“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking.

It cannot be changed
without changing our thinking.” This quote is from the famous scientist who developed the
theory of relativity, Albert Einstein. It is undeniable that the world we live in is changing rapidly.
One way to prepare in this ever-changing world is by also redefining our education. According to
Singh (1991), more than ever before education must be visionary and future-oriented.
Innovation, technology, and research are indispensable tools in the threshold of 21st century
education.

The sudden shift in our curriculum here in the Philippines has brought massive changes
in our educational system. Our country’s educational system has undergone major adjustments
since it is one of the late countries to implement a 12-year cycle of basic education. Because of
this, Filipino students have trailed behind in areas of math, languages and science which the new
curriculum aims to fix.

It is undeniable that throughout the years the observable changes have occurred in the
curriculum. Our education today requires both teachers and students to go beyond just the mere
grasping of information. These knowledge and information must be transformed and applied into
meaningful real-life experiences. Another observable feature of education in the 21st century, is
the exposure to technologies and media literacy. With the replacement of traditional teaching
with modernized education, teachers are challenged to keep up with these changes. Educators are
now reinforced to become more adaptive, flexible and responsive to the needs of the digitally
advanced learners. It is good to think that with the advancement of technology it provided bigger
opportunities of learning in the field of education and for the professional development of
teachers. However, it is also a sad fact that not everyone, specially here in our country is able to
experience this advantage. That is why it is an extra challenge for the educators of our country to
keep up with these changes. In an article by the Inquirer.net, it is mentioned that the problems
about lack of teachers, classrooms, facilities and equipments still exist. The revision of the
curriculum is also vital.

At this point, the role of the teachers is very important in shaping the minds of the
learners and in maximizing their potentials. With limited resources, we need to think outside the
box and innovate ideas that will capture the essence of the lesson. Through this, the students will
be able to learn and might apply their learning in real-life situations. We are challenged to
innovate instructional materials that is appropriate to the learners and those that will bridge
learning experiences seamlessly.

There is nothing constant in this world. Change is always part in preparing for the future.
The government have made initiatives in changing the Philippine educational system. We are yet
about to see the result of these changes. It is a fact that education is dynamic. It changes through
time because of the changes that also happen in the society. The tools that we use inside the
classroom may varies time after time, but our focus and goal will always remain which is seeing
our learners apply the knowledge we teach outside of the four corners of the classroom. In this
way, we are assured that we are making education relevant to their lives and preparing them for
the bigger world ahead.