Why I Do, What I Do for Teachers

 My work in the last 14 years has always involved communities. Managing communities just came to me naturally. It started because there were some things that were beyond my comprehension and I needed help to help others. Luckily I found like-minded people who were knowledgeable and were willing to help others learn. Thus was born the GTUGs (later renamed as the GDGs), few years later the GBGs followed and then the teacher community, the GEGs.*

I was just starting to incubate the teacher community when I was given the choice to focus on the developers/entrepreneurs or the educators. At that time developer and business community was already stable, but the teacher community was still an infant. It was an easy choice for me, but I got a pushback from my big boss who thought I'd be better off staying in the larger organization. I would have had an easier path if I chose to take care of the devs and entreps, but I knew I had to keep my commitment for the teachers. 

I stayed on in the education space because I felt that was my mission. From our first educator community in Baguio City we now have hundreds of it across the Globe. The most number are in my region, Asia Pacific. These wonderful educators that form part of our communities have been my strength, my companion in my journey to complete my mission. They have been my allies, my friends, my shoulder to cry on and I can't imagine going through a day without talking to at least one of them. 

My work is hard, but I do what I think is best for the teachers and the students. I'm truly grateful for the opportunity to be able to make an impact for education. Whenever I go through a difficult day I think about my teacher friends who carry the responsibility to educate the future generation. I do what I do to give back to the teachers who made me who I am today. 

Thank you teacher! Happy teachers month!

CB//181 #StuckAtHomeDay/211 #WFH123 #StayHome #BeKind

*GTUG - Google Technology User Groups; GDG - Google Developer Groups; GBG - Google Business Groups; GEG - Google Educator Groups 

Happy Teachers Day!

In early 2014 I made the big leap of shifting full time to work on education. I left what could have been a lucrative career working with developers and entrepreneurs. I probably would have been more known for what I would have done and would probably have easily leveled up in the ladder. It was not an easy decision and I fought with my VP so I could transfer to education. I had to cry so he would understand that it's what I wanted to do. He explained to me that he was just worried that my talent as a program manager may be overlooked if I followed that path.

It's been almost 2 years since I made that leap. The leap left a huge gaping hole in my heart since it meant I would not work directly anymore with devs and entrepreneurs. I miss a lot the friends I met when I was building those communities, but I have gained a gazillion new friends and all of them are educators! And as I work with them I cannot help but feel envious with the power they have -- the power to change lives, the power to make a huge impact on the lives of children.

Teachers have fun in Taiwan!

Last year I made a post to thank the many teachers that made a huge impact in my life. I can never thank them enough for helping shape who I am today. The only way I can really thank them is to do better at what I do and do more cool things that matter! And hopefully one day I will be able to join the academe once again so I can have the opportunity to teach again.

Thank You Teacher!

I had an interesting conversation with one of my elder cousins a few months back. He's been tracing our roots and whereabouts of relatives in the last few years. He also shared that our family always had teachers, someone in the military and engineers in every generation. That's when I realized that my Dad, both my siblings and I have been teachers. My Mom also conducts craft workshops every summer. I also remember one of my grand-aunts was a public school principal (and she was a beauty queen too!).

My academe teaching experience is so far limited to one term. And I had tried being a substitute teacher at a nursery school. I am not sure which is harder. Both experiences were really hard and made me realize that being a teacher is one of the hardest jobs in the world (imagine having to study every single day!).

In the last year I've had the privilege of working with teachers. Hearing their stories always inspire me and I cannot help but remember all the teachers who helped shape me.

Thank you teachers, this is me today!

THANK YOU TEACHERS!

Ms. Parcon - my elementary English teacher who was so strict! I didn't do well in grammar tests and spelling and I was a slow reader, so my grades were always on the low side. I pushed hard to learn how to write and became a bookworm in high school. I bumped into her when I finished university and proudly told her that I became the editor in chief of our university literary student publication.

My 4th grade social studies teacher - I flunked the fill-in-the-blanks Philippine map exam (haha!), but that left a huge mark on me. I'm still geographically-challenged and this is one reason why my 20% time at work is mapping and getting more people to map. (And I think I'm finally getting better with directions).

Ms. Octaviano - my elementary school science teacher. She made me love science!

Ginang de Vera - my super-strict, terror freshman year Filipino teacher who would have us roll our papers while taking a quiz. I was scared of  her most of the time that I always barely passed the subject. To get over that experience I asked one of my editors in our university literary publication to train me on writing in Filipino short stories. That helped me improve my written Filipino skills.

Mr. Pulmones - my chemistry teacher. He made studying chemistry very interesting. I remember always looking forward to his classes.

My sophomore year history teacher - she made studying Asian history very interesting. We were only stuck with books back then, but I would read more at the library about Asian history because her stories were inspiring. She always gave anecdotes about her trips abroad.

Mr. Dumrique - our junior year class adviser, for being the gentle giant that he is. We were in his class during an earthquake and he really made sure all of us girls were safe.

Bro. Gene Tianco, FSC - my religion teacher in DLSU. He actually still remembers the class I was enrolled him every though it's been over 2 decades! I was a troubled soul back in college and he took me under his wing. I'm so glad I found him again after all these years! <3 <3 <3 you Bro!

Mr. Teehankee, Mr. Buendia and Mr. Holmes - my very cool PolSci professors and thesis mentors! For believing in me and getting me out of potential trouble back then!

My Quattech teacher - who actually flunked me even though I was just .3 points away from passing. I got a really good grade when I took it again (ha!). Re-taking the subject taught me how to be more process oriented and helped me pass that hard P&G employment exam (I just didn't choose to go the consumer route).

Judge Reyes - my legal management professor on Conslaw (I don't really remember if it was conslaw), but he made studying law very interesting. He said I reminded him of his daughter so he used to scold my seatmate (Rico Yan) for being too makulit with me. Sorry for not pursuing law studies, I know I disappointed the whole department :(

Mr. Garcia - my MBA marketing professor who taught us out of the box thinking. A lot of my classmates didn't like his teaching style, but it was really effective for me.

Dr. Ned Roberto - I was assigned to study market research under him for a few months when I was tasked to do our company's UAI study. It was such a privilege to have been one of his students. I <3 you Lolo Ned!

I have many, many more teachers I'd like to thank, including my parents, my siblings, my bosses/managers and whoever I bugged to teach me. I hope the work I am doing today would be a way to thank all the teachers who have contributed to who I am today. I'm so happy to have spent the last few days with amazing teachers from so many countries. I really admire all of you!

At the Google Teachers Academy

With teacher-leaders of the Google Educator Groups.

Happy Teachers Day!