ÁNG PILIPINONG GURO SA PAGBABAGO NG PANAHON

Naalala natin ang ating mga guro noong araw na mga taong kilala sa pamayanan dahil sa kanilang integredad. Ang kanilang pangalan ay bukambibig mula sa nakatatandang kapatid hanggang sa mga sumusunod na kumbaga ay pamana ng lahi. Walang pag-aalinlangan na kasingbango ng sampaguita ang pagiging guro lalong lalo na sa mga panahon ng pormal na edukasyon sa Pilipinas ay nasa kanyang kamusmusan pa lamang.

Ngunit ang panahon ay madaling lumipas at ang guro ng pamayanan noong araw ay hindi na lamang sa lokalidad abot-tanaw. Binago nang makabagong panahon ang antas ng guro. Ang Pilipinong guro sa makabagong panahon ay hindi na lamang sa apat na sulok ng pamayanan kundi siya ay guro na nakikipagsabayan sa guro ng ASEAN, sa mga guro ng Europa, sa mga guro ng buong mundo.

Ang klase ng mag-aaral na tinuturuan ng makabagong Pilipinong guro sa panahong ito ay nakatakdang makipagpaligsahan sa larangan ng globalisasyon. At dahil dito, may pangangailangan na maging na parating mulat ang makabangong guro sa mga mukha na pagbabago upang huwag mapag-iwanan sila at ang mga makabagong mag-aaral.

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The author is SST II at Basa Air Base National High School

To further enhance the delivery of world-class education in public schools nationwide, Google and Adobe have joined Globe Telecom and the Department of Education (DepEd) in expanding the Global Filipino Schools (GFS) Program.

The GFS Program is a modern approach to K to 12 learning and long-term support to DepEd that equips schools through three key components: internet connectivity, mobile tech, and specialized teacher training on 21st century approaches to education.

New partners include Da Vinci Learning (DVL), Quipper School, and Mano Amiga Academy (MAA). These partners are expected to enrich the GFS training national workshop experience for teachers, which will be held from May 7 to 11 in Cebu City, with coaching and mentoring to span until August.

The DepEd and its officials are beyond grateful to their partners for lending them a helping hand in this massive endeavor to capacitate teachers – the front liners in the delivery of quality education services – with ICT skills and platforms, so that they will be better equipped to nurture future leaders and nation-builders.

GFS school heads and teachers will be participating in an intensive five-day, face-to-face certification workshop with virtual coaching sessions for three months. The workshops will be covering various principles of 21st century education and practical ways of using technology in public schools.Under the partnership, Google will be educating participants on available solutions and trainings via their web platform, Google for Education Training Center. This includes lessons on how teachers can educate parents on digital wellness, and will equip participants with workshop facilitation modules that they can bring back to their respective schools.

On the other hand, Adobe, a global software company which focuses on multimedia and creativity-building software, will be providing training on use of creativity solutions applicable to public school teachers and students. Educators will be empowered to nurture the creativity and confidence of their students, through available educational applications online.

DVL, which originated from Europe, will be providing a workshop on design thinking and use of mobile applications for learning. The organization operates an interactive video-ondemand app which provides K to 12 learners with educational videos in more than 90 countries and in various languages.

With Quipper School, a free e-learning platform for teachers, educators are able to set assignments and track student progress online, while students enjoy interactive e-learning on smart devices. Quipper will be providing a workshop on how to use mobile solutions that help save time, and effectively monitor student performance and workload.

Mano Amiga, which is Spanish for “helping hand,” is a non-profit K to 12 school with international standards, whose roots come from Latin America. The school is renowned for developing its own intensive teacher training program which emphasizes on child-centered instruction, active learning, and development of 21st century learning skills like communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity.

Globe tapped MAA to design and facilitate the GFS national workshop and lead the threemonth coaching course for the participants.

Seventy-one public schools were added to the GFS Program this year. To date, the program is present in various public schools from 200 DepEd Divisions, and in 16 out of the 17 Philippine regions with final region - the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), already scheduled in June.

Since scaling the program in 2014, every committed DepEd Division around the country was asked to nominate a school to serve as the model school and teacher training hub for its city/province in delivering 21st century education.

The GFS Program includes equipping each selected school with free internet connectivity via postpaid accounts such as Fiber, DSL or LTE connectivity depending on the network availability in the area. The free internet is meant to enhance the teaching and learning experience of teachers and students of the school.

The GFS Program package also includes a donation of mobile tech equipment for learning to the schools such as projectors, virtual reality goggles, Google Chromecasts, netbooks/ tablets, and additional prepaid WiFi devices such as the Globe PrePaid WiFi @ Home Bundles, Globe Prepaid Supersticks, and a mobile cart.

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I at Masantol Elementary School, Masantol North District

The author is Teacher