How does Catch-up Fridays work?

ROBILYN C. TOLENTINO

The Department of Education will be implement Catch-up Fridays beginning January 12, 2024 across elementary and secondary schools and community learning centers (CLCs) nationwide.

All Fridays of January 2024 shall be dedicated to the “Drop Everything and Read” (DEAR) activity and orientation for field officials. It shall also be used as a venue to gather feedback from field implementers on the guidelines of Catch-up Fridays.

Catch-up Fridays is a learning mechanism intended to strengthen the foundational, social, and other relevant skills necessary to actualize the intent of the basic education curriculum. This initiative is integral in the National Reading and Mathematics Programs which are critical subprograms of the NLRP stipulated in DO 013,s. 2023.

All Fridays throughout the school year shall be designated as Catch-up Fridays, with a focus on operationalizing the National Reading Program (NRP) during the first half of the day's schedule and on fostering Values, Health, and Peace Education for the second half. Additionally, the Homeroom Guidance Program (HGP) shall also be included in the Catch-up Fr i days.

The time allotment for each learning area on a Friday shall be used to enhance learners' knowledge and skills in and appreciation of reading, values, health, and peace education.

Values, Health, and Peace Education shall revolve around monthly themes/subthemes based on the basic education curricular framework and standards. While teachers shall be given the prerogative to narrow down or devise additional subthemes, alignment with the quarterly themes is essential.

Teachers shall employ an integrative approach to teaching. For example, the content of any learning area can be used as a springboard for developing the reading skills of learners. Health themes can be integrated into Science to foster a deeper understanding of health-related concepts. Peace Education themes can be integrated into Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) to allow learners to explore how technology can be used for conflict resolution, communication, and community building

Catch-up Fridays shall not be graded. Since its main objective is to reinforce learning, individual progress shall be monitored through the learner's Reflection Journal, compiling reading experiences, learnings, and appreciation of Values, Health, and Peace Education.

Learners may also articulate their thoughts through various forms of writing, such as stories, journals, personal essays, and other forms of creativenexpression that reflect their unique learning experiences.

*** The author is a Teacher School

I at Dolores Elementary