Celebrating Fiesta 2017:Thankfulness to God and Mama Mary

Celebrating fiesta is more than just a tradition that Lavezaresnons annually celebrate. It is more of thanksgiving to God for the grace-filled years. It is giving honor to our Patron, Nuestra Senora de Salvacion- our lovi8ng Mother who always saves us from all forms of evil.

August 21 and 22 are two days of great celebration of thankfulness to God and Mama Mary. Lavezaresnons happily prepared for these days. Balik-bayans from different parts of the country and the world come back home.

Families are reunited. Members of the families living,  working or studying outside the municipality are coming back home. In my family, although my brother Tito and his wife Sheila weren't able to come,  they did a lot of calls from Cavite just to be updated of the events. We are so glad that our Seminarian brother,  Ryan,  got his rector's permission. 

Old classmates,  workmates and friends also came. I was so happy for their visit. College friends and classmates were here. It was a great time reminiscing the past, and talking about the present, and projecting future. 

Hmmm.  Delecious food were prepared as part of entertaining guests. Our whole family was busy the past few days preparing for the menu. My mother is a superwoman this kind of event because she did a lot of preparations more than us. Pili and yemma delecacies were her masterpiece. They were all made by her hands. Guests appreciated her sweets, because they just really taste very lovely. I can attest. For the vesper,  John and ate prepared white pasta, salad, bicol express; Manay Diding cooked menudo,  mixed vegetables, fish in sweet and sour soup,  fried chicken. Uncle Rocky prepared beef stake. I bought watermelon. Kuya added for drinks. On the feast day, the buffet table was filled with litson,  caldereta, menudo, pork in peas, chop seuy, patatim, steamed fish, fried chicken, boopies,  salad,  sinarongsong, pili,  yema, chiffon cake, torta, and more.

Adding color and excitement to the celebration was the annual competition for Drum and Lyre Band participated by schools in two categories,  elementary and secondary.

The civic parade on the vesper day was well participated by schools, LGU employees, local and national officials, Mutya ng Lavezares 2017 and her entourage, PNP, BFP, Senior Citizens,  Brgy. Officials and the general public. 

Something interesting during the parade was when a duck joined the queiu of the teachers. 

Baratillos. These are stores in tents. They provide a lot of options for the customers. Dress,  utensils,  toys, etc can be bought here. 

Thr Lavezares Town Fiesta Celebration 2017 was an expression of love to God and Nuesta Senora de Salvacion. The hospitality of the people was a manifestation that we care for friendship,  close family bonds, and harmonious relationship with God and fellows. It was a language of sharing and welcoming. It was a prayer for God's continued blessings,  graces,  guidance and love. It was a supplication for Mama Mary's prayers for every Lavezaresnon in the different part of the globe. 

I Think I Found You

I am starting to be in love with U Mak!  I wish I can make it to you.

Involvement in the Regional Field Testing and Revision Phase of EPP 4, 5, and 6 (ICT and Entrepreneurship)

Last Monday,  at past 3 in the afternoon,  our District Supervisor arrived.  He called the principal to the office and instructed her to select 4 Master Teachers who will be assigned to administer the tests. One MT was assigned for Agriculture. Another was assigned in Industrial Arts. Another for Home Economics. And me?  Yes,  me!  I was assigned for ICT (Information and Communications Technology)  and Entrepreneurship. Oh!  I was bewildered. A new task was before me. And my eagerness to experience new tasks pushed me to accept the challenge. I got a strike of excitement for the FIELD TESTING AND REVISION PHASE OF TEST ITEM BANK DEVELOP FOR EPP 4, 5, 6! This was based on a regional memorandum to conduct field testing of test banks developed by curriculum writers. Each Division was assigned a learning area.  And for Northern Samar,  EPP was given.  Yes that's it!  I am one of the four lucky teachers given this BIG opportunity to conduct the field testing in the division amd region. What an honor.

The supervisor handed us the test materials. As I was reading it,  I noticed its columns labeld competencies,  code,  test question,  answers key. I realized the main purpose of conducting the test. It was quite different to what we thought it was. Commonly we conduct test to measure the learners abilities,  diagnose their strengths and weaknesses, assess how far they have learned about the competencies. But this time,  the purpose is to test if the test really covers what it intends to measure,  note some rooms for improvement, and see the tests' capacity to test learners' varied abilities.

The next day,  August 1, was the test administration schedule. I started giving the test to Grade 5 FL,  then Grade 6 FL,  and Grade 4 FL in the afternoon. It was while administering test to Grade 6 FL when the Division Supervisor for EPP arrived to monitor the conduct of Field Testing. Dr. Lucilla Balondo was accomponied by my principal, Ruth Gorda and supervisor Dr. Pedro Vargas. I already had worked with Dr. Balondo in the Division Federated Teachers Association. Seeing her in our school made me so glad, as she was also delighted to see me in my class.  She even said "Now I know where to find you! ".

After each test, we checked learners answers at once. We also accomplished the template provided by the regional office for the purpose.

On August 2, I have personally submitted the results to Dr.  Rey F.  Bulawan,  our Division Chied for CID. I thanked him for the opportunity,  and he thanked me for the help. But for me,  it is me who would always be thankful about the experience because it is seldom a chance.

I usually analyze things as they happen so that I would gain insights from them. And for this, I have beautiful insights:

The tests were great. The curriculum writers who developed them did a commendable work. The items would definitely be useful to both teachers and learners.  To teachers,  those are candid collection of formative tests.  To learners,  the tests provide them comprehensive application of what they learn.

However,  there were minimal corrections that I have spotted. Spelling.  Grammar. Spacing. Ambiguity of some items. Missing rubrics. Inappropriate rubrics indicators. Missing Answers Key.  Misleading facts. Others.

I realized for the test to really serve its purpose,  it has to undergo lots of revisions and editting. Though works of experts,  errors are inevitable. But yes,  they can be minimized.

It was a rewarding experience. I enjoyed it. It was I am like a true editor, consultant,  critique.  Or whatever they call it. But for me,  I am just an ordinary worker given an extra challenge and very much willing to explore an adventure to improve professional growth. If I will be given chance to work on the same or even higher task (like editting or writing questions) I will be more willing to accept it.