Elementary & High School Reflections

1) First, what do you remember most from your elementary school experiences?

I have vivid memories of elementary school (Maa Elementary School) and could name most of my 6th grade classmates at least by first name. A number of young people from my elementary school went to my high school and  college, and they all seemed to recognized me. I remember the halls, the classes, some teachers, and most of all my friends. I really liked my 6th grade class. It was really special. I had wonderful teachers. Mrs. Ybanez was one of my favorite teachers, she was awesome. She was teaching Science and she was a great teacher. We actually studied a lot about biology and I enjoyed learning when she was teaching us. I remember joining girl scouting and participated a group “muslim dance”. I also had fun participating an “On the Spot Drawing Contest” in school and outside the school (Inter-school Drawing Contest). Drawing, coloring and painting were my favorite things to do. I've won several times in participating on the spot drawing. I can't forget the most unique prize I ever received, sack of rice. Haha!

I remember learning about Philippine History and lots of English words to spell (Mrs. Mahinay) wonderful English teacher. I was also a volunteer student, helping at the cafeteria preparing food for all the students every snack and lunch time. My very closed friends were Vanessa, Genelyn and Sheila. Nutrition Month was the big celebration at our school, where we have to cook fresh Filipino foods, prepare fresh juices from vegetables and fruits available at our school garden.

As part of the school, students were part of keeping the school neat and beautiful. We kept our classroom clean by doing our morning chores: sweeping, watering the plants, wiping the furnitures, washing the curtains, organize shelves and planting. Gardening was a huge responsibility for teachers and students. I recall spending a lot of time planting and knowing about gardening at school. It was a great learning experience for me. I graduated with honors, canteen of the year (I guess you get rewarded helping at the cafeteria) and Artist of the Year!

2.) Your junior high or high school experiences? 2) What do you remember about your teachers? 3) What do you remember about the students?

I remember the first day of high school (Ma-a National High School); walking into a completely new world of the unknown. The school just seemed so big compared to before and there was a crowd of people in the halls trying to get to their classes in a hurry before the classes begin. My dad was my math teacher in my freshman year. It was a little awkward to have your father as your teacher, but advantageous because I was able to asked for help in some math problems that I had difficult time solving. One night, I have to ask my papa to give me what math problems he was going to give the next day, so I could prepare myself. LOL

I thought high school was the best years of my life and wish so many times that I could find a time machine and just go back and re-live the good days. I maintained getting great grades, it’s one of the enjoyable moment I had back then. High school was also the time when I first known love. I learned how to love someone, it was such a good feeling when I’m with him and with my peers. Cheer leading, drawing, badminton, Folk dance member, and being an SBO President were my extra curricular activities during my four years in high school.  I met great teachers and I remember them teaching us with instructions that were connected and integrated. Some days were working with partners or groups. We enjoyed reporting our assigned topics infront of the class. We also had fun debating and sharing our different opinions. Most of our teachers were well prepared and were really great using strategies to develop their students thinking skills. So many teachers I would like to mention that were great but Maam Vecino, Maam Mellejor, Maam Alcordo, Maam Briones, Maam Repollo, Maam Largo, Maam Gonzaga, Maam Laguitao, Maam De Leon (ofocurse gotta include my dad Sir Villarosa) were the teachers that made real good connections and good memories with me and the rest of my classmates. Awesome teachers!

I remember most of my Pre-AP (it’s called Section 1 in the Phililippines) classmates were really hard workers. We spent a lot of time studying but a few times to hang out and had fun enjoying our teenage life. We exchanged notes, we studied together during break times, we spent time brainstorming and shared opinions about the lessons we learned. In the Philippines, you don’t have to change room every subject. Instead teacher comes from period to another. You will have the same class, same classmates all day long.

4.)What do you recall about peer and parental pressure?

I remember on my junior year, I started spending more time with my classmates and friends and I was influenced by my peers through peer pressure. Every time we planned for an outside school gathering, everyone has to attend with or without parents permission. I thought, peer pressure is not a bad thing. We all are influenced by our peers, both negatively and positively. Ofcourse, parents usually struggle at the beginning in understanding the changes their teens were going through. My parents were not happy when I spent more time with my friends. I can’t blame them for thinking too much because they just want their children to be in the right direction. I think they end up thinking that they can’t spend their whole life worrying about what what I was doing when I am not with them. When I reached college, that’s when they started to give their full trust that I can make mistakes and learn from it. I wasn’t really involved with drugs, smoking and drinking that could worsen parental pressure with my peer. I was also looking out for myself and constantly thinking about my future allowing my parents to help me and monitor me with the choices I was making at that time.

~Ehssa2014