My Teacher 1st High

by. Leona Lisa De Jesus

            

When I was in 1^st year high school in Kintner Christian Academy, I met my favorite teacher named Maria Theresa Tolentino. She is my 4 years teacher in English and Filipino. She is also my 1^st year and 4^th year adviser in that school. She is a big blessing, a great encourager and the best teacher for me because she did not only teach me the content of our lessons but she also guides and helps me to be the better version of myself. And everytime I fail, she always motivate me to do better next time. I was the most talkative and funny girl in our class. I can make my classmates laugh in the middle of the discussion and I can make them follow my instructions very well. I thought it was good but one day my teacher called me and said, “Leona, maganda ka, maganda yung katawan mo, maganda height mo, matalino ka pero bawasan mo yung pagiging madaldal mo dahil hindi maganda yun.” And she also said to me that “You have a potential to be a good leader.” She is one of my inspirations in my life.

            She is currently teaching for English subjects in Kintner Christian Academy. She uses lesson plan in her teaching as a guide for her daily lesson. She also uses a strategy called read post categorize. How? She will give at least three (3) words every student and she lets the students find the meanings, the right pronunciation, and construct a sentence using those words. After that, the students will report it in front of the class. The purpose of this strategy is to enhance the vocabulary of the students and also to practice them in speaking in English.  She also uses a deductive method that is usual and familiar to all of us. Deductive method starts by giving learners rules, examples then practice. It is a general to a specific. She uses this method because most of her students find English as one of the difficult subjects. She starts with a clear base from which to begin, she introduces the concept, explains the rules related to the use of it and finally her students will apply it in different ways. She finds it as an advantage to the learners who are accustomed to a more traditional approach.

            There is a noticeable change in her teaching method but still I can proudly say that she is an effective teacher. The needs of her learners are evolving as rapidly as the day goes by but teacher Tess can stretch to her limits to keep up with the changing demands of the times. She understands her students like no one else because of this; she can easily think a new method that is suitable in her class. I want to share that, our class this discussion was so fun like her current class discussion in Kintner. We learned, at the same time we enjoyed the company with her. She is also a great encourager not only to me but to every one of us. She is not just a teacher but also a mother.