“I was a teacher aide for nine years here at Tanapag and had been with Oleai Elementary as a classroom teacher. Then I moved back to Tanapag,” she said.
Kaliga is now teaching third grade students.
She strongly believes that educating a child is everyone’s business.
“By seeing them everyday progressing with their work, my students are the ones that are really motivating me. Telling me that they like me and they miss me,” she said.
This also makes her want to spend more time with them.
She always tells her students to do a good job as well as encourage them to do their best in the classroom.
“I always reinforce them with positive words,” Kaliga said.
For the classroom environment to be more exciting, she gets lessons from books and finds ways to present these to the children.
“I relate everything we learn from textbooks to real life. Either we bring in some guest speakers or they can express what they have learned through ways that they are comfortable with,” she said.
She is also very artistic and talented in singing and dancing.
Kaliga is one of the coordinators for the Talaabwog Women Stick Dancers who have represented the CNMI in off-island events.
“Our dance group has been doing great. We have been representing the CNMI for years now. We perform traditional dances, representing our culture at different functions [abroad],” she said.
She is happy and grateful to be nominated.
“It’s great that I got nominated and I am glad about it. It is surprising but then I feel that I was chosen because I do a good job and I collaborate more with my peers. And I’m thankful for all my colleagues.”
