A two part series on Teachers’ Training in Iloilo under the Proof of Concept initiative on the devolution of basic education to LGUs.
Part II. PS, I will make you read.
A teacher left a letter for Juan and it reads:
Dear Juan,
Thank you for appreciating what we do for you. I will admit to you that it
is not easy and very frustrating at times.
In many ways, we are loved. But in some ways too, we are blamed for your
failure- to read, to learn and to be your best.
We realize we have to become our best too for you. Don’t worry, we will be
relentless and hardworking in creating miracles toward a better future for you,
for ourselves and for our country. Eventually, you will be free from ignorance,
poverty of learning and knowledge and inequality and inequity.
PS. I will make you read.
Your teacher, Maria
This letter anchored the new learnings and ideas the teachers gained from
the Synergeia training on Reading to become better miracle workers.
The teachers learned that:
A. Reading is about systematic phonics instruction from connecting sounds
with printed letters to the progression of phonics skills of sound recognition
and decoding words to vocabulary building and fluency to comprehension and
analysis.
B. Teaching reading is about creativity and innovation. The power of stories
and storytelling stirs interest in reading, fosters listening, attention and
participation and boosts imagination. Reading aloud to children combined
with actors’ voice, timing, expression, and a musician’s rhythm
matters. “Acting out” the words and making sound effects
stimulate the desire to read.
The teachers read “Ang Batang Bayani” and “The Man on the
Moon” which are both original stories by Synergeia’s Dr Nene
Guevara. They also practiced reading three short stories:
“The Dark House”, “Si Lola Sima”, and “The Little Red Hen”.
C. Reading is about the development of comprehension, higher-order
thinking, and analytical skills. At the core of this capacity is a teacher’s
ability to know and excel in the Art of Questioning. The
questions teachers ask children from the stories being read must make children
explain, describe or discuss and allow them to interpret, demonstrate or
solve. Children must develop analytical skills by making differentiation,
comparison or contrast and examination. They must develop how
to evaluate by defending, arguing, critiquing and judging.
They have to be motivated to exercise creativity by designing, developing and
investigating.
D. Teaching reading can benefit from arts education which can help:
◆ Develop social, emotional and interpersonal skills;
◆ Enrich a child’s experience;
◆ Develop the ability to handle criticism;
◆ Increase academic achievement; and
◆ Improve focus.
E. It is important for teachers to regularly monitor the progress of
learners. They must conduct pre and post assessment to determine if
learners improve over time.
F. The use of data and its proper analysis is critical to proper and more
insightful monitoring and assessment. The value of organizing and
validating data was emphasized. Teachers must
make the data simple and easy to understand. Only
the important data must be included in the assessment and to
ensure that percentages or ratios are calculated before making
inferences.
G. The concept of personal well-being and happiness is integral to becoming
good teachers-miracle workers. If teachers take care of themselves, they can
teach better.
H. There is a need to further build capacities toward the implementation of
the so-called 15% solution by making the child whole – “read, think and
create”. Reading is important as it will enable
children to learn other subjects like Science and Mathematics.
The teachers were able to affirm that teaching reading is indeed an art and
a collective pursuit that carries with it a big responsibility and commitment
to keep pushing and overcoming challenges and achieve results.
Can teachers really free our children?
Let us support our teachers and their quest for long-lasting freedom of our
children towards the better quality of life they rightfully deserve.
