Most Outstanding Math Teacher in Makati

members of the Rotary Club of Makati Dasmariñas with Deriquito (front row, fourth from left) and the winners of this year’s search for Makati’s best public high school math teachers. Photos by Arnold Almacen

CATAYONG

A dancing and singing mathematics teacher is the Rotary Club of Makati Dasmariñas’ (RCMD) Most Outstanding Public School Teacher (MOST) in Makati this year.

Richard Catayong of San Isidro National High School was recently named the 19th recipient of the RCMD’s MOST award, the club’s flagship education project that seeks out the best public high school teachers in Makati City.

Every year, MOST has a different category. This year, it was back to math, which, RCMD president Lia Francisco said, was one of the most important subjects in nation-building.

“Recognizing the best math teachers is our small way of highlighting the need to encourage more students to take up science, technology, engineering and mathematics courses through to college,” she said.

Catayong, who teaches fourth year math, admitted that the subject could be so difficult that it could alienate students with its mix of letters and numbers that sometimes did not make sense.

Teaching the subject for four years now, he is compelled to exhaust all means to keep his students from zoning out, including singing, dancing and telling jokes.

“Math teachers should always find a way for students to easily learn the subject and for them to look forward to the class … And my way of doing that is by cracking jokes, even dancing and singing,” said Catayong, a graduate of Philippine Normal University.

“I’m a hyper teacher,” he said. That was evident in the demonstration video flashed on the screen during the awarding rites.

In class, he speaks of equations and numbers with gusto, as if they were pop culture expressions, and his students are just as lively during recitation.

His discussion is animated, aided by posters in happy colors, not a PowerPoint presentation. He teaches in a conversational speaking tone, like he is just talking to friends.

Careful planning of strategies and a neat lesson plan are also keys to successfully teaching math, he said. And so is the heart to teach.

Aside from coming from a family of educators, Catayong said the inspiring stories of his math teacher made him decide to be a mentor.

“She once said she used not to understand a thing in math until she encountered a teacher who never gave up on her,” he said.

“If you have the passion and the heart to share the knowledge you have, you will never give up on your students,” he added. Catayong also gives after-class tutorials to students who need them.

Second-place winner Editha Cuenca of Makati Science High School said continuous learning was a must for teachers.

“I make it a point to review and study the concepts before I teach them because I have to really know the topics I discuss in class,” she said. “They (students) would know if their teacher doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”

RCMD judged candidates based on their overall impact on students. “We looked for qualities such as empathy and charisma to hold the attention of students, and the teacher’s ability to guide them toward a national identity, to contribute to national development, passing on the knowledge to students and allowing them to think creatively,” said Rotarian Neil Aguila, a member of the panel of judges.

The other judges were Apeco Schools math teachers James Centenera and Mary Ann Barcelon, RCMD past president Jun Turla and Rotarian Lulu Jorge.

Present at the awarding was Education Undersecretary Mario Deriquito.

The other winners of this year’s MOST were Quirico Elisar Baguio Jr. of San Antonio National High School, third; Dennis Morla of Makati High School, fourth, and, in no particular order, Jennifer Bangonan of Bangkal National High School, Maria Josefa Ventulla of Fort Bonifacio High School and Nicanor Lopez Jr. of Pitogo High School.

Winners received cash, gift bags, Bizu gift certificates, plaques and trophies.

In addition to MOST, RCMD also has teacher training and school rehabilitation programs.