RIZAL’S LIFE AND WORKS

Lesson 3
Rizal’s Life: Family, Childhood,
and Early Education
LEARNING OUTCOMES
 Analyze Rizal’s family, childhood, and
early education
 Evaluate the people and events and
their influence on Rizal’s early life.

Pre-test
A. Answer the following questions.
The historical process by which religion loses social and cultural significance is referred to as secularization.
1. What is secularization? The importance of religion in modern communities is limited as a result of secularization. Faith has limited
cultural authority in secularized cultures, religious institutions have little social power, and public life goes on
without reference to the supernatural.
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2. Who were the three priests that were executed because of the Cavite mutiny?
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3. When is the date of birth of Jose Rizal? _____________________________________________
4. Where is the place of birth of Jose Rizal? ___________________________________________
5. Who are the parents of Jose Rizal? ________________________________________________

Pre-activity
How do you remember your childhood days? Write a short essay about your
memorable experiences during your early childhood?

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RIZAL’S LIFE AND WORKS

Jose Rizal?
Jose Rizal, just like Filipino
boys, had many beautiful memories
of childhood. Rizal was raised to be a
good catholic. At age of 3, he would take
part in the family prayers. For Rizal,
education was very important
particularly during the Spanish period
where our country experienced brutality
from the Spaniards. Through education,
it could cure the problems of Colonial
Philippines. But who is Jose Rizal?

Jose Protacio Realonda Alonso

Mercado Rizal was born on June 19,
1861 in Calamba, Laguna. Jose Rizal is
the seventh child of Francisco Mercado
Rizal and Teodora Alonso y Quintos, He
had nine sisters and one brother. He was
baptized at the Catholic of Calamba by
the parish priest Fr. Rufino Collantes
with Fr. Pedro Casañas as the sponsor.
His family were tenants of a hacienda
owned by the Dominicans.

House of Dr. Jose Rizal

At age of (5), he was able to read the Spanish family bible “Historia
sagrada”. At 8 years old, he wrote the “Sa Aking mga Kabata” (To my
Fellow Children). His devotion to Jesus and many was expressed in his
cravings of the images of the Sacred Heart and Blessed Mother sculpted
in “Batikulung” (Philippine hardwood).

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RIZAL’S LIFE AND WORKS

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

JOSE RIZAL'S EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY. “In order to heeded and

to maintain authority, the teacher needs prestige, reputation, moral
strength, and some freedom of action. The best teacher must be a
kind who teaches by example what she teaches to the student.”

Dona Teodora, his mother, was the first teacher of Jose

Rizal that taught him the alphabet. It was she who molded the spirit
and thoughts of the great hero.

On June 10, 1872-, Rizal accompanied by

Paciano went to Manila to enroll in Ateneo de Manila.
He was refused by Father Magin Ferrando, the college
registrar of the school for two reasons: (1) he was late
for registration (2) he was sickly and undersized for his
age. But with the help of Manuel Xerez Burgos,
nephew of Father Burgos, Rizal was reluctantly
admitted at the Ateneo.

Did you know?

Do you that the family name Mercado was
changed to Rizal. Jose was the first of his family to adopt To improve his Spanish, Rizal took private
the surname “Rizal”. He registered under this name at lessons in Santa Isabel College during the noon
Ateneo because their family name “Mercado” had come recesses. He paid three pesos for those extra Spanish
under the suspicion of the Spanish authorities lessons.

After two years in Ateneo, Rizal

received excellent grades in all subjects and a
gold medal. During his third year, Rizal grades
remained excellent in all subjects, but he won
only one medal—in Latin. He himself was not
impressed by his scholastic work. In his fourth
year in Ateneo, Rizal topped all his classmates
in all subjects and won five medals at the end
of the school term. On March 23, 1877-
Commencement Day, Rizal, who was 16 years
old, received from his Alma Mater, Ateneo
Municipal, the degree of Bachelor of Arts,
with highest honors.

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RIZAL’S LIFE AND WORKS

On April 1877, after graduating in Ateneo, he continued his

Rizal was fascinated by
study at University of Santo Tomas. He decided to shift to medicine
this book and greatly
after a year in cosmology, metaphysics, Theodicy, and Philosophy and
influenced him.
letters.
There are two reasons why he transferred to medicine: (1) He
wanted to cure his mother’s failing eyesight and, (2) Through the advice
of Father Pablo Ramon, Father Rector of Ateneo recommended Rizal to
take medicine.

 The Count of Monte Cristo by

Alexander Dumas - the first
favorite novel of Rizal which
made a deep impression on
him

 Universal History by Cesar

Cantu - Rizal persuaded his
father to buy him this set of
historical work that was a great
aid in his studies
Main Building at the University of Sto. Tomas
Travels in the
Philippines by During Rizal’s first school term in the University of Santo Tomas
Dr. Feodor Jagor
- a German
(1877-1878), Rizal also studied in Ateneo. He took the vocational course
scientist-traveler leading to the title of perito agrimensor (expert surveyor). On
who visited the November 25, 1881, the title was issued to Rizal for passing the final
Philippines in examination in the surveying course. During his last year in the
1859-1860.
University, Rizal obtained a grade of very good in all of his subjects and
Rizal was impressed in this book passed the medicine course. After which Rizal decided to study in Spain.
because of
Compañerismo (Comradeship) is a secret society of Filipino
(1) Jagor’s keen observations of
students in University of Santo Tomas in 1880 that was founded by Rizal
the defects of Spanish
colonization, and and his close companions.

(2) his prophecy that someday UNHAPPY DAYS AT THE UST

Spain would lose the
Philippines and that America Rizal found the atmosphere at the University of Santo Tomas
would come to succeed her as suffocating to his sensitive spirit. He was unhappy at this Dominican
colonizer institution of higher learning because (1) the Dominican professors were
hostile to him; (2) the Filipino students were racially discriminated
against by the Spaniards, and (3) the method of instruction was obsolete and repressive.

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RIZAL’S LIFE AND WORKS

Poems written by Jose Rizal

On 1874, Rizal wrote a poem

entitled “ Mi Primera Inspiracion” (My First
Inspiration}. This poem was dedicated to his
mother.
He also wrote “Alianza Intima
Entre la Religion y la Buena Educacion”
(Intimate Alliance Between Religion and
Good Education) wherein Rizal showed the
importance of religion in education.
Among other poems he wrote
were the following:

 Al Niño Jesus (To the Child Jesus)- this

poem was written in 1875 when Rizal
was 14 years old; it was a brief ode
 A La Virgen Maria (To the Virgin Mary)-
another religious poem which doesn’t
have exact date when it was written
 Un Recuerdo a Mi Pueblo (In Memory of
My Town)- a tender poem in honor of
Calamba, the hero’s natal town
 A La Juventud Filipina (To the Filipino
Youth)- Rizal, who was then 18 years old.
This winning poem of Rizal is a classic in
Philippine literature for two reasons:
(1) it was the great poem in Spanish
written by a Filipino, whose merit was
recognized by Spanish literary
authorities
(2) it expressed for the first time the
nationalistic concept that the
Filipinos, and not the foreigners, were https://www.coursehero.com/file/p3fh2iu/Matalik-na-pagtutulungan-ng-Relihiyon-at-Edukasyon-Alianza-Intima-Entre-La/

the “fair hope of the Fatherland”

WATCH to know more about the young Jose Rizal:

1. Jose Rizal (1998) Movie starring Cesar Montano and
Directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya
2. Ang Buhay ng Isang Bayani (ADMU)

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RIZAL’S LIFE AND WORKS

ASSESSMENT
TEST YOUR UNDERSTANDING
I. Answer the following questions.

1. What were the two reasons for refusal of the college registrar to admit Rizal to Ateneo?
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(1) he was late for registration
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(2) he was sickly and undersized for his age.
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2. What were the two reasons why Rizal studied medicine?
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(1) He wanted to cure his mother’s failing eyesight
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(2) Through the advice of Father Pablo Ramon, Father Rector of Ateneo recommended Rizal to take medicine.
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3. What are the English translation of the following Rizal’s work:

a. Mi Primera Inspiracion -
My First Inspiration
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b. Un Recuerdo a Mi Pueblo -
In Memory of My Town
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c. Alianza Intima Entre la Religion y la Buena Educacion -
Intimate Alliance Between Religion and Good Education
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d. A La Juventud Filipina -
To the Filipino Youth
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e. A La Virgen Maria -
To the Virgin Mary
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Resources/References:
Coates, Austin. Rizal: Filipino Nationalist and Martyr. Hong Kong: Oxford University Press Quezon City: Malaya Books, 1969; or Filipino Translation by Nilo S. Ocampo.
Rizal: Makabayan at Martir. Quezon City: University of the Philippines press,2007
Rizal, Jose. “Memoirs of a Student in Manila,” Appendix Section of Gregorio Zaide’s Jose Rizal: Life, Works , and Writings
Ileto, Reynaldo. “Rizal and the Underside of Philippine History” In Filipinos and their Revolution: Event, Discourse, and Historiography. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila
University Press, 1998, pp.29-78.
https://www.biography.com/political-figure/jos%C3%A9-rizal
https://prezi.com/pzccwliub8xa/early-childhood-of-dr-jose-rizal/

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RIZAL’S LIFE AND WORKS

Post-test
Answer the following questions.

1.What is the significance of knowing the educational background of Rizal?

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2. Write a short biographical essay that compares your student’s education during your
primary and secondary schooling with Rizal’s own.
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