THE RISE OF INNOVATIVE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

The author Teacher Pampanga

EDNA M. DAVID

Though teachers are long been hailed as the best instructional materials (IMs) ever, the needs of 21st-century learners continue to challenge teachers’ creativity and resourcefulness.

IMs do not only aid instruction, they help learners to be motivated and ready for learning as well. Hence, they are known by various names such as learning aids, teaching aids, learning resources, instructional tools, etc. One thing is certain, IMs set forth and spearhead instruction. Through these, learning becomes motivating, interesting and inviting on the part of the learners.

In this 21st century that recognized individual differences and multiple intelligence, teachers are mandated to provide differentiated instruction empowered by the use of a variety of IMs suited to the nature and abilities of learners. This pose challenge for teachers todeviseand/orimproviseIMsmatchingtheneedsofthelearners,nottomentionthetime, effort, and money accompanied by its production. But, in here, the creativeness and resourcefulness of teachers may come into play. One of the mandates of the teachers is to innovate IMs that improve learners’ performance and address instructional issues. This is a testament that teachers are able to address learners’needs to quality instruction through remedial and intervention materials given to them.

To this end, innovative IMs could be described as those that are products of teachers’ creativeness and resourcefulness, with the aim of helping learners to perform well. They are innovative in the sense that they are novel and well-orchestrated based on the needs of the learners and the present time as well. Innovative IMs do not only serve as the medium for learning, they make learning itself meaningful and worthy endeavor to make. Being innovative in the classroom makes teachers inventive and discover more essential ways to deliver instruction.

The innate desires of teachers to make learners experience a variety of learning experiences serve as the basis for innovation and discoveries that may revolutionize the way how teaching-learning process is being done. Gone are the days where teachers do all the acts of instruction. Learners are the actors of instruction and IMs reinforced them to do such. Learners may get bored if their teachers keep on using the same IM over and over again. The fact the learners have various learning styles and multiple intelligence calls for teachers to innovate IMs fitted for their individual needs and the different learning activities needed to be done in the classroom.

Indeed, there are many challenges facing education today, but these should not hinder teachers to be at their best in delivering quality education to the people. Teachers are forever learners and innovating IMs is one way of assuring the public that they are doing their part and that they continuously learn and grow from the profession to aid learners in their pursuit of higher learning. Innovating should not be viewed by teachers as taxing and burden to do. If the intention is genuine and really for the improvement of education and securing the educational welfare of the learners, doing IMs could be a labor of love.

As learners clamor for more meaningful learning experiences, teachers could be of great help if they could innovate and introduce IMs relevant and useful for learners. To this end, their purpose as aids to instruction could really be realized.

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I at San Juan Elementary School, Guagua West District, Division of