“Have you ever felt that maybe God is pulling you toward something bigger—something scarier—but undeniably yours?

“What if the skills you’ve built in one profession were actually preparing you for a purpose in another field?

Co teach-today’s conversation is about a former teacher who made a bold leap into the legal profession. To me, her journey is like a celebration of the values of humility, love for her family, gratefulness, and faith in God.

Welcome to Pinoy Blackboard, the podcast where we share real stories of growth, courage, and insights from Filipino teachers abroad and in the Philippines. I’m your host, and your co-teacher, Ms E.

Mrs. Jalieca Gadong-Balite taught young minds and now she practices law. Still guided by the same discipline, hard work, and purpose, now, attorney Jalieca Gadong carries forward that zeal for service in her journey as a lawyer, listen to this, she does that with much gratitude to the teaching profession.

Be blessed, co-teach, be inspired.

Chalk and markers ready? Sulat na tyo sa Pinoy Blackboard

Co-teach, is this you?

You love where you are and what you do, but you keep asking yourself these questions:

‘Is it too late to change careers?’ or ‘Am I allowed to choose a different path?’ “Am I really

ready to leave my comfort zone and accomplish more?”

Today, we’re joined by someone who did not only ask those questions, but he bravely answered them with action!

Dr. John Magalong, is a well-celebrated Filipino Physics teacher and an accomplished and proud career-shifter.

Let's start, co-teach, let’s learn from the pressure and pleasure points Dr. Magalong faced. You’ll be blessed to hear how grateful he is for everything that he experienced before and after answering his new calling.

Sulat na tyo, sa Pinoy Blackboard!

🎤

Are you a teacher who is struggling to settle in, feeling unsure if you belong, or wondering if the journey is worth it?

Are you a migrant teacher in need of encouragement in the areas of resilience, faith, adaptability, and growth in your first year of teaching?

In other words…

Bagong teacher ka ba abroad? Kakalipat mo lang ba ng school, co-teach?

Then this conversation is for you!

This is about finding purpose in unfamiliar places. We’ll be hearing from a Filipino teacher who made the brave decision to leave her comfort zone and start a new teaching journey here in New Zealand. Like many migrant educators, her first year came with unexpected challenges—but also powerful lessons and meaningful wins.

Maria Cheryl Villapando-Casimiro or Ms Ching as we dearly call her, has been teaching in New Zealand for nearly a decade now. Her passion for education, unwavering faith in God, and deep love for her family have shaped ----not only her journey, but also the lives she touches—making her story truly worth sharing.

Let's get to it, co-teach. Listen and be inspired. You will know how to get through the pressure points successfully and enjoy the perks of bravely stepping out of your comfort zone. You'll get to love teaching (again), you'll gain your confidence back and knock-out your first-year fears.

Connect with this community of Filipino teachers inspiring fellow Filipino teachers abroad or in the Philippines.