Jobs and Gates, UBD, homilies

Manuel Cantos says: I learned more about (Steve Jobs) by reading your column (October 17) than following newspaper reports. For example, that he shaved his head upon returning from India where he turned Buddhist, that he had a sister, that he worked for Atari (I used to play it, too, competing with children half my age), etc.

My reply: I always try to write something different, hopefully deeper, than what is covered by other media. I also played Atari in grade school and, definitely, the company was the perfect training ground for Jobs.

Nesy Fernandez sent an article written by scholar Maxwell Wessel, posted in the “Harvard Business Review,” which argued that, as much as Jobs influenced the world, we should emulate Bill Gates more.

Although both were game-changers in the computer arena, Wessel felt that Gates’ influence on the planet was way more potent than Jobs’.

“Gates stepped away from Microsoft in 2006,” said Wessel, “and has devoted his genius to solving the world’s biggest problems [even if it] doesn’t create profit or fame. Gates committed his talents to eliminating diseases, increasing development standards, and generally fighting inequality.

“Since 1994, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation amassed an endowment of over $31 billion in funds to fight the world’s most difficult issues, and given away over $25 billion.”

“In 17 years, the foundation has raised and given away more than one-tenth of Apple’s extraordinary market capitalization. While the developed world takes things like clean water, basic healthcare, and the availability of food for granted, there are billions of human beings that don’t have such fundamental resources.”

Wessel added, “Jobs made the world more beautiful and the billions of us with resources loved him for it. Gates is making the world ideal, and the billions of us with no voice will be forever impacted. As much as I love Apple Inc., I would happily give up my iPhone to put food on the plates of starving children. Steve Jobs turned his company into a decade-long leader in the truly new space of mobile computing. Bill Gates decided to eliminate malaria. Who do you think we should be putting on a pedestal for our children to emulate?”

Misunderstanding UBD

Marc Climaco says: I read your Understanding by Design (UBD) articles (October 24, October 30, November 7) and came across this quote from education supervisor Joel Torrecampo: “Majority of the divisions in the National Capital Region are no longer using UBD because students will take the National Achievement Test (NAT) in March and, with UBD, teachers will not be able to finish the competencies needed for third year.”

Does it mean that NAT will not cover the topics in DepEd’s UBD teaching guide? All this time we were thinking that the NAT would cover so-called “ubidized” topics.

My reply: According to its creators Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, UBD is a design, not a curriculum. Technically, whatever topics will be in the NAT should be the same as in the original curriculum, whether or not UBD is used in teaching and learning them.

Obviously, there has been a lot of confusion and we continue to receive complaints from teachers. Hopefully, the guidelines issued by Wiggins and McTighe on wise implementation (quoted in the third part of the series) will be followed.

Good homilies

Bob Gabuna says: I read your article on Fr. Johnny Go’s book of homilies “50 Something” (September 26). Why not write yourself? Study the written Word of God, ponder, meditate, and write about the insights the Holy Spirit gives you.

My reply: The Bible is one of my favorite books, but while I read and ponder on it regularly, I don’t think my talents lie in writing homilies. I will do the next best thing and publicize inspired homilies by local authors.

Check out “Panambitan,” a collection of homilies by my friends William and Tina Padolina, active members of the Church among the Palms in Los Baños, Laguna, an affiliate of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines.

Both Padolinas are retired chemistry professors at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños. Willy was formerly science secretary while Tina was a member of the Commission on Higher Education.

He is now deputy director general of the International Rice Research Institute and she is the president of Centro Escolar University.

In their homilies, the Padolinas integrate science and religion. They discuss the environment and forces in physics while meditating on Psalm 24:1 and Psalm 23:3-4, respectively. They mention antiscience attitudes while reflecting on Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the concept of resonance in physics while meditating on the Lord’s Prayer, and light energy while discussing Christ’s admonition for us to be the light of the world.

My favorite is their homily on Matthew 5:14-16, where they somehow manage to discuss black holes.

“Panambitan” and “50 Something” are great holiday gifts. For copies of “Panambitan,” e-mail Tina at [email protected]. “50 Something” is available in National Bookstore and Xavier School (7230481).

Home Work

Queenie Canoy says: We are very interested in your “Home Work:  Everything Parents Ask about School.” How can we get a copy?

My reply: “Home Work” (Anvil Publishing, 2010) is available in National Bookstore and Powerbooks. Or call Anvil at 4774752 or 5709993 to order. Thank you for your interest.

E-mail the author at [email protected].