Dear Strega Nona

I met Strega Nona when I was in college. I found her in the library of my Children's Literature professor. And from that day on, I fell in love with her....story.



I tirelessly waited for the day that she would be part of my personal collection. Thanks to my favorite bookshop for giving me a copy of her stories.



I love reading aloud her stories to a young audience. Strega Nona and Big Anthony (and Bambalona) make us laugh and believe in the power of imagination, words (and magic).







Last week, after reading and (chanting the magic words of) Strega Nona, I asked my second grade pupils to write Strega Nona a letter. I am overwhelmed with their outputs. Their responses are just so authentic. As a teacher, I am proud that at their very young age, they are able to come up with very meaningful (and funny) responses. I've also noticed that they were so involved and engrossed with the activity.



Here are the unedited letters of some of them. (Note: Most of these pupils are ESL or English as Second Language learners. I also decided not to edit them to "preserve" the authenticity of the "children's voices".



Happy reading!



***************

Dear Strega nona,



i want to borrow your pasta ball many people is want to taste your pasta because iwant taste your pasta



From Pupil A



***************



Dear Strega Nona, i am one of your fun i want to borrow your pasta beacuse manny People is want to taste your pasta



Dear big anthony what is the taste of pasta wow you eat the all pasta in to your town that is so manny



From Pupil B



***************

Dear Strega Nona,



can i borrow Your magic pasta pot and Your mgic ring and can You teach me Your magic. Ypur so very funny and can you teach me your song



Love

Pupil C



***************

Dear Strega Nona,



Can I borrow your magic pot beca-

use there are so many people that is hungry and I want to help them and I will just return next year, mon-

th or week. well bye for now I will just give you another letter.



Love, Pupil D



***************

Dear Strega Nona



When is your birthday

are you hands some



From Pupil E



***************

Dear Strega Nona



Can i borrow your magic ring?

Whem is your birlhday?

because i will athend in your birlhday.

Tank you. love



Pupil F



***************

Dear: Strega Nona



can you be my Friend and I

read all your story’s and all your books are Good. Do you have more Storys



Love

Pupil G



***************

Dear Strega Nona,



Hi, Strega Nona! I’m Pupil H--a Grade 2 pupil-- one of your fans. Is Big Anthony’s deeds being good now? I have also a favor, can I barrow your magic ring? Because my birthday is getting near. So that I’ll feed many noodles for many people

God bless!



Love,

Pupil H

***************

Dear Strega nona,



Make me Some pasta and i’ll be your Grandmother Can I barrow

magic Ring and if you

have Facebook i’ll add,



Love,

I



***************



Dear, Big Anhtony



Do you have Girlfriend

I wonderWho is that is



From Pupil J



***************

Dear: Strega Nona,



Your stories is very beautiful

and I want to borrow your

magic ring I want to be

your friend and How old are you

now?



Love,

Pupil K



***************



Dear Strega Nona



I want to buy your magic

ring and i want to be your

grand mother



Love

Pupil L

***************



Dear Strega Nona



Strega Nona

can you teach me your mgic

tricks and your magic things

and how to make a pasta

pot and what is big

Anthony doing there in italy

and if you do that i’ll be

happy gratia Love Pupil M



***************

Dear Strega nona,



i want to borrow your pasta ball many people is want to taste your pasta because iwant taste your pasta



From Pupil N



***************

Dear strega nona:



Strega nona can you teach me how to do

magic Strega nona can you be my

best friend where do you leave can you

be my friend in face book thank you

you have a wife



Love,

Pupil O





Thank you Tomie de Paola for giving us Strega Nona.

Tatlong Diyona

Dahil sa isang patimpalak sa Facebook--tulaan sa FB, nalaman kong (kahit papaano ay) kaya ko ding magpaka-makata. Narito ang tatlong diyona na nakatha ko sa "ningning ng karimlan". (Hindi ba Meralco?)

#1 Sipilyo



Wala kang pinag-iba,

'Sang bulaang propeta,

Pangako'y panay bula.

 

#2 Anino



Sino ang mas mapalad?

Ang tunay o ang huwad?

Ang lihim o ang lantad?

 

#3 Gabi



Gasera'y 'yong sindihan,

Iguhit mo ang buwan,

Sa ningning ng karimlan.

 

 

Soup # 1

walang duda

ito'ng araw na 'yon

na

wala kang paki

alam sa ruta ng

d

y

i

p

na sinasakyan

na nakikilipad ka

sa mga

i

b

o

n

g

lagalag

na

wala kang maisip

na panghihinayang



hangga't may papel at

s e n s i l y o

sa 'yong kalupi

patuloy kang magpa

pailanlang

kung saan ka man dalhin

ng kutserong inaararo ang daan



maiiisip mo

ito ang araw na 'yon

walang duda



walang takot

na makikipag

sapalaran

walang takot

na ngingitian ang bawat maka

salubong



bukas-tengang makikinig

sa ku

wen

tu

han

ng mga ka ta bi



makikihikbi

makikingiwi



wari'y walang

hanggan

ang lakbayin

wari'y masaya ka

kahit 'di mo alam

ang iyong

r

u

t

a



sa bawat ungol

ng makina

tuwing

titili ang busina

kada may

papara

muli mong maa

alala



ito'ng araw na 'yon

walang duda

Vagrant

Vagrant

Slippers, purse, coffee

Driven, happy(ly), aimless

Mumbling, stumbling, crumbling

Where are you now?

Will I ever find you?

Nag-NCBD ka na ba?

Bilang pagpupugay sa lahat ng mga Pilipinong sumusulat, naglalarawan at gumuguhit ng mga librong pambata, ipinagdiwang namin ang ika-27 National Children's Book Day o NCBD ngayong Hulyo 20.



Lubos akong nasiyahan dahil sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon ay naipagdiwang ko ang NCBD bilang isang guro. Noon ay sumasapat na sa akin ang panonood ng mga pagkukuwento at pagpapapirma ng mga libro sa mga manunulat at ilustrador tuwing ika-20 ng Hulyo.



Pananabik ang unang dumapo sa akin nang mabuo sa isip ko ang mga maliliit na selebrayson na maari naming gawin sa klase. Sumidhi pa ito nang malaman kong nabigyan ang aming paaralan ng limang makukulay na poster para sa naturang pagdiriwang.





Kanina ay ipinagdiwang namin ito. Isang matamis na huni sa akin tuwing maririnig kong binabati ng mga bata ang sarili nila ng "Happy NCBD!"



Sa intermediate level (Baitang 4-6), ginanap namin ang Finals ng Book Trivia Quiz Show. Ang mga katanungan ay nagmula sa mga librong nagkamit ng PBBY-Salanga at Alcala Prize at Palanca Award. Ibinukas ko sa lahat ang maliit naming silid-aklatan (na nasa aming silid-aralan) upang lahat ay makapagbasa ng mga naturang aklat.



Hindi mapapantayan ang ligayang nadama ko tuwing nakikita kong nagbabasa ang mga estudyante namin. Pakiramdam ko, nagawa ko na ang tungkulin ko bilang isang guro ng Pagbasa.



Narito ang ilan sa mahigit 35 katanungan na naisulat ko:



A. Ano ang pangalan ng pinsan ni Raquel na may pambihirang buhok?

B. Saang bayan naninirahan sina Ampalaya at iba pang gulay?

C. Ayon sa kuwentong Xilef, ano daw ang dapat gamitin upang mapigilan ang mga titik sa paglipad?

D. Sino ang sumulat ng aklat na Unang Baboy sa Langit?

E. Ilang dagang-bukid ang nanirahan sa puno sa kuwentong May Alaga akong Puno?





Bukod sa trivia quiz show, nagkaroon din kami ng patimpalak sa pagrerebyu ng mga aklat-pambata. (Ilalahatla ko dito ang ilan sa mga gawa nila.)



Sa high school level naman ay nagsagawa din sila ng boom trivia quiz show mula sa mga pamosong libro ng kanilang henerasyon gaya ng mga gawa ni Bob Ong, Stephenie Meyer,J.K. Rowling at iba pa.



Mapalad ang mga bata dahil mas napapayaman ng mga ganitong pagdiriwang ang kanilang kabataan. Sana, sa mga gawaing tulad nito ay nahimok silang patuloy na mahalin ang pagbabasa. Na sa edad nila ay masabi at mapatunayan nila na "Ang nagbabasa ng libro, laging panalo".

Quickie Post

Time started: 8: 41



Wow. The enemy has been attacking me . He once caught me off guard last week, but I won't let him stop my momentum.



Yesterday, I lost my four-year-old MP3 player/ flash drive. I had been using that MP3 player as a teaching aid. I play different background music while my pupils are copying the notes on the board. I also used it to record the voices of my students during our speech class. I have around 200 songs--both secular and Christian music--saved in that petite gadget. All of my important school/work files are there.



Then yesterday, while I was waiting for my turn in the ATM in PNB-Lagro, a crooked man, stole it from the pocket of my backpack. I just realized that it was missing when I was about to return my wallet in my bag--the pocket was left open.



The funny thing about this unfortunate event is that the snatcher forgot to get the earphones and charger of my player. It's "low-batt" already. How can he use it? He should have asked me first how to use it.



Last month, I lost my phone. Then this July, it's my MP3 player. Material things don't really last. I should be more careful and cautious next time.

I So Like My New Layout

Dear blogger.com,



After weeks of having a lost-in-html-codes worries for this li'l blog of mine, I am now relieved.



Thanks blogger for the new layout designs. Thanks for helping the not-so-tech-savvy people who love doodling words but not deciphering codes.



Thank you for the free hosting ( Did I use the word hosting correctly?)



I hope that you would make blog layout designing more user-friendly, especially for people like me.



Cheers,



Jerson