Restless Spells by SkyBlue: What The Government Should Learn From Yolanda

Restless Spells by SkyBlue: What The Government Should Learn From Yolanda: What should the Philippine government and all Filipinos learn from typhoon Yolanda?  A LOT!   After super typhoon Yolanda ravaged L...

Restless Spells by SkyBlue: ROLL AWAY THE PORK BARREL, GRUNT NO MORE

Restless Spells by SkyBlue: ROLL AWAY THE PORK BARREL, GRUNT NO MORE: I joined the Ilocos Pork O'clock Walk last August 27 at Laoag City's Aurora Park.  The crowd was not as big as the crowd in Manila a...

PARTS OF A NEWSPAPER

*image from the internet
NEWS STORIES OR CURRENT NEWS give account of events that recently happened. They aim to keep the reader up-to-date on  political, economic, cultural and other events.  It is generally the first section in any major daily newspaper. The news are split into local news and international /foreign news.

EDITORIAL is an article expressing the stand or opinion of the editor or publisher on the hottest news or a current issue.


An EDITORIAL SECTION of the newspaper is where writers are allowed to present their opinions and persuasive articles.  They can take the forms of:
Staff Editorials: These are pieces written by staff writers and published unsigned and that they should be perceived as the collective opinion of the newspaper itself.
SIGNED EDITORIALS are published by individual reporters and published with a by-line.  They are meant to be taken as the opinion of that individual writer.

FEATURE STORY is a type of a news story that is written from the angle of human interest.  Sometimes called "soft news", this section contains more light-hearted pieces to entertain, inform, or instruct readers on things they will enjoy. Such pieces include:
entertainment; human interest, music, television or play reviews; celebrity interviews, social columns about parties and events of the "hoi polloi", advice columns and comic strips.

COLUMNS express the writer's views on any issue or issues.



BUSINESS NEWS reports on the status of different businesses and industries.

SPORTS NEWS gives the results of national and international sports competitions/games and their advance reports and schedules.  This also includes news on sports celebrities.



READERS' OPINIONS includes the readers' comments & opinions sent to the newspaper publisher or editor-in-chief.  Most publishers allot at least a half page for the readers' opinions.


OTHER DETAILS:  ears, dateline, jumpline, index, deck, graphic, cut,cutline, by-line, photo credit.

MY VIEWS ON THE CONFLICT AND CONSENSUS THEORIES

by Mrs. Ritchelle Blanco Dejolde

Master Teacher 1

Ilocos Norte College of Arts and Trades

Two sociological theories that can possibly exist in any class are the Conflict Theory and the Consensus Theory. Conflict Theory (which is traced to Karl Marx) makes one group dominant over other groups.  Usually, the dominant group dictates the rules and expects unwavering obedience from its members.  Conflict Theory stems from the precept that this obedience can bring forth order.  Such belief/concept has been and is still evident in communist and socialist societies. 

In the field of education, Conflict Theory can develop the students’ ability to focus and achieve mastery of certain skills and concepts if the teacher is seen as dominant or “ruler” over the learners. In some cases, the dominant entity can be the school administration, or the supreme student council. This can exact order and cut down misbehaviour, but I personally think that if Conflict Theory is applied all throughout the learning process, order may be present but freedom is curtailed. Later on, rebellion will rise.

The Consensus Theory, on the other hand, gives the opportunity for real education to flow freely. Decisions are made out of a unified agreement among leaders and members of a group.  Learning competencies and strategies are well-planned by a conglomeration of experts.  Educational resources target common objectives to help and guide the learners achieve their dreams. Meetings and consultations are made to come up with acceptable school rules and regulations. In the classroom, the teacher does not only teach, he also facilitates.  The teacher creates a teaching-learning atmosphere that is inspiring and fulfilling. He is not somebody to be wary of, but someone to approach for clarification and for supplemental or remedial measures.  The Consensus Theory can make the learner feel involved. To ease myself from too much pressure when there are discipline issues, I let my students sign Behaviour Contracts with their parents as witnesses.  At the start of the school year, the students fill-up rubrics for study habits and behaviour.  By doing this, the students will immediately know that they, too, are responsible for their own learning experience.  Other activities related to the subject (English) I teach are agreed upon by the students.  These are done individually or in groups. Through the Consensus Theory, creativity is optimized, learning is actualized.

                                              Copyright©RitchelleBlancoDejolde 2013

 

School Blasts While the Heat is On

Yes, the school blasts once again with the noise of students in all buildings, at the canteen, the corridors..everywhere!  We are full with lessons to teach/learn, tests to hurdle, challenges to face.  All these would be easier if not for the searing heat roving.  I have a new room (DepEd 1) which looks better than the room (RA-1) I occupied for about a decade.  But it is as hot as the old,dingy one.  Anyway, here are some pics of the new room. Thanks to DepEd and our Superintendent for this new classroom.

This year's Third Year students...eager to try the new room.

Camera-shy Third Year Students

Busy with English activities

My former III-Topaz students (now Seniors) helped clean the new room. Thanks guys!
 

Prepping up for the new shool year.

Trisha, my trusted video editor and former student.  She's now a college Sophie. She had the chance to edit videos with me here just a few days before the opening of the new school year.

Restless Spells by SkyBlue: Political Dynasties Suck Filipinos of Dynamism and...

Restless Spells by SkyBlue: Political Dynasties Suck Filipinos of Dynamism and...:  Some politicians think they are God's gifts to Filipinos that they hang on to their positions until they are octogenarians.  When they ...

Reading Books, Online Games, and Character Building

Reading is of utmost importance, thus, kids should be encouraged to read early. I grew up with bookworms...my grandparents, Dad and Mama, aunts, uncles, and cousins. I still remember us swapping books and reading them at night or on weekends.  That's how I built my vocabulary and gained knowledge beyond the textbooks provided by the schools I attended. When I was in college, I would save up my stipend and find a good read. The other scholars opted to spend their stipend on a new shirt or some fancy food but I would trek to the bookstore and buy me one good title. Each book that I bought was my "gold medal". I just loved the feel of every page and voraciously bore into every book or reading matter I could lay my hands on. I still have that feeling and excitement every time a new book is added to my library. 

A lot of students now don't have that much interest. They would rather spend time exploring their cellphones and other gadgets, checking out the latest app.  Their comprehension and spelling have deteriorated.  Well, how can these kids spell if they don't read?  If they don't read,they can't come across words. So they end up challenged.  Some get failing grades due to online addiction ( facebook, twitter, games, ...).  I pity the parents who come with a litany of their woes and sacrifices just to send these off-track kids to school and a stream of tears to find out their kids had spent more time in computer shops rather than their classes.  The result?  Some of the online games made the students develop unwanted skills...skills to destroy, kill or steal ( the very skills the devil has). Sometimes, these skills seep through their being, resulting to violent incidents, misdemeanors on or off campus.

I always tell my students to read, read, read. There is a wide array of things to peruse. As what Francis Bacon wrote in his essay "Of Studies": some books are to be tasted, others are to be swallowed and a few to be chewed and digested.

With my advocacy for teaching reading to the young, I finally realized my dream of having a Read-Along Project last February 22.  I tagged along with me the members of my team, INCAT Natan-ok, to the first recipient of my project : Brgy. 6 Day Care Center in Laoag City with the approval of Bgy. Captain Marlon Blanco (my brother). We shared stories, songs and dances. The team members distributed books and toys and made the kids happy with some donuts and juice.  

The main purpose was to let the kids know that reading is fun.  Once reading is enjoyed, it becomes a part of one's existence.  What a person reads can shape him and his future.

Read,read,read!

He wanted them all!

toys,toys,toys

Vanni,Alpha, Kaye and Teacher Ritchelle (SkyBlue)

Kaye, Hilario and Carlo dancing with the kids

John Mark in deep thought while kids listen to the stories

Christie reads " The Very Hungry Caterpillar"

Kids enjoying the break

Denver distributes the snacks

sip,sip,sip

Teacher Ritchelle of INCAT and Mrs. Juan of Bgy. 6 Day Care Center

All smiles after a good read-along session

Teacher Ritchelle with her team. (L-R) Carlo,Giovanni, Denver,Christie,Hilario, Reinier, Erwin, Kaye, John Mark,Alpha, Genghis and AJ

Kaye and little sweetheart

SkyBlue with pupils of Bgry. 6 Day Care Center

The INCAT Natan-ok Team warming up with the kids

Leighton and Chris

Carlo interprets the very hungry caterpillar

Reinier clicks on

Teacher Ritchelle hands the books to Mrs. Juan, Day Care teacher

Alpha with her fans

The Team in action

Starting 'em young.

 
                                              copyright(C)ritchelleblancodejolde 2013

Restless Spells by SkyBlue: RADIO and How I See It Then and Now

Restless Spells by SkyBlue: RADIO and How I See It Then and Now: I love radio. The first time I went on the air was in high school for a short newscast stint. Months later, I found myself doing radio on a...

I am a Blogger and a Blogger I will Always Be

I have been blogging since 2007 and started with my first which was inspired by my column in a Fil-American newsmagazine in California in the 90's...thus, "Restless Spells" (http://skyblue-restlessspells.blogspot.com/) surfaced on the net. Blogging helps unleash my thoughts, emotions,creativity, ideals, aspirations, values, and advocacies.  My first blog has this link http://skyblue-restlessspells.blogspot.com/. Then the blogging bug bit me a second time so I came up with this site, SkyBlue's Activity Hub (http://skyblueactivityhub.blogspot.com) which I originally intended for my English classes.

My succeeding two blogs got me more excited because they are video blogs.The sites are "Resurrecting the Ilocano Spirit" (http://resurrectingtheilocanospirit.wordpress.com) and "Tracing The Way to Ilocano Greatness" (http://tracingthewaytoilocanogreatness.blogspot.com/). These blogs got me an invitation to attend the first meeting of bloggers in Ilocos Norte last May 4,2012 with Malacanan Communications Undersecretary Manuel L. Quezon III at the Johnny Moon Cafe.  Check this entry by Herdy La Yumul in his blog "Riknakem": MLQ3 To Meet Ilocos Norte Bloggers  (http://riknakem.net/2012/04/21/mlq3-to-meet-ilocos-norte-bloggers/). Did I attend?  Yes, I did!  It felt good to be in a group of bloggers. That's me at the tail-end of the table. Here's a photo and excerpt from another blogger's entry.

"Little did I know that there are quite a number of bloggers in Norte. It was nice to meet face to face BlauEarth readers, bloggers Kenneth Mammuad and Sherene Ruiz. And see Ms. Ritchelle Blanco Dejolde too. Same as the others, I am hoping the initial meet-up of Ilocos Norte bloggers will pave the way for a legit organization."---Tina Tan, blogger of "BlauEarth"

It's good to note that even before meeting other bloggers and MLQ3, I have collaborated with my students who are into multi-media and called our team INCAT Natan-ok.  We produced around 33 videos for the two aforementioned videoblogs which I created to promote Iloco culture and great Ilocanos.   Natan-ok team members spent sleepless nights editing footages of videos taken around Ilocos Norte. We had to sleep at the ICT Building to beat deadlines for the Smart Doon Po Sa Amin Video Blog Contest. I wrote the articles for the blogs and helped finalize the videos which we uploaded in our YouTube account, iloconatanok. We were the first to make a video using "Paoay Kumakaway" ( inspired from the music of the same title produced by the local government) which was featured at the Ilocos Norte Capitol. 

School activities have somehow stalled my blogging for weeks but I will keep on blogging.  I can see myself doing it even beyond my teaching career.  Even my husband has one.  Check it out budding writers. Get writing tips from  http://www.anthonydejoldewriter.com/.  BLOG ON! WRITE ON!

                                                          

Make A Cinquain Bookmark

Cinquain is a five-line poem or stanza.  It comes from the French word "cinq" which means "five".  This kind of poem originated  when an  American writer named Adelaide Crapsey of Stanford, Connecticut took an interest in expressing her thoughts in short lines inspired by the Japanese haiku and tanka. Several forms of cinquain have evolved since this poetry form became popular.

Adelaide Crapsey (1878-1914) 

In my class, I recommend this cinquain form:
1st LINE:                  One word ( or Noun Title)
2nd LINE:                2 Adjectives describing the 1st word
3rd LINE:                 3 words with the form V+ing (referring back to the ist word)
4th LINE:                  a sentence or phrase with 4 words describing or referring back to the 
                                    1st word
5th LINE:                   One word synonymous to the 1st word or one-word description of the
                                    1st word

Here are some examples of cinquians turned into bookmarks from my students:

cinquain bookmark by Hannah Kaye Aguillon of III-Topaz

by Rost-Ann C. Baptista of III-Topaz

by Paul Kenneth Morales of III-Diamond