Don’t want people to think I’m continually off on a rant about bad behavior when I post these rants about … well … bad behavior at the airports, at government offices and such, but, as my dear mother-in-law, Bessie has been known to say, "I’m old, and I can say things if I feel like it."
Well indeed we all can. I was prompted to post on this subject by a comment one of my faithful readers, Laurence made about children being taught to behave in schools, and schools being safer here than perhaps my country, USA or perhaps even in his country, Australia.
I was taught something a couple days ago by a little girl in my neighborhood, wish I had her name, I’ll find out on one of my trips to the store. Anyway, she’s about 6 or 7, likely a first grade student at one of the local schools … likely a small private academy, most of the kids in my area go to private schools, I’m note even sure where a public elementary school is in our town.
My wife and I had walked to our corner store ,,, only 100 meters or so from our front door, and as we were walking up to the store we were sharing some kind of joke and kidding between ourselves, including the subject of my hair … or lack of same. My wife said something about me being "kalbo" which is the generic Tagalog word for baldness.
The little girl was few feet from us, also walking toward the store window. Hearing my wife’s comment, the child piped right up and said to my wife, in Tagalog, "Po (pronoun of respect when speaking to elders), you shouldn’t speak about his baldness. it says so in my GMRC book and our GMRC lessons at school."
Wow! From the mouths of babes. Does your 7 year old even have a GMRC book? Does you children’s school have GMRC classes? (I’ll be happy to hear from anyone with comments on this, I about busted a gut laughing as I typed it, remembering my sons’ education and thinking of a US school teaching manners, especially with a book … but i digress). Would your seven year old assertively, but politely, correct an elder’s behavior in public? It sure surprised me.
Now I am not trying to convey that every Filipino walks around with an etiquette book under his or her arm, or that you won’t have people cut in line at the drug store or not get irritated by the noise and smell of the tricycles going up and down the street … but it does open one’s eyes a bit.
If you do a Google on Good manners and Right conduct, the whole first page will be Filipino blogs and web sites discussing the practices or lack of same, or who out there really needs to retake their GMNRC classes.
All part of the experience…..
Boy, you must have an “IN” with Google – you showed up #10 on a search and posted 14 minutes ago! Good going!
I have never heard the term before – Good Manners and Right Conduct” but I subjected my 2 kids to it and practice it myself. I agree, there are a lot of oafish people out there. Keep reporting – it might smarten up a few.
Hello John, thanks.b for stopping by and for commenting. regarding Google, 14 minutes is actually very slow, perhaps because it is school vacation here and the ‘Net is running very un-evenly. Google loves blogs … when I post to my Google Blog Search knows about it within milliseconds … the whole idea about how hard it is to get into Google, etc., is rather dated, and often full of misconceptions. But hey, I’m not complaining
Hi! I’m Hannah from the Philippines… I remember having GMRC classes during my elementary years. But, we don’t really apply what we learn in real life… ehehehe… Reading this story about the filipno girl telling off an elder woman acutally made me smile… Pls. forgive the little one… She’s just a child… Somehow, from what I understand, the girl didn’t take that “kalbo” comment as a joke but rather an insult… Kids are like that, right…? They still don’t know the meaning of “Sarcasm”… ^.^ But keeping those aside, just think that the child tried to “defend” you because your wife said something that insults people, but not understanding the real stituation… That’s all! ^.^
Hi Hannah,
Thanks for vsiitng and for your valuable comment. I certainly meant to portary the little girl ‘sticking up for me’ in the most favorable light.
Yes, indeed, she probably doens’t yet understand the concept of sarcasm all that well. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. A lot of people’s feelings get hurt by so-called ‘innocent’ sarcasm … some people suffer with it for ages.
But I thought it was exeptional that ‘a’ the girl recognized the possible insult and ‘b’ took the time and made the brave effort to stick up for me.
A lot of kids wouldn’t, that’s for sure.
Hi,
I’m from the Philippines too and I went to a private school and a public school during my primary years (half private, half public) and both schools taught GMRC. In fact, this is a significant percentage of your overall standing/grade as a student back then. Everything from cleanliness, courtesy, doing what is morally right…was taught and being graded. Not so much in the private school but in the public school I went to, we had to even help out cleaning our classroom and putting it in order i.e. bringing floor wax, broom and coconut husks (floor polisher) for your classroom was normal. Clearing the board, cleaning the erasers, putting the chairs/desks in order was expected. Everyone took turns.
I’m not very sure how GMRC is being taught nowadays. I’m glad it’s still being done in some schools. Does a lot for value formation, especially during the grade school years.
We live and work in the United Arab Emirates and my grade 1 daughter has Moral Science taught in her school. This is your generic GMRC as her schoolmates are multi-cultural and multi-sect (religion). Her books and lessons are similar to the GMRC lessons I had back then.
In my highschool days, GMRC was still a factor of your overall grade as a student although there was no equivalent subject. There was even an award to a student who was “Best in Deportment”.
It is indeed a running joke that rude people should “Go get re-enrolled in their GMRC classes”.
Hi MaryAnn,
Thanks for dropping by and for your interesting comments. Indeed I know a few people who out to get re-enrolled in their GMRC classes. They must have charmed the teacher in order to pass, but they aren’t charming now.
That incident in front of the store with the little girl was just one of those passing vignettes that wouldn’t even be remembered, if I hadn’t written about it here. Much to my surprise, G.M.R.C. is one of the most frequent searches that bring people to PhilFAQS. It was new to me, but apparently not new to many others.
You’re education has been interesting. I liked the account of cleanup. So sad that my oen country lost that concept of taking care of what belings to you publicaly as well as privately many years back. Could you imagine, even in tight budget times, if US children were asked to clean their classrooms as well as the toiets? Cries of “child abuse” and worse would ring out across the land. In Japan, which boats one of the truly academically excellent public high school systems, not only do the kids go to school 5 1/2 days a week, but they clean their own schools, with pride. Part of the process of learning that no matter how much money your daddy has, you are still rsonsible for your own actions in this life.
Again, thanks for dropping by.
Dave,
I spent my elementary years in the Philippines and moved to the states starting at 7th grade. When I started here in the states, I could not believe how unruly my classmates were. This was in ’71. The teachers and school authorities were not respected. Fast forward to today, and it is even worse according to my wife who works at a local elementary school.
Not only was GMRC taught at school, but the parents saw to it that the teachers told them if their kids were not following orders. GMRC left a positive lasting impression on me. I think that most parents today expect the disciplining to be done by the teachers and the school. Doesn’t work. Education starts at home.
It is not uncommon in the Philippines to have 60+ pupils in a classroom who are under control by a single teacher. The citizens maybe poor monetarily, but they sure know how to keep their kids in line for the most part.
Thanks for sharing that. Indeed, the way most of the schools my children attended in the US were run, it’s a wonder my boys even graduated. I have a nephew and his wife who are already graduate teachers teaching at a a top notch Manila private school who are working on their Masters degrees, originally with the idea of going to the US on a work visa. I think they are becoming less and less enthused as they learn how schools are run in the US and more importantly how so many parents let their children behave … ignoring their responsibilities.
I am a Catholic School teacher here in USA. I was trying to get some ideas/ topics/subject matters to add GMRC in my classroom as a 10-minute lesson. While searching, this website popped. I was surprise reading some of the negative comments by some people. When I was a student, I felt GMRC was one of the best subjects I had. In my opinion, it helped each individuals in the classroom realize how to face the world gracefully, understandably ,and successfully. Because of these, as a teacher, I would like to be able to teach my students GMRC.
Marilou, thanks for writing in. And thanks even more for caring. I’ll try to find some teacher resources, but I’m actually amazed by the seeming vacuum in that area. I wrote a little article one day, just chatting about the little adventure/learning experience my wife and I had walking to the little sari-sari store behind our house, and lo and behold I am one of the top landing spots on the whole internet for G.M.R.C. One would think there were textbooks and other teacher resources available out there … it is a regular school subject here in both private and public schools … so why is info hard to find? beats me. Sounds to me like an excellent opportunity for someone to write a book, lesson plans, teachers guide, resource web site, etc. People are always asking me about ideas for web and information-related businesses … wonder why this idea never seems to ‘click’ with anyone?
ivy na