Xerces Nogoy Aliño has bagged Asia’s Outstanding Mathematics Teacher of the Year Award
Xerces Nogoy Aliño is the name. I was born in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, Philippines on February 16, 1982. The eldest among the three children of Mr. Danilo Martin Aliño and Mrs. Lourdes Nogoy Aliño a native of Talavera, Nueva Ecija and presently residing at Purok Curva, Brgy. Bantug, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines.
According to many, Mathematics is the hardest subject because of its abstract characteristic. Characteristic that most of us accept it in a negative way instead of putting into our mind that it is one of the basic needs in our entire life. As a teacher, specifically an Elementary Mathematics Teacher, I am always sharing this quotation by an anonymous writer to my pupils, especially those pupils with negative visions about Mathematics, that “The essence of Mathematics lies on how one’s view the subject and you’re the one who can unlock the abstract of it. –anonymous”
This quotation serves as my path in pursuing my High School at Talavera National High School in 1998 and obtained my bachelor’s degree (Bachelor of Elementary Education, Major in Mathematics) at Central Luzon State University, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines in 2002.
I started my journey as a public mathematics school teacher at DepEd-CLSU Elementary (Laboratory) School on November 16, 2009 up to present. I have been appointed as School Mathematics Coordinator as well as teacher/coach for almost a decade and accomplished many awards and leaderships.
Metrobank-MTAP-DepEd Math Challenge is one of the popular competitions in Mathematics not only here in Nueva Ecija but the rest of the Philippines. Here are some of my achievements being a teacher/coach in the said competition. My Grade 4 students won 2nd place during the Division Team Finals in 2006 and 2007. By 2008, my Grade 6 students won 3rd place during the Division Team Finals. Year 2009, is a very lucky year for me and to my math wizards students, wherein we bagged first place in the individual and team category - Grade 6 level in the aforementioned competition that gave us the chance to represent our Division in the Regional Level. In 2010, my Grade 5 students garnered the 2nd place during the Division Team Finals. In 2011, students from Grade 6 won 3rd place during the Division Team Finals. 2012 and 2013, when we won 2nd place. In 2014, we again garnered the 1st place in Division Team Finals which gave us the path to the Regional Level (Individual Category) in 2015. For 2016, we won 3rd place Division Team Finals. I, together with my math wizard son named, Xyzcherenathaneralei won 1st place for three consecutive years, 2017 to 2019 for the Division Mathematics Competition (Quiz Bee for Grades 4-6) and Division Team Finals of Metrobank-MTAP-DepEd Math Challenge as representatives of our division in the Regional Level of the said Competition.
In the mid of 2019, we tried to be part of the 1st Philippine National Vedic Math Olympiad and luckily, two of my math wizard students bagged awards, for Individual Category - Gold and Bronze Medals and for the Over-all Individual Rank was Silver Medal. Aside from these awards, I became one of the recipients of the Vedic Mathematics Online Program and attended various National and International Vedic Mathematics Webinars.
Having these achievements is truly unforgettable and memorable. As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads globally, this has become a challenge to everyone especially for me as an educator. The traditional face-to-face platform of teaching and performing my duties as a trainer/coach of my pupils is really a great adjustment for me, because I need to be more inclined in using the technology in teaching and coaching mathematics to my pupils. But this pandemic is not a hindrance to continue serving, training and teaching my pupils. I accept this present situation as a great challenge for me as a teacher. I, together with my students/trainees were continuously joining various National and International Math Contest. Recently, we bagged the silver award for Kindergarten Level and a Merit Award for Primary 5 Level at the 2021 1st Philippine International Mathematical Olympiad (PhiMo) -Heat Round Philippine Region. We also joined the 2021 Hong Kong International Mathematical Olympiad (HKIMO) – Heat Round Philippine Region and brought home the following awards: Silver Award for Kindergarten, Silver Award for Primary 2 and Bronze Award for Primary 5. After this prestigious contest, we are preparing for the forthcoming International Level Contest which will be held in the months of August and September 2021.
Aside from being a teacher/coach of those pupils, I also served as a Regional Mathematics Demonstration Teacher in 2010 and 2017 and also as the Division Mathematics Demonstration Teacher in 2008, 2014 and 2019. I served also as a Resource Speaker for various Division Training/Seminars in 2018 and 2019.
In 2018 up to present, I was elected as the President of the Division Mathematics Coordinators Association. Being the president of this association, I together with our very supportive Education Program Supervisor I in Mathematics, Dr. Winnie W. Poli and the different School Mathematics Coordinators in the division, we developed different Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) and Self Learning Kits (SLK’s) to be used by our division to those pupils with mathematical difficulties and as well as an enrichment tools for those gifted pupils.
Furthermore, 2021 is really memorable not just because of the pandemic, but also me, having my first ever international award in the Global Education’s Outstanding Mathematics Teacher of the Year (GESA 2021). I felt overwhelmed when I received this award, for almost nine years serving as Teacher III and receiving six years of applying for promotion for higher position in our Division has been paid off. But it was not the end of achieving higher awards, this is just the beginning.
I am very thankful to our Almighty God for all the guidance, perseverance and knowledge that he had given to us. I believe, that He has a big plan for giving me this International Award for the second time and I dedicated this award to Him who gave the knowledge and talents; to the administrators/principals who believed and trusted my capabilities as a Mathematics Teacher, Ma’am Marietta A. Cargamento, Ma’am Febe Carbonel, Ma’am Milda B. Madarang, Sir Leonardo G. Roa, Dr. Emily I. Fernandez, Dr. Marichele M. Merculio and Dr. Genalyn B. Tangonan; to my family, who were always at my back to support and inspired me; and to my pupils, for making me complete for who am I as their Mathematics teacher. And of course, I would like to give thanks to ASIA Awards powered by: RULA AWARDS for choosing me as your International Asia’s Outstanding Mathematics Teacher of the Year Awardee, under the category of Asia’s Education Awards. I can’t contain my mixed emotions from this milestone that happened in my life, I can say I am great because God is great. He knows what is best for me and these blessings gave me the courage to be more productive, passionate, dedicated and a role model to my colleagues and clientele (my pupils) as a Mathematics teacher.
Copyright © Times of London © 2021