It all starts with GRATITUDE!: I Do Everything For and With God

It all starts with GRATITUDE!: I Do Everything For and With God: Being a special education teacher, a mom and a wife come with immense responsibility. The load that I had for the past three years had be...

I Do Everything For and With God

Being a special education teacher, a mom and a wife come with immense responsibility. The load that I had for the past three years had been extremely unsurmountable. I had countless sleepless nights. I had undeniable frustrations. Anger and resentment enveloped my emotions.  Every single day, I had struggled with going to work. I wanted to quit but I am remorseful as the school year just started. I am totally enervated, mentally, emotionally, physically and psychologically exhausted. Giving up came to mind. I wanted to leave the profession I had been longing to have. I had depression and anxiety, waking up crying and hopeless. 

One time, there was this post of  The 700 Club Asia on Facebook I came across with. I don't remember exactly what it was. The only thing I remember was I noticed myself longing for the show every single day. Watching THe 700 Club Asia shows and listening to podcasts, awakened the physical power, the fortitude and resilience I thought I never have. In addition,  I have been listening to Christian music almost all day. I can't stop praying,  weeping for mercy and compassion. Hungry of the love and grace of God, my dream foundation was established. It is called Pioneer of Hope. This family set up foundation aims at proclaiming the goodness that God had blessed me and my family with. Its mission is to empower the community to trust even when it's difficult, through its charitable donations to poverty-stricken communities around the world. 

Day by day,  my mind and my heart had cravings for more words of God. I have been reading the Bible, listening and watching more motivational and inspirational videos. I have also called and emailed the Prayer Center for both The 700 Club here in the US and The 700 Club Asia. Truly, there was a change. I felt the ease in my heart and mind. In Matthew 11:28-29 states, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me., because I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls." Truly God is humble and gentle, he soothes my aching mind and soul. He gave me wisdom and compassion. 

I am genuinely grateful with how God blessed and redirected my path. I learned to praise him and his magnificent works. Candidly, He opened the impossible for me. He sent angels to protect and guide me. My students who can be so rude and disrespectful are now angels in my eyes. The struggles I face are now being diverted into triumphant moments to spread the goodness of God. The pains I now feel are the miracles of my future, that God can heal all wounds and afflictions.  The hopelessness and the failures are valuable ways I can see the light and the abundant life God has promised in Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know what I have planned for you, " says the Lord. "I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give a future filled with hope." 

Yes, now I do everything I do for and with God. He truly is a MIGHTY and POWERFUL God. 

I'm in love! 

It all starts with GRATITUDE!: Greatest Blessings Come with Nature

It all starts with GRATITUDE!: Greatest Blessings Come with Nature: I believe that the greatest blessings come NATURALly.  I believe in the ocean curing all the bad moods and negative thoughts.  ...

Greatest Blessings Come with Nature

I believe that the greatest blessings come NATURALly. 

I believe in the ocean curing all the bad moods and negative thoughts. 

I believe in the waves wiping away the sadness and the worries.

I believe in the breezes bringing more chances and hopes.

I believe in the sand on my toes scratching away pains and afflictions. 

Be thankful, not with material things, but with NATURE and its beauty. 

#appreciatethesimplethings

#lifeisbeautiful

#love

It all starts with GRATITUDE!: Sakdal

It all starts with GRATITUDE!: Sakdal: Sakdal Charmane Joy Belleza  09/26/2018 Hiyaw ng aking kamusmusan, Tagumpay na walang humpay. Hiyaw ng aking kabataan, Mar...

Kasaganahan

Buhay Ko'y Nagdurusa

Ladawan ti Napalabas

Saanka nga Agmaymaysa

Sakdal

Sakdal

Charmane Joy Belleza 

09/26/2018

Hiyaw ng aking kamusmusan,

Tagumpay na walang humpay.

Hiyaw ng aking kabataan,

Marangyang pamumuhay.

Hiyaw ng aking kagulangan

Pamilyang mapayapang tunay.

Dito sa mundong ibabaw, 

Malinaw na ang aking hangad, 

Pag-ibig sa Diyos at kapwa,

Wala nang humpay, hindi na sasablay. 

Mamuhay ng dalisay

Aking Ama ang katambay

Hanggang sa aking pagtanda

Baunin ko’ng asal na sakdal.

Differentiated Instructions for Diverse Learners

Differentiated Instructions for Diverse Learners

“No two students are the same.”

___

By Charmane Joy Belleza

December 2018

My daughter drew this to show diverse learners with diverse learning interests.

Differentiation is a way for teachers to tailor instruction to meet each of our students’ differential needs, different attention span, language abilities, cultural, educational and socio-economic background.

Differentiation aims to inspire learning, empower students’ voice and choice, strengthen their engagement and love for learning.  In light of Ilana Vines video, I agree that our students have strengths and weaknesses. They have unique qualities that need to nourish and flourish. I love how she talked about Personalized Learning Environment where instruction is paced to learning needs, tailored to learning preferences and tailored to the specific interests of different learners. (Bray and McClaskey, 2014) It is the learner that drives their learning and does not focus on instruction.

I just recently, slowly started doing personalized learning in my classroom, however, because of my students’ disabilities and short-attention span, it wasn’t successful. Taking it slowly will not make the students, dislike learning, rather, motivate them to wonder and explore. I know that practice is the key, so I will still continue to do this and find better ways or opportunities for my students to master the strategy. The other day, one student challenged me to teach them to build something instead of reading stories or novels. I promised him I will. With that, I am learning and gathering more information to do project-based learning for my ELA class.

PBL will be a great avenue for students not only to personalize but also to enhance their creativity and critical thinking skills. Another strategy that can foster differentiation is the learning menus. I have been wanting to do this but I just lack the knowledge to establish it. But now, knowing all the exciting benefits, I can’t wait to try it in my classroom. Technology, on the other hand, provide us teachers to develop more exciting and new innovative strategies to scaffold our instructions. With technology, we focus on the student’s level rather than what’s in the curriculum or standards. Newsela, Readworks, Commonlit, Edpuzzle, Nearpod, Google Dashboard, Google Classroom, Bookcreator are just some ways I use technology to differentiate my lessons. These programs also enable the students to work at home, thus fostering responsibility and effective and efficient use of technology.

With these strategies, students can learn the following skills as stated by Joe Ruhl in his video on Teaching Methods for Inspiring the Students of the Future: What’s Love Got to do with it? (2016)

1. Choice - (free will)
2. Collaboration - (Social creatures)
3. Communication - (agrees with collaboration)
4. Critical Thinking - (Problem-solving)
5. Creativity -(unique human pleasure)
6. CARING - (The most important)

I couldn’t agree more. These characteristics and skills are designed to the diverse background of the students we have. Now, reminiscing the past, I wish I was given more choices in school, I wish I was given more collaborative work and communication practices. I wish I was provided with opportunities to expand my critical thinking and creative skills.

Caring, on the other hand, according to Ruhl, is the most important. (2016) I am extremely blessed to have developed this skill in the early years of my life. I agree to it 100%. Caring comes with love. Last year, my most difficult class was given a survey to assess our practices in the classroom. I was shocked and I actually wept because, on the caring part of the survey, I received a 100% rating from my most disruptive class. I was expecting a very low grade from that class because most of them didn’t like me. They showed unacceptable behaviors and didn’t listen most of the time.  I expressed my gratitude to them because they acknowledged how much I care about them through their responses. Even though they moved to the high school now, they still come and visit me. Thinking about it now, I realized I was missing a deeper personal connection with them. Although I showed I care, I didn’t go beyond their personal lives to get to know them more. I was too focused on their academics and the assessments that came with it.

To become an inspired and transformational educator, I will continue to build positive relationships and implement research-based teaching techniques in my classroom. I will continue to explore different strategies that motivate my students’ interests and choices. I will strive to keep studying their learning profiles, how they process information and think ideas to adjust my curriculum and address their distinct needs and/or strengths. I will keep on believing on them and “connect to what matters most to them”. (Tomlinson, 2016)

References:

Bray, B., McClaskey, K (2014) Building Personalized Learning Environments. Retrieved from https://www.advanc-ed.org/source/building-personalized-learning-environments

Ruhl, J. (2016) Teaching Motivations fro Inspiring the Students of the Future: What’s Love Got to do with it?, TED video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCFg9bcW7Bk

Vines, I. (2013), Differentiated Learning, Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M1lKf-94q4

Tomlinson, C. (2016), Readiness in Differentiated Instruction, Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMvCd5Xafag

Building a Community of Learners

Building a Community of Learners

“In the heart of a Special Education teacher”

Charmane Joy Belleza

A teacher by profession, a shepherd by heart

“Learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience.” (Kolb, 1984, p. 38).

Hawaii Department of Education’s Framework

The Hawai‘i State Department of Education created the HĀ Nā Hopena A‘o framework to support holistic learning through a foundation of Hawaiian values, language and culture across the Hawai‘iʻs public education system. The HĀ outlines give core competencies intended to support students reaching their fullest potential in academic achievements, character development, and overall well-being. HĀ uses the following core values to guide learning: Belonging, Responsibility, Excellence, Aloha, Total well - being and Hawai’i (“BREATH”).

General Learner Outcomes

For students to become more engaged, lifelong learners, the HIDOE established general learner outcomes to help build and develop students abilities beyond academic achievement.

These general learner outcomes are as follows:

1. Self-directed Learner (The ability to be responsible for one's own learning)
2. Community Contributor (The understanding that it is essential for human beings to work together)
3. Complex Thinker (The ability to demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving)
4. Quality Producer (The ability to recognize and produce quality performance and quality products)
5. Effective Communicator (The ability to communicate effectively)
6. Effective and Ethical User of Technology (The ability to use a variety of technologies effectively and ethically)

INSIDE THE CLASSROOM

Filled with behavioral issues, diverse socio-economic background, growing, changing adolescents, and below-grade-level performing students, my classroom is sometimes chaotic. I oftentimes feel that I am not an effective teacher. I often think that this job is nonetheless, frustrating, exhausting and can be mind-debilitating. However, as a shepherd of the flock, I always am integrating and finding ways to develop a better, safer classroom environment.

Here are some ways I develop a community of learners inside the classroom.

1. Create a Deeper Sense of Belongingness

“Classrooms should be built on the philosophy that everyone is equal and everyone belongs. This includes caring for one another, implementing safe behavior and actions toward one another, supporting one another, helping one another, and tolerating one another. By encouraging your students to treat others the way they would like to be treated, your classroom can be transformed into a cooperative and honest environment, suitable for learning. By creating an inclusive classroom that fosters great morals and a sense of belonging, students can find confidence in themselves and, in turn, have a healthier learning experience.” (Brownlie, King, 2011)

• Communicate regularly with students.
• Knowing my students on a more personal level enables me to show how much they belong in my classroom
• I use a variety of strategies to get to know my students, (bell work, journals, etc)

2. Accept their differences,     acknowledge their interests and empower their choices

John McCarthy states, “Give students choices based on a variety of interests. Many students may share common ground, which means that there's often something for everyone.”  Differentiating products are commonplace to embed interests.” Mccarthy, 2014)

• Create opportunities for students to present their own ideas and perspectives
• Provide meaningful activities that exhibit their interests and passion, as well as to express their thoughts and emotions
• Get to know students as individuals with varying identities and disabilities. Develop individualized and differentiated instructions
• Make ways to turn their disabilities into abilities
• Provide opportunities for the students and their peers to communicate and develop friendship and citizenship
• Treat all students equally

3. Provide a safe learning environment

“Before any learning can take place, students need to feel safe and feel like they are seen and cared about,” said Valerie Gallagher, a first-grade teacher at the school. “The real impact of morning meeting is that classes [become] true communities, where we’re learning from each other’s strengths and we’re helping each other.” (Boss, 2017)

• Make them aware of Chapter 19, implement accordingly
• Set boundaries and make them know that you are their teacher and they are your students
• Remind them that you want them to be successful
• Encourage participation and engagement
• Provide opportunities for student leadership (this really work in my classroom)
• Develop problem-solving strategies
• Be a positive role model
• Seek feedback from each one in the class
• Show that you care about them and their future

This is an example of how I get to know my student on a more personal level. I let them write anything. I don’t mind the errors on writing mechanics. The thought is what counts.

These are some simple ways I get to acknowledge my students. We write simple, positive notes to each other.

OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

The HIDOE is also integrating sustainability education into curriculum extends beyond the four walls of the classroom and provides students with experiential learning opportunities on sustainability in practice. As education evolves to adapt to new technology and transformative educational practices, learning environments also need to adapt accordingly. (HIDOE)

Here are some ways we do this in our class and in school:

1. Practice “KUPONO” (righteousness) daily. Each student is expected to show respect, exercise responsibility, honesty and caring beyond their classrooms.
2. Career Fair - Each year, our school invite different speakers from all kinds of jobs for students to see how the real world look and feel like.
3. Sports - Our school has a wide variety of sports games for students to develop not only the value of their health, mind, and body but also to develop sportsmanship and teamwork.

Connection to Kolb’s Learning Style

With all of these strategies and practices in building a community of learners, it is evident that we learn in a wide array of experiments and experiences. As Kolb’s learning style states, “Effective learning is seen when a person progresses through a cycle of four stages: of (1) having a concrete experience followed by (2) observation of and reflection on that experience which leads to (3) the formation of abstract concepts (analysis) and generalizations (conclusions) which are then (4) used to test hypothesis in future situations, resulting in new experiences.”

In an article written by Saul Mcleod (2017), he states that both Kolb's (1984) learning stages and cycle could be used by teachers to critically evaluate the learning provision typically available to students and to develop more appropriate learning opportunities.

Mcleod also added that educators should ensure that activities are designed and carried out in ways that offer each learner the chance to engage in the manner that suits them best. Also, individuals can be helped to learn more effectively by the identification of their lesser preferred learning styles and the strengthening of these through the application of the experiential learning cycle.
Lastly, ideally, activities and material should be developed in ways that draw on abilities from each stage of the experiential learning cycle and take the students through the whole process in sequence. (Mcleod, 2017)

Therefore, we as educators are harnessed with plenty of challenges worthy in changing our own lives, our students’ lives and the well-being of our community not only as learners but as valuable resources of a fruitful future.

References

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/differentiated-instruction-learner-interest-matters-john-mccarthy

http://teachmag.com/archives/4681

https://www.edutopia.org/article/building-community-learners-and-citizens

https://inquiry.galileo.org/ch4/creating-a-community-of-learners/

http://www.hawaiipublicschools.org/TeachingAndLearning/StudentLearning/LearnerOutcomes/Pages/home.aspx

https://dashboard.hawaii.gov/stat/goals/5xhf-begg/nmui-ua2k/sakz-3mcn

McLeod, S. A. (2017). Kolb - learning styles. Retrieved from https://www.simplypsychology.org/learning-kolb.html

Poverty Awakened my Sense of HOPE

My HEART’S Journey...THIS IS ME!

I may not be where I want to be, at least I am not where I used to be.

Humble Beginning

Rain poured out, rummaging the quietness of the village. The wind blew the roof, panicking all our senses… in the middle of the night.

Moved from places to places, simple, somewhat scary places. Houses built with the help of our relatives and some villagers, as we call it Bayanihan. Homes made out of bamboo leaves and branches of grown trees from our farms.

My dad is a farmer who didn’t finish college. My mom is also a farmer, a frustrated teacher who's unable to pursue her own dreams due to lack of financial support.

My siblings and I had a rough ride through our younger years. Even though my father is a hardworking person, he is also a drunkard that put so much stress in my mother’s eyes.

It was a struggle for my parents to put foods on the table. My mom would sell tobacco leaves to another town every weekend just to have ends meet.

Sometimes, they would borrow rice from our neighbors or from our relatives. I remember one time, my mom came home with nothing, no one wanted to lend her rice. She was weeping out of frustration and sadness. Seeing her with so much emotion brought tears into my eyes and promised myself that one day, this will never happen anymore. I will never see anyone else starve.

I prayed so hard for God to provide for us. I prayed so hard for breakthroughs. I prayed that God will bless my mom for the agony she’s been going through. I wept as she wept.

It was indeed heart-quenching and mind-debilitating; thinking and feeling the agony of my parents from the poverty we had to endure.

My persevering heart implored and explored; giving up my selfish desires, my playful childhood just to prosper in my goals to lift them up from the mind-boggling sensation of having nothing. Yes, we had nothing but hopes and perseverance. My mom taught us to still give whenever someone needs food or help. She taught us, it is better to give than to receive.

She taught us to be generous at all times, no matter how small. Life is not about having much, it is about how much you give to those in need.

All I had at that time was the hope of luxurious dreams...my dreams to change and to prosper. I held on to God. I held up high and hold on to His promise of an endless abundance. Now, I focus on giving not because I have something to give but because I know how it feels to have none.

“God loves a CHEERFUL giver.” 2 Corinthians 9-7