Gateway to Horizon

Learning, in my point of view, is one of the most important and rewarding amongst social processes in which humans engage. Surely, education is considered important in all societies and teachers play an integral role in ensuring the success of this social process. There is so much a person can learn outside of formal school, but knowledge administered by universities is without a doubt instrumental to our race’s advanced and ever-progressive state. Interestingly, my studies in University of the Philippines as an aspiring educator effectively balance core curriculum and incidental learning. Specifically, a course in the teaching of reading and literature, simply EDR 110, equipped me both theoretically and practically.

Knowledge of learning theories is essential but its application is far more necessary. This course literally allowed us to practice teaching, likewise, immersed us to the tasks and responsibilities entailed for this vocation. The actual teaching experience we’ve had is something I can add to my portfolio. Moreover, these same experiences developed in me philosophies which I may embody as I continue my journey in becoming a licensed educator.

I find our study idealistic but realistic at the same time. Our classroom discussions opened my eyes to various views on the teaching of reading and literature. Group teaching activities, on the other hand, encouraged me to go out of my comfort zone and even stirred my innate creativity. Anchored with theoretical foundation and practical skills, I am now ready to go further and in time establish myself in the field of teaching as far as my talents permit.

When it comes to being a teacher, there is no single approach that is proven to work in all circumstance. There are, however, practices that can positively impact a child’s learning experience. I came with a list based from what I’ve learned throughout the semester. Though there is so much to say, I came up with only five points which to me are worth pondering.

1. Don’t lie to your students. Most kids have an amazing sense of radar that's capable of bringing out the truth, so never ever lie.

2. Encourage students to think critically. Provide access to information, but don’t act as if you’re the sole source of knowledge.

3. Befriend your students. Exert an effort so they may love you as their teacher.

4. Concentrate on your students’ successes, and by no means highlight their mistakes or failures.

5. Always have a reason why you’re doing what you’re doing.

Clearly, the sum of my learning experiences creates a synergy that will certainly be reflected through my character and the way I carry myself as an educator. This course led me to a pedagogy centering attention to collaborative learning, a refining strategy that will allow me to carefully nudge my students in reaching the fullness of their potentials. Finally, my overall EDR 110 experience challenged me to rid myself of passivity, to be reflective rather than reflexive, and developed in me an unyielding passion to continue learning and become better day after day.

Education has a long withstanding history. Even before schools were founded, the need to equip ourselves has always been present. The way people view learning changed as ancient civilizations advanced. It became highly structured besides being purpose driven. And though there is so much we can learn outside of school, many consider formal education their ticket to a good future. Schooled individuals, after all, are typically more competitive in the workforce. In a working environment that posts stiff competition, sound education is considered not only an edge but a basic requirement.

Since education affects our value system, teachers play an integral role in our society’s progress. Some anthropologists say that learning institutions can be too constrictive, stereotypical and even politicized at times. They argue that education is not neutral but ideological. Pressured and influenced by a centralized power grid comprised of internationally recognized organizations: United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund to name just a few. Yet none can deny that knowledge administered by schools and universities is crucial to both our social and economic growth.

In my point of view, mankind has an innate ability to deal with conflict and recognize stigma, but it is apparent that our capacity to think critically is sharpened because of schooling. Education in its broadest meaning may not be free from biases but its core foundation is equality and common good. Teaching is different from indoctrination but even educators embody a specific philosophy. As there is so much required from aspiring teachers, it is important to be reflective rather than reflexive. Both our micro and second group teaching activities call for so much self-reflection, below are some points which I find gravitating:

For a lesson to successfully take-off, students’ prior knowledge must be activated. First step to do so is by carefully assessing your learners’ schema. Understanding such is vital so teachers may be able to calibrate their teaching approach and bridge the gap between intended and achieved objectives.

Also, other than being visual learners, most students appreciate novelty. It is therefore necessary to creatively craft your teaching materials, same goes for the activities students will have to accomplish. These tasks should vary to eliminate competition. I also realize that both point system and reward system are unhealthy as these encourage rivalry amongst students, this has been evident during our apprenticeship and second group teaching. Self-esteem must be cultivated to students at a young age rather than the spirit of competiveness.

Whenever discussing, I have learned that teachers should refrain from asking questions that are answerable by “Yes” or “No”. When trying to elicit an explanation for a given answer, inquiring “What made you say that?” is better rather than merely saying "Explain your answer.” The latter make most students feel that I am challenging their answer hence the impression that they have given an incorrect response when I am just actually trying to let them explain their point of view. Further still, our second group teaching confirms that lesson plans serve only as a guide. Sticking too much to it results to being stiff. As part of my professional development, I will make it a point to always listen to the students. Their ideas should never be taken for granted. Simply acknowledging the students’ inputs leads to better discussion. Interactive learning on the other hand results to better retention. Amazingly, this will also address issues with kids having a very short attention span. Within the course of discussion, teachers must be patient yet firm.

Education is a collective experience. So apart from particular learning competencies, a kid’s social development is also important. Both our microteaching and our experience in iCLIP made me realize that kids are often seeking for approval, thus words of encouragement are essential. Finally, no kid can learn it all in one teaching. There are trade-offs educators must be ready to deal with. Correcting a student’s spelling of words for instance may be not necessary if the subject-matter or the skill being taught is something else.

Our teaching stint in iCLIP leaves me with so much learning crucial to my professional advancement. I find these learning interrelated to one another. It is worth emphasizing that most of the knowledge this experience has given are not mere information that can be listed, but realization and philosophies that are embodied. No wonder why education withstood tests of time. Excitingly, I see myself as an active participant of education’s withstanding force soon.

Loyola Heights is known for its exclusive subdivisions. The community visit we have conducted however gave me a perspective contrary to this place’s fancy image. Most of its population is likely affluent but some are clearly not. Seeing this caused discomfort within me. I started asking myself, how can children living in such condition reach the fullness of their potential if even their basic needs are not met? I am not rich myself, but these people are obviously facing real problems that require concrete solutions, poverty is not a state of mind. Sadly, I have not really done anything as a future teacher or even as a pastor’s kid. I may have rendered community service in various places and participated in our church’s several outreach programs, yet have done nothing that actually empowers. I since then looked forward to personally meeting some kids who happened to be part of the communities we have visited.

Zooming in to our stint as apprentices, classroom management is still the biggest challenge. I bet it will always be since students have different preoccupations, establishing authority in your class while befriending your students at the same time requires patience and self-control. I equate passion and hard work to classroom management skills, something I will have to develop by gaining more experience. There is nonetheless a particular technique which I find very effective, that is task delegation. Giving the students some responsibilities will help them divert their extra energy. Additionally, kids will likely reciprocate your belief to their capacity to deliver and being entrusted with due diligence.

A key learning for me, I realize through our apprenticeship that both reward system and point system are ineffective. Both point and reward systems encourage competition which I consider unhealthy. This may not be true in all circumstance but is my general observation. Instead of unnecessary competition, teamwork is one of the many things students should work on.

To effectively launch a lesson, teachers should tap to the students’ schema. Activating their prior knowledge is possible by letting them share their personal experiences. I can then use it as leverage to eventually achieve the desired learning competencies. Another takeaway for my professional development, it is always best to conduct an interactive discussion especially that kids’ attention span is very short. Despite of slim experience, I have noticed that discussion becomes lively if the teacher maximizes the students’ reactions. To keep the high energy level, I should let the kids talk. Focus on the objectives should nevertheless be maintained. In my point of view, it is important to promote academic freedom and collaboration with the learners. Also, every teacher should render a listening ear.

Difficulty of activities must also be calibrated depending on the kids’ skills. Once their abilities have been gauged, their assigned tasks should be adjusted accordingly. This is where sensitivity is showcased. Finally, it is an absolute best to commend even the smallest successes of students particularly those we have covered during our apprenticeship. These kids according to Teacher Julie are often considered inferior thus expressing confidence for them will positively boost their morale. Simple recognitions may even become their childhood’s turning point; I deemed this crucial given the context of these children’s situation.

In conclusion, our community visit and apprenticeship made me realize a lot of things, there is in fact so much to say. However, I wish to end this article by expressing gratitude to the participants of iCLIP -the kids. It is amazing that I have been thinking of empowering them but it is me whom I found empowered at the end of the day.

Teachers and businessmen are similar in some ways. Dedication and hard work for example are essential for a business to thrive, the same goes for teaching. To become a successful educator, you must have the passion, dedication and appropriate skillset. It is amazing how small-business ventures can depict life-long lessons for an aspiring educator. This article highlights some characteristics that seem parallel to both business and teaching professionals which I realize during our stint as student teachers in U.P. Integrated School.

Topnotch products and services are basic components of a successful business. To achieve such, workers must undergo necessary training and equipping. In the same way, acquiring the right skills is necessary before one can jump-start a teaching career. You can facilitate a class only if you know what you’re going to teach. A detailed lesson plan helps yet that serves only as a guide. A good teacher is adaptable and listens to his/her students, you have to be willing to skip or even add something to the outline you made if the situation calls for it. One thing I learned, you should not let ideas from your students slide. In those circumstances, presence of mind is very important.

Moreover, it is important to note that students feel if their teacher is unprepared or rattled, pressure doubles unfortunately if you’re facing intelligent kids like the pupils of UPIS. Composure is one of the many traits I need to work on. I intend to do so by thorough preparation and constant practice. Apart from boosting my confidence, this will teach me voice control. True enough, “The biggest room in the world is the room for self-improvement.”

As a student teacher of Grade 5-Makiling, I realize that one cannot be too prepared. You have to know not just that day’s lesson. If you’re teaching language skills for instance, knowledge of, if possible, all the grammar rules is a must. Likewise, you have to arm yourself with multiple examples to make the lesson easy to understand. Choice of material is just as crucial as the conceptualization of activities to be accomplished. It must be creative and really engaging but not too gimmicky. In addition, every time students were asked to do something, complete instructions must be given beforehand.

Stimulating the students thinking and letting them speak their mind are yet another takeaways for my professional development. Socrates himself once said “I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.” Our demo made me realize that it’s good to get rid of too much teacher talk. Not only will it help me conserve my voice, dialogic learning experience is in fact correlated to better retention. It’s best to elicit the desired learning competencies from the students rather than spoon feeding. Teachers’ role after all is to guide. We simply provide access to information and shouldn’t act as if we’re the sole source of knowledge. Apart from encouraging academic freedom, less teacher talk will also give way to more student-teacher interaction as well as fun field activities. Learning is a collective experience. Clearly, fun makes that experience worth remembering for kids.

Teaching and running a business were different in nature, but are undoubtedly parallel in some ways. Like a businessman who knows his target market, a teacher should know his students. As an aspiring educator, I should know the language my students speak, the games they play, and even the TV programs they watch. More than calling each of them by their given names, understanding their preoccupation and learning to identify with the transitions they go through as children is important, such is instrumental for better classroom management. In particular, I’ve learned that I should never try to outshout my students. Shouting is not only ineffective but is also toilsome. It is opposed by educational psychologists and is evidently not practical. Additionally, it is important to always be aware of the time and my class’ schedule. Being mindful of this is necessary to avoid overtime. One of the best ways to teach kids respect is by showing them good example, and I should start by respecting their time. Task delegation on the other hand is a practical way to let the students divert their extra energy. It is a good way for me to establish authority over my students without resorting to unwarranted punishments.

Another characteristic of a successful businessman and an effective teacher is they both learn from their mistakes. The first day of my teaching demo isn’t good at all, contrary to what I thought it would be given our thorough preparation. Things don’t always go as planned, but silver lining may be found even in the darkest clouds. It is fair to say that both our mentors, Teachers Maita and Mia were abundantly reassuring, thanks to their guidance. Being surrounded with the right people is important. As inexperienced as I am, applying the tips provided by my superiors and classmates helped me on our group teaching’s second session. True enough, progress is possible only if one is receptive to coaching opportunities.

Our stint as student teachers is something to cherish, a very insightful two day practice that is. I’ll consider and utilize that experience as a springboard in becoming a licensed professional. As the saying goes, “Experience is the best teacher.” I’ll devote myself to teaching strategies that are proven to work but will also employ unorthodox techniques to counter students’ boredom and ensure collaborative learning, just as a good businessman invests to undertakings that are though risky have guaranteed returns.

Just a few weeks since the semester started, there are already a lot of things I have learned as an aspiring educator. As a teacher to be, Scaffolding, the idea of Zone Proximal Development, Principles in Designing a Literacy Program and Taxonomies of Reading Comprehension are those I find gravitating. In this introductory blog entry, I opt to share my point of view of what education is, how I regard it and how I see it shape our society. Though field observation in UPIS and demo of teachers from the same institution are the focal point of this write up, I intend to first elaborate my thoughts as it will help me lay out my key takeaways and insights about the central theme.

How do you regard education and being a teacher?

In a country whose proliferating economic system is capitalism, many regard education as the key to land a decent job. It is for this reason that parents work hard so they may send their children to prestigious schools. Likewise, Human Resource personnel are trained to examine applicants’ scholastic records in search for academic excellence and particular skill-set. Before anyone can become part of the workforce or be able to jumpstart a business, appropriate training and equipping is necessary. This reality was understood by the framers of the 1987 Philippine Constitution therefore mandating the State to “uphold all citizens right to quality education at all levels and to take appropriate steps to make it accessible to all.”

I personally have a high regard for teaching. I see the profession not only as a mere vocation but as a calling. This appreciation I have for teaching in a way stirred my passion and made me decide to participate to U.P. College of Education’s CPE program. I am fascinated as to how one can be a vessel of knowledge, but what amazes me more is how the bearer of information can gain fresh ideas and even wider perspective from his or her students. Through dialogic learning, both parties benefit thus promoting dynamics. To be privileged to teach, play a role in a person’s cognitive development, and if possible become a catalyst for change are my visions awaiting fulfilment. Amid my admiration to teaching, I am also considering it as a fall back. Being passionate with something and at the same time thinking of it as such are contrasting ideas. I guess I have that notion because I once imagined myself as a writer and not really a teacher. Needless to say, I am headed towards this direction determined not only to acquaint but hopefully make myself adept to the field.

What is true education?

Education in its broad sense can be catered from formal and non-formal schools. Also, we acquire learning from our day to day experiences. The function of education according to Martin Luther King Jr. is “to teach one to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education”. In my point of view, whether the knowledge or skill was gained through formal schooling or everyday experience, it may be used as a springboard in launching a career. More than profit-seeking activities nonetheless, education presents opportunities for one to become a productive member of the society. Learning is so vast covering almost all if not every aspect of life. It cannot be confined within the four corners of a classroom nor can be limited by a particular institution’s curriculum. Incidental learning for instance may well be drawn anywhere at any given time.

Understanding of education’s true function should widen our horizon. I believe that instilling sense of responsibility and accountability must be the core of structured learning. At the same time, schooling should not be too rigid and constrictive. Standard teaching methods as vital as they are must give way to inclusivity and liberalism. Lessons, after all, are best pick up by students if contextualized and individualized for by which learners are given the opportunity to realize their potential within their terms instead of someone else’s.

Let’s begin to dig in

Basing it from my observation, it is apparent that Teacher Vicka wholeheartedly embraced her role as an educator. Besides being creative and approachable, her classroom management skills were also manifested. One thing that evidently worked for Teacher Vicka is when she tapped to her students’ personal experiences. She made sure she has her students’ attention prior launching the lesson, and other than reading the story with a book facing the students, she also used varying tone, pitch and voice. Additionally, she asks occasional questions. This apparently is a very diligent way to keep the students’ attention in check. Still another effective technique displayed is task delegation. By partnering with her students’, she has lessened her duty’s burden while developing the children’s leadership skills at the same time. I highly commend Teacher Vicka’s dedication and effectiveness.

Similarly, the demonstrations conducted by Elementary Teachers Laura and Mia were also insightful. One characteristic I intend to imitate from them is being systematic. This can be done only if your lessons’ objectives are clear for by which desired outcomes and learning competencies are derived. Also, reading materials to be used must be selected intelligently. Both teachers made sure it is not too easy or too hard. I am actually familiar with the material presented by Teacher Laura. It is one of the pieces from Child Horizons Collections -The Story Hour. For some reason, I hated this story when I was child for the sole the reason that I do not find the illustrations eye-catching. Needless to say, these unreasonable and negative impressions I have against the story when I was a kid were all cleared out as I witness her demonstration. Only a great story teller can do that and she did, remarkably. The two elementary teachers, Laura and Mia showcased cleverness and solid understanding of the subjects they are teaching. I am captivated as to how their discussion questions gradually unfold the language lessons they have prepared. Both teachers displayed various techniques and methods, diligence, attention to details and passion for their vocation… qualities and examples I plan to mimic as a professional.

Students of UP Integrated School are naturally intelligent. I may not know the students screening process but I bet they will not be admitted in the first place if the school’s learning pace is not suited for them. This is very much noticeable during our observation in UPIS K-2. Students at an early age were able to express themselves in English. In addition, many of the students as young as they are displayed confidence and critical thinking. Moreover, they are sweet and cuddly. I even remember two kids embracing me just before leaving the school’s premise at the end of our first field observation. Who would not be passionate with such lovely kids, right?

Yet none can teach by pure zeal. There should be a systematic approach hence the importance of curriculum development, lesson planning and other related fields. Also, teachers should not just be passive implementers. Other than being acquainted to various teaching techniques and methodology, the aforementioned insights will both be the anchor and catalysts of my professional development. These are the takeaways I plan to integrate to my philosophies as an individual and as an aspiring educator.