I’m glad to hear
that, teacher. That would typically be
said by a satisfied parent who has no greater dream but seeing his or her child
transparently progress in school. It is a picturesque scenario worth looking at.
Judiciously, in relation to that, teachers would
evaluate the extent of learners’ advancement through years with the latter’s
portfolio, results of examinations, records of behavioural patterns,
socialization skills, observable and tacit class participation, etc. Even if such
means of evaluation may seem both idealistic and pragmatic, we are still constantly bothered by how
much learning transpires in every learner, knowing that money, time,
motivational effort, and resources are involved in carrying it out. Indeed, it
is costly to send a child to school---whether in a public or in a private
school---because much should be carefully provided by not only the parents but
also by the immediate community which encompasses numerous responsibilities
over the child’s safety and development. At home, parents are tasked to supply
the physiological needs of a child like nutritious food, decent clothing,
secured shelter, etc. The tasks do not merely revolve around those but likewise,
parents carry the cross of supporting the child’s moral development in
preparation for the realities and emotional challenges the outside world
creates everyday.
Having said that schooling is expensive, we wish to
assure ourselves that it is worth the spending as we look forward to seeing
the children becoming educated in mind and in heart. We desire this kind of
transformation in them so they could find good jobs that will stabilize their
future. The issue of joblessness has always perturbed the
society and one strong root of such is not absolutely illiteracy but lack of genuine appreciation and love for
work---indolence and insolence. In here, work is not confined in
professional or vocational jobs but is also about students’ darma or responsibilities. Diplomas and
other forms of certification, which are generously distributed to the youth,
are perfect statements of educational attainment but why are Filipinos poor in
knowledge and values, and slack in progress? There is a rampant mess in our
education, certainly.
Suppose Juan and Juana are students from a small
barrio high school. Juan is a notorious kid in Sapang Bato-Bato High School and he always earns the ire of his
teachers. His grades are all flunking and he has been a devoted guest in
school’s guidance office for repeated misconduct. On the other hand, Juana is
an average learner who is prompt and punctual in the same institution. Not only
friendly, she is also generously helpful to her teachers and classmates. Both
of them would graduate in April. Why both? Indisputably, it’s because the
school cannot continually contain students who have not learned GMRC aside from
the required Academics since they would be perpetuating the same inappropriate
student conduct. The notion of education
for all however applies lavishly as the school knows that all kinds of
learners should be treated with utmost inclusiveness. This is not the only mess
we wish to obliterate in the education system. We have no enough classrooms,
not even chairs to seat on. There are insufficient books and school
paraphernalia which make our students incapable of learning effectively. Sky is
the limit in restating this perennial dilemma.
Another undying issue is Filipinos’ withering love and respect for virtues and
discipline. Corruption in the government offices is contemptible and so is
crime and injustice. Garbage disposal and destruction of the environment are
indecisively guarded. Road and driving etiquette have been forgotten by people
which has resulted to drastic traffic and accidents. Prostitution, human
trafficking and even drugs are incessantly strangling the laws of the land,
thus, endangering the helpless and marginalized people. Has education ever been
employed to vanquish these? Yes, it should have done that but sadly, it does
not apply to all---or not yet. The learners are not thoroughly introduced to
these realities of life and so they have not been prepared to combat them. What
then should education be like and how it should be exhausted to say that the
nation is genuinely transformed? It begins at homes then in schools.
Much has been said about smart parenting. Parents are deputized to meet the needs
of the children. They must understand that education does not happen alone in
school or outside the house. They have the most opportune chance under the roof
to influence the way their children think, act, and socialize. More than love
they could provide, they have the absolute authority to plan and execute
anything for the betterment of the children. Moral instability can be avoided
if parents would take time to train them as they grow. They should ascertain
that whatever good values they inculcate to them, the children will bring it
wherever they go. The school, on the other hand, has to make sure that
values are empowered among the learners. Indeed, values are diverse inside the
classroom and misunderstandings can happen but teachers can surely find means
to unravel all and put them together to build an atmosphere of respect,
inclusiveness, and harmony. As teachers impart indispensable content knowledge to
students and evaluate their learning, they are likewise expected to prepare for
values integration so that the latter
see the essence of imbibing various concepts to real life; in other words, education
should suffice for both the mind and the heart.
To end, we may agree that an ideal learning
environment, in order for genuine
education to transpire, should possess the majority of the following:
·
Goal-oriented,
loving, motivated and intellectually competent educators and school
administrators
·
Learning by modeling
and doing and not simply by rote
·
Socially,
politically, environmentally, morally significant and authentic learning
materials
·
Well-engineered
and secured facilities and updated equipment
·
Mental and
physical activities geared toward creating responsible and cooperative leaders,
heroes, advocates, etc. for nation building
·
Commitment to
school’s clear statement of vision and mission
·
Harmoniuos
parent-school-community relationships
*For comments,
feel free to drop us some messages below or visit us on our Facebook page.
