On average, a teacher spends about 45 minutes with the students every day. However, with the aim of completing the required lesson plans and the overwhelming number of students in each class, teachers are usually guilty of failing to make a REAL teacher-student connection.
Several studies have shown that a teacher has great impact in the trajectory of students and a constructive relationship can build a strong connection for learning. Specific lessons are easily forgotten but a student does not forget how a teacher makes a difference in his life.
Recently, I noticed my students interrupting me at the middle of discussion so eager to share about variety of things. Sometimes, they are totally off the topic and it has something to do more with their struggles and exciting news they have for the day. That’s when I thought of giving them five minutes before the start of the lesson to write everything they want to share. The result was amazing. Writing for five minutes gives them a moment to be quiet and think about their day. In the same way, it also enlightens me about what they are going through. The next day, I usually give them encouraging short notes which is related to what they wrote the previous class.
The activity obviously makes them feel more important and their class participation is a lot better. Kids want to feel that they are not only noticed because they have done something wrong but because a teacher cares. I am sure that they will treasure more the five minutes I gave them than the rest of the time I discussed the lesson. Remember, "Students do not care how much you know until they know how much you care".
More than a month of teaching here and I am already collecting unforgettable memories. My students range from 1st to 6th graders and they are so adorable! Here are some of my memorable and sometimes hilarious experience with them.
Scene 1 (With the 6th Graders):
Student 1: Ms. Nina, are you a Korean?
Student 2: No, she’s not. She’s a Japanese.
Student 3: No. She’s Chinese.
Student 4: No. She’s an immigrant.
Student 5: So, you don’t like Trump?
Me: (Poker face) Let’s continue answering page…
Scene 2 (With the 1st graders):
Student 1: Ms. Nina, where are you from?
Student 2: Are you from Korea?
Me: From the Philippines.
Student 1: Where is that?
Student 2: Do you have TV there? Do you have electricity? Do the people speak English?
Student 1: Is that in China?
Scene 3 (With 6th Graders):
Student 1: Ms. Nina, do you know that I can tell the future?
Me: Oh, really? So, you can see my future?
Student 2: I know what I want to be in the future.
Us: What?
Student 2: A teacher because I want to help kids learn like what you are doing to us.
David and I were eating lunch at Subway early this month when a friend told us where to buy lumpia wrapper right here at Muskegon. That made me so excited since I’ve been dying to have it.
The store was beyond my expectation. They sell not only lumpia wrapper but many Filipino and other Asian products as well. I lived in Jakarta for almost four years and the only time I got Filipino stuff was during my visit to Singapore. Thousand miles away from the Philippines, my favorite foods are just right here in my new home. There are pancit canton, siomai, dumplings, shanghai rolls, tocino, longanisa, bangus and even galunggong for sale!
However, my excitement is not just because of it. The owner, Ms. Swan, is just so kind that even my husband enjoys going back there. She gives discount to us whenever we visit and even requests to hug me. Yesterday during our last visit, she gave me a box of famous chocolate candy from the Philippines.
Meeting Ms. Swan is a reminder that whatever is your nationality, wherever you are from, it is a beautiful experience to show nothing but kindness!
There’s fortune in online work. It may seem like a scam but that’s the reality. Here are the people who are making a wave online while amassing thousands/ millions of dollars in online work.
1. PewDiePie. He made a big name in YouTube with over 54 million subscribers in just seven years. The Sweden born YouTuber created a channel out of boredom back in 2010. It is hard to believe that he gave up University and worked in a Hotdog stand just to fund his videos. Since then, his success is unstoppable. His videos range from commentaries, comedy and vlogs. He got involved in several controversies but his fame continued to soar. Due to his success, he was named as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World and his monthly earning is estimated around 1 million dollars.
2. Itsjudytime. If you want an inspiration to start an online work, Judy Travis and family might be the best choice. They are ordinary family doing nothing but traveling and enjoying life. Judy and Benji are both successful vloggers who have millions of followers. Though their number is not as high as PewDiePie, their channel is an example that showing even an ordinary life can make you successful in YouTube. Their latest achievement was being able to raise more than 500,000 dollars in less than one month for charity. What makes their videos extraordinary? Nothing, really. Judy is a beauty guru and uploads makeup tutorials but it is the videos of everyday activities of her family which lure viewers and entice sponsors. Judy has several channels but it is ‘Itsjudytime’ which is raking a lot of money- an estimated 3,700- 59,000 dollars a month!
3. MarkDawson. Money online is not just from YouTube videos. Take for instance the success of this self-published entrepreneur. Amazon pays him 450,000 dollars a year and his success is mainly attributed to his book series about an assassin called John Milton. Most of the best sellers in Amazon are actually self-published.
4. Timothy Sykes. He is one of the most successful in the online world and is getting about 150,000-180,000 dollars monthly for his sideline job which is blogging. He uses his success from stock operation in creating inspiring articles about investments, finance and the like. In fact, he makes millions just teaching people how to write articles!
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY BEB!
By: David
Finally, we are together on Valentine’s Day. It is now our third valentine’s day that we have been together but it’s really our first one being together physically! It is so surreal that you are here and we are not apart anymore. I remember how sad we were being apart last year it was really hard on both of us, and the video you made of us last year made me teary!
I just feel so very blessed to have u here with me beb and am happier than I have ever been. Thank you for sticking by my side through all the crazy stuff we had to endure to be with me love! Happy valentines day Nina, I love u!!!
Love,
David
A Dream Come True
By: Nina
Three Valentine's Day thousand miles away from each other and we're so excited that finally we would be able to celebrate it together! Unexpected circumstances happened though. We were both sick since last weekend. I had body pain and high temperature (again) while my husband has terrible sore throat and stuffy nose.
However, David said that we have waited this day for so long to just simply let it go as an ordinary day. When I got in the car after my class this morning, his gift and card surprised me. Despite of not feeling so well, he ran in to Walmart while I was in school to join the queue of husbands wanting to get something for their wives. My husband defies the odds when it comes to proving his love and I can't thank him more than enough. I love you, my forever, beb. There's nothing that I can ask for because having you means having everything in life.
Happy Valentine's day!
Love,
Nina
