THE INTEGRATION METHOD OF TEACHING

BRYAN D. PENA

Integration is a unifying process that affects almost every phase of growth, thinking, personal and social development. As a method, integration denotes unity, wholeness, harmony or adequate adjustment. In teaching, integration is the process of unifying the child’s mental, physical, social, emotional and spiritual energies through learning experiences. This method of teaching emphasizes learning as conceived in terms of total growth of the child rather than in mastery of the subject matter.

Emphasis is placed on the development of integrated personality of the child’s abilities, habits, knowledge, skills, attitudes and needs. Pupils are provided with a wide variety of learning activities and outcomes, with plenty of opportunities for participating in group planning, group discussion or execution and group evaluation of learning activities.

In the integration method of teaching, learning activities are organized in terms of larger units rather than on an assigned isolated task. Experiences are so organized that they may become meaningful and functional in the integration of pupil’s behavior and personality. In integration, the various experimental behavior indifferent subjects of the curriculum are fused to affect a general pattern of behavior which must subscribe to the accomplishment of the general aims of education.

In utilizing the method, the teacher must bear in mind the aims of education; the pupil’s likes, dislikes, tastes, and their individual differences. The child’s nature and experiences must be made the starting points in planning and organizing school programs.

-oOoThe author is Teacher I at Sta. Rita Elementary School