Republic of the Philippines

BULACAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Sarmiento Campus
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
City of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan

“Delights and Difficulties Multi-Grade Teachers

in Rural Schools, Philippines”

Submitted by:

De Vera, Jan Marini

Fortes, Marymae
Lumbre, Kathleen
Narca, Anna Rose
Ocong, Matthew
Piodos, Cherry Mae
Tabac, Angelica
Talde, Aljon
Vedua, Pamela Jane

Submitted to:
Ma’am Jona Q. Guevarra

BEED - 3B
 BACKGROUND

Research Locale/Continent

The study was conducted at Bulacan State University. Wherein, the researchers will
study about the Multigrade classes in Asia specifically in Philippines.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to determine how students will learn in a multigrade class
and how was the teachers adapt and try to teach even there are many challenges they
may encounter.

% of Multi-grade classes
How are Multi-grade classes organized?

A multigrade class is composed of 2 or more different grade levels that are taught in a
single-grade classroom by one teacher for the entire school year. Combination classes
are classes that have two grade levels within a single classroom and are taught by the
same teacher in the Philippine public school system.

CHALLENGES

Challenges of MGC

Some of the challenges of a Multi- Grade teacher and being a student of a multi grade
classes are not that easy to solve. To start with, lack of school materials such as books,
equipment’s for activities and even chairs or tables for students. Next, lack of time to
prepare lesson plans and even instructional materials because multi grade teacher
cannot even handle his/her time properly one reason is due to many schedules and
classes she/he needs to attend. The next problem is, teacher and students face every
day danger in going in out of the school. During rainy seasons, they are in danger of
floods the road was muddy and slippery, and even walk from 5am just to get early at
school and don’t be late. Along the way, there were environmental hazards that may put
their lives at risk. In some areas, there are rivers that they need to cross going to school
some of them uses a rope to cross the other lane.
On behalf, some challenges of some teachers is they are lack of training which is
”inadequate” training can lead to increased frustration, wasted time, and dissatisfied
employees. Employees who feel they are not developing and are becoming dissatisfied
with their jobs are more likely to leave an organization, lowering your employee
retention rates. Other challengesis, lack of enough support from key stakeholders,
which cannot give them some extra time to rest and to manage their schedules.
It's not easy for a Multigrade teacher to notice that certain students, particularly those in
upper grades, may not be paying attention when the teacher is speaking because they
already know the subject. A Multigrade class will be difficult for the teacher to design
and create activities for. Teachers find it difficult to teach and learn in such
circumstances, and school and community environments are not conducive to intended
teaching and learning outcomes.
3-5 Research Findings

1. Combination classes are classes that have two grade levels in a single
classroom and are taught by the same instructor in the Philippine public school
system. A multigrade or multilevel class is one that has three grade levels in one
classroom and is taught by a single teacher.

2. There are many best practices that can use to teach students in multigrade
classes. And even it’s difficult to some teachers to teach multigrade classes they
can still manage to teach young students just to pursue their dreams.

3. In this research we discover that there are a huge number of multigrade classes
here in Philippines together with the challenges face by the students and
teachers every day.

4. As the time goes by other schools in rural areas are also able to cope up with the
technologies that city dwellers also have wherein it makes their education is
somehow easier.

BEST PRACTICES

Practice in Multi-grade Classes

Under the best practices that we have in multigrade, one of the practices that should be
on the list is a Multigrade classroom management. In a single classroom and different
grade level there’s a different activities that we can see during classroom instruction
defending upon the activities shaded by the teachers.
There’s a Multigrade ideal physical Arrangement which is very vital in managing classes
and learners with different level, this thing should be done in order to achieve desirable
outcomes in multigrade class.
The first one is ideally, with movable division between the grade levels. Second, must
have separate blackboard for each grade level. Third, a classroom with designated area
for learning activities. Fourth, area for my score, my mistakes chart. Fifth, desks
organized into small groupings. Lastly, a space in the center of the room, or perhaps
some marked spaces around the room where groups can sit on the floor and work.
Another thing in ideal physical arrangement of multigrade class they should also have
workstation or learning centers, where individuals and groups may go to complete
activities, learning materials/furnitures and equipments, resources kept on shelves
around the room, boxes are labelled to help the students identify what they need, boxes
or folders for students work to be kept in and lastly plenty of examples of individual and
group work on display.
The multigrade teacher should be an effective teacher, He or she should have the ability
to manage resources facilitate learning in the classroom. Multigrade teachers need to
maintain a well-managed classroom to ensure a productive learning environment. In a
well-managed classroom, learners understand their responsibilities, how to do activities
in groups and work on their own. Understand your students' diversity and complexity by
gender, age, familial and socioeconomic background, and language, aptitude, and
special education requirements and see this diversity as an opportunity to improve
learning rather than a problem to be solved. And lastly, personalize your instruction and,
eventually, your evaluation methods to accommodate the diverse backgrounds and
learning styles of your students each of your pupils' learning styles/needs

CONCLUSION

In the final analysis, since multigrade teaching refers to the teaching of students in
different ages, levels and abilities within the same group, it is nearly implemented in
remote areas. There are always delights and difficulties in learning. Multigrade teachers
are experiencing a hard time coping with the environment. There were many challenges
that they had faced just to teach the students; such as limited enrollment, lack of funds
for school building, deficiency of transportation and the adjustments of sifferent
behaviors. However the challenge of multigrade classes does not only depicts to the
teachers, but also to the students. Having an absence of proper school equipments and
inadequate learning environment, it can lead them to the distraction of the learning
process. As DepEd official secretary Armand Fabella (1993-1994) launched the
program of multigrade classes, the focus of it is to have all the students especially in
remote areas to have access in education. Despite this opportunity, most of the
teachers are not well trained to become a multigrade teacher. For this reason, it might
result scarcity of learning system. Moreover, teachers can be indolence when teaching
especially if they are not motivated to teach. Specifically in the Philippines (Asia),
remote areas are very risky both for teachers and students.
Nevertheless, there are also best practices that were applied during multigrade classess
to create an effective learning environment despite of. At this point, multigrade teachers
practice the ability of managing the classroom, learners, to work and cooperate one
another. It is necessary in a multigrade class to develop teamwork, respect of diversity
and complexity of every individual. In Asia’s (Philippines) multigrade teaching, this
research study aims to recommend some development that can be useful in improving
multigrade classroom as well as teachers. The development and enhancement of
teachers competence in multi grade pedagogy through pre and in service training as
well as interschool visits; Improve the quality of multi grade teaching methods should be
given to multi grade teachers; Government can also support teaching and learning
though radio or television broadcast to with the help of the internet; Improving access to
education by providing complete grade levels through combination or multi grade
classes; Implementing policies and guidelines on organizing and operating multigrade
classes; Strengthening the implementation of the multi grade program in the country;
Providing special hardship allowances to multigrade teachers. And lastly,holding a
national summit for multi-grade teachers. Education for all can be driven effectively if
everything is well-organized.

References:

http://www.udyong.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1472:multi-
grade-classes-in-philippine-education&catid=90&Itemid=1368#:~:text=The%20Multi
%20Grade%20System%20has,resulted%20in%20multi%20grade
%20classes.&text=The%20existence%20of%20the%20multi,provision%20of%20the
%20Philippine%20Constitution.
https://www.slideshare.net/catherinesabian/multigrade-program-in-philippine-education
https://www.ea.gr/ep/muse/data/meth_function.htm
https://www.seameo-innotech.org/wp-
content/uploads/2020/04/PolRes_ProfileofMultigradeSchoosInThePhilippines.pdf
https://www.erpublication.org/published_paper/IJETR032675.pdf