Screening Test; a very Chinese day

If you recall my previous blog post, our group recently visited the sites we would teach in. There are two groups, or teams: Our group, the San Vicente group, would be teaching at the San Vicente Elementary School. The other group, the Balara group, would be teaching at the Balara Elementary School.

Some members of the San Vicente Team (in white)
and of the Balara Team (in blue) at the College of Education.

Some members of the San Vicente Team.

Kuya Chinese

Two Mondays after our visit, we administered screening tests to the students. We were grouped into pairs, and were further partnered with members of the Balara group. Our group had four volunteer tutors, and were assigned to the section II-Piña (Pineapple), consisting of 42 children. When I stepped in the room, I was greeted by such a wave of enthusiasm from the second-graders, some even calling me and asking if I was Chinese. Later they gave me a nickname of sorts, "Kuya Chinese" (the Filipino title 'Kuya' means 'big brother' in English).

The screening test was a simple diagnostic test, consisting of reading and writing exercises, reading comprehension parts and other similar activities. Since there were four of us, we were able to alternate administering the test, which on our part was mostly oral dictation.

Students from San Vicente Elementary School.
They are holding the screening test.

At around 11:30, we finished administering the screening test, and were about to leave when suddenly this mob of waist-high children surrounded me and were hugging and giving me high-fives. It was extremely touching, that just after two hours of handling them, they had taken to our group with such rapport. They told me, "Kuya, balik kayo ha!" (Kuya, come back soon!) and I assured them that I would be back.

Zai jian

Having lunch at McDonald's.

We left the site to have short lunch at McDonalds. We finished our lunches and left McDonalds at around 12, and made our way back to the home college of the Literacy Training Service (LTS) program, the College of Education. From there, we had a short orientation for our next site, Balara Elementary School.

The students in each classroom for this site were more compared to San Vicente, having around 60 in a room. Our group of four was assigned to II-Matulungin (Helpful). In under two hours, we finished administering the entire exam to the students. As we were about to leave the room, the students asked to learn "good bye" in Mandarin Chinese, and quickly I instructed them the pronunciation of 再見 (zai jian) and said that it wasn't exactly 'good bye', but 'see you soon', ending the day on a more positive note.

We're Going on an Exposure Trip!

I apologize for my late update, school has kept me busy, and tonight is a sudden respite from my projects.

This happened two Mondays ago, on the 11th. It was officially the first day of classes for me, classes having been suspended due to the supertyphoon which hit several areas in the Visayas and Mindanao areas of the Philippines. If you'd like to donate to the victims, please do contact your local government officials on how to help. I made a three-part blog entry on how to help, which may be accessed here, here, and here.

On to the blog proper

That Monday morning was filled with excitement. I woke up earlier than usual, which is to say a lot, since I have a very intimate relationship with my bed. I was excited to finally visit our teaching sites for the Literacy Training Service (LTS) Program, which we were grouped and assigned to the previous semester.

A portion of the San Vicente group.
On our way to San Vicente elementary school via jeep!

Our group, the San Vicente group, wore white, while the other group, the Balara group, wore blue. Our group names were taken from the elementary schools we were assigned to. Our class then split up and made our way to our sites at around 9 in the morning.

A few of us San Vicentes got on a jeep and were actually surprised to find the rest of our team waiting for us outside the entrance!

The gates to San Vicente Elementary School.

We were really excited as we made our way into the school. We waited in the quadrangle with our professors while waiting for the school representatives to meet us there. A few minutes and a few careless shots later, the principal and head teacher came out to welcome us.

Inside the school quadrangle, waiting for the principal and head teacher to meet us.

The best shot I could get of my professors and the school representatives.
From left to right: Two of our professors, the principal, the head teacher, and our other professor.

After the representatives welcomed us and thanked us for volunteering in the LTS program, we were given a tour of the grade 2 classrooms. Each room had around 40 to 45 students. Our program will focus on the students of this year level, the students we will take on for the program will be determined by a screening test which we actually administered just this Monday. (Two weeks after this trip)

I will, I will.

We left the school after the tour. Too bad we didn't get the chance to take a group photo! Some of my classmates left immediately. One of these days, I will get a group photo. I will, I will.