Mathematics during the New Normal Education

Nova Angelie C. Santos

Who would have thought that teaching this year in the Philippines would be different from the previous ones?

March 2020 was when every school in the country was placed under distance learning and nobody ever predicted that this will happen. Students were bothered whether they will be promoted to the next level and if so, what awaits them? Teachers and school administrators were also stirred up and felt lost for the next step. And upon the announcements of the guidelines, no one was allowed to step foot on schools unless following the strict health protocols made by the Inter-Agency Task Force.

The beginning. Everyone’s attention was placed on the news flooded with the questions: How did it start? What was the cause? Where did it come from? And many more.

Several claims were made that it came from Asia through the eating of infected bats. But no scientific facts have proven this so far. However, the effects were threatening, even so in the nation’s educational system.

Students were told to stay at home prevent movements which may lead to infection. This was also done considering the parents’concern as to their children’s safety.

Teachers were equipped through varied online webinars which tackled almost everything they may use to facilitate distance learning. These included online platforms available, modern technologies which can be optimized, effective assessments in the distance learning, maintaining a healthy mental and psychological state for everyone, etc.

And as for Mathematics teachers, mathematical tools were launched to be used in the process. Some of the are: Kahoot, Mathematical graphing calculators, Math Papa, Photomath, Geogebra, Microsoft Mathematics, Desmos, Adobe Photoshop, and others. The google applications including classroom, docs, sheets, drive, calendar, slides, and meet were also being utilized. The Microsoft team also leveled up their softwares and are now part of the growing platforms for education.

And since this is the trial period for all of us, some things turned out to be bigger challenges. First, we have to consider how to allocate our time properly for our duties. As math teachers and a module writer, we have to consider that the activities provided can be answered independently by the students unlike face-to-face classes when we may scaffold the learning of the students in the controlled environment. Next is that we to make sure that there is an open line of communication which our students may use for their queries. And also, we have to set aside a portion of our income for these means of communication.

Administrators paved the way by consulting professionals for the best possible delivery of learning. They have introduced different teaching media like: online learning, TV-based learning, radio-based learning, modular learning, and others. Memberships were also opened for teachers like google accounts and Microsoft accounts. Budget for gadgets were also increased for utilization of the softwares. The timeline for the end of the schoolyear and the start of the next was also brought into critical discussion.

And though we cannot yet determine when this will all be over and done with, we must make sure that our efforts will continue to fight in this battle. And no matter how hard it can get, what matters more is that we are all in this together.

The author is Teacher

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I at Bacolor High School

The principles of the motivational theory which is the Self-Efficacy Theory can be used and integrated in LDM because it jives with the self-learning nature of the new normal education especially under the modular instruction as the leading modality applied across schools. It can be gleaned that in any accessible learning delivery modality, learners are faced with the need to rely on their self-learning or independent learning abilities due to temporary lack of face to face mentoring and instruction from the educators. Thus, this crucial period of learning highly requires them to possess sufficient level of self-efficacy, self-trust or confidence to cope with the demands and academic challenges of learning via the use of LDM and under distance learning system.

Moreover, teachers may integrate the principles of Self-Efficacy Theory in the design and construction of instructional directions in the modular learning tools and materials that are intended for self-learning activities. For learners with access to on-line and virtual platforms, the integration of Self-Efficacy Theory can be applied by the teachers by way of offering learners with words of encouragement and motivation to boost self-trust and efficacy in fulfilling new normal learning endeavor. Teachers also provide counselling services to parents on how to boost their children’s self-efficacy in facing LDM-based learning through virtual discussions.

Meanwhile, Goal-Oriented Theory can be also an applicable motivational theory in the new normal learning modalities because for many teachers it is hard to personally guide and direct the setting of goals and objectives of the learners without face to face instruction, mentoring, observation, communication and counselling. Thus, goal-oriented motivational strategy in a new normal approach can be a big help.

Learners may experience certain adjustments in the defining of their learning goals and objectives while being subjected to unique and distinctive modalities of learning in this new normal.

The adjustment is viewed and observed to be difficult and rigorous for the learners in terms of clarifying and setting learning goals since everything is new for them under the distance learning and LDM-based learning system.

But with the aid of this motivational theory, they may learn a new normal approach to defining of academic goals amidst this crucial period of learning.

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THE AUTHOR IS TEACHER III AT SAPANG BIABAS RESETTLEMENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL