Bondy and Ross (2008) cited the story of “warm demander” to describe the type of teacher who was effective in teaching Indian and Eskimos in Alaskan schools. These teachers communicated personal warmth and used an instructional style Kleinfeld (1975) called “active demandingness.”

In the province of Benguet where we highly recognize cultural backgrounds in school, challenges on misbehaviors and low performance level of pupils are still among the perennial issues. The concept of a “warm demander” can help ease and rid these problems.

Becoming a warm demander begins with establishing a caring relationship that convinces student that you believe in them. The saying goes, “It’s not what you say that matters, it’s how you say it.” In acting as a warm demander, how you say it matters, but who you are and what pupils or students know that you believe in them, they will interpret even harsh-sounding comments as statements of care from someone with their best interests at heart.

In the perspective of the elementary school, teachers deal with the children at their early age. During this time, some children display behavioral problems. However, understanding certain misbehaviors would help in guiding them. Teachers who recognize individual differences among learners have an edge over those who don’t, much more for teachers who convey the attitude of the so-called “warm demanders.”

Build relationships deliberately. One tactic is to give intermediate pupils/students getting-to-know-you questionnaires, which will only work if students perceive that you are genuinely interested and if you subsequently use the information you gather. A smile, a hand on a shoulder, the use of a students’ name, sharing your own experience with failures and optimism, and studying their learning styles are important.

Although warm demanders may become frustrated by student behavior, they accept problems as normal, and they believe in pupils’/students’ ability to improve. Unfortunately, however, in the midst of these efforts, the blame is still put at pitiful teachers.

Once again the nation is beset with another political drama depicting two opposing protagonists. Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona is being tried at the Senate impeachment court for several allegations. These allegations include, among others, his supposed protection of embattled former president Gloria Arroyo and his inability to declare all his properties in his statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth.

The House of Representatives, acting as prosecutor of the case and with the tremendous support of the Aquino administration, is seeking the removal of the Chief Justice.

One cannot appreciate less the efforts of the Aquino administration in making sure that its government is free of any graft and corruption acts. PNoy believes that once our country got rid of the problems on graft and corruption, as he depicted is his vague slogan, “Matuwid na daan,” there will be real economic progress. This is the reason why right from the very start of his administration, it also started to make people accountable for their shenanigans in the past.

However, while the Aquino administration is at it, one cannot help but ask, “What about the economy?” With the executive and legislative branches of the government engrossed with the impeachment proceedings, chances are, they will be compromising time and effort that should be devoted to our economy. Although people from the business community have voiced out their optimism that the trial will not have any effect on the country’s economy, it may create deeper divisiveness in the government and among the people which may not be helpful to our economy.

The entire nation, especially those from the lower income class which forms majority of the population, would like to see a more intensified effort from the current administration to uplift the economy. Given its ability to move heaven and earth to impeach Corona and put Arroyo to jail, the Aquino administration must also do the same for the economy. We have seen how swiftly the House of Representatives acted on the impeachment of Corona, yet when it comes to crafting economic policies and programs, it seems that is takes them a longer time.

At the end of the day, whatever happens to the impeachment trial or whether Arroyo is convicted or not, what matters most to the people would be their economic well being. People are wanting of more income, a lot of people are unemployed while more are underemployed, people are eager to have greater access to basic service such as education and health, and people are aspiring to have a better way of living.

All these can be addressed once the economy has jumpstarted and growth is achieved. There are a lot of things that the Aquino administration can do. Some of which were actually part of its economic programs, however, there has been no substantial effort given to them and these programs have not created any valuable impact to the people. One of these is the PPP (public-private partnership) program. This aims to improve infrastructure in the country through creation of ties with the private sectors in constructing highways, airports, seaports and other infrastructure needs of the country. However, almost two years into the Aquino administration, the program has not fully started.

Another area that the Aquino administration must concentrate on is the potential of the country to become a top tourist destination. Although there is an initiative of the government to grab the opportunity, all that has been done is to come up with a slogan program to promote tourism in the country. Such slogan has even raised few negative issues such as it is not original and the words just don’t rhyme. However the boom of tourism does not rest only on a slogan, no matter how good it may sound. What matters is what the country can really offer. Just recently, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport was judged to be second worst airport in the world. Add to this the fact there is lack of infrastructure that would support the tourism industry.

Further, if we look into the international setting, many business and economic analysts are saying that this is the opportune time for the country to acquire foreign direct investments. Given the events transpiring in the global economy, the US economic recovery, the European debt crisis and the Arab rising to name a few, experts are saying the investment would flow towards this side of the world. The biggest market now, both for investment and consumption, is Asia. The Aquino administration must be opportunistic in perspective so that the country will reap the benefit brought about these events in the world economy. The entry of abundant foreign direct investments will be beneficial to our country.

All these initiatives, infrastructure, tourism and foreign direct investments would create a rather direct impact to the people in terms of employment and higher income. Complement these with the proposal of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. that the government must increase its expenditure to boost the consumption and production of the country. If all these will happen then there is a great chance that the economy will jumpstart under the Aquino administration.

What PNoy is doing is not wrong. In fact it is good for the country, only, it is not enough. There must also be more focus on the economy. As said by Gerardo Sicat, a noted economist and book author, “The preoccupation with improving governance is good only up to a point,” thus, what would be good at all times will be an improved economy.