Our Return on Investment: Sabsy Ongkiko at TEDxADMU Initial Review

“I don’t believe that you can’t do it… I see the spark in your eyes that you are eager to learn.”

This is how +Sabsy +Ongkiko started her speech and how she described the motivation of the students of hers in learning. Her speech as she conveyed it is like a letter to her students wherein it appeals to the emotion and mind of the people who are listening to her. How many times she tried to hold herself from crying and how many times she praised the public school, the teachers and the students behind it.

She also discussed that students shouldn’t believed when someone called them worthless and that always believe that you are young and you have so many things to learn. Aside from that, they shouldn’t let themselves to keep their inner potential. Whatever your dream is; whether to be a doctor or astronaut - you can do it. She’ll help you from reaching it as long as you help yourself.

Regarding the way how her speech progressed, it mainly focused on the contradiction of her belief to the belief of other people. People believed that she doesn’t deserved to be a public teacher because she came from a prestigious university. That people view public schools as something negative. That her decision- to teach in public school-was wrong. Yet, she believed that public schools are hope and public students are good.

Her goal is to convince people and students that in public schools, we can mold better students. That her ideals are to change the view and perception of people about public schools. Then she showed the result of her ideals, her return of investment which is a student who is better than her in Science and was admitted to +Ateneo. She also said that passionate teachers are invisible to the eye which means we cannot see how they help students to be a better person by educating them well.

In the end, she really said that she don’t care whether she is an idealist or realist. It is better to focus all of her energy to something that will contribute to the country, something that is important. In other words, students should be motivated to do well and teachers must be a guide to them to strive to attain the best of capabilities by teaching in public schools with love for them and to the country.