Graduation prep...

                                                   
Our graduation songs will be accompanied by the Taytay Banda Dos. Banda DOS won the first Prize of the much coveted Balik-Banda National Contest held at Luneta National Park in 1980 conducted by Maestro Fred Villanueva Sr. Pictures taken between 1950-1960's used through the courtesy of Bandmember Mr. Juanito Atanacio.


This is the busiest period for the grade six teachers because of the preparation for the graduation of the pupils. Aside from the graduation practice, we will also be having our field day: there will be folk dance and rhythmic exercises demonstration for all the grade levels.

As the Music teacher, I will be responsible for teaching almost 300 pupils the graduation songs. I am doing it little by little, section by section because I find it difficult to teach songs on the whole grade level. It's chaotic!

One reason is that I do not have the holding power that the former master teacher for music had. The retired master teacher who handled the last year’s teaching and practice could silence the more than 300 pupils (we had less enrollees this year) just by looking at them, and if that did not work, she could shout them to silence. I was amazed by her because she was a petit lady yet she could control even the burliest lad in grade six.

Two, I can not sing. To tell the truth, I’d rather play guitar than sing. To compensate for my lack of singing talent, I use music notation software to teach songs so that I do not have to sing every time. Also, at least even though I do it section by section, there is consistency rather than have me singing the melody every time which could get a little confusing because most of the time my tune or pitch is not standard or my melody and rhythm varies--couldn't sing for heaven's sake.

Three, it is difficult to be heard by fifty pupils how much more about 300 pupils. Anyway, this is my first year teaching songs to them maybe next year I will have the holding power that the senior teachers have.

Our graduation songs will be, following the school’s tradition since time immemorial according to senior teachers, accompanied by the Taytay Banda Dos.

Graduation is scheduled on March 28 according to the principal.