Is it a hoax or truth: The Earth Will Experience 6 Days of Total Darkness in December 2014!

NASA, in a website, http://huzlers.com/nasa-confirms-earth-will-experience-6-days-total-darkness-December-2014/, reported that the earth would be experiencing darkness in December 2014. Whether there is truth to this, the 6 days are yet to come.

Here is the report:

NASA has confirmed that the Earth will experience 6 days of almost complete darkness and will happen from the dates Tuesday the 16 – Monday the 22 in December. The world will remain, during these three days, without sunlight due to a solar storm, which will cause dust and space debris to become plentiful and thus, block 90% sunlight.

This is the head of NASA Charles Bolden who made the announcement and asked everyone to remain calm. This will be the product of a solar storm, the largest in the last 250 years for a period of 216 hours total. Reporters interviewed a few people to hear what they had to say about the situation with Michael Hearns responding “We gonna be purgin my n*gga, six days of darkness means six days of turnin up fam”.

Despite the six days of darkness soon to come, officials say that the earth will not experience any major problems, since six days of darkness is nowhere near enough to cause major damage to anything. “We will solely rely on artificial light for the six days, which is not a problem at all”, says NASA scientist Earl Godoy. Visit our website daily for more shocking news!

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The First Local Elections in the Philippines

Did you know that . . . .

The first local elections in the Philippines under the American occupation held for provincial and municipal posts was held on May 7, 1899 in Baliuag, Bulacan.  This was conducted under the supervision of US General Henry W. Lawton.

Gen. Lawton (March 17, 1843 - December 19, 1899) was the son of George W. Lawton of Maumee, Ohio.  He was a highly respected United State Army General who served with distinction in the Spanish- American war, however, records revealed that he was the only US general officer who was killed during the Philippine -American War.

The Province of Albay

Albay, Philippines, about 538 kilometers southeast of Manila, is one of the provinces in the Bicol Region that is rich in natural resources, and is home to the spectacular Mayon Volcano. Its capital is Legazpi City and the province is bounded by the provinces of Camarines Sur to the north and Sorsogon to the south. Also to the northeast is Lagunoy Gulf. Albay also takes pride of the beauty of its natures where one could appreciate the scenic of the clear waterfalls, meandering rivers, spectacular ancient cave network and lush underwater world.

Albay has an approximate land area of 2,552.6 square kilometers, which makes it the 26th smallest province in the Philippines. It has four main islands and these are: Rapu-Rapu and Batan, both of the municipality of Rapu-Rapu; Cagraray of the municipality of Bacacay, however, with small area as part of Malilipot, and San Miguel, of Tabaco City. Lagunoy Gulf borders the province to the northeast, separating it from the province of Catanduanes.

The province is comprised of the three cities and fifteen municipalities, first congressional district: municipalities of Tiwi, Malinao, Malilipot, Bacacay, Sto. Domingo, and the City of Tabaco; second congressional district: municipalities of Rapu-Rapu, Daraga, Camalig, Manito, and Legazpi City; third congressional district: municipalities of Guinobatan, Jovellar, Libon, Oas, Pio Duran, Polangui, and Ligao City.

Languages

The people of Albay are called Albayanos. Bicol is the primary language they speak. However, almost all of the municipalities have their own dialects. These are the Bicolano Viejo, Legazpeño, Daragueño, or Albayanon, Polangueño, Oasnon and others. Mostly of the dialects spoken in the coastal areas in Albay are similar to that spoken in Camarines Sur. Majority of the inhabitants also understand Tagalog and English.

History

Long before westerners arrived at the region, the Bicolanos (the people) already has the culture of their own. The Bicol Region was known as Ibalon, which some writers claimed to have been named possibly after their chieftain-DATU GAT ABAAL, who ruled the inhabited territories from his seat of power at Sawangan on the mouth of Makabalo River, when Juan de Salcedo and his soldiers explored it in 1573. Sawangan, a small settlement by a mangrove swamp, became a town called Albaybay in 1616. The town was first renamed Albay, then Legazpi, as Albay went on to refer to the province.

In 1846, the three islands of Masbate, Ticao, and Burias were separated from Albay. The islands were separated to form the comandancia of Masbate. Albay was then divided into four districts: Iraya, Cordillera or Tobaco, Sorsogon, and Catanduanes. In 1894 and in 1945, Sorsogon and Catanduanes, respectively, were separated from Albay and became separate and independent provinces. The province of Albay was created on March 10, 1917.

In 1570, Spain Christianized the Ibalon locals. The Christianization took place when the group of Legazpi Urdaneta expeditionary force headed by Augustinian friars Fr. Alonzo Jimenez and Fr. Juan Orca landed at the southwestern coast of the western peninsula. The group named the southern part of the place as “TIERRA DE IBALON” and the northern part, “TIERRA DE CAMARINES”.

In 1663, Spanish authorities issued as decree renaming Partido de Ibalon, which comprises the eastern part of the peninsula, as Albay.

Sorsogon used to be part of Albay. However, in 1894, by virtue of a decree, Sorsogon became a province.While Sorsogon was created a separate province, Masbate, in 1908, by virtue of an executive order was made a sub-province of Albay by the American Civil Government. It was October 26, 1945 that Masbate became an independent province by virtue of Commonwealth Act No. 687.

Economy

Agriculture is the main industry in Albay. Albay’s main agricultural products are coconut, rice, sugar, and abacá. Handicraft is one of the major sources of income of families in the rural areas. Other sources of livelihood in Albay are the forestry, papermaking, manufacturing of abacá products such as hats, wall decors, bags, mats, and slippers, and fishing for those residing along the coastal areas. The presence of Mayon Volcano draws income for Albay. Because of Mayon Volcano, particularly during its eruption, more tourists visited the province, thereby creating business opportunities to the residents.

Albay has its sea and air ports which give additional income to the government and to its people. The sea ports are the Tabaco City International, Legazpi City National, Pio Duran Provincial, and the Pantao Regional Port. For its airport, it is only in Legazpi City where domestic planes land. Legazpi domestic airport serves as Bicol's gateway to Manila and the Visayas.

Collaborating with Multicultural Students and their Family

Since parenting is imperative in molding the personality of the children, then it would be of good idea to engage families in children's learning in school. The schools, at the same time, must develop and guide children in a manner compatible with local approaches to parental and school authority relations. In addition thereto, school curriculum should, in a way, geared towards local knowledge and ways of learning. This is because each locality has its own diversity and culture to be adopted. A general approach on curriculum may not be effective as it may not be suitable in one locality. Curriculum must be locally based approach in order to lessen different types of diversities.

It is a great challenge if collaboration is done among students, their educators and their families. Let us take note that many students, particularly those young adults discourage parents from personal involvement in school as they would rather show to the world that they are grown up and could live independently. However, said collaboration can help the students, educators and the students’ families in navigating for more learning.

Another kind of diversity in some school involves students whose mother or father is a military personnel. These students find difficulty due to parents’ transfer from one place to another, thus facing repeated struggles settling in to new schools and communities. Due to transfer from one place of assignment to another, students face regular disruption of their homes. More problems ranging from the effect of parents’ absences to lack of parents’ guidance arise when either or both parents are posted to a distant place.

The Problems of Diversity

Diversity is a responsibility to be acquainted with and understand the variety of characteristics of individuals that make them unique in a pluralistic democratic society. These characteristics referred to are: age, religion, cognitive style; culture; mental and physical disability, economic background, education; ethnicity; gender identity, race, geographic background, language, physical appearance, political affiliation, beliefs, and sexual orientation. It includes the difference between cultural groups.

Authorities argue that one way people in a nation could live harmoniously is to understand individual differences. People have to appreciate others by understanding their individual cultures. But the problem lies on the time needed to understand others’ cultural roots. Much to their desire to understand others’ culture, time for them is of the essence for survival. Another factor for consideration on factionalism is people’s religious belief. People tend to interpret God’s laws according to their individual desire and understanding. Others refuse to accept the truth but instead go for their own ways.

Because of top to bottom management approach, thereby having no consultation with parents and teachers, school curriculum becomes a problem. Complaints arise because sometimes school officials are at a loss for having no idea of how they should be responding some issues.

These and such other problems on diversity could be solved by way of building a bridge for educational institutions that would promote diversity between and among students, teachers and the society they live in.

Getting Off to a Good Start

Starting the school year with an atmosphere conducive to learning is a good concern that school authorities should give priority. The more efforts should be exerted in making a good atmosphere in learning particularly with students of culturally diverse and low-income settings. Noticeably, during the early days of the first year of students in school, students would almost want their parents to be with them. Students want parents to sit side by side with them. Students need more time to adjust to be more or less independent in the classroom. But while in the process, an orientation has to be made in order to lessen the anxiety of new students, and on the part of the parents, they could be assured of the safety and learning of their children, thereby allowing them to settle into their new school community successfully. The orientation should lead to students' adjustment that would redound to an adoption of a new environment. It must lead to improvement. And improvement should be evidenced by their ability to make friends and their interest in class discussion and activities.

Teachers must be able to reach out new students to nurture and guide them. This could be done by assigning them a classmate who could help them adjust to a new environment. Meanwhile, school counselors may help parents of new students to acquire parenting skills.

The content of curriculum is so vital in the learning process. It is therefore imperative that the processes by which students and teachers engage must be made accessible and inviting to everyone. As much as possible, curriculum should be rigorous, integrated, and multicultural curriculum.

School must take family and community engagement a step towards students’ acceptance of the new environment. There must be a concerted effort between and among parents and teachers to reach out an activity that would lead to showcase in which students share their stories on such issues as local environment, career development, and educational options. In this way, family and community members present in the activity not only learn from the students, but are empowered to give feedback.

In conclusion, it is imperative that school authorities should be able to reach out actively and persistently to their diverse students and their families, rather than waiting for nothing because parents are not involved that plagues multicultural and low-income contexts. Moreover, school should be innovative in connecting with the students and families because in doing so, students would learn more as they have more mentors whom to interact – the teachers, the parents, and the community. Students felt acceptance in and out of the school.

Clearly, it is imperative for schools to collaborate effectively with multicultural, no matter how high or low is the standing of the students and their families in the society, particularly when the students are at their early stage of learning.