Inclusion of elders in new norm learning pressed

A BID to include elders in the new normal of learning is being pushed in Baguio City.

Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda is asking the Department of Education in the Cordillera Administrative Region (DepEd – CAR) and the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) to involve the elderly in the new learning modes.

Tabanda said the present health crisis gave rise to the transition of the traditional face-to-face classes to the new learning modes as classrooms will be transformed into a remote learning environment where the teacher is physically separated from the learner.

“Most of the new learning modes lay the burden of mentoring the learner to both parents and guardians. It is absolutely important that whoever would guide or mentor the learner should be capable to comprehend, follow instructions, and impart to the learner the lessons or instructions passed on by the teacher,” the lady councilor said.

Tabanda explained there are elderly members of the family and of the community who, despite their advanced age, are still mentally alert and physically capable to mentor.

“These are the elderly who may be a family member, or who may act as one of the mentors in a support group that may be formed in the community. Filipino culture accords high respect and obedience to them. Even children look up to the senior and treat them with kindness. Thus, children tend to listen and believe their words while the elderly have a special way of dealing with children,’ she said.

The resolution was approved during Monday’s regular session.

The resolution was made, seeing there are parents who are forced by circumstances to delegate a guardian or a relative to act on their behalf with working parents usually have very limited or no time at all to coach their children in the school activities.

Tabanda said children are left to the care of their grandparents or a relative, thus, a mentor is delegated, rather than the children are left on their own that would later on cause them to lose interest in their studies.