallian. I'm a proud probinsyana of Tarlac!