Jose P. Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines, and I share a common bond: our mothers were our first teachers. However, unlike Rizal, my mom was not an elite; she neither had formal education nor training, but that did not stop her from imparting the necessary skills of reading, writing, and counting to me.

My journey with learning began when I was just two years old. My mom introduced me to flashcards with pictures and labels, sparking my early curiosity. She juggled her responsibilities by bringing me to her workplace, as we could not afford kindergarten. During her breaks, she would flash those cards and ask me what they were, even though my pronunciation was often gibberish.

By the age of three, my mom took it a step further by labeling our furniture. Day in and day out, she would read these labels aloud. Never did she think she was already teaching me the ability to read and spell. One day, she collected all the labels and asked me to match them to their corresponding objects, and to her amazement, I got every one of them right. She then proceeded to teach me the sounds of letters and introduce sight words.

At three and a half, I was already fluent in reading words, and my mom began teaching me how to write. I remember her radiant face every time I would finish my writing ahead of time. She also introduced basic math concepts like addition and subtraction.

When I turned five, I officially started school. My early education was not rocket science at all since I already possessed the basic skills. My teachers were impressed with my reading ability and often had me recite poems and stories, even sending me to recital competitions.

I consistently outpaced my classmates, often finding myself ahead of the curve. My teacher recognized my abilities and would often seek my assistance. She used to call me her "little teacher". She would assign some of my classmates to work with me, helping them improve their reading skills. As a result, my teacher arranged special activities for me and allowed me to sit beside her during class since my tasks and responsibilities were different from those of my classmates.

My abilities became renowned among parents, and they would often praise how my mother had taught me. My mom and her competitive spirit pushed me even further. She insisted I read five pages from a book every night without fail. She made me memorize more stories and poems. As a child, I preferred playing to studying and gradually viewed it as a form of torture. It was starting to feel like a burden for me.

However, an unfortunate turn of events came when my mom fell ill after giving birth to my younger brother. She became quite unwell and could no longer devote as much attention to my studies. She had to visit the hospital for follow-up check-ups once in a while and, at the same time, take care of my younger brother. In my young mind, I thought this was an escape from the pressure to study, and my grades began to slip.

Later in life, as I pursued my education degree, I came to realize that everything started to make sense. There were underlying theories supporting my mother’s actions, which I believe she unknowingly applied during my younger years.

One such theory is the "Theory of 3Rs," endorsed by Sir William Curtis. This theory emphasizes that reading, writing, and arithmetic form the foundation of education and are essential prerequisites for academic success. My early education was smooth because I had already mastered these foundational skills.

Next is the “Top-Down Theory” which emphasizes the importance of prior knowledge and context. In my experience, my mother used this method by associating words with objects. This helped me build background knowledge through pictures and learn complete word spellings before individual sounds. It is contrary to the “Bottom-Up Theory” which focuses on learning individual letters and their sounds and then combining them to understand words, sentences, and larger texts. This approach is commonly used in schools because it is more effective for most learners. It posits that the mastery of the sounds should come first, and comprehension will just follow.

Lastly, Charles Duhigg's "The Power of Habit" discusses the importance of consistent learning routines in forming productive habits. In my case, I had the foundation early on but failed to maintain it. Looking back, I realize the potential I could have fully realized had I sustained those habits. If I could turn back time, perhaps this is one thing I would like to change.

This journey of mine highlights that lacking a formal education does not hinder one from being an impactful first teacher, and the lessons from my mother continue to shape my personal and professional life. Grateful for this unique educational experience, I have learned that the most valuable lessons often come from those who teach with passion, not just from textbooks and classrooms.

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