Parents’ Involvement in the New Normal of Teaching

Christine G. Preciosa
Cebu Normal University, Osmeña Boulevard, Cebu City
main.06013263@cnu.edu.ph

Introduction

The Novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, which has already infected almost 3 million people in 148 countries has resulted in more than two hundred thousand
deaths worldwide and has wrecked chaos around the globe. The crisis has already transformed into an economic and labor market shock. We are only beginning to understand
the economic impacts of COVID-19, but many other issues have emerged and need to be urgently addressed, like the closure of schools and its impact on learning and the
burden of education on students, parents, and teachers.

Most governments around the world have temporarily closed educational institutions in an endeavor to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools are hubs of social
activity and human interaction. When schools close, many children and youth miss out on social contact that is essential to learning and development (Union, 2020). This has an
immediate as well as a long-lasting effect, particularly for the more vulnerable and disadvantaged communities. Online communication apps (WhatsApp, radio, television, cell
phones, computer and network hardware, satellite systems, as well as various services available with them such as video conferencing and distance learning) are being used to
ensure communication between teachers and students as well as among students in many countries. Interactive online classes are also providing opportunities for social
interaction and facilitating the continuity of education for all via remote learning.

As much as these initiatives are found to be appropriate to address the need of the time, it has also given a tough routine to parents who are working from home and
simultaneously taking the responsibility that their children’s learning process continues seamlessly during the times of COVID-19. Hence, the purpose of this small-scale research
study was to explore the experiences of home learning in times of COVID-19 from parents’ experiences.

To have a meaningful distance learning experience, Rafidi (2020) highlights that a paradigm shift is crucial if learning must continue during the pandemic. While the stakeholders
in the educational process are gradually adjusting to this new normal set-up, some teaching-learning components are difficult to be simulated at home. It is the sociological
component of being in an actual classroom where there is a community of learners working towards a shared objective.

Seale (2020) suggests that one of the best ways to thwart the deepening disparity and inequality in education in the middle of this pandemic is to capacitate and equip families
to support learning in their respective homes. This is true to learners who are still in the basic education system where learning necessitates regular adult facilitation.

In the first e-Forum of SEAMEO Ministerial Policy, Philippines’ Education Secretary Briones shared the pathways of the country’s ways of responding to the educational needs of
the learners with the other leaders in Southeast Asian countries. The country’s battle cry is that learning must continue while putting a premium on the health and safety of the
stakeholders of the education system to avoid further spreading of the virus. Basic Education – Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP) adopts the myriad learning delivery modalities
with blended learning and distance learning as the foremost options. Based on the survey, the most preferred modality for the parents to address learning continuity is Modular
Distance Learning (DepEd, 2020).

In another article released, the Department of Education (2020) further expresses that the shift to a new normal of teaching poses a challenge on the side of the school on how
to convey basic, equitable, and quality education. Leaders in the education department have unveiled various avenues for upskilling and reskilling the teachers and school heads
in the field of modular instruction. Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELC) were identified and echoed in the self-learning modules that the department made.

Basic orientation, systematic support, and regular conference must be in place to assist the parents in delivering instruction to the children. To add, more grounded
communication and connection are needed to have a solid foundation of the actors in the educative cycle and to relay constructive feedback on the children’s progress
regarding the learning intervention designed by the education authorities.

STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES

The current study is aimed at exploring experiences of parents regarding home learning and management during the times of COVID 19. Qualitative research studies allow the
researchers to explore the phenomenon from an individual’s personal experiences in varying situations and circumstances. The descriptive qualitative design was used to
administer this study so that relevant responses could be sought to get insights into parents’ real-life experiences amidst COVID 19.
 Teachers’ Experiences on Mental Health Activities: A Narrative Inquiry

Christine G. Preciosa
Cebu Normal University, Osmeña Boulevard, Cebu City
main.06013263@cnu.edu.ph

Introduction

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on 30 January 2020. As a result of the current COVID-19
pandemic, governments around the world have closed schools and educational institutions to flatten the curve and contain the spread of the coronavirus. As of May 2020,
school closures have impacted almost 70% of the world’s student population, or approximately 1.2 billion students (UNESCO, 2020).

In the Philippine context, when the imported and localized transmission of COVID-19 was recorded, the government considered it as a risk to national security (Nicomedes, Avila,
& Arpia, 2020). Consequently, the Philippine government implemented the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) to contain the spread of COVID19 on March 16, 2020. This
health problem created public health emergencies that Filipinos are also affected nationwide due to prolonged social isolation that creates loneliness, anxiety, depression, and
can even lead to a post-traumatic stress disorder (Leite et al., 2020 cited American Psychological Society, 2020; WHO, 2020). The way of life in the Philippines has changed its
course, although, Filipinos are not the only ones whose life changed, considering that COVID-19 is already a global problem, everybody’s lifestyle changed (Pan, 2020).

The Department of Education (DEPED) would have ended the school year for the basic level institutions in late March 2020, but due to COVID-19, the classes were shortened in
the middle of the month. In case of an extension of the suspension of face-to-face education on the school year 2020–2021 due to the pandemic, the Department of Education
launched the DEPED Commons Project to serve as an online platform for virtual lessons that teachers and even students nationwide can use as an alternative.

Teachers are transitioning through an uncertain period in terms of their professional (Allen et al., 2020) and personal lives. Depending on where students live in the world,
education has moved to synchronous or asynchronous remote schooling, or a blend of both. Delivery of content may occur through live lessons, streaming of educational
content via devices or television, parent facilitated content and knowledge exchange, or perhaps, depending on access to resources, no learning at all. It is, however, crucial to
acknowledge that not all pedagogy during a pandemic is delivered equal, as not all students have access to the technologies that enable remote learning.
Apart from the obvious risks to physical health, the psychological impact of COVID-19 also carries significant threats and dangers to mental health and well-being as higher levels
of anxiety and stress are further exacerbated by the on-going uncertainty of the situation. Moreover, aside from the conceivable stresses’ teachers face regarding the threat of
COVID-19 to themselves and their families, they are forced to transition into the new normal in the educational landscape and undertake effective remedial education
(Guillasper et al., 2020; Moralista & Oducado, 2020). Teachers may not necessarily have the technologies, resources, and competencies that they need to engage and succeed in
this new modality of teaching. The consequences of COVID-19 impact not only the physical health and wellbeing but also the mental health, which can have a disastrous effect
on the health system.

With the responsibilities given by teachers in this new normal, the school has implemented a mental health program where it gives support to teacher’s mental well-being in this
pandemic. Different mental health activities were created according to the teacher’s needs. Thus, teachers from Pajo National High School have been involved in the different
mental health activities. This program has been on-going in the school and if ever successful will be implemented in the whole division. This paper is a narrative account of their
experience. A brief review of advantages of mental health activities is being introduced together with a literature review focused more on narrative research. Since it is an
ongoing study, in this paper it is aimed to discuss in terms of the reason for selecting narrative and the methodology followed. The findings of the research study will be provided
in another work. Conclusions are drawn at the end and suggestions are offered.

STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES

The current study is aimed at exploring lived experiences of teachers regarding the different mental health activities and on how it gives mental support during the times of
COVID 19. Qualitative research studies allow the researchers to explore the phenomenon from an individual’s personal experiences in varying situations and circumstances. The
descriptive qualitative design was used to administer this study so that relevant responses could be sought to get insights into teachers’ experiences in the mental health
activities provided by the school.
C. Give two (2) research designs that can be used in the study (10)

The first research design with the title, Parents’ Involvement in the New Normal of Teaching, uses the Phenomenological Study while the second research design with the
title, Teachers’ Experiences on Mental Health Activities: A Narrative Inquiry, uses the Narrative Inquiry Method.

C.1 Discuss the advantages of each method. (5 points)

For the first research proposal, phenomenological study is being used since it aims to study the lived experiences of the parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. It
discusses the parents’ role and regarding home learning and management during COVID-19.
For the second research proposal, it uses the narrative inquiry. The study is being used since the researcher aims to know the experiences of the teachers in each mental health
activities that they are involved and if it gives them the right amount of support in the new normal.

C.2 sampling technique/informants/subjects (5pts)

For first research design:
Purposive sampling was the most suitable choice for the selection of the participants (parents), specifically, in times of COVID.
For second research design:
Narrative inquirers study stories of experience nested in various milieus, times, and relationships in their organic form. The researcher came alongside the participants (teachers)
and entered their lives. They gradually shared their stories with the researcher as they co-composed other stories and developed relationships.

C.3 data gathering/instrumentation (10 pts)

For first research design:
The data collection instrumentation consisted of two sections: demographics and a set of three open-ended questions related to COVID and home learning. Considering the
COVID lockdown, the researchers opted for the e-mail of link of the word form to all the participating parents.
For second research design:
The data collection instrumentation consisted of interviews from teachers and facilitators.

C. 4 data analysis (5 pts)

For first research design:

Question wise documents were prepared, and query was run to explore the word frequency for each of the questions. O

For second research design: