THE WAITING

“By waiting & by calm you shall be saved, in quiet & in trust you shall find your strength.”

    – Isaiah 30:15

 

I am a young woman ready to fall in love, walk down the aisle and start a family of my own. This is my ‘not-so’ secret dream (since my bestest friends knew about this! :P). In this dream, I wanted to be with someone. Someone who will love and accept me as I am. Someone who will protect and take care of me. Someone whom I can share my joys and pains. Someone whom I can call my one true love.

 

The Prayer

Young as I am, I was very eager to experience love. So, I searched for it, looked for it. I met few but never felt that it was the kind of love I am longing for. I felt frustrated and tired. I decided to give up searching and turned to God. I prayed to Him everyday. In my prayers, I asked God to send me my true love. Thinking that he might be lost on his way to me, I prayed to God to guide his way. I know God will answer my prayers. With my faith in Him, I waited patiently.

 

The Storm

Two years ago, I was diagnosed of having Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). My OB-GYNE told me that I have more that twelve cysts inside my left ovary. Thus, having a child when I reach 30s would be a problem. Worst, there is also a possibility of not having a child at all. I was totally devastated upon hearing these words. I felt that my dreams will never come true and this storm took it away from me. I almost gave up hope, but again, I turned to God and prayed. With my unwavering faith and trust in the Lord, I again waited patiently.

 

The Boy

In these stormy days of my life, I met Chrischan (I won’t be sharing how we met, it is a ‘very long’ story :P). When Chrischan confessed his love to me, I laughed at him. At that moment, I believed that he can never be my true love – the one I’ve been waiting for. Why? Here are my objective reasons at that time:

• He is certainly NOT my type.
• He doesn’t sound nor look serious.
• He is very noisy and naughty.
• His feelings for me might not be love but infatuation.
• In my eyes, he is just a BOY.

But he never gave up on me. Despite my rejection, he continued to show his love for me. And worst, he even taught me an important lesson – a real love is worth risking. Slowly, I got to know the man he truly is. At the same time, I started opening my heart to him. A risk, I decided to give a chance.

 

The One

I wanted to test Chrischan’s love. I decided to let him know about my illness. Though, I’m prepared that he might change, I am still hoping that he will stay with me since I am starting to fall in love with him. When I told him about my illness and the possibility of not having a child, I was completely surprised by his response. In great calmness, he told me, “Dae mangyayari iyan. Sabay kitang magpangadyi na marahay ka na. Magtiwala ka saiya”. (That will never happen. Lets pray together that you will be healed. Trust in Him.) From that moment, I knew he is the one. The one I’ve been waiting for – my one true love. True to his words, we prayed together. He’s always on my side everytime I need to see the doctor. He would always remind me to take my medicines. He always assure me that everything will be alright. After six months of religiously following my medications and of course, praying, the cysts were gone. It was like a miracle. No, it was indeed a real miracle. My healing and Chrischan were my miracles.

 

The Waiting (Again…)

My relationship with Chrischan is more than a year now. Our relationship is not perfect. In fact, our first year has been really hard for both of us. There are certain complications. Complications that we both need to compromise and understand. I must admit that sometimes I can feel tiredness and disappointment because of these complications. But everytime I am confused and wanted to give up, I would always go back on how he came into my life and the changes he brought with it. Today, we are happy and very much in love with each other. This time, my waiting will not be tiring nor frustrating. I know it will be worth the wait. Just thinking about our future together will ease the tiredness of waiting now. With trust in God, I know my ‘not-so’ secret dream is one step closer.

HUMANISM IN THE CLASSROOM: Teaching & Learning in the Eyes of Rogers & Maslow

Studying the science of psychology for quite some time now made me realized that there isn’t one single approach that is used to explain all human behaviours and mental processes alone. One possible explanation for this is the fact that a particular approach has its own strengths and limitations. This realization is likewise true in my quest to understand and apply the process of learning.

            Among the approaches, humanistic psychology at first glance may not be associated with learning. Its principles and applications are more related to the fields of counselling, developmental, personality and social. But in learning, some may think twice. Nevertheless, humanistic approach, the ‘third force’ of psychology, focus on the things that make people uniquely human such as subjective emotions and the freedom to choose one’s own destiny. Can this approach be applied in the classroom? Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow, the famous founders of humanism, would definitely say yes! The question now is how? To answer the question, let me discuss their theories.

 

CARL ROGERS: The Self-Concept

            Rogers (1961) emphasized that human beings are always doing their utmost effort to fulfil their innate capacities and capabilities and to develop into everything that their genetic potential will allow them to become. This striving for fulfilment is called the self-actualization tendency. For an individual to become self-actualize, he or she must develop an image of oneself or the self-concept. The self-concept is based on what people are told by others and how the sense of self is reflected in the words and actions of important people in one’s life, such as parents, siblings, friends, co-workers, and teachers.

            Moreover, there are two important components of the self-concept: the real self and the ideal self.Real self is the person’s actual perception of characteristics, traits and abilities that form the basis of the striving for self-actualization. On the other hand, ideal self is the perception of what one should be or would like to be. It usually comes from those important, significant others in one’s life, more often the parents. Rogers believed that when the real self and the ideal self are very close or similar to each other, people feel competent and capable. However, when there is a mismatch between the real and ideal selves, anxiety and neurotic behaviour can the result. To have these two components match, people need to receiveunconditional positive regard, which is love, warmth, respect and affection without any conditions attached. Applying this in the field of counselling, Roger believed that the counsellor should provide the unconditional positive regard that has been absent from the troubled person’s life. Thus, the approach is nondirective and the person actually does all the real work, whereas, the counsellor acts as a ‘sounding board’.

            Applying Roger’s theory in the classroom, the teacher must guide the students in fulfilling their innate capabilities for them to achieve self-actualization. In addition, the teacher should also assist them in discovering their self-concept. To do this, the teacher must not be controlling and the classroom ambiance should be relaxed. The teacher should also express unconditional positive regard towards the students. Thus, shouting in front of the class, saying inappropriate words while having a class discussion and embarrassing a student in front of his or her classmates are not effective instructional and motivational strategies. Since, this theory emphasized the major role of the counselee rather than the counsellor in solving his or her own problems; I think it also works in the classroom setting. What I am trying to say is that students can also learn in their own way where the teacher would be the facilitator of that learning process. Therefore, ‘spoon-feeding’ is inappropriate way to help students learn and achieve self-actualization.

 

ABRAHAM MASLOW: The Hierarchy of Needs

            Another well known humanistic theorist is Abraham Maslow. Maslow postulated eight different levels of needs in which one cannot advance to the next higher level of needs without fully satisfying the lower level needs (Rathus, 2002). Specifically, these needs are (from lowest to highest level): physiological needs, safety and security, love and belongingness, esteem needs, cognitive needs, aesthetic needs, self-actualization and transcendence. Physiological needs are the basic needs such as food, water, and clothing that are essential for survival. Once these needs are met, safety becomes important and involves feeling secure. Love and belongingness are the needs for friends and companions as well as to be accepted by others, and self-esteem needs pertain to the need to achieve, to be competent, to gain approval and to be recognized. Next, is the cognitive needs that emphasizes the need to know and understand the world that is, of course typical among the students. Above the cognitive needs are the aesthetic needs, which include the need for order and beauty, distinctive to artistic individuals. Once all these needs are met, it is possible to be concerned about self-actualization or the need for personal growth and realization of one’s unique potentials. Lastly, the highest level of need called transcendence refers to the need to help other people achieve self-actualization.

            Maslow’s theory describes how people move up the pyramid as they go through life, gaining wisdom and the knowledge of how to handle many different situations (Maslow, 1987). Basically this theory provided us with a clear understanding about human need and motivation. But like the theory of Rogers, Maslow’s theory can also be applicable in the classroom. This can be used particularly by teachers. It is the responsibility of the teacher to be aware of their students’ nature. Thus, they need to be sensitive of their needs. If the teacher is aware of these, he or she can design lesson plans and use relevant teaching strategies that are appropriate with the learners. It is also important that the teacher must assist the students to discover their potentials and guide them towards self-actualization. I also suggest that the teachers must also enrich the students’ abilities through various activities that will highlight their talents.

 

CONCLUSION

            Carl Rogers’ concept of the self and person-centered approach and Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs are also significant in understanding learning. Likewise, both can also be used and can be integrated with the teaching strategies. An important realization with humanism is putting an importance to the learners – the student. That is guiding them towards achieving one’s full potential or the actual self. Thus, I can say that the greatest impact of this approach to me has been in the development of strategies to promote self-growth and help students to better understand themselves and others as well.

 

REFERENCES

Maslow, A. (1987). Motivation and personality, 3rd Ed. New York: Harper & Row.

Rathus, S. (2002). Psychology in the new millennium. Florida: Harcourt College Publishers.

Rogers, C. (1961). On becoming a person: A therapist’s view of psychotherapy. Boston: Houghton/Mifflin.

UNDERSTANDING INTELLIGENCE: Sternberg, Gardner & Myself

“So, for example, if a child is labelled as having a learning disability,

it has very concrete consequences for the kinds of services

and potentially accommodations that child will get.”

~Robert J. Sternberg, 1997~

 

PROLOGUE

 

            When talking about intelligence, I would always remember my early school days. My first three years in school have been a roller coaster ride. Though I was very young then, the memories still linger on my mind.  Unknowingly, it changed my life forever.

I cannot remember how many times I transferred schools or the number of apartments we rented. One thing that is clear to me is that my parents, despite of my father’s work, wanted us to grow up in a complete and normal family. So every time my father would be assigned somewhere, he would always bring us along. This set up lasted for six years. As I reached first grade, my parents decided to settle finally here in the city. It happened during the middle of the school year. Naturally as an innocent child, I enthusiastically said goodbye to my classmates and friends without knowing what lies ahead specially its effects on my education.

            My mother enrolled me in nearby public school. Unfortunately, I had a difficulty in adjusting with the environment. As a result, I seldom attend class and got very low grades. I think my mother noticed this so by next school year, she enrolled me in a Catholic school. However, they told my mother that I have to repeat preparatory school instead of going to grade two. Before, I am not aware of what really happened. Maybe my grades are really very low that they cannot accept it for a grade two pupil. Nevertheless, unlike the previous school, it was easy for me to adopt and gain new friends. I was not bothered by the fact that I am a repeater. Yes, I am a repeater – technically. I was not fully aware of this until college. Nevertheless, I studied hard. Although, I am not a consistent honor student, I remained in the honor’s class throughout my elementary and high school years. It was during college, while I am on the peak of my academic achievements, that my mother disclosed to me why I was not accepted immediately for grade two. According to my mother, the guidance counsellor told her that I am a ‘slow learner’. It was a poignant scene. I was deeply hurt not for myself but for my mother. What a struggle it must have been for her! Though, in the end, I was grateful for her because she never accepted it as her daughter’s weakness but a challenge to improve my learning process.

Based on my experience, labelling a child or a student with a learning disability would have a great effect not just on the individual’s learning capabilities but also on the person as a whole. What really is intelligence? Should intellectual labelling be used specially by educators and counsellors? Should intelligence solely be based on tests or grades?

DEFINING INTELLIGENCE

            In the prologue, when my mother was told about my ‘learning disability’, she did not accept it. Instead she chose to raise me as any other child would be raised, with very positive results. But, why would the guidance counsellor labelled me as a slow learner? The guidance counsellor might have based his or her assumption about my intelligence on the test that was given to me, but not everyone is in agreement on just what intelligence truly is. Is it practical knowledge? Or is it a score on some test? Many psychologists believed that intelligence is the ability to learn from one’s experiences, acquire knowledge and use resources effectively in adapting to new situations or solving problems (Sternberg & Kaufman, 1998). These are actually the characteristics people need to be able to survive in the society. Today, when talking about one’s intelligence, it is not just about a score or academic achievements. It entails a lot more. To understand this, let me discuss two interesting theories of intelligence and its classroom application.

STERNBERG TRIARCHIC THEORY

            Sternberg (1988) has theorized that there are three kinds of intelligence: analytical, creative, and practical intelligence. Analytical refers to the ability to break problems down into component parts, or analysis, for problem solving. This is the type of intelligence that is measured by intelligence tests and academic achievement tests. Creative intelligence is the ability to deal with new and different concepts and to come up with new ways of solving problems, also known as the divergent thinking. Practical intelligence is the ability to use information to get along in life.

            Applying Sternberg’s theory in the classroom, I can say that students with different triarchic patterns look different in school. The students with high analytical ability will obviously tend to be favoured in conventional schools compared to the other types. How about those students with creative or practical intelligence? As a teacher, I need to be sensitive with their differences. First, I must become familiar with my students’ intelligence type. From there, I can develop teaching plans and strategies that are in line with the type of intelligence they have. I must not concentrate on one type of intelligence only but for all. Furthermore, I must also enrich my student’s strengths without taking for granted their weaknesses. Thus, holistic approach will be useful for me as a teacher.

GARDNER’S MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES

            Gardner (1993) postulated that there are multiple intelligences: Verbal or linguistic, ability to use language; Musical, ability to compose and perform music; Logical or Mathematical, ability to think logically and solve mathematical problems; Visual or Spatial, ability to understand how objects are oriented in space; Movement, ability to control one’s body motions; Interpersonal, sensitivity to others and understanding motivation of others; Intrapersonal, understanding of one’s emotions and how they guide actions; Naturalist, ability to recognize the patterns found in nature; and, Existentialist, ability to see the “big picture” of the human world by asking questions about life, death and the ultimate reality of human existence.

            Gardner’s idea of multiple intelligences is very interesting specially that I am an educator. It emphasized the diversity of intelligence among students. This theory also made me realize that every student has the potential to develop strengths in one or more areas. Therefore, as a teacher, I must use materials that can stimulate a range of intelligences that my students might have. I must encourage my students to use their skills in classroom discussions and in other school activities. Creating an opportunity to enhance their strengths at the same time not ignoring their weaknesses would be my primary concern as their teacher.

CONCLUSION

            In my story, it might be that I am low in terms of analytical intelligence but might be high in creative or practical intelligence.  Or I might have a different type of intelligence during that time. Thus, teachers should also consider this not just in planning learning content but also in assessment.

            My story and the theories of Sternberg and Gardner made me realize that intelligence should not only be about a score in a test. It should not be a basis for us to label anyone. I am thankful to my mother that she never gave up hope on me. If she disclosed it to me earlier, I might not be able to accept and cope with it. But since I learned about it when I was in college, with enough knowledge and understanding, I was able to accept it. I never treated it as a hindrance but a challenge to prove that I can be a better student and person as well.

            As a teacher, I would never label my students the way I was labelled. I am now fully aware that they have their own intelligence. Even if I would have students with learning difficulty, I will never lose my patience like my mother. Instead, I will help them to overcome that difficulty and be a productive individual in our society.

REFERENCES

Gardner, H. (1993). Multiple intelligences: The theory in practice. New York: Basic Books.

Sternberg, R. (1988). The triarchic mind: A new theory of human intelligence. New York: Viking-Penguin.

Sternberg, R. & Kaufman, J. (1998). Human abilities. Annual Review of Psychology, 49, 479-452.