John denver olarve Bshm401Journal Entry: Learning from Rizals life and works prelim to finalsDate Range: August to December 2025Title: Balik tanaw Rizals life and worksA. Situation or ExperienceThroughout this semester, we explored different aspects of José Rizal’s life—his childhood, family, education, writings, and advocacies. In the Prelim period, I learned about his supportive family, especially his mother, who inspired his love for reading. I reflected on my own life as a student, trying to balance responsibilities, expectations, and personal goals. During Midterms, we focused on Noli Me Tangere and discussed social injustices, corruption, and the struggles of characters like Sisa, Ibarra, and Elias. Listening to my classmates’ reflections made me realize how deeply the novel connects to real life. In the Prefinal period, studying El Filibusterismo showed Rizal’s frustration and how environment influences personal growth, which reminded me to stay disciplined even when lessons felt heavy. Finally, in the Final lessons, we examined Rizal’s advocacies, reforms, and political vision. I connected most with his advocacy for education, seeing it as a key to achieving my goals, including my dream of working on a cruise ship and helping my family.B. Emotional and Cognitive ResponseThis journey stirred a mix of emotions. In the beginning, I felt inspired but also pressured when comparing myself to Rizal’s discipline. Midway, I felt empathy and sadness during discussions about Noli Me Tangere, especially Sisa’s story. I also admired my classmates for sharing personal experiences. During El Filibusterismo, I struggled with stress and loss of focus, but organizing my notes, setting small goals, and asking for help helped me regain motivation. Finally, learning about Rizal’s advocacies made me feel hopeful and grounded. I realized that being a hero doesn’t always mean grand actions—it can be shown through responsibility, discipline, and commitment to personal growth and helping others.C. SEL Insight
From Rizal’s life and writings, I gained insights in self-awareness, social awareness, selfmanagement, and responsible decision-making. I learned to recognize my strengths and weaknesses honestly, manage my emotions, and set purposeful goals. I also practiced empathy by understanding the hidden struggles of others and communicating with kindness. Most importantly, I realized that every decision I make shapes who I become. Like Rizal, I want to grow into a person who is disciplined, compassionate, and purposeful, using knowledge and responsibility to achieve my dreams while positively impacting others.D. Guiding Questions1. What did you learn about yourself or others?I learned that I tend to compare myself to others too quickly, which lowers my confidence. I realized that people carry silent struggles, just like the characters in Noli Me Tangere. I also learned that I am capable of regaining focus and motivation even when lessons feel difficult, and that I have a strong sense of purpose when I connect lessons to my personal goals. Finally, I realized that being a “hero” can start with simple responsible actions.2. How did you manage (or fail to manage) your emotions?At first, I struggled with pressure and stress, especially when comparing myself to Rizal or facing difficult lessons. During discussions about Noli, I felt empathy and sadness but managed my emotions by listening carefully and respecting others’ experiences. Later, I managed stress better by organizing my notes, studying in shorter sessions, and asking for help. Learning about Rizal’s advocacies reminded me to stay patient, hopeful, and inspired rather than overwhelmed.3. What choices did you make, and what would you do differently?I chose to push myself to study more consistently, be understanding and patient during discussions, and persevere through difficult lessons. I also reflected deeply on Rizal’s advocacies and connected them to my own dreams. If I could do things differently, I would start building better habits earlier, ask for support sooner when stressed, and participate more actively in class discussions to gain more insights.ReflectionThroughout this course, my understanding of myself and my emotions has grown in ways I didn’t expect. At first, I thought this class was only about history and literature,
but it became a journey of self-awareness. By studying Rizal’s life and works, I learned to recognize my own strengths, weaknesses, and emotional triggers. I realized that I often doubt myself, but I also learned that I am capable of growth when I put in the effort.The SEL domain I developed the most is Self-awareness, because each lesson pushed me to reflect on my habits, motivation, and reactions to pressure. Self-management also improved as I learned to handle stress, especially during challenging topics like El Filibusterismo. Journaling helped me understand my thoughts better and allowed me to express feelings I usually ignore. Writing regularly made me more honest with myself and more mindful of my decisions.This reflection process also strengthened my social awareness—I learned to appreciate other people’s experiences, just like how the characters in Noli represent real struggles in society. It reminded me to be kinder and more patient with others.Moving forward, I plan to apply these insights in my academic and professional life. As someone who dreams of working on a cruise ship, I know emotional discipline, communication skills, and responsible decision-making are essential. This course taught me that learning doesn’t end in the classroom; it continues in every choice I make. Rizal’s life inspired me to keep improving, stay resilient, and pursue my goals with purpose.