I am not that political, but the University has taught me not to be apathetic, especially in campus issues. I don’t post anything political in this blog, nor do I write anything political, so in this post I humbly ask your patience if ever my political views are incoherent or incorrect.
A few weeks ago rumors have started to swarm the campus that by next semester, the large class policy will be implemented on all RGEP courses (History, Psychology, Philosophy, College Writing, College English, Speech Communication, among other subjects related to the Humanities and the Social Sciences). If my facts serve me right, the policy states that every class must have at least 160 students all flocked in a single class. Imagine a school of sardines all packed in a single can.
Taking Math11
I took Math11 (College Algebra) when I was a freshman, and though I very much welcome my weakness in Mathematics, I have to admit that its being a large class also was a factor with my performance. The usual joke back then is when my classmates would ask my class standing, I tell them nakaupo na nga ang class standing ko eh, which is way below the passing grade.
Math11 is a three-unit course: a one-hour lecture twice a week and a one-hour recitation class once a week. One of my biggest problems is my lecture class (and, let my problems in that semester be in a pie chart, three-fourths of it I shall label Math11), especially my professor, since he skims his Powerpoint slides and assume that every goddamn student in the lecture hall knows what he’s talking about. He used to say, “oh, you guys know this way back in High School” as if everyone of us came straight from a Science High School. We used to discuss two to three topics in forty-five minutes; when we’re lucky he would solve two hardcore problems on the whiteboard–students at the farthest corners of the classroom couldn’t see his solutions.
So every time I go to that lecture hall, when I was a freshman, I know I’m failing. I’m still listening, still writing notes as prolific as with my other subjects, but I think no matter how thick your notes are in Math, it’s useless if you don’t understand the basics. I drag my feet to that subject (sometimes I skip the class, especially after knowing my class standing). Every time I receive my quizzes, it’s a zero. I don’t even understand factoring, dammit.
I asked help from my blockmate who’s performing very well in the subject, but she’s not that much of an effective tutor, though I appreciated her effort. She says “factor this then solve this” like it’s the most natural thing to do. I texted another tutor, a Civil Engineering freshman, but it turns out that he’s quite of a nutcrack (no offense to him, but we argued about the simplest things in life–heck, we didn’t even meet once).
In the recitation class my professor has this penchant for filling the blackboard with solutions. We spend two yellow pads for forty-five minutes, all of those are solutions, solutions, solutions. In the last few months my blockmate and I just stare at the blank yellow pad paper; you’re supposed to know what you did in the lecture class, because in the recitation class we only do exercises.
It’s hopeless, I used to say with a sigh. It’s a painful thing to know that my parents would know about my 5.0 at my first semester in UP (though again, my parents understand–especially my Dad; he got a 3.0 in his Math11 in Diliman).
In a large lecture class, I couldn’t ask questions. When my lecture professor would ask us if we have any questions, I’m sometimes tempted to raise my hand, but the mere imagination of all those 160 students looking at me and asking for a handicapped explanation is very embarrassing.
Half of the class failed the class (as what I’ve heard), including me. My professor’s name became known out of that incident; his name is just so notorious when someone asks me about my professor in Math11 they’d say, kaya naman pala.
I took Math11 again after three semesters out of fear of going back to the perimeters of Math building (until now I hate going there). I passed it because the finals exam (of course I wasn’t exempted) was almost exactly the same with the Pre-Finals. I got a grade of 3.0.
What I think
Large classes can be a very practical way of cost-cutting, but the fact that ever since our batch came it had a 300% increase, why cost-cut? Is the Tuition and Other Fee Increase not enough to cater both quality education and buying new facilities, renovating buildings?
I am after the implementation of large classes in Humanities and Social Science subjects, considering the nature of these subjects, which needs a student-professor interaction, and not just mere spoonfeeding of lessons and handouts. Science and Math subjects are a different case, I think (though there should be a small class for mathematically-challenged, like a special class or something; just kidding). Imagine Speech Communication in a large-class setting; how could a student, god bless him, deliver a speech in front of 160 students when he couldn’t even deliver it with 30 students? (Though rumors say that there will be recitation classes, the same process with Math and Science subjects.) Same goes with all the other subjects.
Also, the junior faculty of both Department of Humanities and Department of Social Sciences will be wiped-out since, to put it simply, only the senior faculty will remain to teach the large classes. It’s probably out of sympathy that I detest this part since my Psychology professor has been having qualms about it for the past few weeks. Sadly, I have to say she’s one of my most effective and competent professors ever (the entire class would have to agree with that, I’m betting my laptop about this).
When I was a freshman I watched Isko’t Iska, a play-slash-musical which demonstrates what it’s like in the university, like a play to give way and welcome the new batch. One of their songs has the lyrics “conducive to learning, U P L B.” For the next set of freshmen, if ever the large class policy will be implemented, I don’t think the lyrics would still fit in their condition.
I’m very much disappointed that some of my classmates, especially my Communication Arts batchmates, are not that sympathetic with these affairs (though I know they do have their personal reasons). They refuse to go to the rallies and fight for the remaining threads of quality education in the University. Think of the next batches; the tuition fee increase happened four years ago, yes, but we should not let this happen.
LARGE CLASS POLICY, IBASURA!
This entry was written by , posted on January 29, 2010 at 3:30 pm, filed under Baaaack then, Life at UPLB, Opinion and tagged Algebra, Communication Arts, Humanities, Isko't Iska, Math11, No to Large Class Policy, professor, RGEP, Social Sciences, UPLB. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
IT’S OFFICIAL!
My sembreak started yesterday (yes, just yesterday, thanks to my Accounting exam) and I went to the mall with a bunch of High School friends. Oh, the feeling of not having any academic-related qualms and problems. It’s just ecstatic and addictive. I got myself a new haircut (as usual, the spiky one), bought four books (all worth a hundred pesos) and watched Kulam.
Movie review: Kulam
You probably know me as Americanized in terms of film-watching but since I adhere towards the concept of democracy (wherein the majority’s choice shall be followed), I had to watch Kulam. Or rather, I forced myself to watch it. After I had seen Judy Ann Santos at the movie poster while we were filing ourselves to buy movie tickets, I cringe at the thought. I rarely watch mainstream Filipino movies because of hypocrite-sounding reasons. But the movie’s not really bad after all.
*lits up his third Dunhill Frost cigarette, and I’m really sorry for myself for acquiring another nicotine rush after two months of nicotine cleansing*
It’s a good film to watch. Though you might end up wondering why it’s entitled “Kulam” since it only exhibited a tad of witchcraft in the plot, it nevertheless did not affect the film’s impact on me. Uhh, let me see. The acting’s not really convincing especially with the blind child–her eyes actually flicker twice in the entire movie. At some scenes, the child even had the COURAGE to even hold a Handycam and get videos of her mother (Judy Ann)! The video’s even properly set and focused! How’s that for being blind!?
As usual, the computer-generated graphics isn’t really that good but it wouldn’t make any difference in terms of the movie’s substance.
The plot is definitely two thumbs up. The storyline’s the factor that made the entire thing a horror movie. It’s thought-provoking, something that would confuse you at first but after adding up the right story shards you’ll get the picture. It diverts itself away from the usual horror movies which was entirely predictable.
The movie’s shocking in some ways. Though I’m rarely absorbent (?) when it comes to horror movies (all of my friends felt like cheated when I told them I didn’t enjoy the movie as “horror” since I didn’t even budge while watching it), it’s nice to know that Filipino filmmakers are doing a great job to elevate its already-deteriorating status.
My best friend was ultimately scared. She only managed to watch 35 percent of the film (according to her estimate; I think it’s 40) since she’s always closing her eyes. I told her to fight her fears but she just can’t, she really can’t.
After the movie I bought lettuce and hearts of romaine for the next day’s grilling sessions with Dad.
Wishlist this sembreak
That’s it. I think I’ll be posting something geeky (i.e., a book review) tomorrow. I’m also planning to do something similar with that of Shari’s 24-hour-readathon. But I’m still thinking about it. And I’m working on another fiction about drugs and everything.
This entry was written by , posted on October 22, 2008 at 7:45 pm, filed under Films, Slang and random and tagged Accounting exam, Americanized, Cinemax, Dennis Trillo, HBO, Judy Ann Santos, Kulam, Star Movies, UPLB. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
Who wouldn’t be drooling over the idea of going to some stage, any stage, and receive applause with the job you’re doing? Who wouldn’t be drooling over the idea of the mere action of thanking everybody for the appreciation and the acclaims?
Of course it must have felt good.
Of course I should have gotten another cellphone. That I should have at least voted is my greatest mistake; that I should have at least thought of my number, 2093, as one of the hundreds of slips of paper inside the fishbowl, waiting to be caught.
All I thought, history could repeat itself.
I actually brought (and this is unintentional) the same cellphone unit I had brought with me at last year’s Philippine Blog Awards. I was also situated right next, if not near, to Billycoy, which was the same guy I am sitting right next to during PBA 07.
But it must be bad luck to walk from Mall of Asia to One Esplanade just because some dickhead by the name of Rens to go to MOA. Of course I asked the driver, the ever-attentive taxi driver, if he could bring me at some place called One Esplanade, and he nodded several times. Yes sir, he probably said.
Maybe things conspire against you in its most unexpected. Right after I paid the taxi driver and just a couple of minutes after I slammed the cab’s door, found myself in front of some chicken restaurant and went to the sidewalk, I found my way to a security guard or anyone - just anyone who has this impeccable credibility with regard to directions. At that time, Ian sent a text message saying that “a cab would be great since One Esplanade’s quite far from Mall of Asia.”
I darted my eyes towards the bay and sifted the buildings until there stood One Esplanade, twice the distance of what I usually walk during Thursday classes here at UPLB (man, it was faaaaaar). It was outrageously far that I blamed both the taxi and the dickhead for this well-deserved walk I had to traverse besides the fact that I came all the way to Bulacan and that I am late (this is yet to become my personal trademark, being late). I did not enjoy the abandoned then-Manila Bay savannahs. I did not enjoy my being confident about my knowledge with the venue; that I should have at least looked at the map the organizers have provided carefully.
But behind my personal disappointments with the taxi driver and the cellphone raffle, I would still call this year’s Philippine Blog Awards as better: better and well-planned (and Shari suddenly wondered why I even thought it was well-planned).
By the way, the breaded porkchop wrapped in fried wonton was - in every sense of the word - delicious.
Also, I would like to congratulate Benj for bagging this year’s Personal Blog Award (all hail!). And of course, THE Mr. Gibbs Cadiz for bagging this year’s best Arts & Culture Blog Award and for finally meeting him!
For the company: Aaron, Ian, Ferbert, Alan, Micamyx, Poyt, Jeff, Mariano and Xienah.
And, by the waaaay, I’m so much into Lostphotograph, Octwelve and Dino Latoga’s Una theme (and I’m tempted to download it and install in here - but NOT, since I’m still digging Derek Punsalan’s masterpiece).
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When I was on my way home, I suddenly thought of changing URLs. I don’t smoke anymore (two weeks and counting). Heck, how many times have I been telling myself to stop smoking but after three weeks or so, I’d still do it. But I think this one’s permanent.
This entry was written by , posted on September 25, 2008 at 9:12 pm, filed under Events, IRLs, Stress ball narratives and tagged Bulacan, Mall of Asia, One Esplanade, Pasig City, PBA, Philippine Blog Awards, smoking, UPLB. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.