SECURITY BANK FOUNDATION HOLDS TEACHERS’ TRAINING
SECURITY Bank Foundation (SBF), in partnership with the Ateneo Center for Educational Development (Aced), recently conducted a three-day teachers’ training focused on strategies and tools in teaching mathematics and science subjects in the cities of Quezon, Cebu and Davao.
The annual teachers’ training program was a major component of SBF’s “Build a School, Build a Nation: The Classrooms Project.”
The training was attended by 301 elementary, junior high school and senior high school teachers from the foundation’s beneficiary schools nationwide.
It also introduced different teaching strategies that would help the teachers engage the learners and encourage their active participation in class.
“The training challenged me as a teacher to do the best that I can for my students to like and love mathematics,” said Marilyn Bucog, a mathematics teacher at the Jagobiao National High School in Mandaue City, Cebu.
Her fellow trainee science teacher Angelina Besa of Leyte National High School in Tacloban City said she realized that there are several “techniques on how the teaching and learning process can be made enjoyable and motivating for students to ensure productive learning.”
Mentors from Aced shared various teaching approaches like drawing on past experiences and existing knowledge to discover new things and asking questions to enrich inquisitiveness.
The training emphasized the need to make learning collaborative, fun and interactive.
Mentors introduced digital learning applications that teachers can customize to test students on their understanding of the lessons through games.
They also provided online resources where teachers can download videos and other visual materials for presentation in class.
Teachers were asked to do science experiments to highlight the importance of hands-on activities in sparking students’ interest, curiosity and critical thinking.
“The training gave me ideas on how to enhance my teaching with the use of technology–applications that can make learning exciting and interesting,” said Jovy Jane Casiple, a science teacher at Emiliano Lizares National High School in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.
Visualization was introduced as a tool in teaching mathematics—students see first the concept before solving mathematical abstracts.
The training was filled with simulations of different kinds of group activities that encouraged creativity, collaboration and communication among students.
“Learners must have experiential learning from the very beginning of the class. In that way, they will enjoy learning,” said Brian Baluca, a science teacher at Tagbilaran City Central Elementary School in Bohol.
The teachers also attended a financial wellness learning session conducted by Security Bank’s wellness coach Elsa De Gracia. They learned about managing their finances and growing their funds through investments.
Since 2014, SBF has trained 1,003 teachers in teaching strategies for social studies, English, mathematics and science.
“The training opened my mind that Science should not only be taught because of the content itself. It should be taught for the learners to discover things. Teachers should deal more on how the learners will uphold the lesson and use it in the future,” said Wilson Panes Jr., a science teacher at Inzo Arnaldo Village Integrated School in Roxas City, Capiz.