Part 1 of 2 of a testimonial series written by Daddy Paolo Sitaca about their experience at MIIS.
When our daughter Pia turned four, she showed multiple talents in the arts and linguistics. She also proved to have a great memory by remembering every page of her bedtime books. She knew if Daddy skipped a page to cut the routine short! My bad.
Gladys and I knew Pia had tremendous potential, and we wanted the right environment for her to learn and grow. Choosing the right school was critical to her development. After two years of being taught by “Teacher Mommy,” Pia was ready for another school. Gladys and I did not want a traditional school where rote memory and math skills reigned. We wanted more than that. Pia had two years in a child-centric school where individual potential was harnessed and tapped. The approach to each child depended on the child’s learning style. I grew up in such an environment and so wanted the same for Pia. After some time searching and deliberating, we found The Child’s Place in Quezon City. It tailored the learning experience according to the child’s unique intelligences, which made learning fun. So fun, the kids did not want to miss school! That was our experience in The Child’s Place and the Multiple Intelligence International School (MIIS). Pia loved going to school!
[MIIS] tailored the learning experience according to the child’s unique intelligences, which made learning fun. So fun, the kids did not want to miss school!
Daddy Paolo
Seeing Pia love learning and having fun was a great joy for both Gladys and me. When Pia graduated from kindergarten, I had this chat with my mom during the graduation ceremonies:
I said, “It’s a good school, but pricey.”
My mom was quick to point out, “Imagine the kind of education you could not afford, not to give her.”
Those words stuck. Both Gladys’ and my parents told us that the best legacy they could give us (their children) is a good education. We wanted no less for Pia.
Warren Buffett, one of the richest men in the world, said, “Price is what you pay for; value is what you get.” How true! Today, Gladys and I are grateful for Pia’s MIIS education, given how she is turning out. We appreciated it even more when she was pitted against other kids from all over the country to vie for a five-year Filipino scholarship earlier this year.
The selection process was stringent. Out of several hundred applicants, only a few took the written exam, then two handfuls for the final round of interviews. In a nutshell, it was like subjecting kids to an episode of reality television.
All the effort paid off when the day came I received a phone call on my mobile from an unlisted number. It was the head of the screening committee on the other end of the line! After calling Gladys and Pia to hear the message themselves while I put the phone on speaker mic, we all listened to the words we yearned so long to hear, “Congratulations!” Pia was one of the five scholars who received a five-year scholarship from Grade 8 to 12!
We talked about Pia’s scholarship journey from beginning to end after that fateful call. While doing this, we began to appreciate the kind of education she received from MIIS as a family. Her authenticity, confidence, and uniqueness shone through the entire selection process. She was not afraid to be different and felt free to express herself and her ideas. Her leadership stood out, not in a loud and overt way, but through how she answered some of the questions and how she influenced her groupmates. I remember Pia telling her story after the first day of selection. One of her fellow candidates commented, “Why are you are so confident?” She did not answer. A similar comment was given by one of the school’s counselors during her last panel interview. When I asked Pia where the confidence came from, she said, “I got used to the frequent group activities in school. They always rotated people.” She was prepared well by MIIS for all the activities in the interview.
Grades were good for paper screening. It got Pia to take the first exam and other tests, but when it came down to collaborative work and the ‘get-your-hands-dirty’ type of sessions, that was where Pia stood out. One of the teachers who evaluated the candidates gave this feedback in the final interview. Her uniqueness was not deviant but positively different and refreshing. Her being the youngest of all candidates proved not to be a handicap.
Below is a portion of a letter I wrote Teacher Joy when we learned the good news:
“When asked about what she (Pia) remembers most of MIIS, she had this to say:
I guess she summed up the MIIS journey quite well. You learn through your intelligences. Learning is an ongoing endeavor to become the best you could be (growth mindset). To be the best, however, is not enough. Groundedness on time-tested values is likewise essential. The result is an authentic child who has found his/her voice (identity), loves to learn (growth mindset) and has character. Such elements are the making of an authentic leader ready to serve a larger world.
MIIS is not only a learning institution. It is a place that is transforming generations, one family, at a time. What a profound impact it makes in building the city, the region, and the country!”
We are grateful to have walked the halls and classrooms of MIIS. We are also thankful for the opportunity to give back to the community through the Parent-School Partnership Council (PSPC). Our objective was to share the same unique and positive experiences we had with the school with other parents. We also wanted to help enhance the kids’ learning experience beyond the classroom.
In this regard, we would like to express our eternal gratitude to the village that has been part of our life for the past nine years.
Our heartfelt thanks again to Teacher Joy, all the teachers, staff, and the parent community of MIIS, to make Pia the person she is today. Indeed, it took the entire MIIS village to raise Pia. It also took the same village to raise us as parents to Pia. With the grace and mercy of God, the parent-school partnership which harnessed her talent and giftings, she would not have the honor and privilege of becoming the first MIIS student to become a scholar of International School Manila (ISM) in its 100th anniversary. We share this achievement with all of you!
All stories must come to an end, and as we close the MIIS chapter of our school journey, we have but good memories to bring with us. MIIS has become a big part of our life in the last eleven years. As with family, there is no farewell, only ‘see you around.’ On behalf of Gladys and Pia, this is Paolo for Team Sitaca signing off from MIIS! We miss you all!
Forever grateful,
Paolo, Gladys, and Pia
MIIS 2011-2020
