The Magnificent Five Celebration!

Celebration: St. Anthony Catholic School teachers and administrators celebrated the completion of their 5-day workshop titled, “Middle School Reading and Writing in the Content Areas” on October 4, 2008 at the Fiesta Resort and Spa’s World Café Restaurant.

Pictured front row L-R: Sr. Doris San Agustin,Principal; Sr. Concepta Meno, first grade teacher; Sr. Mary Rose Elliott, Curriculum Coordinator; and Dominic Gumataotao. Back row L-R: Maricon Reyes; Agnes Pocaigue; Josephine Catahay, St. Anthony Catholic School NCLB Representative; Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, instructor; Martha Castro; and Eileen Gofigan. Not pictured is Elizabeth San Nicolas, Vice- Principal.

The Magnificent Five!

Staff Development: St. Anthony Catholic School teachers completed a 5-day workshop titled, "Middle School Reading and Writing in the Content Areas" on September 24, 2008. Pictured front row L-R: Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, University of Guam instructor; and Josephine Catahay, St. Anthony Catholic School NCLB Representative. Back row L-R: Agnes Pocaigue, Martha Castro, Dominic Gumataotao, Maricon Reyes, and Eileen Gofigan.

Dear SACS Teachers,

You did it! You should be proud of your accomplishment! As the leaders of the group, be sure to share the knowledge that you've gained, so that your colleagues can continue to effectively use literacy strategies to integrate across the curriculum. Keep me posted, and continue to make a difference in the lives of your students!

All the best,

Dr. Rivera

OUR VERY LAST

Well as for today I'm very proud of myself for I'm one of the five who's to complete the five-session class that we have.I just couldn't believe this is already the last that we'll have.And I can still clearly recall the very first session that we have had.I can even remember where I was seated in this computer laboratory.To be honest,I was really overwhelmed for I was thinking of all those tasks that I have to do and the paper works that I have to turn in to comply to the course.But everything has passed by unnoticeable.How time flies!And it's already the last session.Eversince this class started,my Wednesday schedule hasn't been the same without attending the session every Wednesday afternoon.
But I guess everything has it's beginning and ending.As for this class it could have ended,but the learning continues.All the preparations for every lesson that I have had and all the activities that I have actively engaged in will all be put into good use.
All the learnings that I have will all be of big help in improving my instructional skills.Eventhough some of the topics touched and discussed have been part of my learnings way back in the Philippines,this class has even gave me a wider perspective of these topics and lessons
Thank you very much Dr. Rivera for being God's medium of enhancing our minds and hearts to be better teachers for our students and to be better person that we can become.
Ms. Catahay,I greatly appreciate your effort in putting up a class like this.
I'll gonna miss the session and I'll gonna miss each one of you,the laughters that we have shared as we learn these things.

So Long, Farewell, Adiue, Adios, Si Yu'os Maase, God bless!

Well, here we are, the last day of the course. How fast that time flies. This has been a very interesting course. Yes, from the start there was alot of stress and resentment (I know that this is a strong word), but I am so glad with myself in sticking it out, class became very enjoyable, with the modification to the class it made it easier for us who stayed to continue on and not worry about what needed to be submitted. The activities that were added are very interesting and some thought provoking. I see now that I can challenge myself more and my students without the worry of a burn out. In the small group activity, the webbing, it was fun and showed me how much I can work with other people, I am a person who does things on his own, but this one activity showed that I can expand my horizons to be open to new ideas. Its funny that I feel this is the end of a school year, even though that it is a one day a week class, there is a closeness made with the other classmates. This Class I will say is the first that I made it a point to be at, perfect attendance which is rare for me, but I did it. I have to admit that there was less preparation that I did but I felt that I did get more out of the class than what I expected.

My last quote is: "Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish."
- John Quincy Adams

This quote has new meaning for me, at the very start I wanted to give up because of the demand of the class and then work. But, as I started telling myself that there is a benefit to be gained I decided that the best way to get it is keep coming to class and just be patient. Well, here it is, I made and I am HAPPY that I did. Thank you Dr. Rivera for your time and for sharing your knowledge. God bless you and take care.

Final Class-Adios

This class has been one of a rollercoaster ride, but managed to stay because I felt that I wanted to continue to improve professionally in my teachings for my students. I believe that I have participated fully and attended ALL sessions. This class has helped me in thinking further on how to improve in my teaching skills. It has been an active session in which we all participated and engaged in activities to help each other in understanding the skills.

I tried to use the webbing in my math class, not done yet. I will further use it in the second quarter. I think this technique will help my students understand the rules, skills, and operations in math. THank you Dr. Rivera.

I really enjoy the poem readings. Will use it in my math class as a break when I feel that the students are frustrated or overwhelmed with a particular math skill. It will help them relax and not be too tense with Math.

My quote: "The most successful men in the end are those whose success is the result of steady accretion...it is the man who carefully advances step by step, with his mind becoming wider and wider-and progressively better able to grasp any theme or situation-who is bound to succeed in the greatest degree." Alexander Graham Bell

My interpretation on this quote is that one who has great Determination and Zest for success...accepts what end result will reflect on the result and try again and again until he/she feels that the end result is for the good of all and not just the few! For example in the classroom, one would feel that teaching all chapters in the book is teaching, but did it improve the good of all and not just the few!

Thank you Dr. Rivera. Come back again ok. Take care of yourself and BE HAPPY!

OUR VERY LAST

At the very beginning I was kind of worried and hessitated about attending this workshop because just reading the work required I said I don't know if I am able to handle the work but you know I thought about this and said to myself I really have to attend this workshop , because I owe this opportunity to myself and my students. What I learned here will be a gain in my teaching towards my student.Some of the information that you (Mrs.rivera) provided was very informative and I appreciated you taking time out to come to us and give a workshop on your specialty. You really inspired me to participate because of your commitment to us. This is very helpful to me because some of the activities that we have done are applicable to my planning. Please continue to go on and make a difference to us teachers. Thank you so very much.