Intelligent people can be the worst teachers. They tend to be impatient with their students. This is because they assume that the students will understand what they are trying to say on their first attempt at explaining something. Because it is easy for them to understand things, it can be hard for intelligent people to put themselves in the average person’s shoes and to try and imagine why the latter cannot get the point. If you don’t get what I’m trying to say, just imagine talking to someone younger than you let us say, a teenager, about the facts of life. He might see your lips moving but he won’t actually hear what you are saying because he hasn’t yet fully grasped the meaning of life and his brain is not yet fully developed.
Some students can get intimidated by their teacher and avoid asking a question about the lesson altogether. This kind of timid behavior is especially prevalent in Philippine society because young kids are discouraged from questioning authority. It could be the reason why many Filipino kids would rather dismiss the subjects in school as boring if they don’t understand the teacher. You could call such an attitude a cop out, really. How many times have you heard your classmates at school say that math or philosophy is boring and that they don’t really need these in life? A lot of times I am sure. Students can continue on with the charade of going to school without learning anything even until graduation. Meanwhile, their parents break their backs trying to make sure that school fees are paid on time so their kids can continue with their education. Both the parents and the teacher have big expectations from the students that cannot be met. And the cycle continues for generations within our mediocre society.
The above scenario is actually the same in the Philippine blogging world. A blogger would publish something he believes in and assumes that the readers will get the point of the article in the first instance. The comment section in the blogsite is provided specifically for the readers to use to either leave a statement about what they have read, give criticism, or ask a question for further clarification.
Unfortunately, in the blogging world, especially in the Philippine blogosphere, there are Filipino readers just like some students in a class, who get intimidated by even simple articles and simply dismiss them as boring, fallacious or misguided just because they cannot understand what the blogger is saying. Because they are daunted by the task of asking the right questions for clarification (perhaps for fear that they still might not get the point after further explanation) they would instead, leave comments that simply attack the writer/blogger — often with foul language.
When a reader resorts to personal attacks, he or she exhibits symptoms of what is most likely to be a deep insecurity associated with an inability to comprehend the message of the article. This is not to say that there are actually bloggers out there who do not publish articles containing fallacious logic. Indeed, the Philippines, has its fair share of bloggers who pretend to be in the know. You can spot bloggers who do not know what they are talking about from a mile away. Just like the students who are daunted by the prospect of asking a question for clarification, bogus bloggers get intimidated by simple questions from their readers. They are also the ones who write articles based on fantasy or fiction and not on facts.
Irreverence to public officials is a good thing
Here at AntiPinoy.com, a few of our readers claim that we are fond of writing hate blogs. This is because we often criticize Filipino culture, and rightly so, because Filipino culture is in fact dysfunctional. Despite all the evidence presented to support that statement, Filipinos tend to turn a blind eye to the truth and often dismiss our assertions. Lately, we have been receiving a few comments which dare say that we should just leave President Noynoy Aquino alone. This request comes mostly from Noynoy supporters and those who still believe that Noynoy will eventually deliver on his promise.
Filipino Voices permanent resident and blogger Joe America even blatantly claims that the bloggers of AntiPinoy.comjust want to cause disunity among Filipinos. To quote:
And this:
I find his comment strange particulary since he is an American. For America wouldn’t be what it is today if it weren’t for people who challenged authority and begged to differ. Our style here at AntiPinoy.com is no different from the style of the late American author and father of political humorists, Mark Twain if I do say so myself. For those of you who are not familiar with his style, Mark Twain famously rebutted, “A discriminating irreverence is the creator and protector of human liberty.” In a career that lasted 50 years, he was famous for making people laugh while being taken seriously for the issues that he raised, from racism (in The Adventures of Huckleberry Film) to even speaking against the Spanish-American war in the Philippines. He once wrote about the war in the Chicago Tribune “Why, we have got into this mess, a quagmire from which each fresh step renders the difficulty of extrication immensely greater.”
As TIME magazine once said of Twain, “he was the authentic voice of American contrarianism, a man born to gore sacred cows and make rude noises in public, somebody whose idea of humanist piety was to say ‘All I care to know is that a man is a human being – that is enough for me; he can’t be any worse’.”
Thanks to Mark Twain, Americans found it entertaining to talk about certain topics that were otherwise boring to some, in a funny manner — like the subject of politics. Thanks to Mark Twain, Americans now enjoy the likes of Jon Stewart, Bill Maher, Stephen Colbert and the cast of Saturday Night Live. Even the late George Carlin will be receiving the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Thanks to the new generation of Mark Twains, Americans get tickled by the news instead of putting them to sleep.
We here at AntiPinoy.com are proudly irreverent because in a truly free society, there is no place for misguided reverence and awe for our public officials. The last thing we need is to narrowly-define our place in Philippine society, especially with a president like Noynoy Aquino who ascended to power thanks to the passing of his mother and whose win in the election is still being questioned by some who believe that the first automated election was a sham.
It is too bad that some of the people who read our blogs dismiss us as hate bloggers. Our blogs are far from being hateful. Everything we write here stems from the mainstream media. If they can call our blogs hateful, then they might as well call what the mainstream media is reporting hate news as well.
Traditional media will quite often report breaking news and then eventually ignore them. It takes the bloggers nowadays to pursue the story, interpret it and do all the things that can possibly turn it into a major event. We are citizen journalists and we take what we do seriously. We are not just doing what we do for the sake of ridiculing Noynoy Aquino and the Filipino people. As Huffington Post editor Ariana Huffington aptly said about their position: “I’d much rather we make our preferences and points of view transparent than pretend we don’t have them.” I tend to agree with her too when she said that you can present both sides of the story but “the truth lies on one side or the other.”
Intelligent people can be the worst teachers. They tend to be impatient with their students. I can’t blame other people who get impatient with Filipinos because it’s really hard to teach them the real meaning of democracy and freedom of speech. They would much rather stick to allowing themselves their small place in Philippine society, from which they regard their public officials with awe. And that is part of the reason why the public officials in the Philippines get away with almost everything — even murder.
About the Author
ilda has written 82 stories on this site.
Ilda is agent provocateur. She wants to help people realise that things are not always what they seem.
… daaang
… first of all, flips should question their mental faculty? decades of malnourishment and wowowee, deprive flips the capacity to think…
… in addition, over 4 centuries of kaksucker padre damaso’s teachings/brainwashing, flips struggle to shed the lies which molded their upbringing…
… the 21st genre finally put a dent, AP at the helms…
… long live ‘insan!!!
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I’ve always wanted to ask you: what does “ulong” mean?
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… daaaang
… “ulong” is a combo: “ULO” means ‘head’, “NG”, a pilipino preposition ‘of’
… ulong pare, literally means ‘head of the priest’; in tangalog colloquialism/slang, it’s… ahemmm ahemmm…
… a friend from pbc who shall remain nameless (i call her ms les) knows you….
… say hi to ms les for me…
… see, my flipland education is good…. thank you, ms gonzalez!!! (she’s my fave teach!!!)
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For a moment there, I thought you meant “mad friend.”
Let me quote one of my friends: “Screw you ABS-CBN, Screw you Noynoy, Screw you gullible Philippine masses.” Apparently, we will be screwed…
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There has been recent DepEd changes tailored to kids learning. It’s worth checking them for reference purposes.
In my days, a teacher can use the student’s head as stamp-cleaner for erasers if the student irate the teacher.
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I hope the changes will include lessons on “how to use critical analysis”
The nuns at school used to pinch our ears whenever they found us loitering around outside the classroom. Fear ruled the school rather than respect I think. On the surface, the teachers look like they get a lot of respect from the students but I still think that too much emphasis on reverence gets in the way of understanding the subject being taught
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It’s actually worth dissecting at what Mr Lapuz did to DepEd. It would be good if there is a teacher visiting this site.
The removal of physical harm alone is one step journey to modern education.
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Believe it or not, good teachers are hard to find. With or without fear in the classroom, the issue is challenging students to think for themselves, to think critically, and not many teachers know how to do this. What is involved? Basically, it is the ability to go down to the level of kids and explain in terms they can understand how to explore the world around them. Not many teachers have this skill.
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Agree. Most are still traditionally inclined by maintaining a distance between them and students.
These can work actually to the teachers favour. For example, their distance to their students can be taken advantage by asking them to join carolling and sharing only the proceeds among their peers and not on the students who also sang their hearts out.
@palahubug99
I can imagine why it’ll be hard to find good teachers nowadays. Most of them have probably left town. My high-school teacher just found me on Facebook and she’s now living in the US. It’s a shame we lose the good ones. They are probably paid peanuts in the country. The ones who are left behind might have emo mentality and are feeding the youngsters with rubbish. .
I highly recommend this DVD, “A Touch of Greatness”, that focuses on maverick teacher Albert Cullum “who transformed a generation of young people by enabling them to discover their own inner greatness through the power of learning” in NY. This guy knew how to inspire his 4th and 5th graders to ask the right questions. He was teaching them to learn without seeming to do so. How many kids today are eager to go to school every day and would complain if they got sick because they would have to miss school? Such were his students. He would encourage kids to read everything then ask them to analyze (not just regurgitate) what they read. What did they think about it? Did they agree or disagree? I can tell you how many times my 4th grade teacher asked me what I thought of a piece of literature – zero.
Having grown up in the ’60s and ’70s, I have to ask where were the Albert Cullums in MY school?
Hi udf21
That’s great! I will have to look into that. They should really make learning fun and engrossing. I actually did like going to school and had a good attendance record because I wanted to see my friends
but I only started appreciating everything they taught at school when I started working already. I guess I was a late bloomer and that’s ok because a lot of young people don’t really know what they want to pursue yet. Sometimes having too many options can be daunting for teenagers. It’s never too late though for people to change their mind as long as they put their heart into everything they do.
a lighterside lang
saw this ‘ten golden rules of videogame fanboysim’.
intended as a joke for the gaming industry for the fanboys. maybe you can see similarities to other people in the community where you find them hard to teach or share ideas with? now you know why. enjoy
http://www.destructoid.com/ten-golden-rules-of-videogame-fanboyism-83502.phtml
some excerpts:
2: The only defense is attack:
Most of the fanboy’s chief tactics revolve around refusing to engage in intellectual debate. This ensures you can never be proven wrong, as no logical person is able to argue with those to whom logic makes no sense. With that in mind, never, EVER defend your stance with a well-reasoned response. Just attack, attack, attack, and you will ultimately triumph in a war of attrition.
6: Criticisms are old news, who cares?:
A great way to deal with criticism is to state that all negative points are “old news” and that nobody cares anymore. If you’re really witty, you might like to also post a .jpg of an old hat, which will make everyone realize that the news is old hat. When a particular negative point has been going around for a while, that means it becomes less true. For instance, Xbox 360s no longer red ring anymore, because that was controversial in 2007 and nothing lasts longer than a year.
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Hi mix
Interesting. It does look like Noynoy supporters are using the same tactic. It does not really matter to them how logical the arguments are against Noynoy but what make sense to them is that he is the son of Cory and Ninoy. They just attack and attack with “He has integrity”
Noynoy supporters also keep repeating “He already won, what else can you do?” not realising that that is not the point really. The point is for people to be more engaged in what the politicians, especially Noynoy are doing. to take note if they are fulfilling their duties or not.
Thanks for posting it here!
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Right! It was in the news. Noong kasagsagan ng mga anti-GMA rallies, nagreklamo ang mga ito sapagkat kulang o kaya’y hindi nabayaran ang karamihan sa sumama. This really isn’t something new. There’s always an army for the highest bidder.
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There is something to be said about people who offer money and those who accept money for dubious reasons without thinking of the consequences of their actions. Pinoy talaga!
Arguments of last resort — telling people to shut up or delivering pointless ad hominem arguments. It’s a Pinoy favourite. It’s consistent with what I’ve observed over the years of my on-line life. Rather than understand, explore, and ask the right questions, Pinoys would rather dismiss and condemn. It reflects a general lack of curiosity — the sort that fuels exploration and discovery; characteristics that are strikingly ABSENT from the collective psyche of Da Pinoy as evident in our pathetic record of innovation, lack of originality, and perverse conformity to even the most moronic of trends, fads, and ways of thinking.
That small-mindedness as far as Da Pinoy’s regard for the big wide world around her — which abounds with knowledge and opportunity to learn describes the tragedy that is our sad nation — one that consistently FAILS in a region renowned for its high ACHIEVEMENT.
Pinoy nga naman talaga.
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I wouldn’t really tag it as a solely FIlipino trait. Like what Mix above you has said, using ad hominems and telling others to shut up when they’re losing their excuses are rife among the gaming console fanboys, most of whom come from the West.
I would say that the usual Da Pinoys are horribly fanboyish when it comes to their elected leaders, however.
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I heard that students who enrolled at UP and other state universities are moulded by their teachers to think critically by reminding them they’re ‘skolar ng bayan’ hence, they’re indebted to their country and so required to render service.
The only drawback to their approach is they call NPA’s as freedom fighters and the direct path to render back service is through involvement street rallies.
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Hence my beef towards activism. I’m all for questioning authority–this is what we’re mostly doing here in this blog, but for a good reason–as long as there’s a point, and the goal is achievable through the means they’re using.
Most of the time, however, pouring into the streets carrying placards, being a nuisance, and not contributing to or lowering productivity by causing traffic will NOT solve the issue they’re harping about. I find them always rallying, clogging the streets in deference to the current elected government, and this has been going on for decades.
You’d think the better solution is to make sure these activists take it into themselves to learn how to vote wisely or perform the task of BECOMING the leaders and politicians, lawmakers they demand to see in the government. The effects will not be seen within short term, sure, but its way better than seeing them flood the streets every so often.
Nowadays the very act of activism is cheapened and worse, being used as a premium political tool. Activism here in the Philippines have become so cheap that these “activists” jump into the bandwagon, with high school kids and all, without even knowing the issues at hand. It’s just treated as one big street party.
When interviewed they’ll just smile and say “TANGGALIN ANG KATIWALIAN” and other overused platitudes. But ask some “activists” carted from Tondo how much they were paid for bringing a placard, and some will say “500 pesos po” with a trademark wais grin.
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@Lilly
Ahhh…I know what you are saying and people taking it to the streets is what I was trying to avoid when I added the word “intelligently” in the title. Questioning authority does not really mean having another people power.
Indeed, most of the people in rallies don’t even know what they are doing there. Unfortunately, some activists/stupid teachers nowadays use their students to fight for their misguided causes. Where were they during the campaign season when they could have made a bigger difference campaigning for the right presidential candidate? It’s a pity their voices weren’t loud enough to muffle the mainstream media.
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Unfortunately, that “iskolar ng bayan” label has given some students a terribly misplaced sense of entitlement.
My little brother was a UP student (UP Baguio) and when he was being recruited into various causes he would ask questions regarding them. Makes sense since they’re asking him to throw his lot in with them.
Most couldn’t answer. Some answered in comically/tragically ignorant ways. They wouldn’t leave him alone so he kept asking.
Then they just beat him up.
@Lilly
Yeah, street party is the correct term. The trash left behind after a rally includes beer cans, gin bottles, and plastic cups.
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… daaaang
… the current rallyistas y demonstrators are paid hacks… the current rate range from P350 – P500/day…
… if you look closely at the crowd, and scrutinize their legitimacy, 99.9% are gung gongs/squats… they are used as tv/movie/news fodder…
… puro bungal, galisin, etchastera, etc… also, used as fodder for charity orgs, props for victims of calamities…
… dang you typhoon ondoy!!!!
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I was an instructor at a computer college once. I had a student who complained that her computer wasn’t working, she was pressing the floppy eject button instead of the power button. Then there was the other time where a student wrote a program in microsoft word, it was a C++ class. Then their parents would get angry at me when I say that their child probably isn’t cut out for IT, citing how I wasn’t an engineer or whatnot and I don’t have any authority to say that their child isn’t cut out for IT. (Although, Programmer Anonylol doesn’t really sound too good anyway)
A microcosm of how this backwards country works I guess.
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That’s the problem with Filipino parents. It’s bad enough that they hover around their kids like helicopters but the situation gets even worse when they insist that they know what their kids want and are capable of doing. They can’t even take the advice of an expert such as yourselfAnonylol. This is part of the reason why some Filipino kids grow up to be like wimps. They have no control of their lives.
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The real sad part is that when I talked to those students, they really didn’t want to take IT anyway. They were just put in it because IT was “in demand” back then just like Nursing today. A few of my students haven’t even touched a computer before yet they were in IT or ComSci because their parents wanted them to take an “in demand” course.
Another interesting memory is that of one parent who kept saying that she was a doctor and that she knew best. I’ve had enough during that day and said “Ok, cool. But that has no bearing whatsoever on your child” She demanded I be fired because I wasn’t a doctor too and shouldn’t lecture her.
We still laugh about that one but when I think about it, it’s really depressing.
The subservient attitude of the kids combined with that kind of mind-boggling arrogance is a disastrous combination to say the least.
It’s cyclical too. The ones who have been stepped on, more often than not, can’t wait to get the chance to step on someone else and throw their weight around too.
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Anonylol,
That disease you so describe is what we AP authors and members of Get Real Philippines call “credentialism.”
It’s when “who you are” is so much more important than “what you say.”
Never mind that what that guy over there is saying is complete baloney, he’s got a PhD from wherever the hell that university is… While the intelligent student with the common sense who’s saying all the right stuff is dismissed because, well, he’s just a student.
Credentialism is actually just one form of Argumentum ad Hominem.
Another form of “ad hominem” is the “What have you done” question.
That’s when you’re discussing something that makes sense but is controversial and your opponent tries to put your arguments down but fails to do so. After you win the debate because you have all the facts on your side and your logic is impeccable, the loser then says “Ok, well and good, your advocacy seems to sound right, but let me ask you: WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT?”
The “What have you done” question is just another form of “ad hominem” because it shifts the focus away from your message and on to you, the messenger.
Many Filipinos, however, are very weak in the avoiding fallacies department and so Ad Hominems and all their variations are the norm whenever you go into places like FV and B7 and try to talk sense into some people.
Check this out: http://antipinoy.com/blog/2010/03/05/problema-ng-pinoy-ginagamit-ang-talino-para-mambola-hindi-para-dumating-sa-katotohanan/
The worst and most intellectually-dishonest move is once they start erecting Strawman Arguments.
In that case, they would deliberately go out of their way to misquote you by altering whatever it is you said, and then change a word or two and weaken it. They will attribute that misquote to you and then attack that misquote to make it appear that the misquote was what you said.
Again, a very common tactic used by many Pinoys who go into an argument based on sentimental reasons, only to find themselves on the losing end, grasping at straws to make a face-saving attack on your winning arguments. (face-saving for the loser, that is)
I’m sorry to hear about what those dimwits did to your brother. But you know, what we can do to right that wrong is crush the stupidity we see spewed out by dimwits just like those same dumb-a$$ “tibaks” who couldn’t answer your brother’s intelligent questions.
In the end, those kind of people are stuffed up with pride. The “I’m older/better/more popular/fill in the blanker than you, so you should listen to me” types.
… daaang
… ay sus ginoo…
… FLIP/FLIPFLAM consider themselves as hyperintelligen human beings, an eternal student of sumtin’… ngek… pekpek ninyo…
As an opening line to my class, I asked them if they had seen/heard National Geographic’s latest slogan – LIVE CURIOUS. And all I got were blank stares.
What is lacking is a genuine desire to learn, like they just swallow what is being said to them because they have to. They fail to recognize learning opportunities elsewhere and hence have very poor critical thinking skills. Very few watch intelligent shows or read thought-provoking books, which I think are good avenues developing expansive insight .
And how can they become analytical with all the tele-novelas dominating primetime TV? As long as there are people in the teeming millions watching their exasperating and pathetic storylines (not to mention the distasteful acting), we can kiss progressive thinking goodbye.
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Hi frustratedbuthopeful
I can relate to your frustration. Students hardly read books that is not required reading at school anymore. And sadly, their short attention span is even shorter now with all the gadgets they carry around. They lack the desire to learn because they don’t want to be seen straying away from the norm and the norm is being up to date with the latest celebrity news.
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From what I’ve experienced during my academic years, they only teach critical reading (sure, its not overall general critical thinking but is a step towards it) only in college.
It’s a bit too late.
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what if – there was a radio/TV program that you can get your students to listen to, then make a comment, even encourage them to make a call – and you will be onboard the program – they communicate to you via tweeter and facebook and your cellphone the phone, or be in class even? you provide the topic to the panel in advance
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This is an excellent idea! I’ve actually thought of giving them “watching” assignments and then have each one actually formulate an opinion. If they can defend their view, then that’s a big step. Thanks for all your replies. =) And oh, I hope we’re not too late
Sana talaga may magawa pa tayo.
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If something is to grow, first there must be a field. Then we need seeds, sun and rain. These together make it happen. Seeing one’s present inability to decide how to feel and think, it is natural to look for somebody who can teach us. We fully open our potentials to our teachers and helpers on the way to learning. As we accumulate both good and bad impressions, we purify the knowledge and we start up our own system of thinking and learning.
At an early stage of learning, we need time and patience but as we grow older, time becomes precious that we should use the chance of past learning for what we do, think and say will become our future.
Non-artificiality comes next. The actuality of here and now gets awareness. Asking questions and checking the teachings become clear and logical. If we have doubts, it usually means that we have not studied enough.
Happy learning
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Hi Mel
The above only applies to the keen observer. Unfortunately, there are so many Filipinos who do not know how to engage in self-reflection. This makes it harder for them to learn their lesson. And then they end up making the same mistakes over and over. This is evident in the way they vote for the same types of people into public office.
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Though I want to join serious discussions here and in other forums and question arguments that I do not agree with, it is impossible due to my highest educational attainment is only High School. Some articles here are really hard to understand like the solutions to our economic problems and political issues for someone like me.
Back then, I have always thought that our education system is okay, until I joined a forum with a debate section. A member there gave really sound arguments against my cheap one-liners. I was really frustrated and I want beat him in debate, however it is really too hard for me. Though I am grateful to meet him, he introduced atheism to me(Back then, I am a half-assed Christian) and told me about ad hominems, ad populum etc.
I showed to my high school friend(who is much smarter than me during high school and is studying at UST now) his posts and talked about local and foreign issues, religion, etc. with her. She was amazed on how much I changed and said that I could be a dean-lister at UST(I want to study there). Then I realized, if I could be a dean-lister with all I have now, our education system is really bad.
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Hi Maikimai
Well, obviously it doesn’t matter if you are only a high-school graduate because your comments always make a lot of sense. You make more sense than the average Noynoy supporter who come here and give nonsensical arguments. What’s important is that you seem to be hungry for knowledge and you do your best to look for stuff that will satisfy that hunger.
You should think about going back to school because learning is a continuous process. UST is ok. I know a lot of people who went to there and they all have good careers now. It’s not in the school; it all depends on the person. I know a lot of people who went to the best schools here and abroad pero sablay sila mag-isip.
Don’t be shy to ask the bloggers what you don’t understand about the articles here.
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@Makimai
To me, the concept of debate in the country seems shunned due to the fact that to many its viewed as something only the intelligent people would do (within reason) and for many of the pinoys with balat sibuyas syndrome, its becomes an automatic basis for an aggressive in-your-face confrontation that they want to avoid. My friend doesn’t seem to take it well at times because he’s the type who isn’t very spoken for himself and sees it as a confrontation but I try convince him that in its academic form, its a wonderful way to present ideas and convey concepts. Of course half the battle isn’t convincing someone but having someone else who has contrasting ideas try convince their views are just as concrete.
To me, debate is a daily thing. A struggle between what kind of reality you want to accept. And I always look at it as an opportunity to learn.
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i observe, from where i am, a typical college graduate nowadays do not want to engage in debates. they think debates = quarreling. i usually encourage the college graduates i am mentoring now to involve themselves into healthy arguments. whenever a certain group member talks about his/her opinion lengthily, especially during our brainstorming, the common request i hear from the audience is: “sya na lang padauga, ma’am!” (“let him win, ma’am”). i told them, it’s not about winning, or having your opinion accepted, or being the most eloquent speaker, it’s about expressing yourself, and learning yourself through others.
most of these degree holders’ ultimate aim in life is still to be accepted in groups, in the society; as if they are stagnated in one of Erikson’s stages. for them to be accepted, they try hard not to shake the status quo. they never question opinions, never suggest new systems. they just accept what is there available, so that they can go home early to watch their telenovelas or drink coffee at the mall. and when somebody constructively criticizes them of their actions (as i usually do), they shy away, never to come back again, except leave nasty messages of how big-headed the leaders are.
with these kind of young people (not teens anymore) now, it’s saddening to think about the kind of future leaders this country will be having. so pathetic now, how much more in the future? *sigh*
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I kinda agree with Filipinos want to avoid confrontation with other people. We did also have a “debate” during high school however, out of 52 students there is only 4 of us are willing to speak(our topic was abortion, which is a very easy one). When you try to talk about something sensible to them and present healthy arguments they’ll say “Kahit na pag-usapan natin ito wala ring mangyayari”.
I wish I found that forum earlier and this site during my high school days, there are a LOTS of questions that I want to ask especially to my Religion teacher.
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it probably has to do also with language. since the medium of instruction is english, teachers expect their students to debate in english, or else they fail. reality is many students THINK in bisaya (where i am). translating bisaya (in mind) to english (in speech) will take a long time to transpire, and debates are time-limited. (i once was a victim of this in hs when i had a hard-time expressing in english my rebuttal for the separation of mindanao from philippines; our team lost because of that. if it was only in bisaya, we could have won.)
i’ve known many people who have great ideas. but they are anxious to express them in public because of their ineloquence to use the english or tagalog languages. oh! also, full bisaya speakers are discriminated here…baduy daw.
btw, visayans study english and tagalog. while tagalogs only worry about english.
*solutions* *solutions*
That’s just wrong. That’s another form of bullying if you ask me. Trust Filipinos to let these kinds of things fly over their heads. It should be a national disgrace. The people who insist on the superiority of Tagalog obviously have three corn cobs up their a$$es.
in other words, the best you emulate the clowns on abs-cbn, the higher is your compensation. those who opt for a more formal, thought-provoking discussions with the students, be wary…be very very wary…starvation season ahead…better equip yourself with theater arts courses
Again, only in the Philippines can discrimination like what you described flourish and not be addressed. Most tagalog speakers keep justifying these sorts of behaviour by slamming a quote from Jose Rizal on your face. It’s time we recognize that the use of the English language makes more sense because not only will it improve our activities with the international community, it also won’t alienate the other Filipinos who live in different regions who use a different dialect. To insist that we will be united as a nation by using Tagalog exclusively is delusional.
Yes, the language that is used could be a problem. I had experienced trouble in debating when translating the ideas in my mind to the language that is used in the debate.
@pale I did have a teacher who entertains us while teaching and we actually learned from him, I personally don’t hate a Pokwang-like teaching as long as he does it properly, though, I don’t think it should be encourage for all teachers to entertain students while teaching or it will become another segment of a variety show.
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Good for your concerned_citizen
Filipinos should think more like you. The new generation of Pinoys need to appreciate learning. They will have a better future if they do the hard work now.
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Aversion to science and math is common throughout the world. I taught physics for a few years at a university back home. A lot of the students were ill-prepared to tackle the subject. They lacked the knowledge of the elements in geometry and algebra that are important to physics and calculus.
But what is distinct in the Philippines is the nature of the curriculum. It is designed to mass produce labor. No wonder a lot of students don’t feel genuinely interested in the subjects, so they are unwilling to analyze and see beyond what is being discussed in the classroom. The result is lack of creative drive, the inclination to spoon feeding, and the tendency to forget things after the final exam.
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Hi NFA rice
When you say the curriculum is designed to mass produce labor, does it mean they just gloss over the topics? If you don’t mind enlightening us because what you said is very interesting.
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Ilda,
Well, young people enter college with the aim of having employment at the end. This seems to be the rule in this modern age. I can’t blame them for having this purpose. We have to earn our meal after all.
Let’s look at the general college curriculum. The first two years are actually a repeat of high school. It has to be this way because there were too many subjects tackled in high school. Students entering college therefore are half-baked. The result is that there are only two to three years remaining to teach actual college or university topics.
Given that the students only want income after graduation and the short amount of time remaining, the curriculum has to be in a way such that important subjects have to be squeezed into that time frame and therefore only basic topics are discussed. The student has no more interest nor freedom in pursuing what is beyond those basics. (I know IT students that don’t know what linux is, much less program a soundcard!). The result is again half-baked, non-competitive, non-resourceful graduates unfamiliar with critical thinking.
But if we look at the 19th century, people study for the sake of feeding the intellect.
What you are saying is that there is no emphasis on the core subjects and the students therefore turn out to be not specialists in their chosen field after graduation. But I’m pretty sure not all schools are like this. Maybe there are private schools that produce students who are well done (as oppose to being half-baked). It’s just hard to tell because there is also the matter of some students being too spoon-fed and not encouraged to think for themselves after leaving school. Hayayay!
Most subjects I guess teach technical skills rather than management skills. I think most of that come from a University Belt education. The management and leadership sorts of subjects are more seen in UP, Ateneo, La Salle, UST and all that ilk. But even there, some technical, labor-focused subjects are taken by some students of these “exclusive” schools.
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Thanks Ilda, very elucidating and well written article. We appreciate it. Filipinos were subjected to brutal colonization by the Spaniards. Spain was ruled by the Ottoman Empire for 800 years. Islam was the former major religion of Spain. Before they were driven away by “El Cid”. So, Spain used the three methods to govern our country : the Military, the Oligarchy and the Clergy. This was how the Ottoman Empire ruled its colonies, also. Can you see this is still practiced in conservative Muslim countries? People do not question authorities. Religious adherance is imposed. Those who question authorities are flogged publicly, or worse publicly beheaded.
Student are afraid to ask questions to their teachers. Because, they are ashamed to be branded as “tanga”. In America, we question our Professors. Tell them, we cannot understand. Then, they explain it further until we learn it. It is not shameful to fail in America. In the Philippines. If you “bagsak” a subject. You are a “bobo.”
I love this Blogsite. I’ve Blogged at FV in its infancy. Then, it became clear, it was hijacked by the Noynoy Aquino’s minions. The interaction of ideas is very healthy way to increase and share our knowledge. We sometimes disagree. Sometimes we agree. But, with deductive reasoning. We arrived to a good conclusion of our conflicts. Becoming better and wiser.
How do you call a “dirty shovel?” You euphemistically call it “unclean shovel?” To make it sound better? And not hurt the other’s guy’s feelings. If you are talking to a wall. You have to shout. If he does not listen: you holler.
(1) If Noynoy Aquino is an imbecile. Would you like me to call him: “intellectually challenged?”
(2) If Kris Aquino is by nature a Seductress and a Man Eater. Would you like me to call her “sexually challenged?”
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Thanks Hyden!
I’m glad you came back to join us here. I read your comments on Facebook all the time and it would be a shame if you didn’t share your knowledge on the AP comment section as well
What you said below is quite true:
Filipinos are afraid to be perceived as dumb when they ask a question! They should also think about asking the right question to receive the right answer.
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@Hyden, I would still consider Ninoy a great man regardless of who among the influentials made him so.
Who amongst us here willing to forgo a teaching offer from a standard university just to come home and offer the his last drop of his blood in the belief that it can free people from tyranny?
Ninoy also know the oligarchic problem when he one said something like, “the problem with the Philippines is the mind-boggling privilege of the rich and the heart wrenching plight of the poor”. Even F. Sionel Jose cited his efforts to get rid the country of the oligarchs in the author’s fairly recent letter to Noynoy printed in Philippine Star.
In fact, he was in friction of the US knowing the latter is allergic to communist expansion in Southeast Asea and branded anyone who fought a US puppet an enemy.
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There is a great Asian saying: “He who rides on a Tiger, will end inside it”. Ninoy Aquino Sr. rode on the Tiger Beast called “New People’s Army.” He financed the MV Karagatan arms shipment. His trial of rebellion by Marcos was valid. There were witnesses. Prof. Jose Maria Sison, knows this unholy alliance.
Ninoy Aquino Sr. was just a product of circumstances. It is a tragic political melodrama. But, we have to bring out the truth. A form of catharsis. So that, the truth will be with us again. And we will be ready to face our realities. It is only when a patient accepts his illness, that he will begin to heal.
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Truth requires hard evidence and witnesses alleging Ninoy’s involvement in New People’s Army pre-martial was I think pure hearsay. (but then again, I would consider NPA at that time of martial a legit struggle).
If Victor Corpus divulged his knowledge linking Sison to Plaza Miranda bombing, would he also take note of Ninoy’s involvement in the armed struggle. Why would Salonga became one of Ninoy allies if the latter was also responsible for his near-death experience?
I would consider speech and activities of Ninoy during his last stay in the US spoke for his stand. He’s an avid Gandhi admirer of non-violence. It’s quite preposterous he wanted to go home for power sharing from a regime who jailed him for more than 10 years? What was his bargaining power? Opposition at that time was very fragmented.
@ BongV: Let’s not forget all these bozos selling Amway products, jewelry, insurance, and naturopath stuff during these Pinoy functions. You can spot them a mile away and you’d best not to make eye contact with them.
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@b0: – hahaha.. i forgot to include that too
Hahahaha, MLM stuff! DXN might be part of the mix and all that other stuff, but these are pretty benigh compared to Amway.
http://www.youtube.com/user/1818JoseRizal1898 = Jose Rizal II ?
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Brilliant videos Jose Rizal II, oh, that’s why you were not posting comments here for a while, you were busy producing these funny/witty videos. We should promote your videos here and everywhere, more Filipinos should watch them. . . Could you perhaps get Channel 5 to air them?
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hmmmm, I must say that’s one helluva video…
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I beg to differ, Ms sparks. Even corporations work on their corporate culture — and pay consultants lots of money to help them do so. Check out this slide presentation from a California State Univ learning module and you’ll see what I mean.
Culture can be changed, so therefore there are solutions that focus on cultural change. And as a matter of fact, i already did propose a solution framework built around our culture-as-culprit thesis here, or perhaps as an alternative, check out this slide show for a more intuitive walk-thru of our thesis.
@B0
so i’m curious: say you were interested in changing culture: how do you CHANGE CULTURE for a COUNTRY?
I’m glad you asked, Mr GabbyD!
Check it all out in the Conclusion section on page 59 of my book (aside, of course, from all the material you will find if you follow the links I provided in my previous comment above).
there’s nothing there in the form of a plan to change the culture of a country, UNLESS you mean we should make movies/TV shows that are of the “after-school special” variety?
leave it to the dimmest wit in the blogosphere to attempt finding answers where they’ve already been pointed out to him.
what do you use for a brain, gabbyd? you just make it thoroughly impossible to overestimate you.
So culture is not a problem. Can you tell us why Estrada is free and came 2nd place in the last election?
@Sparks
I don’t understand why you refuse to acknowledge that our culture is mostly to blame for why our country is in its present state today. Why else would people vote for someone like Noynoy if it wasn’t for our culture? Oh yeah, I guess the reason why you can’t see it the way we do is because you supported Noynoy! And your justification for supporting Noynoy is because you think he has integrity. There you go. You are part of the ESTABLISHMENT because you cannot think beyond the Aquino name. And despite supporting Noynoy and helping him win, you now admit that you will be leaving the country behind to suffer in the hands of Noynoy! But I can’t blame you for wanting to leave though. I don’t know you well enough to judge you for your decision.
BTW, you did not handle that comment thread well in your blog “Pride in Seeing Possibilities.” You just simply abandoned it. Tsk-tsk. It just proves that you cannot defend your ideas. The fact that you are leaving the country soon means you do not see any possibilities for the country.
I give you brownie points though for not going berserk about being criticised unlike that former FV blogger whose name starts with the letter L.
Good luck!
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