Ma. Julie Anne C.

Gajes

Class 04

Flexible Learning Tutor: Mr. Florante Vergara

Reflection Paper

The beauty about being a teacher is the responsibility that he/she holds in molding children

into complete human beings. Teachers in the Philippines are regarded with much respect and

dignity. Which is why a teacher should always be a paragon of continuous learning. Being part of

this program has taught me and reminded that my being a teacher is a mission. It may not be

something that I could perfect but it is definitely something that I can improve.

Learning about the critical attributes of the 21st century reminded me of this continuous

development and that it is my duty to always update myself in the different ways and strategies in

teaching. Teaching is a craft. And like all crafts, the more we innovate our strategies, the more

that we can be effective teachers of the 21st century. Our lessons should only be focused on what

the curriculum guide contains, it should always include global issues and/or concerns such climate

change, mining and others. This is because, these are the issues that are happening around our

students and that it should be our mission as teachers to make the students aware of how these

issues came to be and how they could be possibly resolved. These learners are going to be future

and right now, we have to let them know that there is a way to make the world a better place. I

also realized that in education the most important aspect should be the transfer of learning, it should

about making the students know what to do and how to do it instead of focusing on what they are

going to get in their examinations. Therefore, teachers should give activities that are practical to

the students. I have also realized that as a teacher, I should always consider my students to be the
center of every lesson and that in every lesson, I should always take their opinions and know what

they have learned and how they feel about the lesson. With the first module, I have also realized

that research is the base for all projects and that as a teacher, it is my responsibility to build a

culture of research in the classroom.

I was also enticed with the idea of being a 21st century literature teacher by following the

New Parameters for Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century. I recognized that the learning

environment of today is very much different from the learning environment of yesterday. I could

not possibly force my student to learn the way I have learned. It would be a predicament because

these children are now so immersed with technology that other means of teaching would look silly

and out-of-date. I also agree that the content of learning of before is very much different from the

content of learning today. Before, teachers used to facilitate more paper and pen tests. Today, I

believe that practical tests are more important than paper and pen tests. For me, I believe that to

do or to show their learning is far more important than just knowing the lesson. Learning how

students study is also important. Teachers need to know the things that the students like in order

for the latter to tailor-fit their lessons to the needs and strengths of the students. Most importantly,

teachers need to know the profile of the students they are teaching. As a teacher, I believe that in

order to be effective, we should affirm ourselves that these students are very different from us and

that we should be the ones to adapt to this new kind of learning instead of the other way around.

I also find the four pillars of learning to be very real and very important in education. We

have to teach our students that learning to know, learning to live together, learning to do, and

learning to be are as important as learning to be a responsible adult. These four pillars represent

the development of all-rounded human beings and thus, mastering these pillars would result to a

complete human being.

 I also realized the importance of cultural diversity and have quickly pondered on how to

provide a safe and accepting learning environment for my students. I have recognized that there

are different kinds of cultures present in my classroom and that each of my student has a story to

tell, a culture to uphold and a belief that everyone must respect. It is, therefore, my duty as a teacher

to see to it that all their cultures, no matter how diverse they could be should be recognized. I also

came to the conclusion that in order to address cultural diversity in the classroom, respect,

communication, open-mindedness and leverage are essential. So are adaptability and flexibility.

Which is why a teacher’s primary goal is to become a “Teacher of Peace”.

At the end of the course, I have come to realize two things, first, that I need to learn more

and that through my being with my students, I have learned to appreciate and live life as I am

suppose to live it and second, that me being a “good” teacher is far from being achieved. But as a

teacher, I know and I believe that soon, I will be who I am supposed to be which is a teacher who

has done everything so that her students would learn to live.