After a couple of months, we had Bridging Programs, aimed at finishing the second semester of AY 2019-2020, and "bridging" the learning gaps of our law students, which we conducted online (thanks to our dynamic, innovative, and relatively young Dean at the Mindanao State University College of Law). That's my first time to conduct online classes, which I found weird. I thought classes in law school should not be conducted online. I thought online classes are ineffective, boring, and inapplicable - at least for law schools. Then came the Online Faculty Training organized by the Legal Education Board (LEB), and the Philippine Association of Law Schools (PALS), which I religiously attended. This gave me hope. I realized online learning/teaching was possible, feasible, and can be equally effective, just like face-to-face classes. It had to happen - we had no choice!

In the Online Faculty Training, the participants were given an opportunity to ask questions. I asked one of the resource persons, “How will I be able to terrorize my students online?” The response was not an answer, but another question. The resource person replied, “Why do you have to terrorize your students?” While I was explaining myself, the chat box was filled with similar explanations/reasons —“We were taught that way. We were terrorized. It is part of the legal training.” But the pandemic changed the world. It changed us. It changed the way I see things, even my teaching style. It changed law school instruction. The resource person’s reply was a wake-up call for me. It was my “Aha!” moment - my metamorphosis, if you will.

While some people were busy gardening, cooking, and binge-watching Netflix, I immersed myself to the different techniques available to adapt with the online platform. I am the “text and call” type of guy. I am not a techy person. I had to watch hundreds of tutorials in YouTube to improve my methodologies. I had to learn different Learning Management Systems (LMS) like Zoology, and Google Classroom. I had to familiarize myself with various videoconferencing platforms like Zoom.US, MSTeams, and Google Meet. I was hungry for knowledge. I was open. I was willing to learn, change, and adapt. I had no choice! 

After more than two years, the pandemic remains as new variants (and sub-variants) continue to emerge. I think even if we will be allowed to conduct our classes face-to-face, there should also be hybrid sessions, and asynchronous activities. The pandemic forced us to make use of technology. We have to move on, improve, and continue to innovate. I don’t want to go back. Now, I realized I can be an effective law professor without terrorizing my students. I still give my students a decent amount of pressure to encourage them to study harder, to do more. But more importantly, I learned how to inspire my students. I think students are inspired to study if they genuinely feel that their professor cares. The law professor is not anymore the traditional, classical teacher. He had evolved as a professor-mentor.

That Online Faculty Training in 2020 was like my Kindergarten in online learning/teaching. This Certification Program is like my High School, or even College (let’s see). I know there will be more trainings such as this; and surely, I will always participate. I don’t want to stop. I have to keep moving, running, fighting. Otherwise, just like in the horror movies, I would die!

With my general reputation on strenuous exam and its associated mortality rate, several students were adamant to join. Accordingly, they were afraid it would be their “last supper” where crucifixion follows. With their mortal state, they were uncertain of rebirth or resurrection.  Such declaration burst into laughter all over… since then, nobody eats ahead and the stuffs were taken jointly after.