From a MAPEH Teacher’s View

Josephine D. Tala

Being recognized as one of Madapdap Resettlement High School’s performing MAPEH teacher, which is actually a product of trainings, seminars and burning midnight oil to improve my teaching prowess in delivering learning to students especially in music, arts, physical education and health, may say that teaching while having fun has become my passion, my habit so to speak believing that an idle mind is the devil’s playground! In relation to what was suggested years ago, no homework during the weekends- not at least for the children to find more time with their family, strengthened the bond, for some is not a good suggestion after all.

Wouldn’t it be more dangerous that if children do less with their school-related works, aren’t they going to look for some activities to fill their time that may not be advisable like playing ‘tong its’, engaging with friend’s activities like ‘smoking’ and ‘drinking’?

This merely because they don’t have nothing to do at all over the weekends. Enough time for the family is contributed since the average time for formal education has been limited due to lack of classrooms and even teachers to hold classes at a regular schedule.

Surveys and studies have shown the one thing of the Philippines to beat others has been taking off gradually.

Among the reasons often given is the deterioration in the quality of Philippine education.

Why then we need to lessen the task given to students if we do not really want to be left behind by other countries.

If we want a premium education and be one of the most competitive countries all over the world, shall we not invest more on education by concentrating and focusing and giving attention to it?

Shall we not strive for excellence by spending most out of what education can give? ‘All work and no play makes a boy dull.’ True indeed.

However, if there are more laxities in terms of education and putting more focus on the free time, I guess this will not bring us to the objective of trying to be a competitor and an aggressive contender among the world’s finest.

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The author is Master Teacher I at Madapdap Resettlement High School