by Jesabel Ansiro

BS Education, Eastern Samar State University – Guiuan Campus

The Mae Astrid Tobias Summer Workshop was held on 9 May 2015 in one of the classrooms of Lupok Central School, located in Brgy. Lupok, Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

We introduced the books as well as a short biography of Mae Astrid Tobias and her achievements. Children were then divided into two groups. They were given two different stories, Bakawan and Bayong ng Kuting, which was to be explained by each group representative. Nika Albasin read Bakawan aloud in front of the classroom and explained the moral lesson of the story. Von Alura then explained the other story, which is Bayong ng Kuting. (Dito sa part na ‘to natawa at the same time nanliit kami kasi yung participants namin mas matangkad pa sa amin. Hehe. Sobrang awkward!)

While we were having this activity, participants ran one after another to write their answers on the board because we give incentives to whoever could write their answers as fast as they could.

Ang hirap pala mag-hold ng ganitong event!!! Isa sa mga na-encounter namin na circumstances dito ay yung pagdating namin sa classroom, yung estudyante (participants) namin ay konti lang, kasi yung ibang mga bata na in-invite namin hindi dumating. Sabi ko paano na ito, hindi tayo pwede mag start na ganito lang yung estudyante namin. Sabi ko sa sarili ko hindi pwede ‘to! Kailangan magkaroon ako ng participants; nung oras na iyon, nag pray ako nag-ask ako kay God na bigyan niya ako nang participants at pagkalabas ko nga ng classroom, may isang grupo ng mga kabataan na handa at willing maging part ng workshop.

Sinimulan namin yung workshop sa pagpapakita at pag-introduce ng books sa mga bata which is sobrang nakaka-proud na kahit hindi mo kilala personally yung mga taong may gawa ng books, yung writer at artist, nabigay mo yung gusto mong impression sa mga bata na dapat tularan (yung writer at artist) at suportahan yung mga books na gawa nila. At base sa mga facial expression ng mga bata, makikita na bago sa kanilang paningin yung ganitong klase ng books.

Isa sa mga comment nga nila ay “sobrang ganda at astig” kasi daw yung story may translation from English to Filipino (Tagalog). Dahil nga unang beses nila ma-encounter o makabasa ng ganitong libro, makikita sa mga mukha yung amusement sa kanila at naging paraan din siguro ito na naging mas naintindihan at naunawaan nila yung kwento. At nung last part na ng activity nagkaroon kami ng group works, every group may kanya-kanyang representative to read in front and tell kung ano yung values at moral lesson nakukuha sa kwento. Dito yung part talaga makikitang hindi na sila nahihiya, sobrang competitive nila sa isa’t-isa at alam namin na nagbasa talaga sila at na-apply talaga yung reading by understanding, kasi halos lahat ng questions nasagot nila ng tama.

Nakakatuwa kasi kahit nung natapos na kami, yung ibang mga bata hindi agad umuwi, nagbasa ulit sila ng books. At siyempre hindi mawawala yung bigayan ng giveaways and snacks!!!

We are very much thankful and grateful that we were entrusted with this event. We appreciate this opportunity to introduce a very inspiring person who contributed her competence in the world of literature. As a future educator, we can use this experience in the field of teaching.

THANK YOU!