Matt Christopher T. Balangao

(An interview of Matt Christopher T. Balangao with Mr. Boy Gallego 69 years old (Right) and Aniceto de la Cruz 64 years Old (Left)

       It was a fair Thursday morning, January 10, 2013 in Brgy. Calaya’s weekly market. Our task is to gather information about the community’s common knowledge related on the way they preserve their food and traditional medication on certain illnesses. Moreover I also interview the of  the process in farming which is Brgy. Calaya’s primary livelihood. Much information had been acquired in this interview. As seen in the picture above. Mr. Gallego and Mr.de la Cruz both  Calaya residents are very useful resource persons when it comes on growing rice, in which they do not use any artificial pesticide because besides of  being expensive, they said pesticides  also harm our body. In addition to that, they advised not to use MSG in cooking food. The picture shows the normal setting of what the community really looks like. The people are approachable and active in providing us the inputs we need.

 
( A Demo teaching done by Team HiKarayNon EI, standing is Matt Christopher T. Balangao)

One of the objectives of community immersion is for us pre-service teachers to experience the line of work we will encounter in the future, to apply what we have learned and to grow in the processs of cooperative and experiential learning. The picture above shows the demo teaching of Team HiKarayNon EI to 3 A students of Calaya National High School. Due to these circumstances we developed a lesson plan, instructional materials and learning activities that the students really enjoyed. The picture also shows the typical learners of the school, most of them belong to the marginalized members of our society in a typical learning environment, we can say that even though the place is not very well conducive to learning but the learners are striving to study hard and became more resourceful. 

Leonardo Pacardo

“The only source of knowledge is experience.  (Albert Einstein). When I experienced the community immersion, I learned to value what I experienced for seven days. Although it is only a seven day experience but it really changed my personal life into something. I learned more the value of waking up early in the morning. I learned more the value of time management. I learned to do something I didn’t know before, like cooking of some dishes. I learned to be more cooperative to my classmates, especially to my group mates.
 Field study 3 also helped me to love more the course I take’ it’s really nice to be a teacher. It helped me to love to teach the students. It’s helped me to make a good plan inside the classroom. This course helps me also to know how to deal with students of different ages, racial background, and gender. I also know how to identify various methods of teaching, strategies, instructional materials and assessment tools used in the learning development.

If given a chance to experience that field study 3 again, I will participate again in that said activity, because it changed my life as a student, as a future teacher and my whole personality.

Elmar Aceboque

One of the characteristics of people living at Barangay Calaya, Nueva Valencia Guimaras is being creative. They can weave bags, sling bags or knapsacks, wallet, mat, even costumes whenever there are festivals and they use only dried leaves of pandan and pineapple which are abundant in the said place.When I have a short conversation with Aling Eulilia, one of the experts in terms of weaving, she said weaving is not simple task or job to be done. One needs to know the proper way on how the threads that are made of pandan and pineapple leaves have to be inserted in proper hole. “EXPERIENCE” a booming word coming out from the mouth of Aling Eulilia which caught my attention. According to her, experience is her foundation in having a high quality product. It’s been ten years  Aling Eulilia spent in weaving. For those years of weaving it became source of her living and income until now just to support the study of her children. Aling Eulilia also shared to me on how her hands become numb in every job that she had to finish but Aling Eulilia proudly says that, “numb hand is nothing for the sake of my family”. Many people also ordered her finished products, they reach even the island of Boracay and anywhere else.

Being creative, hardworking and loving to family are some of the characteristics of Filipinos which make us on top compared to others. Aing Eulilia is one of the people here in the Philippines having those real Filipino attitudes. She proves that Filipinos possess those characteristics. Therefore, being Filipino we must patronize our own products and nurture our own product.

“Tying on coconut leaves”

 Filipinos believe in many superstitious belief. This is  one of the reasons why we have a wonderful culture. This was part of Filipinos culture in  believing in these superstitious belief. Like in Barangay Calaya, Nueva Valencia Guimaras, there are beliefs that they followed especially going to Bato Atong, one of the boulders there in Calaya. Tying a knot on leaves of coconut are observed or practiced to avoid “tuyaw” which can cause illness whoever disobeyed. Knowing it, makes our immersion more meaningful. As we merge in their culture and beliefs we understand their way of living especially on how they behave in such.