IN A MULTI-GRADE CLASSROOM
MA. CRISTINA F. FRANCIA
There are 3 basic elements in Education. These, to wit, are the learners, the teachers, and the school setting— the most important among these are the learners. This concept has been so basic in the College of Education that it is taught in the beginning of the program in Field Studies among first year students in the undergraduate studi es.
Next to the learners as the most important element of education are the teachers. Consistent to the principles of education, the teacher may even serve as the pseudo instructional material because the teacher is even considered as the best instructional material himself/ herself. But while the school setting lies at the bottom in terms of importance in the elements of education, its big role in the entire picture can never be denied.
The school setting could be further categorized either psychologically or physically. Psychological setting pertains to the immaterial conditions of the learning environment while the physical setting pertains to its material counterpart. Psychological setting could be managed by the teachers more easily not unless the school is not a peace zone or unless no student in considered a Child at Risk (CAR) or a Child in Conflict with the Law (CICL).
On the other hand, the physical setting as an element of education provides a different version of the story. Since facilities, equipment, and other materials in the school basically require strong financial support from the government and the support of the community, what is lacking may not be abruptly provided. Considering that since last year, the National Budget proposed by the Department of Education has been trimmed down a bit by the Department of Budget and Management. The portion of the financial needs of the Department that has been affected by the trimmed budget is supposed to be allotted for the construction of classroom.
Having this mentioned, a multi-grade classroom is projected to be an even common set-up in the public schools. A multi-grade classroom is an education set-up where more than one class of different grade level, share the same room at once. This is a great hindrance to the delivery of quality education to the students. Considering a poorly ventilated classroom caused by voluminous students in a small space, an extra effort on the part of the teacher in facilitating learning, and the like, is a sure challenge.
In cases like these, the support of the community thru the General Parents-Teachers Association (GPTA) and the Alumni Association is even more needed and desired. Through these collective efforts, everything may seem possible in providing a better future for the youth.
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The author is Teacher III at Mamatitang Elementary School, Cluster I Division of Mabalacat City