Role of Filipino Teachers in this Pandemic

Frelyn C. Lozada, LPT Mathematics

Overview

The onset of the current pandemic posted challenges in all aspects of our lives. After six months of living with this reality, many things have changed. We are forced to accept new normal scenarios. Even the educational system is forced to adapt new delivery modes of teaching and learning. Though distance learning has been a practice before, it is quite new among most of the teaching force of both public and private, primary and secondary schools all over the country. More so, it is the only and safest way to deliver instruction during this time. For distance learning to be successful, in a way, it should be modified and customized based on the resources of schools and learners. It is sad to say that DepEd lacks most of the resources needed in this type of delivery mode. However, it has made remarkable strategies, plans and actions to cope-up and deal head-on this difficult endeavor of providing assured quality education amidst the pandemic.

Preparations

The previous school year (SY 2019-2020) did not end the usual way. More so, the next school year (SY 2020-2021) will not start as expected. The prime foot soldiers that DepEd expects to deliver the teaching and learning process has augmented quite reasonably. The teachers are at the forefront in this fight. However, parents, barangay officials, printing service crews, and the whole community should be enjoined in this challenge. From the national level, regional, division, and down to school level, careful planning and adequate strategies were brought up to ensure the readiness of teachers in accomplishing their important role. Public schools are mostly at the disadvantage side of the equation. However, this reality did not deter DepEd to comply with its motto of providing quality education for all. In the past couple of months, public school teachers were and are trained on adapting to this new normal in education.

First, seminars on distance learning, module making, activity sheets preparation, understanding students’ and pupils’ adaptation on learning during the pandemic were suitably given among teachers.

Second, the concise modules that were patterned on the most essential learning competencies were prepared and quality assured by different divisions in each region. A collective effort has been utilized to come up with a solution of concise modules customized to fit the shortened DepEd school calendar.

Third, since the printing of the modules will take time, the schools division offices made sure to take advantage of the skills of teachers in making Learning Activity Sheets (LAS) to patch up the time constraint for printing the modules. Delays on the delivery are expected. Since this deterrence has been assumed, weekly activity sheets were prepared by teachers. These weekly activity sheets will be used to compromise the time delay of delivery of modules from the regional level. Schools are tasked to print LAS per week. These will then be distributed among parents. Scheduled pick-up and retrieval are also incorporated.

Fourth, on-line enrolment and drop-box enrolment, and longer enrolment days were designed to extend help and accessibility among our parents and learners. Students were asked to accomplish on-line enrolment form to facilitate the first step of the academic year. However, parents with no internet access were given the option of walk-in enrolment through drop-boxes strategically situated in schools and barangay offices. On-line live parents’ and students’ orientation on how to go along the process of the current school year were also prepared to further clarify misconceptions and vague processes.

Considering these effort done, DepEd will further utilize radio and TV broadcasting to supplement modules and activity sheets of learners. These collective effort are continuously made into reality to assure the continuity of education in our country.

Readiness

Since modules are already prepared and are on the printing stage, DepEd is now on the next step of preparing teachers. This time, assessment of students’ learning is up next. Seminars related on this aspect are now being calibrated. This is also to assure learners’ progress are kept on track. Since this is a new scenario on education, DepEd and the teachers are expecting a lot of unexpected, unforeseen glitches in the process. However, adapting to the new normal entails flexibility and reasonable thinking. For the past months living with the pandemic, teachers, students, pupils, and the community are gradually immersed and mind-set to expect these things. Behind these effort and accomplishments are the teachers who are silent and undeterred in doing their part for this coming school year to succeed.

Expectations and Conclusions

It is but true that hope is frail, it is hard to kill. Our hope for a better country will be attained through educated and skilled citizenry. This endeavor and effort of pushing through the school year should be unrelenting and firm. Yes, there could be a lot of challenges ahead. But remember, the Filipino spirit of resilience and ingenuity are intact. It could be hard to pursue but the cost of doing nothing or postponing takes much greater risks than at least trying.

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The author is Teacher II at Rafael L. Lazatin Memorial High School,

Balibago, Angeles City