I don't know this teacher. In fact, I have never heard his name before the day I got this in our egroups, but that just makes it all the more open for commenting. If he was one of my teachers, I would either fully accept what he had to say, or it would drain out of me all of any sort of respect I would have for him. It is fortunate I don't know this teacher. Fortunate too that he doesn't know me. But coming from where he says he's coming from, I can understand how he could say these things, and it's nice that for once somebody on the faculty side attempted to understand Ateneans for how they really are. Just a pity, though, that he thought it was tragic.
Like others, I put forth my comments.
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Hypotheses For Understanding Ateneans Shortly before I graduated fifteen years ago, a group of leaders from socially-involved organizations got together to consider the question of why less students are socially involved. In preparing for a meeting of this group, I came to realize that the principal reason why Ateneans enter the Ateneo is not because they want to become persons for others but because entering the Ateneo is a good strategy (if not one of the best strategies) for ensuring financial security. Over time, I nurtured my curiousity about Ateneans while working in various capacities within the University as teacher, administrator and (in formal and informal capacities as a) mobilizer for social involvement. I remember that sometime in the late 1990s I wrote hypotheses about Ateneans that developed my realizations from 1992, incorporating observations from my experiences after a couple of years of working within the University. Sometime in September 2007, I was asked to join a meeting where lifestyle choices of students were discussed and I remember thinking then that the first step that needed to be taken by administrators was to try to understand where Ateneans are coming from. Right after that meeting, I sat down and wrote these 25 hypotheses about Ateneans and emailed it to three administrators who deal regularly with students. Some notes regarding these hypotheses: First, I write these hypotheses as a participant-observer in a society and not with the eyes of someone making moral or ethical judgments. In fact I write these things with the greatest sympathy for Ateneans who for me are more tragic than terrible. There are things described in the hypotheses which can be considered by some to be morally or ethically wrong but passing judgment on the acts (much less on the person) is the last thing I want to do. Even when I speak of “inordinate attachments” in the first hypothesis, for example, I mean it in the sense of unfreedom rather than sin. As I point out in the last hypothesis, approaching things from a purely judgmental point of view prevents dialogue between school personnel and students. Secondly, while these hypotheses constitute a model which I have found personally useful for understanding Ateneans, it is necessary to point out that not all of these hypotheses apply to particular Ateneans (I have tried to nuance with words like “most” or “a few” where I thought it was appropriate). They may not even apply at all to some sections of the population (I wonder about scholars, for example, with whom I have not had extensive contact). While I am pretty confident I got the broad themes right, I am very much open to nuancing some points even more or even re-considering some points altogether. That is why I consider these hypotheses and I place the occassional “(?)” to indicate higher degrees of uncertainty. I have always wanted these hypotheses to be validated by various sectors of the University: by administrators, staff and faculty to see if the hypotheses help them to understand their experiences with Ateneans, and with students themselves to see if the words and sentiments I express here are their words and their sentiments. I can't emphasize enough that putting these thoughts down on paper was done precisely for intelligent discussion and not to generate sensationalist stories. I hope that if you get a copy of this document you will exercise discretion when quoting from it (thus this long intro) and when passing it on to others. I didn't have enough energy to articulate what can be done which is not to say that nothing can be done. Of course I think a lot of the “doing” has to come from the end of school personnel which may begin with a sincere desire to understand Ateneans and listen to their concerns, no matter how contrary these may be to our own values and our sense of what we are currently doing. I had the option of releasing these hypotheses anonymously but I do want to know if these hypotheses are valid precisely because they have implications in terms of the way we live out cura personalis with our students. The disadvantage of acknowledging who wrote these hypotheses is that it might prevent people from giving feedback, for one reason or another, knowing that the thoughts came from me. I hope that if after reading these hypotheses you have reactions, comments, suggestions, or any other feedback, you would be kind enough to write to me at ldelacruz@ateneo.edu. I would also be happy to discuss these things personally with you, a meeting we can arrange after making initial contact through email. Leland Dela Cruz 3 October 2007 25 Hypotheses - For Ateneans (and their parents), the central source of anxiety is whether or not they will be able to achieve a lifestyle comparable to or better than the lifestyle of their parents after they graduate. For many, this is their principal inordinate attachment. What is inordinate about wanting this? The attachment or just the extent? I can understand how some people would think others are too preoccupied with achieving a certain lifestyle, but I think it's perfectly reasonable to want a certain lifestyle, however extravagant or hermit-ish it might be. Don't you want a certain way of life for yourself as well? Why did you teach? Don't tell me, though, that you teach just because nobody will hire you. Now, THAT is sad. Teaching is a way of life as it is a labor of love. I assume that's what you did. So understand how other people would have this "inordinate attachment" and see that it is not, in fact, inordinate.
- Families have a very high expectation of what an Ateneo education can do for their children in achieving a lifestyle which will be comparable to or better than the lifestyle of the parents. This is why parents pressure the students to study hard. Wrong again. Are you a parent? I know of a few parents that are very ready to disown their children should they fall below their standards of human existence, yes. And some, worse, who would not have no for an answer in any way. But mostly, this is out of concern for their children. For the most part, parents just don't want their children having to suddenly having their lifestyles abruptly changed because they couldn't pay their bills. Worse, what if their children start to neglect their health, or their overall wellbeing simply because they couldn't afford what their parents could? This would be heart-breaking for a parent. So, understand this from the view of a parent. That is, parents don't pressure kids to study hard just to achieve a certain standard of living. Parents do that to assure themselves that their kids will be self-sufficient.
- As our tuition increases, the population of students get richer, thus the lifestyle goals are higher and the pressure is greater. Wrong again. Obviously, you are only looking at the top 20% of the Atenean population. Many Ateneans are quite the common tao. Of course, not as common as your hoi polloi, but many Ateneans are quite simple in their lifestyles, and this is beacuse they are NOT rich. Just because you can pay the tuition means you're rich. It just means you have enough money to do it.
- The choice of Ateneo as the place to study is part of the strategy to achieve the goal of attaining a lifestyle comparable to or better than the lifestyle of their parents. Nobody enters the Ateneo because they want to be men and women for others (and increasingly also not because it provides Catholic education). Who does? Did you know about being men and women for others prior to entering the Ateneo? Ang galing mo naman...Point is that NOBODY cares about this until they hear about it...It's not a school identity, it's a school aspiration. And as such, people don't necessarily share it. I went to Ateneo High School because people are nicer there than in my old school, so I thought maybe it could also improve my character. Then I went to ADMU for college because I like the Ateneo. I think those are noble enough reasons. Understand that this is representative of only a small group, and you can spot them very easily.
- The choice of course is a central part of that strategy because the course determines the steepness of the future trajectory of the students/ the ease with which the students will achieve the goal of achieving a lifestyle comparable to or better than the lifestyle of their parents. (For the students and their families, there is such a thing as a good strategy or a bad strategy when it comes to choice of course). Thus there is a hierarchy of courses. For once, you said something remotely correct. But again, wrong basis. I do not have much respect for course hierarchy, but I wll admit that in the back of my mind I do have this. That is, I have courses whose students I admire, I have pride in my own course, and there are others that I just don't have as much admiration for. But I base it upon two things: intellect and drive. I just think that there are courses that are inherently harder than others, so it either takes more brain power or more heart to pass these courses. And some others, I just think that they just want to slack off or coast. There are a few, though, who also go into these less challenging courses because the content of those course is what they want to do also, that I can respect.
- The goal of education for most Ateneans is to obtain an Ateneo diploma and not primarily to learn. OK, I'll give you this one. But isn't this true of all schools? I think you just stated here how human Ateneans really are.
- By the time they reach college, and after the first few weeks of freshman year, most students become jaded about the possibility of learning anything in a classroom setting. Wrong again. You must really think poorly of the Atenean...Me, even into my last sem, I was enjoying my studies very much because I was finally learning a lot of the meaty juicy parts of engineering (BS ECE, batch 2006).
- What students look for in class is practical mastery (to help them achieve the goal of attaining a lifestyle comparable to their parents?) and they do not appreciate the value of conceptual mastery. Most teachers on the other hand emphasize conceptual mastery. (Like the rest of society, students do not have high regard for faculty because they did not get far in achieving goal #1). Well, I don't know about this one, because the conceptual mastery in engineering finally made sense in the last year, turned out how practical they really were. Maybe you're talking about some course that, sadly, ultimately has no bearing in the real world. As in, it doesn't help the world, it doesn't help anyone better their lives or their persons, so ultimately it doesn't help its students because it is so detached from reality to the point that its concepts have no reality in them anymore, thus no practical mastery. Understand this: true conceptual mastery by itself becomes practical mastery. If it doesn't, then it's no mastery at all.
- For most Ateneans, Ateneo education is not difficult. Teachers are tagged as kayang bolahin at hindi kayang bolahin (and there are very few of those), A-able o hindi. Most work to obtain a C-average, except those who feel and are capable of getting into the Dean’s List. “Academic excellence” is a term used by those who designed TACSS. Change that to “Academics” and it would still be tops. Academic excellence is not a value for most students. Many students just want to be Dean's list once in their entire college career. What is TACSS? I do not understand your understanding. OK, this may be the case, but so what? Why do you bother us with some point that NOBODY cares about?
- Honesty in terms of academics is not valued by many because academic work itself is not valued. Besides, many students commit acts of academic dishonesty and are not caught by teachers. It disheartens the honest ones when the dishonest ones pass or even get honors. There is an underground value for those who are switik. Again, you are using your own words. Do not use words that will not be understood, because NOBODY will care about your understanding. That aside, only those who cheat themselves value anybody else who cheats.
- In general, female students work harder than male students, probably because they believe that in the world out there, they have a natural disadvantage over men so they have to gain any advantage they can. A few women with socially-valued physical assets (or economic assets), however, do not work as hard because they think that those physical (or economic) assets can work for them when they are in the real world. You obviously do not understand the power of the human body. Although I agree, the fact is that sometimes, these assets actually help. People are more naturally drawn to more attractive people. It actually gets them somewhere, just not that far most of the time.
- Students are preparing themselves for the big leagues, the world out there and that is why most do not care to excel in their studies. Again, the value of Ateneo education for most is the diploma (#6) and it does not take that much to obtain an Ateneo diploma (#8). What are these big leagues? Who are they? Do you know the names of these big leagues? Because I haven't heard of any of them. If you can't produce a single name, then this is just shaky fudge.
- The only power the students recognize in school authorities is the power to pass/fail and the power to grant a diploma. Relative to the big leagues they will face after they graduate, the school is seen to be in a subordinate position. Its power is limited to a brief period in one's life. Therefore, aside from the power to pass/ fail and the power to grant a diploma, students do not have much respect for school authority, which is reflected in the way they dress. This is also reflected in the behavior of parents during graduation. Again, WHO ARE THESE BIG LEAGUES? WHY DO YOU MAKE SHAKY FUDGE AFTER SHAKY FUDGE? You are obviously writing by feeling and not by thinking. That aside, the real reason why students only respect the pass/fail authority is because that is the ONLY authority the school has. PERIOD. They have no legislative, executive, or judicial powers. They do not even have financial power sometimes. So unless you can produce some list of authorities that the school has, you are only making SHAKY FUDGE.
- On the one hand students feel the pressure to get the diploma but on the other hand, they are not motivated to jump through the hoops teachers throw at them. Hindi nila niyayakap (at matagal na nilang hindi niyakap) ang kanilang pag-aaral. And you did? Do you want to be a student all your life? Learning and education is not limited to students. Try working in the real world. There is much to learn about the world and yourself in the working world out HERE.
- Students sometimes cope with this duality (#14) by resorting to behavior regarded by some as dysfunctional like drugs, parties and sex. The barkada acts as a herd/ support/ outlet but it is not reflexive. It merely reinforces both the pressure and the feeling of uselessness of education. What is missing from the barkada is a questioning of values they live by, especially the value stated in #1. #1 is a very powerful impulse that must not be underestimated and which is reinforced by University structures and teachers (despite the rhetoric to the contrary). Since you were a participant-observant, does that mean you took part in these drugs and sex parties? I will not look at teachers the same way again because of you.
- Parties (and drinking and (for some) drugs at parties) are part of the college experience. Wrong. Parties are a part of life in general. Long after college, you will still be attending parties. Wedding receptions are some of them. Family reunions are some of them. And these parties do not have to have drinking and drugs. You must have a party animal in your college days. My college days were full of studies and org activities. Not much partying going on there....
- Students recognize the authority of school administrators to impose rules but consider these as impositions of cultural arbitraries by traditional authorities. The school experience, no matter how liberal (ex. no uniform), always has traces of a cloister that one has to go through to achieve the goal stated in #1. Rules such as a dress code, smockets, and id wearing are cloister concerns that they just have to live with. Some people who initiate dress codes in their own school who want it to spread to the whole of the Loyola Schools just do this as a way of trying to get whatever little respect from his students that he can never get from them otherwise because he just doesn't deserve it, in spite of his position and all....
- Students are not as inherently committed to traditional moral values. They experience very little guilt when it comes to matters such as (casual) sex and drugs. Why are you looking at only the opposite sides of the bell curve? LOOK AT THE MIDDLE!!!!!
- The increase in sexual activity among students can be attributed to many things:
· The increase in the student population. Student cohorts have been having sex for years but with the increase in student population, more are being caught. Most students who became teachers were prudes when they were students. · MTV, Cable TV (even local TV), glossy magazines (and even newspapers!) which fuel sexual appetites and the influence of media and the internet. Sexual tension is more intense than it has been before. · More physical room for sex because there are more dormers living around Katipunan, more parking lots, more spaces around campus, more affluent population who have financial resources (to go to Boracay) or physical assets like cars. (Note: more dorms also means more “house” wear in school; the school is literally an extension of the house). · More liberal parents (?) who had their share of sexual exploits when they were young. Less parental supervision. · To a lesser extent, globalization and exposure to the international youth scene. - As stated in #12, students are preparing for the big leagues and a large part of their preparation is a lifestyle preparation. Again, this is SHAKY FUDGE THAT NOBODY CARES ABOUT. You have not identified yet these big leagues. WHO are they? WHERE are they? Until then this is just out of feeling and not thinking at all.
- Material possessions (especially cellular phones and cars) and the social processing of the body (ex. clothes, make-up, accessories) are an indication of the location of individual students in social hierarchies and there are hierarchies. A few (?) students upgrade cell phones once in a while, for example, as a(n unconscious) symbol (and reassurance to themselves) of their general upward direction in life. I switched to a camera phone so that I could take pictures of moments that are right there in my face without having to have a camera. I do not care about social hierarchy.
- By and large (but at a slightly declining rate), Ateneans are good people. While they are concerned about goal #1, they have a sincere desire to help which after theology 141 becomes guilt. But very few will translate that into a lifelong commitment because it gets in the way of goal #1. That is why Ateneans end up being very good donors. And donating is a bad thing? Or is donating deemed inadequate, below tha standards of the Ateneo? News flash, the Ateneo and Ateneans are two very different things...I am very sorry you feel Ateneans are starting to undo their nature as good people. I am very sorry for you indeed. Who did it to you?
- For most students, faith is not central to their lives. For most Filipinos, faith (even when it is central to their lives) is equivalent to a prayer for safe journey sa patuloy na pag-asenso. OK, you crossed the line. Sino ka para sabihin para sa aming mga Atenista kung ano dapat ang faith? If you really went to a good philosophy teacher, you would know that faith is a movement of the will. Faith is out of love. You are saying, therefore, that Ateneans are devoid of love. Kumbaga, love is just a way to Atenistas' base ends.
- Students have very little self-worth and confidence because they tend to define self-worth and confidence in terms of their achievement of goal #1 sometime in the distant future. The family does not help in this regard because it tends to merely reinforce #1. Teachers do not help because they are not sympathetic to the problem stated in #14. The fact that faith for them is not personal also does not help. You are out of touch with reality.
- There is very little room in the University for Ateneans to discuss what's really on their minds. They censor themselves a lot because they might say something wrong that will get in the way of obtaining their diploma or they feel the school will judge them. They feel that they cannot freely talk about #1, #7, #8, #10, #16-19, and #21. The clampdown on the vagina monologues and the occassional clampdown on naughty Matanglawin issues are for them indications that the school does not want to hear certain things coming from them and would rather not have certain things openly discussed. Well, after hearing what you have to say, I can understand why. That's because kinahon niyo na kaming mga Atenista. And by doing so, you totally elude all chances of truly understanding us. Your very attempt has made all 25 of your points moot and academic. You represent very well a reason why faculty doesn't understand Ateneans.
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