Star Teacher

When a novel is turned into a movie, would you rather read it or just watch the flick? We say, both!

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Coraline Jones (Yes, it’s Coraline and not Caroline as most people often assume) is an adventurous young girl whose parents are too busy for her and whose new apartment complex is filled with nothing but eccentric old people. One day, she discovers a door and a key. Beyond that door is another mother and father who dote on Coraline and indulge her whims. Will Coraline be tempted to stay in the alternate world beyond the door or fight her way back to her real parents? In this modern day Alice in Wonderland, Neil Gaiman creates a dark world reminiscent of those gloomy rainy days.

The movie version of Coraline was created using claymation. The use of claymation allows it to capture many of the eccentricities of the story and the characters while giving it a more realistic, eerie quality. One major change in the story is the addition of Wyborne, a young boy around Coraline’s age who is the grandson of the owner of the apartment complex. The addition of Wyborne gives the story a friendship aspect as Wyborne helps Coraline despite his cowardly tendencies.

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

Flipped illustrates the truth that there are two sides to every story. For Bryce Loski and Julianna Baker, it is something they have yet to figure out. The minute Juli Baker sees Bryce Loski’s blue eyes, she is captivated and convinced that he will be her first kiss. But the sight of Juli Baker makes Bryce Loski want to run and hide. Throughout their childhood, Juli does all the chasing. But in the eighth grade, things happen that change their outlooks in life and their feelings towards the other. Told from two perspectives, Flipped is a story about family, first love, and growing up.

The movie version of Flipped, though mostly faithful to the story, even down to minute details, made one significant change that enhances the overall feel and tone of the novel. Flipped the novel is presumed to be set in the present time or at least after 1980. The movie version however is set in the 50s or 60s. The setting allows the movie to capture the innocence and child-like perspective that the book tries to espouse. This child-like innocence allows the movie to tackle deeper issues such as social inequality, prejudice, and mental disabilities with a lighter tone. Overall, Flipped the movie effectively brings the book alive. Both are worth seeing and appreciating.

How To Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell

On the Isle of Berk, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III is beginning his training to become a full-fledged viking. The only problem is, despite being the son of the Chief, Hiccup is probably the complete opposite of what a viking should be. Each viking in training gets to pick their own dragon and Hiccup ends up with the most useless, selfish, and definitely the smallest dragon, whom he names Toothless. The series follows Hiccup and Toothless on various adventures in which Hiccup surprisingly proves to be the hero despite all odds being against him.

The movie version of How To Train Your Dragon deviates from the books in many aspects. In fact, only the concept of vikings and dragons seems to remain constant. In the movie, Hiccup is still considered the useless son of the Chief, but Toothless is actually a rare and dangerous dragon. Vikings and dragons are enemies and the viking children are trained to defeat dragons. Hiccup is more of an inventor and he creates a machine that eventually ends up injuring Toothless and capturing him. The movie follows Toothless’s recovery and Hiccup’s attempts to train him. The movie has more emotional pull and character development, while the books are more humorous. The movie will make you want to read the books and vice versa.  

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

To Kill A Mockingbird, set in the 1930s, is a story about growing up. The story is told from the perspective of Scout Finch, a six-year-old girl, who lives with her older brother Jem and their widowed father Atticus, a lawyer. The novel actually delves into serious societal issues such as racism and prejudice. It chronicles the children growing up in the town of Maycomb, Alabama. Most of their summer adventures involve the social recluse Boo Radley, who the children find fascinating. Although he never shows himself, he makes his presence known by leaving small tokens for the children. The main conflict in the story occurs when Atticus is tasked to defend Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman. It is during this trying time that Atticus’s moral character is tested and Jem and Scout have to endure taunting and teasing. As the story is told from Scout’s perspective, we see the events unfolding through her innocent eyes.

The movie was made in 1962 and was most definitely a testament to the book. All the characters were acted out well, especially the role of Atticus Finch, played by Gregory Peck who went on to win an Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal. Though the movie is shot in black and white, somehow it lends to the film’s authenticity and the feeling of a sleepy town called Maycomb, Alabama. The movie and book are said to be an autobiography of sorts and Lee’s father served as the inspiration for Atticus Finch. The book and the movie complement each other well, but it’s really the story itself and the values it presents that are worth reading and learning.

What’s in a name? This fun story will teach your students how to love the moniker they were born with.

A little boy feels unhappy about the fact that he has an unusually long name: Gatpuno Ping Emilio Juanito Santiago R. Lakanilaw. Writing down this lengthy name in school always tires him out and lets him miss out on playing with his classmates. When he talks to his mother and admits to being frustrated with his name, she surprises him by explaining the reasons why he got every single one of them. In the end, the little boy learns to appreciate his extraordinary set of names.

IDEAS FOR DISCUSSION:

1. Our Heroes’ Names

As mentioned in the storybook, the term “Gat” once indicated that a person was a hero. Ask your students to research about the meanings of their favorite Philippine heroes’ names and share them in class. Take the lead by discussing these examples:

•  Dr. José Rizal

Our national hero’s full name is José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda. José is a Spanish name derived from the Hebrew name Joseph which means “God will multiply.” His second name Protasio is said to be taken from Saint Protase whose feast day falls on June 19 (Rizal’s birthday). It is Greek in origin, and is defined as “the preferred one.” The surnames Rizal Mercado come from his father’s side (Rizal is from the Spanish word Ricial which means green fields, while Mercado means market—a term that pays tribute to his family’s Chinese merchant roots) whereas Alonso Realonda comes from his mother’s side.

•  General Emilio Aguinaldo

Derived from the Latin name Emil, Emilio is a name that suits the first president of the Philippines because of its meaning: to strive or excel. As a member of the KKK, he strived to free our country from the grips of Spanish colonizers.

•  Gabriela Silang

Maria Josefa Gabriela Cariño Silang was the wife of Diego Silang, the well-known leader of the Ilocano uprising. Her names have deep spiritual weight since they are variants of the names of holy beings Mary (the mother of Jesus) and Gabriel (the archangel who delivered God’s message to Mary). Meanwhile, her second name Josefa is a Hebrew name that stands for “the Lord’s addition.”

2. Naming Practices Around the World

These customs may provide surprising reasons for people’s names.

Africa – Parents believe that the name of a baby can influence the course of his life and his family’s future, that’s why they take many things into consideration before making a choice. Some African babies have two names—one is given as soon as they’re born, and the other is given during a later celebration.

China – It’s no secret that the Chinese give utmost importance to the family unit, making it common practice for the surname to come before an individual’s two-character name. Traditionally, the male members of a generation (siblings and cousins) share the same first character to signify their relations.

France – The French pass on the father’s name to the daughter by simply changing one or two letters to make it sound more feminine.

Hawaii – Hawaiians love giving their children descriptive names based on nature. For example, the first name of actor Keanu Reeves means “cool breeze over mountains.” Names that start with Kelii- (“chief”) or end in -lani (“sky”) could only be used by those with high social standing.

Ireland – Depending on the baby’s gender, the firstborn child adopts the name of the paternal grandfather or maternal grandmother as a way of honoring their elders.

Japan – In some Japanese families, you can tell the chronological order of the boys because their names simply state them. Ichiro means “first son,” Jiro means “second son,” and Saburo means “third son.” Girls, on the other hand, are given more virtuous names such as Akiko (bright child) and Kimiko (noble child).

Sweden – Before the Names Adoption Act was passed in 1901, family names in Sweden were originally patronymic. The most common surname was Johansson, which meant that the person was the son of Johan.

3. Say What?

These lengthy, mind-boggling names will make your students gasp for air while saying them.

•  Kananinoheaokuuhomeopuukaimanaalohilo

This Hawaiian name has got 37 letters to it! Believe it or not, the masculine moniker stands for “the beautiful aroma of my home at sparkling Diamond Hill is carried to the eyes of heaven.”

•  Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateahaumaitawhitiurehaeaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu

A 305-meter hill found in New Zealand, this land formation gained popularity due to its lengthy name that means “the summit where Tamatea, a man with big knees, a climber of mountains, a land-eater who traveled about, played his nose flute to this loved ones.”

• Krung Thep Maha Nakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit

This is the actual name of Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. It roughly translates to “the land of angels, the great city of the Emerald Buddha, the impregnable city of Ayuthaya, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, a happy city abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukarn.” Definitely a mouthful even in English!

4. Name Game

Challenge your class’s vocabulary by doing this short activity.

For the first round, ask your students to describe themselves using the first letter of their names such as Jolly Joanna or Boisterous Beth. Each student should give an adjective that has not been used by his other classmates. Applaud the students who come up with unique and creative descriptions for themselves.

For the tougher second round, make them pair up with their seatmates and come up with fitting adjectives for every letter of their seatmate’s name.

For example:

C – Cute

H – Hardworking

E – Energetic

S – Sincere

K – Kind

A – Animated

Challenge them even further by asking them to come up with adjectives for every letter of their last name as well!

Teach your students about inner beauty with this fun story.

<img class="alignleft alignnone size-full" style="margin: 10px; float: left;" title="No Lipstick for Mother" src="http://www.starteacher.ph/wp-

content/images/2011/02/no-lipstick-for-mother.jpg” alt=”No Lipstick for Mother” width=”180″ height=”232″ />A young girl named Mayang recalls a time when her mother used to wear lipstick—a time when her mother stayed home to tend the house and look after Mayang’s needs while her father plied the roads all day as a hardworking tricycle driver. Back then, her mother was like all the other mothers in their community—she wore colorful dasters and she wore lipstick. But an unfortunate accident takes her father’s life, and to continue Mayang’s education, her mother decides to become a tricycle driver, much to Mayang’s chagrin. She is now ashamed by her mother’s rough and darkened skin, dirty work clothes, stringy hair, and no lipstick. In her young eyes, Mayang worries about what other people will think about her and her tricycle-driving mother. This changes when she finds out that her mother played a key role in keeping a young child from being kidnapped. It took this incident for Mayang to recognize her mother’s true beauty, heroism, and dedication to give Mayang a better life.

Beauty in a Tube

A tube of lipstick is one of the simplest and cheapest cosmetics a woman can use to “feel pretty.” There is a huge range of colors available, from bubble gum pink to earthier tones like brown and plum. For

the more daring, there are shades of blue, black, and bright red. The options don’t stop at color. You can also choose different looks and textures, such as matte, glossy, and shimmery. But what exactly goes into these tubes of prettiness?

Today’s lipsticks are made from a combination of wax, oil, antioxidants, and a coloring agent. The wax and oils give the lipstick its shape, the antioxidants keep it from becoming rancid, and the pigments used give it color. Different cosmetic companies may have different methods of making their versions of lipstick, but these are the essential components.

Here’s how lipsticks are made:

• The components are first melted and heated in separate containers.
• The solvents and oils are combined and pigment is added to the mixture. In order to smooth out the pigment-and-oil mix, it is run through a roller, crushing out any large pieces and removing any grainy bits.
• Once the pigment has been added, this new mixture is combined with the wax. After much mixing and agitation (to remove air bubbles) this final mixture is ready to be poured into molds.
• Lipstick is poured into molds “upside down,” with the tip you would touch to your lips being at bottom of the mold; any excess is scraped off.
• It is then cooled, removed from the molds, passed through a flame to remove any markings from the mold, and then visually inspected for imperfections.
• Finally, the sticks are retracted, capped, and ready to be packaged and labeled!

Walking (or Riding) on the Wild Side­—Let’s Not!

When it comes to road safety, it is never too early to stress its importance both as a pedestrian and as a passenger. Here are some basic guidelines:

When Walking

1. As pedestrians, we should always walk on the sidewalk.
2. In areas where the sidewalk has been taken over by vendors or parked vehicles, or when there isn’t any sidewalk to speak of, walk on the street but stay as close to the side as possible and walk in the direction of incoming traffic.
3. When crossing the street, use the crosswalk or pedestrian lane. Wait for cars to pass, look both ways, and walk briskly across.
4. When crossing busy intersections, use pedestrian walkways. When those aren’t available, cross the street with caution.
5. Do not play on the street or at intersections.

When Riding a Vehicle

1. Wear your seatbelt, especially if you are sitting in front, whether as a passenger or driver. This is mandated by Philippine law (Republic Act No.
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   8750).

2. Also stated in the law, no children under the age of six should be allowed to sit in the front seat.
3. Do not distract the driver.
4. Do not text or call while driving!

Skin Deep

This book is an excellent jump off point for discussing with students the qualities that make people beautiful. It is very easy to focus on a person’s physical beauty (or lack of it). On the other hand, it can be difficult to go beyond the physical to see one’s inner qualities.

1. You can start off by having them think of one person they think is beautiful on the outside (it would be helpful if this person is somebody they know personally). Provide your own example and illustrate the exercise on the board: a smaller circle inside one bigger circle. On the outer circle, make a list of the physical characteristics that make this person beautiful. In the inner circle, write down those qualities you appreciate (honest, good natured, kind, generous, etc).
2. Next, have your students think of somebody they don’t find attractive and do the exercise again. Gently remind them that this exercise is not meant to hurt others by targeting plain or unattractive individuals, but to help them focus on other (better) qualities that make an individual stand out.
3. Finally, do the exercise a third time but this time have them focus on themselves. There is a danger that young children get too caught up on outer beauty, thinking only of themselves as pretty or ugly and neglect to recognize the other qualities that make them special and wonderful individuals.
4. To end the exercise, have them create two cards—one for each of the individuals they focused on. Have them fill in the blank in this sentence: “I think you are beautiful because _________.” Have them list down only the inner qualities. Then with the list they made of their own qualities, they can create a poster. In the middle is the statement, “I am beautiful because ________.” Here they can list both the outer and inner qualities. It is always good to have your own reminder of what makes you beautiful. And you’re never too young to learn to seek the good in everyone!

Get to know Star Teacher’s contributors as they share with you what’s on their bookshelves or night stands

Chinggay Labrador
Hunting and Gathering by Anna Gavalda
Anyone fascinated by the French—their language, history, culture, and cuisine—will want to visit the Paris depicted by French writer Anna Gavalda. Her book, Hunting and Gathering follows Camille, an anorexic artist, as she opens her tiny little world to new experiences, new friendships, and the possibility of new love in all its incarnations.

The introverted characters—Philibert, a bumbling postcard salesman who is heir to a huge family fortune; Franck, an arrogant chef who spends his days worrying over Paulette, his aging grandmother—are as charming as the Paris and the French countryside Gavalda paints. The storyline is quiet, unpretentious, and absolutely real. What’s most French about it is that it does not put on any airs and simply banks on the beauty of day-to-day details. The French title, Ensmeble c’est tout, literally means “Together, is everything.”

The best part of finishing this book is seeing the story come alive in the 2007 film adaptation starring Amelie’s Audrey Tautou.

Steph Esguerra
Kafka On The Shore by Haruki Murakami
Haruki Murakami’s Kafka On The Shore initially struck me as strange and deeply perplexing. The fi rst few scenes send you into an odd world of fantasy: A teenage boy runs away from home to escape a frightening prophecy from being fulfi lled and to search for his long-missing mother and sister. The other protagonist is a dull-witted old man who cannot understand his incapacity for basic activities. A series of unexplained incidents involving fi sh falling from the sky and talking cats start to occur. The two protagonists’ peculiar experiences lead them to one another.

Although the story takes on a fantastic tone, the illustration of the characters’ distinct personalities and inner struggles are so beautifully told that I found myself becoming fond of their quirks. The tale is very unpredictable and will keep you on the edge of your seat with every page.

Marica Lim Llenado
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
One of the best books for children I’ve read is The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. It is a book I picked up for my daughter but it quickly became one of my own favorites. It’s a Christmas story without the overdose of holiday spirit that makes other Christmas stories corny.

The narrator is lying in his bed waiting to hear the sound of Santa’s sleigh bells, a sound his friend said he’d never hear. As he’s lying there, waiting, he hears a different sound—that of the Polar Express pulling up to his house. He climbs on board and he, together with a train full of young children, goes all the way to the North Pole. At the town square, amidst a crowd of eager elves, Santa makes his appearance and chooses from among the children one lucky child to whom he will give the first gift of Christmas. Of course he chooses our narrator! But of all the things he could have asked for, the young boy asks for one of Santa’s sleigh bells.

Once at home, he finds that only he and his sister could hear the tinkling of the bell; his parents thought it was broken! Over the years, he found that all of his friends and even his sister could no longer hear the bell, and only he—and those who truly believed—could still hear its beautiful sound.

Anne Macalino-Santos
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
The first time they meet, Clare is six and Henry is 36. The next time they see each other again and fall in love, Clare is 22 and Henry is 30 and has never met her before. This is an unusual love story between a typical girl and a not so typical boy with a genetic condition called Chronic Displacement Disorder. That is, Henry involuntarily travels back and forth in time.

Author Audrey Niffenegger seamlessly and convincingly tells the story from both Henry’s and Clare’s points of view—the first moving back and forth in time, the latter progressing naturally—without confusing her readers. Witness how Henry and Clare find happiness against their extraordinary circumstance. It is literally a love story that transcends time and space. A testament to comings, goings, and the waiting in between.

While I cannot decide whether the ending is tragic or joyful, I am sure that the story will tug at your heartstrings. It is one of those rare stories you cannot wait to finish and wish would never end.

Bakit Iba-iba ang Kulay ng mga Lahi

(Children of the Sun: Why Different Races Have Different Colors)

This charming tale of how the earth’s first people came to be can open up several enriching discussions on creation and unity in diversity.

Mga Anak Ng Araw weaves the legend of how Bathala created the earth’s first inhabitants, who were given color with Mother Sun’s rays. The story tells how the different races came to be. In the morning, the white people were created, the brown people at noon time, and the black people during the evening. Yet despite their varying skin colors, they remain tied together as brothers and sisters because of their single origin.

IDEAS FOR DISCUSSION:

A. Legends and Creation Stories

What are legends?

Legends are famous myths or stories passed down from earlier times detailing how certain things came into existence.

Creation Stories

Famous stories of creation include Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, which states that the human species originated from a common ancestor. Certain beneficial traits are preserved through time and passed down to the next generation through a process called natural selection. Natural selection refers to how the most successful in adapting to the changing environment survive, thus the phrase, “survival of the fittest.”

One example of a local story on creation is that of “Malakas at Maganda,”which originated from the Visayas region. In the beginning, there were only the seas and the sky. A magnificent bird wished to find land to perch on, and asked help from the gods of the seas and the sky. The two gods ended up arguing over who was more powerful and in the midst of whirlwinds, land was revealed to be underneath the seas. As the battle drew to a close, the bird happened to hear voices from inside bamboos asking him to free them so they could maintain the peace and populate the lands. The bird opened the bamboo which contained the first man and woman.

B. Science of the Sun

The Sun, source of life-giving energy to the planet, also plays a role when it comes to skin color or pigmentation. Three pigment factors contribute to skin color:

a) melanin, dark brown pigment granules found in the epidermal cells
b)melanoid, a dissolved material in the epidermis (outer layer of the skin)
c)carotene, an orange pigment located in the outer layers of the skin

There are different skin colors because of the different amounts of pigment in the skin. Skin color ranges from the lightest (Caucasian), yellow-brown (Chinese, Eskimo, and North American Indian), to the darkest (Negroid).

Generally, people who have descended from a line hailing from tropical regions or those in higher altitudes have darker skin because of greater exposure to ultraviolet light, found in sunlight.

Sunlight’s Ultraviolet B radiation is a primary source of Vitamin D, which is greatly beneficial to one’s health. Some of its benefits include the potential to inhibit the growth of certain cancers.

However, excessive exposure to sunlight can cause certain diseases like skin cancer. Warning signs include brown blemishes on exposed body parts, skin thickening, inflammation and ulceration without healing. The lighter your skin color, the more sensitive you are to sunlight.

C. Sarimanok

The Sarimanok comes from the Itotoro, or legendary bird of the Maranao tribe in Mindanao. It is believed to represent good fortune. The Sarimanok is a chicken-like creature with colorful wings and a long feathered tail, holding a fish in its beak or its talons. (In this story, he is simply known as tigmamanukin, Bathala’s first companion.)

A certain Islamic legend tells how Islam founder, Muhammad, discovered a rooster in the first of the seven heavens. Due to the sheer enormity of the rooster, its head had already reached the second heaven. When it crowed, it awakened every living thing except man. Should the rooster stop crowing, it would signify that Judgment Day has arrived.

D. Is Whiter Really Better?

Stop and think…

• Have you ever counted how many whitening products there are in stores?
• What about print, TV, and billboard ads talking about the benefits of fair skin? l Have you ever wanted your own skin to be lighter?
• Why is our culture so obsessed with being white?
• Do darker-skinned kids in school have derogatory nicknames?
• Are our students learning that having darker skin is bad?

Talk about this with your peers and see what insights they have on the topic.

E. Cultural and Ethnic Diversity

Discuss the reality of diverse nationalities and cultures present in our country, and how there is a need for acceptance and openness to embrace these differences.

Ask your students:

1. What do you think of when you hear the word Muslim? Intsik? Kano? Hapon?
2. Do you think all people of these races are what you think they are?
3. Do you think it’s possible for them to be just like you?
4. Where did your beliefs about them come from?

Teaching your students to be more aware of where their beliefs come from is the first step to critical thinking.

This little book teaches us how we can reach a bright future for our country, ourselves, and our children.

In this age of globalization and mass immigration, being a Filipino is more than just having a birth certificate or a passport that states you are one. Neither is it just placing your hand on your chest as you sing “Lupang Hinirang.” A Filipino is someone who has a genuine concern and respect for the Philippines and his fellow Filipinos.

Living in a third world country like ours, simply being a good citizen can be quite a challenge.

Let it not be said that it’s up to our newly elected president to turn the Philippines around. We cannot—and should not—expect him to single-handedly solve the problems of our country. There are a million problems to be tackled and so much to be done. The good news is that there are over 90 million of us who can help him!

Believing that, “the answer is in us as a people; that hope is in us as a people,” lawyer, columnist, and philanthropist Alexander Lacson wrote the book 12 Little Things Every Filipino Can Do To Help Our Country. It’s funny how his 12 little things are so simple and make so much sense, yet a lot of us still don’t practice them. Here are some ideas from the book:

1. Follow Traffic Rules. As Mr. Lacson puts it, traffic rules are the simplest of our laws. Even a preschooler can understand that red means stop, green means go, and yellow means slow down (not speed up!). If we cannot follow simple traffic rules, what more the important and complicated ones? It’s really just a matter of getting into the habit. Lascon says when it becomes a habit, it becomes a way of life, and then it becomes discipline. We all know that discipline is a basic requirement for achieving one’s goals.
2. When you Buy Something, Always Ask For An Official Receipt. Most products and services we pay for include taxes (Value Added Taxes or VAT)—taxes that need to be remitted to the government. By asking for a receipt, we help build funds for the government and enable vendors to be honest citizens by declaring taxes. The government needs our taxes to fund things like school buildings, salaries of government employees, and more. Never mind the corrupt government officials who do magic tricks with our taxes. Let P-Noy and his executive powers handle that. Let’s do our part and pay our own taxes too!
3. Buy local. Buy Filipino. Do Not Buy Knock-offs Either. I personally believe it is much better to buy a good quality Bench bag vs. a fake Louis Vuitton. A local brand is likely to be more durable than a knock-off and you pay more for the “name” that’s not even real. Buying local means loving your own. For example, if your child or niece joined a bake sale in school along with her classmates, you will surely purchase her product and even encourage others to do so. It’s the same thing. If we buy local, we help local entrepreneurs grow their businesses, thereby helping create jobs and making our economy grow.
4. When you Talk To Foreigners, Speak Positively Of Our Country.  We are all ambassadors of our country, not just the Department of Tourism or Consulates. While admittedly, there is so much to complain about, there is also a lot to be proud of, both the Philippines (beautiful beaches and mountain scenes, local products and produce, affordable RTW, delicious food) and Filipinos (friendly, honest, hospitable). I’m sure you can come up with your own list. Whenever we get the chance to meet foreigners, whether here or abroad, let’s paint a nice, honest picture of our country and our people, to encourage them to visit us and tell other people about us. Who knows? Perhaps it will eventually put the Philippines on their list of top three countries to visit in Asia.
5. Respect Your Traffic Officer, Policeman, Soldier, and Other Public Servants. I know this is hard, especially after hearing stories or actually experiencing when they abuse their power. However, Alex Lacson correctly points out that if we respect people and what they do for a living, they are likely to feel respect for themselves, feel dignified with the jobs they hold, thereby (hopefully), inspiring them to be proud and be good at what they do. Respect is when you treat them right and that includes not bribing them. A bribe, whether accepted or not, is a form of corruption. We complain about corruption, therefore we should not be part of it. This is not to say that we should also turn a blind eye to anything that is not right. Don’t be afraid to get their names and report them. As Rizal once said, “It is enough for good people to do nothing, for evil people to succeed.”
6. Do Not Litter.  Dispose Your Garbage Properly. Even children know that trash should be placed in the trash can. If we threw a candy wrapper out a window, even just once, then we have contributed to the floods that wreak havoc. The devastation brought by Typhoon Ondoy was a wake-up call to all of us. Certainly, we do not want that to happen ever again. Aside from this, Lacson points out that if we dispose of our trash properly, we help save a great amount of government funds that are used to clean up the streets and gutters, and use the savings for more important things.
7. Vote.  It’s One Of The Easiest And Most Powerful Things We Can Do As Filipinos. As John F. Kennedy said, “The people always get the government they deserve.” Don’t let anybody buy your vote nor coerce you into voting for someone you do not believe in. If you do, then you do not have the right to complain about our government. Study your candidates and go for what your conscience dictates. If everyone does the same, then we can really have a government we can believe in, support, and help to make this a better country.
8. Be A Good Example. As Alex Lacson quoted in his book “Sa mata ng bata, ang mali ay nagiging tama (kapag ginagawa ng matanda).” Let’s pave the way to a brighter future for our children by simply being good people. We all know that a good foundation is what will make a person successful in all aspects of his life. If our nation is filled with people with a firm belief of what’s good and what’s right, then our country will be just that—a good and righteous one. When you think about it, it’s really simple. If we do what’s right, we become good individuals. If we all become good individuals, then our nation will be filled with people who only want what’s best for all. If we have a country running with goodness, then it will progress and become a country that we all want to live in.

Words of hope from  President Benigno“Noynoy” C. Aquino, III

Excerpts from his inaugural speech at the Quirino Grandstand last June 30, 2010

• Ang layunin ko sa buhay ay simple lang: maging tapat sa aking mga magulang at sa bayan bilang isang marangal na anak, mabait na kuya, at mabuting mamamayan.
• Kung marami tayong magpapasan ng krus, ay kakayanin natin ito, gaano man kabigat.
• Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap… Ito ang mga prinsipyong tinatayuan at nagsisilbing batayan ng ating administrasyon.
• Palalakasin at palalaguin natin ang bilang ng ating kasundaluhan at kapulisan, hindi para tugunan ang interes ng mga naghahari-harian, ngunit para proteksyunan ang mamamayan.
• Gagawin nating kaaya-aya sa negosyante ang ating bansa. We will cut red tape dramatically and implement stable economic policies. We will level the playing field for investors and make government an enabler, not a hindrance, to business. Sa ganitong paraan lamang natin mapupunan ang kakulangan ng trabaho para sa ating mga mamamayan.
• Ang naniniwala sa people power ay nakatuon sa kapwa at hindi sa sarili.
• Kung kasama ko kayo, maitataguyod natin ang isang bayan kung saan pantay-pantay ang pagkakataon, dahil pantay-pantay nating ginagampanan ang ating mga pananagutan.

Check out what’s on the bookshelf of your Star Teacher staff!

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
by Rick Riordan
I just finished Percy Jackson and the Olympians, the first book in a series by Rick Riordan about an 11-year-old boy who discovers that his father is a Greek god—literally! It’s a smash hit among kids, and has already been turned into a movie that showed recently in the Philippines. That’s probably because it has (or maybe borrowed?) a lot of the elements that made Harry Potter a phenomenon: a hero who doesn’t belong, a funny best friend, a super smart girl to make it a trio, a beloved teacher-figure, mean bullies, a magical school (or in this case, a camp), and a powerful villain whose name should not be said. Despite all the similarities, this book was a good read. It helped me remember how much I loved Greek mythology when I was in school. I was reintroduced to Zeus, Medusa, the Minotaur, and many other characters in the stories I grew up with. I think it’s a good way to get kids interested in mythology, while at the same time enjoying some light weekend reading yourself. —Therese Ng, Editorial Board

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
by Mary Ann Shafer and Annie Barrows
There are so few books that make you want to read them over and over again and want to cry because they’re about to end. This is one of those books. When my cousin lent it to me under the strict conditions that it had to be “light and not full of drama yet still substantial,” she hit the mark. Told through letters, the story pulls you into each character’s unique and very real personality. The first character I fell in love with was Juliet, an author in search of a second book to write at the end of World War 2. She’s funny and totally lovable. When she discovers the island of Guernsey and its strangely-named literary society, her life takes a significant and heartwarming turn—something you will not only share with her, but wish you were experiencing as well. She not only finds a story to write, but she finds her very own happy ending as she leaves her life in London for Guernsey. With an exciting twist at the end, (which made me wish the story wasn’t fiction!) this book has one of the most original, insightful, and fun stories I have read in a long time. And what makes it even more special is that it was written by an aunt-and-niece tandem—which is another heartwarming story in itself. —Ines Bautista Yao, Editor in Chief

I Feel Bad About My Neck (and other thoughts on being a woman)
by Nora Ephron
I’ve always loved the movie When Harry Met Sally, which was written and directed by Nora Ephron. So when I chanced upon a collection of her published essays, I couldn’t wait to go home and read it. I wasn’t disappointed! It felt like reading somebody else’s journal—filled with intimate experiences and unedited thoughts on life, love, and lessons about being a woman. She shares her insights about facing your fears and considering the alternative when you reach a certain age.The book starts off with Nora’s love-hate relationship with her neck. How she absolutely cannot stand it and would rather wear turtleneck sweaters every day. Witty quips like, “Our faces are lies and our necks are the truth” and “That one of my biggest regrets is not spending enough time during Boardmy youth staring lovingly at my neck—and be grateful for it” made me laugh-out-loud at times while reading the book.I especially love her essay “I hate my purse,” which discusses how a messy bag “reflects hopeless disorganization and a chronic inability to throw anything away.” Nora’s dry sense of humor translates well in “What I wish I’d known.” Her well-meaning advice like, “Anything you think is wrong with your body at the age of thirty-five you will be nostalgic for at the age of forty-five,” and “If the shoe doesn’t fit in the store, it’s never going to fit” reflects Nora’s humorous take on what matters in life.I Feel Bad About My Neck is a handy guide to living life to the fullest from a woman who faced life’s difficult and funny truths. —Jenny Inumerable, Art Director

Eat, Pray, Love
by Elizabeth Gilbert
Don’t you wish you can just pack your bags, hop on a plane, and go wherever your heart desires? Well, Elizabeth Gilbert did just that! After coming out of a painful, gut-wrenching divorce and a failed relationship with a man who was not her ex-husband, Elizabeth somehow lost herself. She decided to go first to Italy to indulge in her love of food and the Italian language, then India to learn the art of prayer and meditation, and finally, Indonesia to reconnect with a medicine man she met years ago in Bali, and just maybe, to find love. Through the course of her travels, Elizabeth rediscovers who she is, regains her confidence, and comes out happier, healthier, and stronger. What I love about this book is the simple and honest way it was written, making you feel as if you are having an intimate conversation with a friend over coffee—or better yet, as if you are traveling right along with her. Her words are insightful and relatable, and as you read the book, you’ll surely learn a thing or two about overcoming challenges and finding yourself as well. —Angel Constantino, Features Editor

Learn about the importance of hats and the value of cooperation.

Written and Illustrated by: Jose Miguel Tejido
Published by: Adarna House

Mia finds a strange-looking hat in her lola’s wooden trunk and decides to show it off to her friends in the neighborhood. She shows it to a vendor, a baker, a doctor, a fireman, a police officer, a gardener, and to the kids in the playground. When she asks if they think her hat is pretty, they agree but say it lacks something. They all put different things on top of Mia’s hat until she is balancing several souvenirs on her head. The last thing added to her hat is a kite when all of a sudden, a strong wind blows! Mia’s hat turns into a huge parachute and everyone can see all the amazing things inside it.

Ideas for Discussion

Purposes of Hats

A hat is a cover for the head, can come in any form, and serves many purposes

• Protection or Defense. The most common use of a hat or headgear is protection for the head and eyes. It can protect you from the heat of the sun or from the cold. Baseball players wear caps to keep the sun out of their eyes and chefs have the toque to keep their hair out of their food (and their heads cool in the kitchen). Our neighbors from the Middle East wear turbans to protect them from the wind and sand. Construction workers and firemen wear protective helmets.
• Religious Significance. Jewish men wear a small cloth skull cap called a yarmulke or kippah in synagogues, because they believe the head must be covered in the presence of God. Some wear it at all times. Female Muslims are required to wear a hijab or head scarf because it is considered modest. In the Roman Catholic faith, the cardinals wear the biretta or the red cap, to differentiate them from other priests.
• Symbol of a particular profession. Nurses wear the white nurse’s hat and even cowboys have their very own cowboy hats. They are easily recognized by what hat they wear.

Community Helpers

Take this chance to honor parents or guardians of the children. Research on what they do for a living. Kick-off the discussion by talking about a few jobs or professions and how they help people. Use a variety of jobs as examples, not just the popular ones, so the children know that all kinds of jobs are important. You goal is to communicate that any job is useful to the community in one way or another. Then ask the children to talk about their own parents and share the ways their parents help other people. You may opt to make this an essay writing exercise.

• Show and Tell Day. Ask the children what they want to be when they grow-up and how they plan to be of help to others when the day comes. Ask them to bring a photo of what or who they want to be and maybe even bring gadgets, tools, or uniforms that represent these people.
• Help Others Day. Ask the children if they can share a story where someone helped them with something and how they felt about it. Then encourage them to look for opportunities to help someone in school, at least once, like carrying a teacher’s things or helping a classmate pack away his materials. Then share with the class who they helped, what they did, and how they feel about it.

Working Together

The objective of these games is to communicate that in achieving a goal, we and the people around us have a role to play. Working together is very important and it can actually be fun, too!

• Relay. Divide the class into four groups. Provide each child with a spoon and each group a ball (tablespoons and a pingpong ball are recommended). Line up the players of each group. With the handle of the spoon in his mouth, the player must pass the ball to another player using the spoon, without touching the ball with his hands. First team to pass the ball to the last player without dropping it, wins.
• Paint A Picture. Divide the class into groups of 10 or more. Have a list of scenes and let each group create each scenario using just themselves as actors and props. Example: Paint a picture of a wedding. Each group has to decide who will be the bride and groom, priest, entourage, even inanimate objects like the crucifix, altar, etc. Give them two minutes to discuss, create the scene, and then freeze the scene when the time is up. Best “picture” wins. (Other ideas: Paint a picture of a fiesta, baptism, or birthday party.)
• Bridge. Divide the class into four groups. Provide each group with one newspaper spread. Each group should have a point A and a point B—both points having ample distance from each other (six feet would be ideal). Using only the newspaper, the objective is to have all players of each group get from point A to point B, without their feet touching the ground.

Parachutes

Give your students the lowdown on this interesting device.

• What is a parachute? A parachute is a device that is designed to slow descent by providing drag, causing the falling object (or body) to slow down. The word “parachute” comes from the French words: para (protect or shield) and chute (the fall), so it literally means fall protection.
• What is a parachute used for? DuringWorld War I, parachutes where used as escape devices for observation balloon controllers. Due to military needs, it was quickly adopted by different countries as an escape device for pilots and soldiers onboard or to deploy soldiers. Nowadays, parachutes are used not only for military purposes, but also to shorten the landing of aircrafts, to soften landings on celestial bodies, or for the simple hobby of parachuting.

Did You Know?

• One of the first hats to be depicted was found in a tomb painting at Thebes and shows a man wearing a coolie-style straw hat.
• The first known written account of a parachute is found in Leonardo Da Vinci’s notebook, dating late 14th century. It was a sketch showing a mechanism made of cloth material pulled tightly over a pyramid-shaped structure. Although Da Vinci never made the device, he is given credit for the concept of lowering a man to earth safely using something to allow gradual deceleration.

Teach your students to accept and love their peers despite having different faiths.

WRITTEN BY: Mary Ann Ordinario-Floresta
ILLUSTRATED BY: Joanne de Leon
PUBLISHED BY: ABC Educational Development Center (with English and Tagalog text)

This story tells of an enduring yet unlikely friendship between two girls who are compatible in every way, save for one difference: the narrator is Christian and her friend, Jamella, is Muslim. Their friendship begins in their childhood when Jamella is assigned the seat next to the main character. They become fast friends and enjoy learning and teaching each other about their respective cultures and faiths. Theirs is a friendship that sees them through college in different cities, careers, and families. It shows that people can have strong friendships that last a lifetime despite differing faiths.

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When you’re in the mood for a story to tug at your heart strings and give you perspective, pick up a novel by Mitch Albom.

Tuesdays with Morrie

A true story based on Mitch Albom’s visits to his favorite professor, Morrie Schwartz, who had ASL (Lou Gehrig’s disease). Mitch, highly driven by his job as a sports journalist, had hardly enough time for anything else. What is supposed to be a visit or two turns out to be a deeply spiritual pilgrimage as Morrie softens Mitch’s heart to the life lessons only a true teacher could impart to his student. Over the course of their lessons, and as Morrie’s illness slowly worsens, Mitch realizes the value of healthy relationships over a successful career.

Life Lesson: This book is a reminder to take a breather from the hustle and bustle of life. We all want to be successful; however, Morrie shows us that professional success does not equate to success as a human being.

Quotable Quote: “The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love… and to let it come in.”

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