CHANGE IS COMING

Roselle P. De Jesus

One of the famous lines that most of the people heard during the heat of pandemic is “New Normal”. This popular line also applies to what is happening to our Educational System in our country this School Year 2020 – 2021.

It was in March where pandemic became a major threat in the lives of the people, the Department of Education, headed by Sec. Leonor Magtolis Briones, also have done their part in order to have education as its best amidst the pandemic.

Many preparations have been laid on the table. Making sure that students both in the private and public school will have quality education and this present crisis will never be a reason for the students to stop or not to enroll this school year.

The Department of Education came up with various platforms and orientations such as online classes, modular methods, blended learning, the use of Radio and TV, etc. These various platforms will pave a way for the teachers to deliver the education all students need this school year. One of the platforms the department is actually endorsing is the online classes. According to Education.com, online education enables teachers and students to set their own learning speed and there is additional flexibility in setting a timetable that suits the needs of both. Also, within an area as large and broad as the Internet, there are countless skills and subjects for teaching and learning. However, despite of the advantages of online classes, still many parents/guardian do not agree especially if the platform can only be accessed through the use of the internet. Many parents say that they cannot afford to pay monthly internet fee or some of them complaint that they do have the money to buy gadgets and other electronic things.

At this point, DepEd introduced another platform which can be used by all students and this is the modular method. The modular method will be used as an alternative or other option aside from online classes. Modules also known as “Self Learning Module” (SLM) are learning materials that contain competencies students need to learn. For every SLM, there is one competency that is being discussed and explains with the use of examples. After the student read and understood the content of the SLM, the student needs to answer the exercises provided in the said SLM. The school will supervise the process of distribution and collection of modules to students for teachers to check the work of the students.

The use of the Radio and TV is also one of the platforms introduced by the Deped; however, there are no concrete guidelines yet on how to implement the said platform.

August 24 is the opening of classes in the public school while private schools have their prerogative to open on an earlier or later date. At present, as Senior High School teachers, I do not need to focus on what is new or unusual but I need to be ingenious and innovative so that we can give our learners the skills and knowledge they deserved. In the first place, one of our duties as public school teacher is to transform our learners to become 21st century learners and to be productive individual in the society.

Let us not be afraid to embrace changes. Changes are part of our system. Changes can make us realize many things. Finally, changes can transform us to become a better educator to our learners.

Source:

Educations.com, G. J. (2020, April 06). 5 Reasons Why Online Learning is the Future of Education. Retrieved August 01, 2020, from https://www.educations.com/ articles-and-advice/5-reasons-online-learning-is-future-of-education-17146

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The author is Teacher III at Francisco G. Nepomuceno High School, Angeles

City