KEEPING THE ENGAGEMENT STRONG

ARECEL F. NAGUIT What lies in the heart of a great worker? You are kind: a great worker shows kindness to, colleagues, visitors, client and those around her/him. My favorite saying is “kindness makes the world go around”. It truly changes the environment in the workplace. Being a kind teacher helps students feel welcomed, cared for and loved. You are compassionate: Non-teaching is a very humanistic profession too, and compassion is the utmost feeling of understanding, and showing others you are concerned about them.

A compassionate worker models that characteristic to the people who will be served with her/his actions, and as a result clients will be more open to understanding the world around them. You are empathetic: Empathy is such an important trait to have and to try to develop in ourselves and our students. Being able to put yourself in someone’s shoes and see things from their perspective can have such a powerful impact on our decisions and actions. You are positive: Being a positive person, is not an easy task. Being a positive employee is even harder when we’re always met with problems with very limited solutions. However, staying positive when it’s tough can have such a tremendous positive impact on the clients and everyone around us. Looking on the bright side always seems to help make things better.

You are a builder: A great teacher bridges gaps and builds relationships, friendships, and a community. Employees always look to make things better and improve things in and outside of the workplace. Building a community is something a great worker seeks to do in the workplace and extends that to the entire community. You inspire: Everyone looks at a great teacher and they want to be a better servants they want to be a better clients even better, they want to be a better person.

The author is Administrative Officer — oOo— III, DepEd Division of City of San Fernando, (P)

EIREEN D. MALANG There is an ongoing challenge that our schools face: Students’ enthusiasm for school falls as they get closer to moving-up ceremonies. They seem to be less engaged in school as they grow older.

It has been observed that there is a steep cliff on engagement that occurs among students who are nearing high school.

What could educators do to keep students engaged, involved and enthusiastic about their school?

A link has been found between engagement and desirable student outcomes, which makes it important for leaders to find ways to address the school engagement cliff. There are elements which can provide clues to what educators can do to keep students’ engagement strong.

Let them do what they do best every day, and let them know that as teachers, you make them feel that their schoolwork is very important.

Students should also be able to feel safe in school, while also having fun with their best friends and peers. And if they have done some good work, make sure you let them know.

As an educator, you must make sure that your students have learned something interesting from you, and let them feel that you – and the other adults at school – care for them. And also, make them feel that you are excited for their future and what lies ahead for them.

Make sure that your students’needs are met, so that they feel involved and enthusiastic at school. Creating hope leads to the idea that there is a future better than the present, and that they have the power to make that future a reality.

Students who are hopeful are more likely to get excellent grades at school, and are more likely than their least hopeful peers to be engaged with school.

Find ways to help students build a positive relationship with their future, to help build students’engagement with school. Give them the chances for a better future. They have better days at school when caring adults encourage them in their quest for clarity about the future.

— oOo— III at Concepcion Elementary School, Bacolor North District, The author is Teacher Bacolor, Pampanga.