Where is FFF's Fourth F?

Where is FFF’s Fourth F?

by Elaiza Padon Padilla

            WARNING: Be careful with Dr. Flordeliza Fernandez Francisco (popularly known as FFF). Your grade might be the fourth F.

            Dr. Francisco is a legendary professor in Ateneo de Manila University where she also took her undergraduate degree in Bachelor of Science and her Doctoral degree in Mathematics. She finished her undergraduate degree as a scholar of the Ateneo College Community (like her three other sisters who also happen to be Ateneo scholars, two of those are Math teachers as well) and her Doctoral degree as a Department of Science and Technology (DOST) scholar. For two years, she had worked in Nanyang Institute of Technology, Singapore where she taught Singaporean Math teachers after which she returned back in the Philippines to teach in Ateneo.

            In ProjectBlue, though, a website where Ateneans comment and evaluate their professors, FFF’s reviews are flooded with “the hidden treasure in Ateneo de Manila University – the fourth F of Dr. FFF – can be found… in her students’ report cards.” Students’ assessment of FFF are swamped with “trust me, extremely hard exams,” “brutal grading system,” and “let me experience an F (failing mark; letter grade when score is below 50% of the total items) in Math long tests.”

            It can be construed that most of the students consider her long tests as “hard as hell” and yet, it is ironic that she still got most of the students’ recommendations. More than 80% of the Ateneans who wrote her evaluations recommended her to other students despite her “slaying long tests.” Why is this so? Is she that lovable that the risk of failing a Math subject worths it? What makes her loved by her students?

Dr. FFF is like the final answer in a Math problem – written in simplest form

            Firstly, most of the students love her simplicity and her routine before starting a class, as reflected by the reviews in Project Blue. First, she will erase the board meticulously and then she will ask one of her students to lead the prayer. She then gives the class some overview of the activities for the week. She starts the lesson and lets the class work on some Math problems, giving them reasonable amount of time to get the hang of them. As she waits for them patiently, she wanders around the room looking at how students solve the problem, making sure that no one gets left behind. Smiles. Give hints and explains. However, if you think classes are so predictable, behold! When she gives surprise quizzes, it is really surprising! And every time, she has new things in mind to share. I can say it with such certainty because she had also been my teacher.

            On one hand, every time you got confused with a question, all you got to do is to raise your hand and then she will walk towards your seat and enlighten your mind. She also gives out tips on how to study Math effectively during consultation hours.

Even Blue Ateneans love a genuine Grin

Secondly, no one hates people with positive aura and a genuine smile on the face. “Dr. Flor is really one of the best profs in Math, when one of her students tells her that he is having some difficulty with a particular lesson, she grins. After that big, awesome smile, she will be more than willing to show you the lesson works,” says Ephraim Josh Pangilinan (BS MA).

Dr. FFF smiles every time. She smiles when her students understand the lesson. She smiles in front of students bombarded with Mathematical equations. It is her unique smile that calms and tells her students, “It is going to be okay. It’s as easy as one, two, three….” – the reason why she is dubbed as the The Great Grinner and Dr. Smiley Face.

Fun and honour worth the risk

            As for Alawi Sularte (BS AMF), “Yes, her class demands high order of intelligence in Math. And though your grade is at stake, the risk is worth it because you will really learn, appreciate and enjoy Mathematics as never before.”

As for students, the fun of learning and the inexplicable joy of understanding Math, really worth the risk. Also, there is a perceived honour in having her, a dubbed terror prof, as your prof. As the saying goes, if it's worth the risk, take the fall; if it's what you want, then it's worth it all.

Everyone loves to chill every once in a while

            Dr. FFF is also known for her stress-relieving activities after her draining long tests – puzzles, movies, manipulative problems and cool Math toys to name some.

As said by some Ateneans, one of the reasons why FFF is loved by her students is that “She is always willing to assist you. She photocopies sample long tests for you and brings all sorts of astounding Math toys in class.” (Project Blue review)

A teacher and mother to Ateneans

            “Dr. FFF’s high Math intelligence and her motherly attributes are one of the most powerful forces that move and inspire me to study even more and eventually be a Math wizard,” says John Carlo Cabug (BS MA).

            Also, according to Trixie Tuparan (BS MA), her passion in educating her students is so evident in the way she acts as a professor – excellent teacher of the subject matter and motherly in every aspect.

            Aside from her high mathematical intelligence, almost all of the students noted her motherly aspects that drive them inspired to study Math even more.

            These five strong qualities of Dr. FFF keep the students from loving her even more.

As for the source of the Three F’s

Moving to the perspective of Dr. FFF, asked if she knows that some of students regard her as a terror professor, “Well, labelling a professor as a terror one is based on how students define terror professors. It’s purely subjective. For some, it means that the professor is short-tempered and unapproachable, which I believe I’m not. (Laughs). While for others, it means giving hard exams. But then again, the level of difficulty of a test varies for each student. Ergo, labelling professors as terrors is purely based on individual students.”

            In terms of her hard long tests, she replied, “Well, if you think it’s hard, it will really be. Just as how when we are told or if we tell ourselves enough times that we are not good enough at a subject or sport, we are likely to believe it. And once we consider that belief, we tend to look for ways it is true, turning that belief into a self-fulfilling prophecy. Psychology-thing. (Smiles). That’s why I repeatedly tell my students who seek my advice on Math, “You will eventually be good in Math if you study hard. But the speed of getting into becoming a Math Whiz will accelerate if you first believe you are good at it.”

The truth finally revealed…

Some Mathematical problems are still in the process of solving. Some took thousands of years to finally be solved. But this one wonder of Math – of where on earth the fourth F is, is finally solved. And just as how Mathematical proofs end, conclusions are made. Truths are revealed.

            The truth is, the WARNING made by some witty and punny Ateneans is a hoax – a false alarm that is. For the hidden treasure in Ateneo, the fourth F of Dr. FFF, is not really on our report cards (atleast not that F). It is actually in our hearts. That F that motivates and inspires us to push through with Math. The F that gives us hope to be Math Wizards, the F that keeps us strongly driven towards our dreams. Ah, yes! That F – the fourth F – Faith.