TEACHERS’REINVENTION THROUGH MEDIA
AILEEN O. CRUZ
The importance of continuous learning was emphasized by no less than Deped Sec. Leonor Briones when she urged educators during the World Teachers’Day Celebration, “to learn something new everyday.”
As an educator, it is interesting to note that the media is our zealous partner in our noble mission to educate the young. Be it print, broadcast or T.V., the media continuously provide learning materials which help us cope with daily challenges in our job.
For instance, two of the T.V. programs that I enjoyed watching were Kidzania and Little Big Shots. Aside from being entertaining, they also provided worthy educational insights to which we as teachers can easily relate to.
Little Big Shots gave us important lessons dealing with talented kids and their families. These lessons include the value of discipline, passion, and education among our young kids, the important role of dreams in their life and the parental support and encouragement that will help them succeed.
It is heart-warming to see how parents of talented kids are solidly behind the efforts of their children to perfect their skills. And yet they don’t fail to remind their kids to prioritize on their education. It also highlighted the importance of hard work and discipline for the little kids to realize their full potential. However, in real life situation we see a lot of children devoid of such support due to poverty in the family.
On the other hand, Kidzania which I watched on the T.V. program Boardroom reinforced the idea that modern learning should be learner-centered, experience based, and collaborative in approach. It also proved that given the right learning environment and motivation, the young can be fully engaged in the learning process.
I am sure that we can find a lot more in our media sources that will provide for continuous learning. And it only takes our initiative and resourcefulness to find them.
--oOo-The author is Grade 6 teacher at Aquino Elementary School, Aranguren, Capas, Tarlac