Thursday, June 14, 2012

Children With Special Needs for K to 12 Program

7:32 AM  Robi Marapao  15 comments

photo credits to  www.reachwi.org

Special children have been my first love aside from my parents and I consider them as angels from heaven. In their innocence, you can see different emotions although, some people think that they're run-of-the-mill and humdrum. But I totally dissented; I would say they're intelligent on the other sense.

I remember the days when I volunteered in a summer camp for special children,  (as a guardian) and it's the best camp I've ever had. 

Education Secretary Br. Armin Luistro FSC,   said “It just so happens that they have special needs, thus, we have to give them special attention. This entails a little adjustment and accommodation from our teachers.”  Br. Armin, himself has also handled children with special needs during his early teaching days.

Children with special needs (CSNs) has also followed the same K to 12 curriculum just like regular learners but teachers would have to introduce some accommodations and modifications to go well with their inimitable learning needs.

Sec. Luistro refers to  learners whose learning  disabilities contain  visual and hearing impairment or high functioning individuals who may have autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), speech defect,  those with problems with mobility and other physical and learning conditions.

The accommodation and modification, according to him, would be in the form of adaptation, augmentation or alteration of the regular competencies. “For example if some learners cannot keep pace with the number of days a certain competency should be learned, the teacher may have to extend the learning days or devise creative ways to achieve the desired learning competencies,” added Secretary Luistro. He also said that the competencies can be further broken down to smaller tasks to suit the ability and capability of the children with special needs. (CSNs)

However, for children in the gifted class, accommodation and modifications can be done by making competencies more available which are over and beyond the regular curriculum. “If our gifted children can do more, we should provide the kind of environment that is conducive to their learning pace. This will help bring out the best in them some more,” Secretry Luistro said.

DepEd, beginning this school year, has started the implementation of K to 12 curriculum. And in 2011, the Universal Kindergarten was rolled- out to formally introduce K to 12 in the Basic Education Program.

If you want to know more about CSNs education, click the link Learn About Special Education for Special Children.

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Friday, June 8, 2012

Senator Trillanes against DepEd K to 12 Program

9:33 AM  Robi Marapao  12 comments

photo courtesy: mypinoy.tv

Senator Trillanes IV remained unconvinced of having the K to 12 program being implemented by the DepEd which added two years in the basic education system. During the joint hearing of the Senate committees on education, arts and culture with government corporations and public enterprises, ways and means and finance and science technology, the Senator grilled DepEd Undersecretary Yolanda Quijano.

“You benefited from a 10-year basic education program and yet you are saying your progam did not work,” the senator said. “We senators are beneficiaries of the 10-year program and are you saying we are intellectually inferior? Trillanes asked Undersecretary Yolanda Quijano.

However, Quijano reded that the Philippines is the only country in Asia that isn’t yet implementing a 12-year basic education curriculum. She also added that this curriculum aims to train students on vocational skills for them to meet the criteria for employment upon graduation.

Trillanes remained unfavoured by the answer and uttered that it should not be the policy of the government to export graduates. Senator’s obscurantism started. Quijano then argued that it could not be helped that plenty graduates seek jobs abroad because of the lack of employment opportunities in the local.

“Then the solution is to provide opportunities here. If the problem is unemployment, then let us provide employment. Let us not tinker with this experimental program and force it upon everyone,” Trillanes said.

As for my personal view, DepEd's K to 12 implementation would surely benefit students and the Philippines. However, they should also resolve the perennial crisis. (Read my previous post about crisis.) The kettle of fish should not continue to the new generation. They have to reckon every effect of this dilemma. Thus, I'm taking their words of minimizing the problem in 2013. (fingers crossed)

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Monday, June 4, 2012

K to 12 Plan to Test

12:56 AM  Robi Marapao  13 comments

The implementation of the K to 12 system has started on Monday, June 4, 2012. This program is catered for students to improve the basic education and uplift the Asia’s reputation. The K to 12 system is in the midst of trials considering the sharp shortage of resources.

The aged problems continue: Learning the basics under a tree or in an open court, insufficiency of classrooms, overcrowding and lack of teachers.

A party-list group of teachers aired its opposition to the new system and asked the Department of Education (DepEd) to resolve first the perennial crisis in the scarcities of teachers, classrooms, sanitation facilities and other school necessities before embarking on the K to 12.

“There is no law yet authorizing the implementation of the full K to 12 education program. The curriculum is not yet ready. Funds are insufficient to cover the basic inputs such as shortages on teachers, classrooms, textbooks, chairs and sanitation facilities,” the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) said in a statement Sunday.

The group said the “haphazard implementation” of Phase 2 of the K to 12 education program would “definitely bring chaos” among teachers and even students and parents.

ACT also said the K to 12 project had only brought confusion to the teachers because modules and instructional materials were not complete.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said Monday’s school opening marked the pilot implementation of the K to 12 basic education program, a reform project targeted for completion by 2018, although mandatory entry into kindergarten was initiated in the last school year.

He also added that the implementation of this curriculum for Grades 1 and 7 this school year would surely be well-prepared for the school opening.

Under the new system, Grade 7 is the tag for what used to be first year high school. There will be a junior high school consisting of four years—Grades 7 to 10—and an additional senior high school of two years—Grades 11 to 12.This school year’s Grade 7 students are expected to be the first batch of senior high school graduates in March 2018.

Anyhow, my view of this is for the benefit of students. Although it creates a big challenge for teachers and students, and for the parents to sustain additional fees. Thus,  my hope is for the Philippine government to provide more funds to education.

The K to 12 program would surely produce potential students in competency and global qualifications. Good luck to all teachers!

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Sunday, June 3, 2012

Police Officers Getting Ready

3:12 AM  Robi Marapao  2 comments

I salute the police officers for giving this much priority.

Before schools are going to officially start on Monday June 4, 2012, police officers were planning for the security of students and teachers. They had considered every possible cause of crime.

Recently, they caught teenager solvents and sent them to DSWD. In the report said, this could lessen the snatching around the area.

After further investigation, they also closed the hardware stores selling solvents to these solvent boys.

They’re just doing the right thing. These stores were tolerating them use solvents. 

I've encountered a lot of solvent boys and what I only felt was the pity when I looked at them.

With lesser crime, students and teachers could focus more to education and even the parents would feel more at ease. And it would also help reduce the percentage of school drop outs. Hats off to the police officers for a job well done. 

I wish there would be more police visibility in every area so it would bar bad elements to do such unlawful deeds. 

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Thursday, May 31, 2012

Brigada Eskwela 2012

1:00 AM  Robi Marapao  8 comments

The Department of Education on Monday launched Brigada Eskwela 2012 to egg on the public to join its campaign to clean public schools' classrooms and other facilities in preparation for school opening on June 4, 2012.

Bro. Armin Luistro, DepEd Sectretary, led the caravan, which left the DepEd main office in Pasig City at 6 a.m. to proceed to the Justo Lukban Elementary School in Paco, Manila, a television report said.

In Manila, the caravan was joined by Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and many volunteers including parents to clean and spruce up school facilities. Foreign volunteers, including Australian and employees of the United States Agency for International Development, also tied the caravan. This caravan was held from May 21 to 26, 2012.

Filipino soldiers also joined the caravan and used a military truck to announce and convince the public to join the cleanup activities.

Brigada Eskwela 2012 would also focus on ensuring sufficient toilet and water system for students.  This year is the ninth year that the DepEd is holding the program.

 Kudos to Bro. Armin and to his staff and all teachers who have spared time to initiate this program.

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