On being a good educator
This is to all aspiring passionate teachers, like me. Studying to become a 21st century educator involves a great effort in finding our own identity. A good educator today understands that one of his/her job is to trigger the sleeping potential of a child in this arena of technology, preoccupation and rationalization.
According to Jeffrey M. Beckley Jr. (2011) quoted in “A Modern Philosophy on Education,” aspiring educators today have to ask themselves if they are good communicators, information and technology literate, innovative and creative, problem solvers, globally competent, flexible and adaptable, and good collaborators.
It is important that teachers nowadays realize that the way students learn is completely different from before, and these traits are important to be able to connect to the post-millennial students.
We should abandon the pure essentialist mindset. It is high time for teachers today to be more of a constructivist and student-centered. Information is after all at the tip of our fingers so we should teach more on the skills of analysis, application, evaluation and synthesis of these information in a student-centered approach.
We can incorporate a lot of creative blend for our teaching methods. Perhaps, integrate it with music or the trends today. Perhaps, make it very authentic and more experiential.
Perhaps, let them create their own form of alternative assessments. Perhaps, make them a fountain instead of a pail to be filled with water.
But it’s a challenge. A lot of teachers and school staff/heads could always misunderstand these ideals. Former generations may not be able to understand us. We may be deprived with resources and facilities. We may be in conflict with our personal struggles. It is a bigger challenge in this century.
Being a teacher in these times is not a walk in the park. It takes a lot of guts, and a few bent of system norms - or a lot - to give the quality education students deserve rather than the monotonous dull lecture-type. It will all be worth it at the end .
Who knows? By being one, you may have inspired your student to become the first inventor of a successful time machine.--
Imperialist agenda
The shift from maritime exercises to humanitarian assistance and disaster response does not make the current iteration of the Balikatan exercises any less violative of our sovereignty. Neither does it make the current Balikatan exercises any less in the service of US imperialist agenda in the region.
The war games must be seen in the context of US regional dominance, which also run counter to Philippine interests. The US wants to drag us into regional conflicts not of our choosing. The US conflict with China and North Korea are expected to intensify. The US seeks interoperability between their armed forces and ours so that they can involve the AFP in US-instigated conflicts.--