REAL-WORLD APPLICATION

EIREEN D. MALANG

Some students have limited opportunities to explore their passions. While in school, teachers should mentor students through the process of finding their own potential and passions through project-based learning and realworld application.

Our students will be facing major social issues in the future, so we have to empower them to make a difference through their passions and interests. In the long run, they should be able to address real world issues by using collaboration, creativity, communication, critical thinking and confidence.

Students should be allowed to raise their voice in issues concerning them and education, and discover why these issues affect them so much. They should be able to reflect on what’s happening around them so they can find the solutions to these problems.

Let students be engaged in a worthwhile project that they feel would make a difference in their lives. Teachers should guide them towards communicating with people who can assist them in this project, either through email or face-to-face meeting.

Encourage them explore credible sources and to utilize various means of presentation to demonstrate their project. At the end of the project, students must be able to demonstrate knowledge of their chosen issue; document collaboration with a community member; detail an idea to solve the social problem; and provide the next steps.

Let students work on the projects at their own pace. As teachers, we should continuously give, receive, and use feedback to improve their process and fine-tune their project.

When they finish their project, students will feel as if they have laid the groundwork for what could become a lifelong mission and purpose in life that may bring about positive change in society.

— oOo— The author is Teacher III at Concepcion Elementary School, Bacolor North Elementary School, Pampanga