Before stepping foot in Teacher Vita Acosta’s classroom at Malanday Elementary School, I thought I had it pretty bad working at my school in East Palo Alto, California. My school had high teacher turnover so we were constantly understaffed with random substitutes cycling in and out of our classroom to maintain student ratios. Our only source of technology was an ancient desktop computer that did not even work. We sometimes didn’t even have enough paper for students to use, so I would use the back of old 8 ½ x 11 page flyers for class.
Being in Teacher Vita’s classroom at Malanday Elementary School has definitely made me appreciate what I have in the U.S. They do not have substitute teachers. The principal is able to take over only one class. When a same grade level teacher is absent, that absent teacher’s students are distributed to all the other classrooms. Another second grade teacher was on maternity leave, so Teacher Vita had a lot more students than usual. She is responsible for all the extra work from these students at no additional compensation.
Teacher Vita has extremely limited access to technology. She uses a chalk board and teacher-made laminated white boards in her class. Her students use the same pencil for every assignment and very few of them have crayons, pencil sharpeners or even erasers. Teacher Vita is often forced to pay out of pocket for her students’ school supplies since their families cannot afford them. The classroom is so crowded with 50 student desks that every time the only classroom door needs to be opened, two students need to stand up and move their seats.
Although there are many disparities between public school in the U.S. and the Philippines, one thing that stands out to me is the students’ eagerness and motivation to learn. Many students in Teacher Vita's class are jumping out of their seats to participate and engage in the lessons. If something spills on the floor, a student instantly scrambles to the broom and dustpan to clean it up instead of ignoring it. Students share their extra pencils and even the eraser on the back of their own pencil with other students who do not have one. Even though I put in great efforts to entertain my students in the U.S. with fun, engaging, colorful and new learning activities, some of them are uninterested and lack the same enthusiasm and fervor that the students in the Philippines exhibit.
Overall, this experience was eye-opening and inspiring. When I go back to the U.S., I will be better able to instill and maintain a positive, appreciative and thankful mindset within myself and my students.
Being in Teacher Vita’s classroom at Malanday Elementary School has definitely made me appreciate what I have in the U.S. They do not have substitute teachers. The principal is able to take over only one class. When a same grade level teacher is absent, that absent teacher’s students are distributed to all the other classrooms. Another second grade teacher was on maternity leave, so Teacher Vita had a lot more students than usual. She is responsible for all the extra work from these students at no additional compensation.
Teacher Vita has extremely limited access to technology. She uses a chalk board and teacher-made laminated white boards in her class. Her students use the same pencil for every assignment and very few of them have crayons, pencil sharpeners or even erasers. Teacher Vita is often forced to pay out of pocket for her students’ school supplies since their families cannot afford them. The classroom is so crowded with 50 student desks that every time the only classroom door needs to be opened, two students need to stand up and move their seats.
Although there are many disparities between public school in the U.S. and the Philippines, one thing that stands out to me is the students’ eagerness and motivation to learn. Many students in Teacher Vita's class are jumping out of their seats to participate and engage in the lessons. If something spills on the floor, a student instantly scrambles to the broom and dustpan to clean it up instead of ignoring it. Students share their extra pencils and even the eraser on the back of their own pencil with other students who do not have one. Even though I put in great efforts to entertain my students in the U.S. with fun, engaging, colorful and new learning activities, some of them are uninterested and lack the same enthusiasm and fervor that the students in the Philippines exhibit.
Overall, this experience was eye-opening and inspiring. When I go back to the U.S., I will be better able to instill and maintain a positive, appreciative and thankful mindset within myself and my students.