NO MAN IS AN ISLAND

P ray day in and day out arness skill and talents Y ield as a result of time work and effort L ive as simple as we can I nitiate worthy programs/ activities C alm down during tough times A ct natural and not frugal L ive as simple as we can.

H DAYANA D. TOLENTINO

E njoy life and be stress resilient D o our best and God will do the rest U tter verses and reflect each day C laim God’s inference A void gossips and nonsense text T ame the tongue, speak for blessings Involve ourselves on extra curricular activities O pen our hearts on acts of generosity N urture capabilities in the name of SERVICE.

— oOo— The author is Teacher III at San Rafael Elementary School, San Rafael, Mexico, Pampanga

MERCY L. CANLAS

First heard of this saying when I was in the elementary. At first I did not understand it because to my young mind, what does a man have to do with an island? I eventually understood its meaning when my teacher then explained it in the context of teamwork. She told us that no man can survive alone and that everyone needs help one way or the other, to be able to sur vi ve.

The value of working with other people has been instilled in us since we were young. And now as teachers, we should also make our students see how important it is to value the help being given by other people.

These people may be the ones close to you like family, friends and siblings; or may be classmates, co-teachers, co-workers or other students, who are there in times of need.

Children sometimes fail to see how important teamwork is. They oftentimes want to be alone during some activities. While they may be successful at what they do alone, their output would be much better if they do it with peers.

This is what we must teach our students - how many good things can be accomplished when they work together with their friends.

Inside the classroom, we must observe our students and see who among them need help in any subject. Most of them nowadays have a hard time with Math and Science subjects. Because of shame, they end up not telling anyone of their problem, hence they fail in those subjects.

They should not try so hard solving problems on their own, refusing to seek the help of even their parents. They should acknowledge their weakness and then, ask for assistance from their teachers, classmates and parents. With their help, solving the dilemma would be a lot easier.

Interaction with peers is very important nowadays, even if they can just chat or text through computers or cell phones. There is nothing better than being with friends in person, not virtually. This is where teamwork blooms, by interacting face-to-face with people. By then they will realize how working with others is important than working with themselves.

— oOo— The author is Teacher III at Buensuceso Elementary School, Arayat West District