LEARNING BEYOND WHAT TEXTBOOKS TEACH
SARAH G. SIMBULAN
Several studies found that the achievement rate in the basic education in the Philippines had fallen drastically. To address this, the Philippine government introduced fundamental changes in the basic education system and pointedly boosted education expenditures. This is known as the “2013 Basic Education Act”, stretched the elementary and secondary education cycle from 10 to 12 years. This adds two years of mandatory senior secondary schooling for every Filipino student.
With the implemented curriculum, it is just expected to come across few problems like lack of facilities, lack of textbooks and teacher’s guide, and lack of resources. In the near future, it is likely that we will see textbooks slowly fade away. Just as handwriting is beginning to be substituted with typing, textbooks will be replaced with technology in the classroom.
Technically, a free-range teaching, variety of strategies and methodologies should be employed in teaching. Teachers should not be bounded by the required or prescribed strategies. After all, the teachers themselves are the ones who really know the learners. How can they teach, what appropriate strategies and materials to be imparted to them.
Conceptually, shortcomings, lack of learning materials, and support from the government do not really matter. There are several ways on how learning is took place. The motivation, compassion, and the dedication of the teacher and the love for the learners matter. The motivation of the teacher to innovate materials can help learners achieve learning outcomes through meaningful experiences. The compassion of the teacher to the students to understand, to sympathize, and to care, touches the lives of the learners for the better changes. And the dedication or commitment of the teacher to the vocation he chose to transform learners and his environment into significant growth.
Educators should employ with the most effective ways to engage students and to teach them beyond what textbooks teach.
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The author is Teacher I at Mabalacat Community High School