Missing A-Day

one of the things that i will surely miss as a former teacher in xavier school is the appreciation day. known to most as a-day, this is the time of the year when the boys of xavier high pull out something really spectacular for their 'chers. well, it's not hard to love and appreciate xavier students despite all their antics in the classroom. but a-day is that time when students take the extra mile to show how much they appreciate our work and person in school.

here's a trip down memory lane to the three a-days that i experienced in xavier school.

my very first a-day was quite special. more than the ateneo blue eagles winning their first of four straight uaap basketball championships the night before a-day, it was the first time i experienced such a celebration for teachers. the "vacation" concept was quite creative and cute: i came to school with the boys taking me to the "airport" (the lobby converted as such, with the elevator turned into a plane). a student of mine was the flight attendant and provided some "unexpected turbulence" by rocking the elevator! at the third floor, a bunch of students composed of the class presidents of each class gave a flower necklace to the teachers and staff. but what caught my attention was the gift they gave to us: a clipboard (which i still use until now) with some small notebook containing messages from students! awww, it was so cheesy! i was reading the notes from the boys and i was amused with their comments ranging from "sorry cher for being noisy and inattentive in class" and "thanks for being the best angas CLE teacher."

my second a-day was spent with one of the memorable classes i handled, h1a. they are memorable because they are a rowdy bunch of students but they changed for the better by the end of the year. the celebration may not be as memorable as the first year (the concept unfortunately escapes my memory while writing this entry), but the gift i got that year - a tumbler with my name - is something that i use in the seminary until this very day. of course, i still kept the small notebook of cheesy notes from my students. hahahaha!

my last a-day was ironically my first as a class adviser. a few days before a-day, i was not in good terms with my class due to their behavior in the classroom. other sections actually invited me to join their a-day celebration instead. but my class pulled quite a surprise: they had this cake with the words inscribed "we're sorry mr. crisostomo, happy a-day!" it had to be the most touching gift i ever received as a xavier teacher. hahaha! they also had a short video presentation for the teachers of their section.


the video used to be in youtube, but since i can't find it, i just posted the last part. you just have to tilt your head a bit though. hahahaha!

this year, i got the annual a-day pin courtesy of dandi who gave it to me during our invitational dinner last week. i guess the pin's caption says it all: i transform lives daily. i am a teacher. though i'm now at the other side of the classroom as a student, my experience as a teacher is something that i will always cherish and remember. and of course, as a priest someday, it is part of our ministry not just to teach people but to ignite the light of the people's faith and let it shine to the rest of the world.

on a final note, i was tagged by one of this videos by my former students. interestingly, they were the first batch of students i taught in xavier. they are now in their final year in high school. time flies fast!



happy appreciation day! LUCEAT LUX!