A Speaking Engagement In My Son’s Preschool

May I assume, that perhaps it is my son’s gift of gab, wit and verbal skills that reflected on me.

My son’s preschool invited me, to speak to parents and guests of the entire school for the school’s closing ceremony,
while I myself was wondering, if I could still speak to a crowd.

Presently, the avid listeners I could confidently hold as avid fans, are but two people, a five-year old and a grown up.

So my husband and my child could not count as listeners, for they have unwillingly agreed,
I am The Speaker of The House.

The last time I faced an audience, was when I was appointed emcee for my previous company’s christmas event.
(that or no christmas bonus.)

Or that the large audience I have last addressed to, was a class limited to thirty students.
( a requirement for a communications-3 class, in college.)

And it was but eons ago, when both my parents were in attendance and listened to me speak. ( an oratorical contest back in highschool.)

My audience: children, parents and grandparents.

” It is because education is a legacy of a generation.”

It is my love for my son that made me speak at Phil-Am Life Auditorium in front of about two hundred people, I guess.

( a mother’s love would have been an apt title.)

I surprised even myself, as ad-libs, came out naturally
and many of my words, were not from the original piece I wrote.

And I even omitted two words, ” and choosing “ from the sentence :

” Therefore, I thank all the teachers for teaching (and choosing ) a career in teaching …”

And while listening to my speech, it came out all differently.

It made me really laugh hard, for I did not even notice it, till after watching the video posted on facebook.

( Thank you Marlon Bondoc for the vid. )

I stand corrected dear audience. 🙂

But I stand proud as Rafa’s Mom, always.

For METAMORPHOSIS 2013

by Pier Angeli Ang Sen

Good morning to all of us here and congratulations.

Congratulations, to the children, for having accomplished, a school year of learning, through a remarkable pre-school experience.

– to Mommy Emi, to all the teachers and the staff of the school, for the hard work and dedication, in providing our children, the teaching expertise and developmental activities, that we parents, cannot fulfill at home.

– and of course, to the parents like myself, for having given, all the love and support, to our children, who at these impressionable ages, need them, the most.

This morning, may I quote Isaac Newton, when he said,

“If I have seen further, it is only by standing on the shoulders of Giants.”

Just as he had attributed his successes to past thinkers, us, parents, on the other hand, we want the best for our children. We want them to be, on a vantage point – with the upper hand.

We want them, to have the best of what life has to offer, that perhaps in our own childhood, we might have missed and have not experienced. We want them to expand their viewpoints and broaden their horizons.

THEREFORE, WE WANT OUR CHILDREN, TO STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS.

So that even as SMALL children, they may see more, learn more and experience more, of everything that there is to life.

We want them to show up for life, knowledgeable, well equipped and confident in every aspect.

SO, with that in mind, my husband and I, spoke of, having to enroll our child in a good preschool.

But of course it was only when we were at it, that we realized that the hopes, for the best preschool, proved to be as challenging if not taxing, as that of applying for the university or choosing a career path.

Pre-school will be crucial for our child, since it would be one, of his first experiences with school. It is more significant than investing on something, like buying a house or a car.

It is an investment that would directly affect our child’s perception of school.

” Mahirap pala. “

And I am sure many of you parents, here, were just like my husband and I when we were scouting for a school, for our child.

” Nag google, nag internet, nag search ng blog.”
” Kung sinu-sino na ang aming napagtanungan. “

We have asked family, friends , acquaintances even friends of relatives and family. We asked around and walked into several schools, as we sought for high recommendations.

Even my wallpost on a popular social network would read as ,

” Can anyone please recommend a good pre-school somewhere in this so and so , area. “

You see, my son learning his Abcs and his 123s, were not necessarily primary objectives, we wanted for him.

But then again, we ALSO wanted a school, that will provide him structure and organization at the same time.

We wanted him to read and write, not because he was forced to, or that I have coerced him, because other kids could already do so.

But we just wanted him to love and enjoy going to school, for we know, eventually, everything else will follow.

So we found ourselves one day at MSS , sitting in front of Teacher Heidy, anxious and hopeful, while partially enumerating, what my husband and I had in mind for our son, which were:

First, we wanted our child, to love going to school.

Second, we wanted him to look forward to seeing his teachers everyday.

Third, we wanted him to enjoy being with his classmates.

Fourth, we wanted him to miss school, when he is away from it.

And lastly, we wanted him to learn how to read and of course write, English and Chinese.

At the end of this school year, our expectations were in fact, met.

As we saw in his worksheets, he could now read and write a few words in English
and some characters in Chinese.

He knows his consonants and vowels enough to have known
the usage of ” A ” and ” An “
He could now figure out ” opposites “
He now knows how to add and subtract.

Moreover, his out-of-the-classroom experiences had enriched him greatly.

( – from having ridden a fire truck, an ambulance
and then riding the jeepney with his classmates,
to buying and selling in a mercato. )

He enjoyed school.

We know he did, as proven with that time after, the school brought them to a popular fast food chain.

He of course ranted about how big the fridge was,
how he made a sandwich and how he was able to place his orders, with the order takers of Jollibee.

He was, I guess pleased with himself, for having imparted to me and my husband, information that us his parents, know little of.

My husband and I of course, have not gone beyond the dining area of jollibee.

Unlike my son, who now has a better understanding on how the chicken and fries looked like, when they were not served yet.

These are experiences, which my husband and I, could not provide for our son.

And we thank the school for having given those to our child.

The school was able to feed his curiosity using the right tools, that would prepare him for the big school and life in general.

Oh, but of course, my son is as playful as he was before , for he still roams around the classroom like he was just playing around.

But I thank the teachers and staff of the school, for their patience,
and the discipline, that they have infused in my son.

They were able to instill structure and organization in my child’s play.

In his play, he was learning.

Thank you Teacher Coco, Teacher Gelaine, Laoshi Mimi and Yaya Vicky.

n perch upon.

And someday when they will become giants themselves,
they will thank us, for the patience and sacrifices we have made, for all of them.

Thank you everyone, and a good day.