Each year, schools all over the Philippines take one week out of August to celebrate Linggo Ng Wika, loosely translated as the Week of the Language. It’s a campaign meant to focus on the National Language and spark Pinoy Pride as well as teach children about the beauty and treasures of the nation.
This is our first year to have a full-scale celebration of Linggo Ng Wika. With a theme like this, we were able to introduce some wonderful Filipino songs and stories to the children, as well as famous places and people. We wanted the Filipino students to develop a sense of ownership and pride in their home country and our foreign students to develop a sense of wonder and respect for their temporary home.
I was approached by a couple of foreign moms who told me how much they enjoyed hearing their children sing Tagalog songs. This really warmed my heart.
We picked a couple of days to assemble some classes together and celebrate with a little Fiesta Sa Toddlers. An invitation written in Tagalog (translated with care by Teacher Anna Perez) was emailed out.
On the days of our Fiestas, the children came in Filipiniana outfits or clothes with Philippine emblems. I loved how some of our foreign children, got into the spirit of Linggo Ng Wika and came in Filipino costumes as well. The most dazzling dress, was Bella Zweigle’s mestiza gown in royal blue and dark red. Jane Lanza of the Lambs Class wore a home-made lovely terno, complete with a bandana.
When the children sang their songs, the crowd couldn’t help but cheer. Translated version of If You’re Happy & You Know It and 6 Little Ducks were belted out by the Cubs Tots. The Bunnies did the Crab Song (Tong, Tong) and Mayroon Akong Lobo. The Joeys Classes shook vegetable shakers to everyone’s favorite, Bahay Kubo. The Pups children sang 10 Mga Batang Masaya and Ang Jeep Ni Mang Juan. While the Lambs babies sang in their room Kung Ang Ulan. I love how some Filipino songs have humor – like, in Jeep Ni Mang Juan the children talk about the hole in Mang Juan’s jeep and that they’ll patch it up with BUBBLEGUM! They cracked up when they sang this…so did the audience.
No fiesta would be complete without food. Filipino delicacies were shared – pancit, puto, ensaimada, mamon, lumpia, suman, sapin sapin and more. Alfonso Cui-injieng brought a big kaldero of Kaldereta…yum! When Teacher Joy filled a plate with pancit and put it in front of Ino Sanchez, he was so happy, he blurted out, “I love you, Teacher Joy!”
To help us decorate the school, the children did art projects, working in groups to make murals of famous Philippine sceneries. Some examples were the buildings in Makati City, the rides in Enchanted Kingdom, Ocean Life in our famous beaches and more.
My favorite Linggo Ng Wika anecdote comes from the Pups Class, as told to me by Nikki de la Cruz’ mom, Nina. One day, Nikki’s mom and dad were trying to figure out if the Tagalo word for “car” was kotse or sasakyan. They couldn’t quite decide on which it was, so Nikki piped in and suggested they call Teacher Thumby for the answer.
A day or two later, I was talking with Anne Valencia (Vinci’s mom) & discovered that in the La Salle Zobel Filipino textbook, Oto is the new word for car. Learning something new each day…
To all that joined us on this day, MARAMING SALAMAT!
-By: Teacher Thumby Server
Toddlers Unlimited 