Polytechnic University of the Philippines

Quezon City Campus

Narrative Report on the On-the-Job

Training

By:

CID, EDRYLYN B.
Bachelor in Business Teacher Education

Prof. Sheryl Morales

Adviser

March 2011
 Dedication

Despite of the many efforts, trials and hardships

exerted during my training, I would like to dedicate all my

accomplishments and success to our Almighty God for His

many blessings showered upon me, to my loving parents

for their moral and financial supports, to Minuyan National

High School. for giving me the chance to share and

dedicate my ideas and learning I earned in school, to the

Polytechnic University of the Philippines Quezon City as

my very foundation in molding my abilities and

knowledge in relation to school works, to my cooperating

teachers who became part of my daily activities in my on-

the-job training, to my classmates and friends who were

always there to gave me their comforting words and

advises to work hard and better.

 Acknowledgement

My success couldn’t turn into reality without this

following person who with all their help to me in different
ways. Above all, to our Almighty God for all His unending
blessings and guidance He showered upon me for the
past, for today, and for the future.

To Minuyan National High School for allowing me to

have my practice teaching.

To Mrs. Yolanda M. Ignacio and Mrs. Myrna C. Camus,

my cooperating teachers, for their unending support and
advises during my training and in many trials when I had
my practice teaching.

Most especially to my beloved parents whom with all

their best faces, the hardship of working hard just for me
to educate, this example of my success is a great chance
that I will step the victory of my life. We should keep up
the good work and thereafter when I should be pursuing
my respective endeavor profession and occupation in the
year ahead.
 To all the TLE faculty members of MNHS for their

warmth acceptance for me during my training they

became my inspirations in order to strive and pursue with

my training

James J. Metcalf

I want to teach my students how--

To live this life on earth,
To face its struggles and its strife
And to improve their worth.

Not just the lesson in a book,

Or how the rivers flow,
But to choose the proper path,
Wherever they may go.

To understand eternal truth,

And know right from wrong,
 And gather all the beauty of
A flower and a song,

For if I help the world to grow

In wisdom and grace,
Then I feel that I have won
And I have filled my place.

And so I ask your guidance, God

That I may do my part,
For character and confidence
And happiness of heart.

Introduction

Internship or on the job training is one way by which we students are given an
opportunity to apply the theories that we have learned from school. It also helps us to
obtain applicable knowledge and skills by performing in actual work setting. Colleges
and universities require their students to undergo such training within a specific number
of hours as part of the curriculum.

For us students, an OJT or internship program provides opportunities to go

through the actual methodologies of a specific job using the real tools, equipments, and
documents. In effect, the workplace becomes a development venue for us student
trainee to learn more about our chosen field and practice what we have learn from the
university.

On the other hand, a valuable OJT program also profits the schools who accept
trainees. First OJT or intern provides extra manpower for a less significant labor cost
than a regular employee. Most of them are all eager to learn the ropes so chances are
high that they will cooperate.
 School administration can use this internship strategy as method in recruiting
teachers. Since the trainer or supervisor can follow the trainees’ progress, he can gauge
based on performance, behavior and attitude if the trainee will make good recruit after
the completion of his internship.

We trainees can bring fresh ideas into the organization. Given the opportunity to
converse our minds freely and without fear, we maybe able to contribute significantly in
brainstorming sessions or research and eventually help improve the organizations
productivity. While training the interns, employers are in fact also teach their employees
to guide the trainees by stretching their patience, develop teaching skills and make them
more sensitive to the needs and mind set of the younger generation. The course of
supervision also teaches them how to share what they know and be receptive to
questions. Hence, the internship also becomes an avenue in training for future
managers of the company
.

PUP Philosophy

As a state university, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines believes that:

 Education is an instrument for the development of the citizenry and for the
enhancement of nation building;
 Meaningful growth and transformation of the country are best achieved in an
atmosphere of brotherhood, peace, freedom, justice and a nationalist-oriented
education imbued with the spirit of humanist internationalism.

Vision
Towards a Total University

Mission
The mission of PUP in the 21st Century is to provide the highest quality of
comprehensive and global education and community services accessible to all students,
Filipinos and foreigners alike.

It shall offer high quality undergraduate and graduate programs that are responsive to
the changing needs of the students to enable them to lead productive and meaningful
lives.

PUP commits itself to:

 1. Democratize access to educational opportunities;

2. Promote science and technology consciousness and develop relevant expertise

and competence among all members of the academe, stressing their importance
in building a truly independent and sovereign Philippines;

3. Emphasize the unrestrained and unremitting search for truth and its defense, as
well as the advancement of moral and spiritual values;

4. Promote awareness of our beneficial and relevant cultural heritage;

5. Develop in the students and faculty the values of self-discipline, love of country
and social consciousness and the need to defend human rights;

6. Provide its students and faculty with a liberal arts-based education essential to a
broader understanding and appreciation of life and to the total development of the
individual;

7. Make the students and faculty aware of technological, social as well as political
and economic problems and encourage them to contribute to the realization of
nationalist industrialization and economic development of the country;

8. Use and propagate the national language and other Philippine languages and
develop proficiency in English and other foreign languages required by the
students’ fields of specialization;

9. Promote intellectual leadership and sustain a humane and technologically

advanced academic community where people of diverse ideologies work and
learn together to attain academic, research and service excellence in a
continually changing world; and

10. Build a learning community in touch with the main currents of political, economic
and cultural life throughout the world; a community enriched by the presence of a
significant number of international students; and a community supported by new
technologies that facilitate active participation in the creation and use of
information and knowledge on a global s

Goals
Reflective of the great emphasis being given by the country's leadership aimed at
providing appropriate attention to the alleviation of the plight of the poor, the
development of the citizens, and of the national economy to become globally
competitive, the University shall commit its academic resources and manpower to
achieve its goals through:

1. Provision of undergraduate and graduate education which meet international

standards of quality and excellence;
2. Generation and transmission of knowledge in the broad range of disciplines
relevant and responsive to the dynamically changing domestic and international
environment;
3. Provision of more equitable access to higher education opportunities to deserving
and qualified Filipinos; and
4. Optimization, through efficiency and effectiveness, of social, institutional, and
individual returns and benefits derived from the utilization of higher education
resources.

Professional Readings

General Policies and Procedures for Student

Teaching
1. First Day in School - Prior to beginning student teaching, the student teacher
should establish contact with the cooperating teacher. Student teachers report to
school at the time teachers are expected to report. The student teacher should
report to the school office first and then to the cooperating teacher. The student
teacher should meet the school principal at the earliest opportunity. Note; The
student teacher will follow the school district calendar not the FSU semester
calendar.
2. Absences During Student Teaching - Student teachers are allowed no "cuts"
during student teaching. If illness or an emergency should require the student
teacher to be absent from school for any period of time, it is the responsibility of
the student teacher to let the supervising teacher and university supervisor and/or
area coordinator know as soon as possible. Absences of three or more days must
be reported to the university supervisor and/or area coordinator. In cases of
prolonged or repeated absence, the university supervisor/area coordinator will,
 after consulting with the supervising teacher and principal, determine whether the
student teacher's experience will be terminated or extended.
3. Attire and Grooming - The attire and grooming of the student teacher must
conform to accepted local practices. The student teacher should observe the
professional attire of other teachers and seek the guidance of the supervising
teacher and the principal in these matters.
4. Outside Activities - The student teacher should make no plans for involvement
in out-of-school activities that would interfere with teaching responsibilities in any
way. If there is a pressing need for participation in any activity, it must first be
cleared with the university supervisor and/or area coordinator and supervising
teacher.
5. Taking Additional Courses Concurrently with Student Teaching - Only in
exceptional circumstances will a student be permitted to take course work during
the student teaching semester. Initial written approval from the academic program
head must be forwarded to the FSU Director of Academic Services and Intern
Support (2301 Stone Building).
6. Restrictions on Placement - Student teachers will not be placed in a high
school from which they have graduated or in a school in which an immediate
relative is a student or staff member. Programs may have additional
requirements.
7. Students with Physical and Sensory Disabilities - In keeping with Section 504
of the 1973 Vocational Rehabilitation Act and with The Americans with Disabilities
Act, students with physical handicaps, who have successfully completed all
necessary prerequisites, will routinely be allowed to student teach. Only if the
student's disability would prevent the performance of the essential functions of
teaching would placement be denied. In order to assist in securing an appropriate
placement and arrange any necessary accommodations, such candidates should
consult with the FSU Director of the Academic Services and Intern Support
8. Temporary Physical Conditions - Students should inform the intern coordinator
of special health conditions (pregnancy, temporary medication, etc.) prior to the
negotiation of placements for student teaching. This notification affords the school
and the coordinator an opportunity to secure appropriate assignments.
9. Career Placement Services - The student teacher is urged to register with the
FSU Career Placement Office during the semester prior to student teaching or
during the semester of student teaching at the latest. The Career Placement
Office will prepare credentials for the use of prospective employers.
10. Housing - Arrangements for living accommodations in the area of the state to
which the student teacher is assigned is primarily the responsibility of the student
teacher. If the student teacher needs assistance in making such arrangements,
she or he is encouraged to contact the supervising teacher or the school
principal, as well as teacher associations and churches in the area.
11. Transportation - It is the responsibility of the student teacher to arrange his or
her own transportation throughout student teaching.
12. Conveyance of Funds - The student teacher should make proper arrangements
for the conveyance of funds (banking transfers) to the area in which he or she will
student teach before leaving campus.
13. Substitute Teaching - The planned program of student teaching does not imply
the use of the student teacher as a substitute teacher.
14. Social and Professional Activities
1. Extracurricular activities - It is appropriate for the student teacher first to
observe and later participate, as appropriate, in various extra curricular
activities present in the school. Appropriate protocol, including the
assistance of the supervising teacher, must be exercised in gaining
permission for the student teacher to participate in interest clubs, athletic
teams, public performances, etc.
2. Social Activities - It is expected that student teachers will lead normal lives
both professionally & socially. They should, in fact, seek to broaden
contacts with the community through social activities open to teachers, but
must exercise mature judgment, tact, and discretion in all relations with
students.
3. Professional Activities - The student teacher should attend and participate,
when appropriate, in professional meetings. These include in-service
seminars, faculty meetings, PTO sessions, subject area meetings, etc.
15. Teacher Strikes or Work Stoppages - If a teacher strike or work stoppage
occurs after the student teacher has begun his or her assignment:
1. The student teacher will, in the case of complete work stoppage, be
directed not to report to the assigned school but rather to the university
supervisor and/or area coordinator.
2. The student teacher will, in cases of prolonged work stoppage extending
two weeks or more, be reassigned.

If the strike or work stoppage begins prior to the start of the student teacher
assignment the student teacher will report to the university supervisor and/or area
coordinator instead of the assigned school.

In the event that a strike or work stoppage is called by any group other than the
recognized teacher bargaining agent for the district, the student teacher will
report to his or her student teaching assignment providing the supervising teacher
is on duty.

During a strike or work stoppage, no Florida State University student teacher will
act as a substitute teacher or in any capacity other than that specified in the
original student teaching placement agreement.

16. Graduation Responsibilities - Student teachers who will graduate upon

completion of student teaching must arrange for a graduation check by the
Registrar's Office and must apply for graduation there. This should be completed
within the first two weeks of the graduation semester. If the student teacher plans
to participate in the graduation exercise, he or she must make reservations in
advance.
17. Cancellation of an Assignment - When cancellation of a student teaching
assignment becomes necessary, the appropriate academic program or
departmental head should initiate such cancellation with the intern coordinator,
Office of Academic Services and Intern Support. Student teachers are not to
leave their assignments without the permission of their university supervisor and
area coordinator.
 18. Reassignment During Student Teaching - When advisable, a field assignment
may be changed with the approval of the academic program and school and
district personnel. Steps to initiate such a change should originate with the
academic program supervisor and in cooperation with the intern coordinator,
Office of Academic Services and Intern Support and the appropriate school and
district personnel.
19. Repeating the Student Teaching Experience - In cases where the university
supervisor and area coordinator recommends that a student teacher repeat the
student teaching experience, or any part of that experience, the university
supervisor and area coordinator will work with the intern coordinator, Office of
Academic Services and Intern Support to secure a new assignment.
20. Students Attempting to Locate Their Own Student Teaching
Assignments.Students must not, in any way, attempt to arrange their own
student teaching assignments.
21. Grade Appeal Procedure - A student teacher who receives an unsatisfactory
grade may appeal that grade through the regular university grade appeals
system.
22. Initial Teacher Certification Procedures and Materials - Guidelines and
materials for the securing of initial teacher certification in Florida are available to
the student teacher in Office of Academic Services and Intern Support (2301
Stone Building). General information on certification in other states is also
available there.

How to Survive - and Thrive as a Student Teacher

Here's How:

1. Thoroughly read all of the preparatory materials you are given. Devour the
student teaching handbook with an attention for detail and an eye for places where
you can excel. Know what's expected of you and look for opportunities where you
can not just meet the basic requirements, but soar above and beyond the
essentials. Each school has its own set of policies and your best bet for fitting in
and succeeding is to know how the school works and how best you can contribute.
Also make sure to stay on top of all requirements from your teacher training
institution.
2. Approach student teaching as a 4-month long job interview. Dress
professionally, show up on time, be courteous, and showcase your best qualities.
Watch the staff, especially your master teacher, and do what they do. Basically, go
the extra mile and put your best foot forward. That's the surest way to maximize the
positive career potential of your time as a student teacher.
3. Know when to talk and when to listen. In other words, don't be afraid to
offer your opinion; but steer clear of campus politics, sensitive issues, and
teachers' lounge gossip. Listen to advice from your master teacher and follow it to
the letter. And no matter how comfortable you feel on campus, always remember
that you're a temporary guest on site and your top priority is to learn valuable
teaching skills while serving the students and enhancing your resume.
4. Attitude is everything. Be a good sport. That means being flexible, upbeat,
cooperative, thorough, and hard-working. Expect to arrive early and stay late.
Always say "yes" when asked to help out. Seek out ways to add value to the
organization and differentiate yourself from the other student teachers out there in
a positive way. Your efforts will pay dividends when the principal is looking for
names to interview for upcoming job openings.
5. Invite the school's administrator to come see you teach in the classroom.
When you know you have prepared a high-quality lesson to present, make sure
important people are there to observe it! This is a key strategy to employ because
it's the only way you will secure a letter of recommendation from the principal.
Letters from power-players look fantastic in your portfolio.
6. Participate in all school activities during your time as a student teacher.
Attend all staff meetings, grade level planning sessions, and after-school functions
- even if it's not explicitly expected of you. The more familiar your face around
campus, the more of an impact you make as a team player willing to work hard and
sacrifice for the benefit of students.
 7. Be very well prepared. Know the master teacher's expectations and
exceed them. Anticipate his or her needs and try to meet them. Maintain a detailed
To Do List and check things off as they are accomplished. There are many things
to remember when you're student teaching; it will take extra organization and
foresight to keep track of everything you need to do. Make copies ahead of time,
invest time (or money) in a robust organizational system, and triple check your
work before showing it to anyone.

Prepare for Transition from Student to Teacher

Submitted by Gail from Massachusetts
Third Grade Teacher

My advice for student teachers is start to prepare for making the transition of being a
college student to a student teacher, by purchasing a few clothes to make your
wardrobe a little more professional than your
college attire. Also, be sure to have a comfortable pair of shoes on hand.

Also, since you will be collecting so many wonderful ideas from the teachers you'll be
working with, it may be helpful to have a binder separated by subject to store all of the
hand-outs, worksheets, and ideas offered by your cooperating teacher and his/her
colleagues. In addition, you may want to have a digital camera on hand to take pictures
of work you have done (i.e. bulletin boards), as well as how teachers have set up their
classrooms, etc. By the end of your student teaching practicum, you will have an
organized resource that will be a valuable tool for when you start first teaching position.

Pace yourself, and keep up with your assignments, so that you'll be able to maintain
your social life. Always allow time for making adjustments, especially when preparing to
be observed. You never know when
the photocopy machine may break down, or the laminator isn't working, so you always
want to have a back up plan!
Lastly, enjoy your student teaching experience. Go into school with a smile on your face,
and know that you have the greatest job in the world because you can make a
difference in child's life, and have fun while doing it!

Effective Mentoring of Student Teachers

Cooperating Teachers Can Teach and Learn From Education
Internships
Jun 10, 2009 Barbara Abromitis

The effective mentoring of student teachers should include establishing strong

communication, building professional collegiality, and encouraging classroom creativity.
The quality of a student teacher’s experience rests with the cooperating teacher. As a
veteran educator, inservice teachers know well how to run a classroom and teach their
content areas, but the act of mentoring another professional presents a new set of
challenges. By following these three principles, cooperating teachers will be able to
provide a quality intern experience, which does not compromise student learning and
can result in their own further professional development.

Establish Effective Communication

The key to any working relationship is communication. As a mentor, the cooperating

teacher must establish clear systems of communication at the start of the experience,
and encourage the student teacher to gradually assume more responsibility for leading
these conversations. Mentors should also communicate regularly with the university
supervisor to share concerns, or areas of progress, as this will prevent small issues from
becoming big problems that could affect student learning.
Areas that should be discussed before the experience begins include classroom
expectations (what has to be done certain ways and what can be changed to suit the
student teacher’s style); frequency and type of feedback and evaluation (both informal
and formal feedback should be given on a regular basis, regardless and in addition to
the formal system used by the university); and ways in which the student teacher should
present the experience to parents.

Build Professional Collegiality

Preservice teachers bring some experience to the classroom, and a great deal of
learning and background knowledge. It is the responsibility of the cooperating teacher to
structure the student teaching experience in a way that treats the teaching candidate as
a fellow professional, while ensuring the integrity of student learning.

Establishing the authority of the student teacher with pupils is essential. Student
teachers should begin immediately taking over teaching responsibilities, gradually but
quickly building to teaching the whole day. Encourage students to go directly to the
student teacher with questions, and intervene with decisions only in cases where safety
or learning are at risk. Include the student teacher in playground or other duties, faculty
meetings, professional development, and parent-teacher conferences.

Encourage Classroom Creativity

One of the most exciting aspects of mentoring a student teacher is the opportunity to
learn new ideas from them. Though sharing materials, resources, and teaching methods
is part of the mentoring process, cooperating teachers must also allow student teachers
to try their own ideas to see what works and what doesn’t. Many cooperating teachers
find new resources through their student teachers and their own teaching becomes
revitalized.

Top 10 Tips for Student Teachers

By Melissa Kelly, About.com Guide

Student teachers are often placed into an awkward and stressful situation, not really
sure of their authority and sometimes not even placed with veteran teachers who are
much help. These tips can aid student teachers as they begin their first teaching
assignments. Please note: these are not suggestions for how to approach the students
but instead for how to most effectively succeed in your new teaching environment.

1. Be On Time
Punctuality is very important in the 'real world'. If you are late, you will definitely NOT
start out on the right foot with your cooperating teacher. Even worse, if you arrive after a
class has begun which you are supposed to be teaching, you are placing that teacher
and yourself in an awkward situation.

2. Dress Appropriately
As a teacher, you are a professional and you are supposed to dress accordingly. There
is nothing wrong with over dressing during your student teaching assignments. The
clothes do help lend you an air of authority, especially if you look awfully young. Further,
your dress lets the coordinating teacher know of your professionalism and dedication to
your assignment.

3. Be Flexible
Remember that the coordinating teacher has pressures placed upon them just as you
have your own pressures to deal with. If you normally teach only 3 classes and the
coordinating teacher asks that you take on extra classes one day because he has an
important meeting to attend, look at this as your chance to get even further experience
while impressing your dedication to your coordinating teacher.

4. Follow the School Rules

This might seem obvious to some but it is important that you do not break school rules.
For example, if it is against the rules to chew gum in class, then do not chew it yourself.
If the campus is 'smoke-free', do not light up during your lunch period. This is definitely
not professional and would be a mark against you when it comes time for your
coordinating teacher and school to report on your abilities and actions.

5. Plan Ahead
If you know you will need copies for a lesson, do not wait until the morning of the lesson
to get them completed. Many schools have procedures that MUST be followed for
copying to occur. If you fail to follow these procedures you will be stuck without copies
and will probably look unprofessional at the same time.

6. Befriend the Office Staff

This is especially important if you believe that you will be staying in the area and
possibly trying for a job at the school where you are teaching. These people's opinions
of you will have an impact on whether or not you are hired. They can also make your
time during student teaching much easier to handle. Don't underestimate their worth.
7. Maintain Confidentiality
Remember that if you are taking notes about students or classroom experiences to turn
in for grades, you should either not use their names or change them to protect their
identities. You never know who you are teaching or what their relationship might be to
your instructors and coordinators.

8. Don't Gossip
It might be tempting to hang out in the teacher lounge and indulge in gossip about fellow
teachers. However, as a student teacher this would be a very risky choice. You might
say something you could regret later. You might find out information that is untrue and
clouds your judgment.

Learning Approaches

Perspective Assumptions Associated pedagogy

The associative Learning as acquiring competence
perspective Learners acquire knowledge by
building associations between
different concepts.
Learners gain skills by building
progressively complex actions from
component skills.
The constructive Learning as achieving understanding
perspective (individual Learners actively construct new ideas
focus) by building and testing hypotheses.
• Focus on competences
• Routines of organised
activity
• Progressive difficulty
• Clear goals and feedback
• Individualised pathways
matched to the
individual's prior
performance
• Interactive environments
for knowledge building
• Activities that encourage
experimentation and
discovery of principles

• Support for reflection and

evaluation
The constructive Learning as achieving understanding • Interactive environments
perspective (social Learners actively construct new ideas for knowledge building
focus) through collaborative activities and/or • Activities that encourage
through dialogue. collaboration and shared
expression of ideas

• Support for reflection,

peer review and
evaluation
The situative Learning as social practice • Participation in social
perspective Learners develop their identity practices of enquiry and
through participation in specific learning
communities and practices. • Support for development
of learning skills

• Dialogue to facilitate the

development of learning
relationships

Professional Development Plan

Being a teacher is a very challenging task to do. Investing your time and effort is

not enough. You must give your life to it. It’s not about by merely teaching your lesson

but it is how you are going to share your life to others most specially to your students.

As I have my practice teaching, I’m a bit confused on how to take this profession as a

career. It’s hard, hard and hard.

To be honest, I really see myself years from now as a teacher. First five years,

as a teacher in high school and the next years as a college professor.

I really want to be as one of the influences of other people.

 Narrative Report

This is my first week. I am so excited and at the same time nervous. I don’t have

an idea what will happen. As I’ve entered the faculty, my heart beats as if I am about to

fall where I am standing.

It was a busy week ever because this is the time of STEP competition wherein

there are three categories is about to compete on the Division Level.

My cooperating teacher told me to make certificates and membership for the

contestants.

I must say that this week is the most challenging week ever. Because this is the

first week that I’ll be discussing accounting to the fourth year students. As I’ve

remember this is one of my most hate subjects. Hahaha. And by this time, my

cooperating teacher is with me to have her observations.

All and all, it was a good week because I created a good rapport to my students.

In this week, I have realized and learned that students are truly differing from one

another. They all have their study habit. Mentally and emotionally they are totally

different.
 Current Issues in Education

Key Issues in Philippine Education

Literacy rate in the Philippines has improved a lot over the last few years- from 72
percent in 1960 to 94 percent in 1990. This is attributed to the increase in both the
number of schools built and the level of enrollment in these schools.

The number of schools grew rapidly in all three levels - elementary, secondary, and
tertiary. From the mid-1960s up to the early 1990, there was an increase of 58 percent
in the elementary schools and 362 percent in the tertiary schools. For the same period,
enrollment in all three levels also rose by 120 percent. More than 90 percent of the
elementary schools and 60 percent of the secondary schools are publicly owned.
However, only 28 percent of the tertiary schools are publicly owned.

A big percentage of tertiary-level students enroll in and finish commerce and business
management courses. Table 1 shows the distribution of courses taken, based on School
Year 1990-1991. Note that the difference between the number of enrollees in the
commerce and business courses and in the engineering and technology courses may
be small - 29.2 percent for commerce and business and 20.3 percent for engineering
and technology. However, the gap widens in terms of the number of graduates for the
said courses.

On gender distribution, female students have very high representation in all three levels.
At the elementary level, male and female students are almost equally represented. But
female enrollment exceeds that of the male at the secondary and tertiary levels . Also,
boys have higher rates of failures, dropouts, and repetition in both elementary and
secondary levels.

Aside from the numbers presented above, which are impressive, there is also a need to
look closely and resolve the following important issues: 1) quality of education 2)
affordability of education 3) goverment budget for education; and 4) education
mismatch.

1. Quality - There was a decline in the quality of the Philippine education, especially at
the elementary and secondary levels. For example, the results of standard tests
conducted among elementary and high school students, as well as in the National
College of Entrance Examination for college students, were way below the target mean
score.

2. Affordability - There is also a big disparity in educational achievements across social

groups. For example, the socioeconomically disadvantaged students have higher
dropout rates, especially in the elementary level. And most of the freshmen students at
the tertiary level come from relatively well-off families.

3. Budget - The Philippine Constitution has mandated the goverment to allocate the
highest proportion of its budget to education. However, the Philippines still has one of
the lowest budget allocations to education among the ASEAN countries.

4. Mismatch - There is a large proportion of "mismatch" between training and actual

jobs. This is the major problem at the tertiary level and it is also the cause of the
existence of a large group of educated unemployed or underemployed.

The following are some of the reforms proposed:

1. Upgrade the teachers' salary scale. Teachers have been underpaid; thus there is very
little incentive for most of them to take up advanced trainings.

2. Amend the current system of budgeting for education across regions, which is based
on participation rates and units costs. This clearly favors the more developed regions.
There is a need to provide more allocation to lagging regions to narrow the disparity
across regions.

3. Stop the current practice of subsidizing state universities and colleges to enhance
access. This may not be the best way to promote equity. An expanded scholarship
program, giving more focus and priority to the poor, maybe more equitable.

4. Get all the leaders in business and industry to become actively involved in higher
education; this is aimed at addressing the mismatch problem. In addition, carry out a
selective admission policy, i.e., installing mechanisms to reduce enrollment in
oversubscribed courses and promoting enrollment in undersubscribed ones.

5. Develop a rationalized apprenticeship program with heavy inputs from the private
sector. Furthermore, transfer the control of technical training to industry groups which
are more attuned to the needs of business and industry.

Read more: http://www.ph.net/htdocs/education/issue.htm

Woes of a FIlipino Teacher

Imagine yourself a Filipino teacher. Imagine yourself a teacher in a public school.

Imagine yourself handling a class of 60 to 70 students. Imagine yourself handling two
shifts of classes with 60 to 70 students.

Yes, it is a nightmare. And yes it happens in real life within the public school system. It is
a manifestation of the two most prevalent problems in the educational system: lack of
classrooms and lack of teachers.

In fairness, most private school teachers, especially those in small private schools, will
admit that public school mentors earn more than they do. But even with the relatively
higher wages, it does not seem to compensate for the daily travails of public school
teachers.

The ideal ratio of teacher to student is 1:25. The less number of children handled by one
mentor, the more attention can be given to each individual, especially if their learning
competencies are not equal. With 25 students in a class, the teacher is likely to know
each of her students, not only by face but by name and how they are actually performing
in class.

But with 60 children in a classroom, it is a miracle how teachers are able to stay sane
every single day. They hardly know their pupils, save for the excellent ones or
unfortunately, the notorious. She does not even bother to remember them. How can
she? Classrooms are cramped, if there are any at all. Many classes are held in
makeshift rooms meaning a multi-purpose covered court with partitions where 4 or 5
classes are merely separated by thin plywood walls. With 60 kids north, east, south and
west, it's a wonder teachers can hear themselves over the din.

And how do you tailor lessons with so many competencies to consider? Often, the result
is children are left to cope on their own. If they get the lesson, well and good. Otherwise,
they are lucky to pass at the end of the year.

Yes, students are still divided into sections and they are grouped into the level of their
academic skills. Which leaves those who are academically challenged lumped together
and their teacher to stretch her skills, patience, resources and dedication to addressing
the need of her students.

Resources are another matter. Many public school classrooms are equipped with the
most basic of equipment: a blackboard, chalk and eraser. Some are fortunate to have
visual aids, either donated or purchased by the school. But many times, a teacher will
not only have to be creative, but will dig into her own pocket to produce the kind of
materials she needs and wants to teach class.
It used to be that rolls of Manila paper were adequate to write down the lesson for the
day. But this can get to be very expensive, especially if the lessons are long. And with a
class so huge, children are barely able to see small handwriting from the back, so you
need to write bigger, and use more paper. Children always welcome additional and
unique visual aids, and woe to the teacher who has to create them if she wants her
subject or lesson to be more interesting.

Which brings us to the budget for visual aids. It is non-existent, except if you choose to
shell out on your own. Teachers still have to make ends meet. And often, their pay is
simply not enough to cover their needs, as well as their families.

The Department of Education just announced that so many millions of pesos have been
released for the construction and repair of classrooms around the country. I believe this
will only cover those included in a priority list. But there are many more schools which
lack classrooms, and more communities that lack schools.

When additional classrooms are built, will there be additional teachers? If new teachers
will be hired, will there be a budget to support their wages?

It's a never-ending cycle, because the government has yet to come up with a plan that
will finally address these problems.

In the meantime, Ma'm or Sir will have to suffer through their public school experience.

Blast from the Past

My paternal grandparents were teachers. My father's sister was also a teacher, and in
fact, worked her way up the ranks to later become a public school principal. Since my
grandparents have both passed on, my aunt and dad never fail to regale us with stories
of how it was in public schools during their time.
If I remember correctly, everything was simplified. The curriculum was the basics or the
3 Rs -- Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic. By the time children completed each year
level, they would at least know how to read, write and do simple math, and progress a
bit more after every grade level.

I say great! To my mind, armed with these skills, you can fend for yourself even at a
young age because you'd understand simple written instructions, you can jot down
important things, and you'd be a little savvy about simple trade.

Back then, they had simple books -- ones that really honed a student's skill by
familiarizing him with the alphabet, phonetics and simple definitions. Unless you've
mastered the addition table, you were nowhere near progressing to multiplication. And
even if teachers ended up "terrorizing" their students or resorting to punishment, the
bottomline was to inculcate in them the necessary skills to make them competent
individuals in the future.

Sure they had books and notebooks but not enough to break a child's back or dislocate
the shoulders. They were the essentials. A pencil, some writing paper and a notebook or
two were all they needed to come to class.

Boys were not exempt from home economics classes, which included learning to cook,
sew, and keep house. Neither were girls excluded from practical arts classes which had
them gardening, doing basic carpentry or even learning handyman skills.

It's been quite some time since I, too, was in school. But I do recall that things weren't as
complicated as they are now -- especially in the public school system here in the
Philippines. Yet, the graduates that were produced could go toe-to-toe with children who
were products of private schools. In fact, public school educated children were often
better than their private school counterparts. The only difference is their economic status
and the opportunities available to them.

So what went wrong? When had things become different? Why did they suddenly
change a system that was working?

I'll have to keep looking...

An Insider's View
The problems according to a public school teacher

The problems besetting the Philippine educational system are not lost among those who
are in the system themselves. Mr. Gilbert M. Forbes is a Head Teacher in elementary
based in the Pitogo District Division of Quezon province. I don't know the man, but I
think he is truly an educator because he is willing to face the problems, and even better,
help find ways to address them.

Based from his experience, he lists the most pressing concerns in the public school
system that must be addressed if people are serious about putting things in order:

1)Development of Instructional Materials particularly in core subjects. Teachers not only

need training in the preparation and development of instructional materials, but they
must also be given financial support to produce these. Instructional Materials include
modules, standardized validated rating, achievement and diagnostic tests viz qualitative
one's.

I'm not a school teacher, but I do know the difficulties faced by mentors just to prepare
lesson plans, visual aids and examinations for their students. More often than not, they
are forced to use their own resources (money and otherwise) just to have these
available to better teach their classes. How can we actually expect them to come up with
instructional materials that will truly be of help to students if they are not properly
equipped to develop them, and worse, not have the necessary resources to create
these?

The backlog in books has been reduced tremendously but textbooks still don't contain
enough exercises and testing materials that teachers can use for their daily instruction.
As a result, most of the time, the teacher is required to write all the exercises on the
board that eat up class hours. Otherwise, they opt not to give exercises at all.

If the teacher isn't going to provide exercises, how can students practice what is taught
them? The education department continues to receive an increase in the yearly
allocation. Unfortunately, the ratio of books to students remains insufficient to this day.
Many pupils have to share books, how can they be expected to do exercises and hone
their skills?

2) The system of promotion within the ranks needs to be overhauled. To date, what is
prevalent is the "Palakasan System, Utang na Loob and Pakikisama System."

Generally, this refers to a system where what matters are the people you know,
especially the powers-that-be, the people who owe you favors, and the clique you
belong to. If you meet any one of these criteria, you are almost assured of getting a
promotion, never mind if you are not qualified for it.

In Mr. Forbes' opinion, it is high time that the teachers' ranks be professionalized from
top-to-bottom akin to the corporate world. Promotions should be solely based on merit.
Because with the present system, many of those who rise in rank "don't necessarily
have the guts to become an educational leader."

Many are just after the salary increase and most of all of the prestige that goes with
being a school manager! The worst is, these mentors are not really concerned and
dedicated enough to initiate reforms to improve the system.

While it is true that a teacher's salary is not commensurate to the workload, a real
educator will still lead by example and exert 101% effort in everything he or she does.

It has been said time and again that teaching is a noble profession, and it certainly is.
But this nobility is lost if there is no commitment and dedication to go with the job. There
is great responsibility in being a teacher because in their hands lie the future of young
people.

3) Teacher Training and Development. In spite the number of people pursuing a degree
in education, very few are actually equipped with the necessary competence in specific
learning areas that they are supposed to excel in. According to Mr. Forbes, observations
are that except for education graduates from CHED designated centers of excellence,
many would be teachers are deficient in subject matters.

And this results in overworking some mentors who are well-trained and educated
because they are forced to take up the shortcomings of their peers.

(These are just some of points raised by Mr. Forbes. Another article will be devoted to
discuss other issues he noted.)
Last day of my Practice Teaching
Juniors and Seniors Promenade 2011
The making of the TLE Showroom
The making of the TLE Showroom
Presiding the JS Prom
Bonding Moment with Ms. Porazo and Ms.
Corpuz

My Students
TLE Teachers
Minuyan National Highschool
Lesson Plan
Daily Time Record