Vol. 3 No. 1

Students Troop Back to Schools

It is back to school!

Some 21 million public school students made transition from the lazy Christmas break to busy school days.

Off to a windy and rainy start, the re-energized learners in Metro Manila took on the challenges of learning as they start 2009 in a high note. As usual, jeeps were full, as well as the LRT so the students with no “school service” had to fight for transport while toting their heavy bags and baon bags. Bus transportation was practically bursting at the seams. But, hey, you are luckier in Metro Manila because the streets were manned with traffic enforcers and policemen to ensure the safety and security of returning students.

In remote villages in the archipelago, schoolchildren hiked across hills and valleys for hours just to attend their classes in barangays where there are public schools. Even in areas where there are sporadic armed conflicts, students risk their life and limb just to get to school.

Yet, despite all these, the resumption of classes this year is viewed with optimism and renewed hope. Students look at it as a fresh start to improve their academic standing from the previous year, while parents had to run the last mile to earn for the first “baon” of their children to school this 2009.

Meanwhile, after days of gift-giving, malling and family get-togethers, teachers are now back in focus to the teaching process to ensure the continued delivery of quality education. Yes, despite the wet start, the teachers are back in business.

“Excited sa mga classmates – kita kits kami uli,” Michael Silvestre of Taytay Elementary School remarked as he prepared to get down from the tricycle. Trisha Marie Montemayor, a grade 2 pupil of Pembo Elementary School, Makati had mixed feelings in going to school, “Parang mas masarap pa rin ang kumain at matulog hanggang tanghali,” she said.

Francesca Denise Tismo who is a fifth grader at Legarda Elementary School, Sampaloc Manila spoke glowingly of the spirit of Christmas “Walang tigil na kainan at kuwentuhan, sobrang saya.”

The last day of classes in most schools was December 19, 2008, hence the students enjoyed a total of two weeks and two days vacation.

Similarly, the nation’s 31.5 million workers also returned to work after a Christmas break consisting of three legal holidays, four special holidays, two Saturdays and two Sundays.

Special Children - 'Get them to the Mainstream'

By Cherry Morada

More sectors are getting involved in the cause of special children as parents have become more open with their differently-able offsprings. Laws have also been passed for their rights and privileges. The education department for its part continues to craft programs for children with special needs to provide them greater access to formal education.

"DepEd is currently strengthening its Special Education programs to cater to children who have special learning needs.  This is part of the department's thrust to democratize access to public education services since many parents cannot afford to send their children to private schools that accommodates kids with special abilities," Secretary Jesli Lapus said.

There are only 217 SPED centers all over the country that serve the needs of special children.  Since 2007, Secretary Lapus has provided more than 900 SPED teacher items.  The DepEd is creating opportunities for promotion for SPED mentors including capability programs.

The department also developed and distributed Braille textbooks used by visually impaired children in public schools.

Need for the establishment of more SPED centers

"There is a need for the department to establish more SPED centers because it has not yet met the requirement needs of the 13 percent total population of special children (10 percent differently-able and three percent gifted), Special Education Division Chief Mirla Olores said in an interview.

She added, "Only two percent are being served and most of them are in the elementary level. "Ninety-seven percent 7 to 12 years old children with special needs are not yet served despite our 100 years of existence," she emphasized.

One of the reasons why the target has not been served is that parents tend to hide their children with disabilities out of embarrassment.  Other do not send their differently-able children to school due to poverty.  Parents prioritize to send their normal kids to school and the disabled ones are left home, Ma'am Mirla explained.

"We need intensive advocacy programs to encourage parents of differently-able children to send them to special education classes," Ma'am Mirla said as she expressed desire for all sectors to support this mission.

Enrolment

Based on enrolment data, Ma'am Mirla said, the greater number of enrollees in SPED comprise of children with learning disability and those who are visually-impaired.  "Mas mahirap siyempre turuan ang mga batang may kapansanan kaysa sa mga normal na bata," said the SPED chief.

During school year 2007 to 2008, the total number of enrolment of children with special needs in public elementary schools nationwide reached 181,322. The National Capital Region has the most number of SPED enrollees with a total of 51,690 followed by region 3 - 42,784 and the third is region 1 - 29,564.

The different types of disabilities include learning disability, hearing impairment, visual impairment, mental retardation, behavioral problem, orthopedically handicapped or health problems, autism, speech defect, chronically ill and cerebral palsy.

According to Sally Ciego, a mother of special child at Gomez Elementary SChool SPED center, her son manifested a lot of improvements since the boy started going to school.  "Natuto siyang kumain nang sarili niya at magligpit pagkatapos kumain. Marunong na siyang mag-drawing, magsalita at sumayaw," Sally said amusedly.

"Parang nasa regular class na rin ang anak ko dahil mabilis siyang maka-cope sa mga lessons nila sa school," said Feliza Ilagan, also a mother of a child attending a special education program.

Instructional Programs

The Department's SPED has been implementing the following instructional programs:

Self-contained or special class is a separate class for only one type of exceptionality that serves moderate to severe types of disabilities.

Itinerant teaching is another program wherein the SPED teacher travels to reach out to children with special needs in other schools or at home to provide direct and consultative services.

Resource room is a designated place where the child with special needs enrolled in the regular school system goes to in order to a specialized equipment either in a tutorial situation or in a small group session handled by a SPED teacher.

Pull-out is a kind of initiative where the child enrolled in the regular class reports to the resource room for a period of time for special instructions by the  SPED teacher.

In integration and mainstreaming, the child with special needs is enrolled in a regular class with support services depending on the degree of integration.  In partial integration, the child enrolled in a special class is integrated with regular children in non-academic activities like work education, physical education, arts, school program, among others and then gradually integrated in the academic subjects when qualified.  IN full integration, the child joins the regular class in all academic and non-academic subjects.

The last but not the least is the inclusion - the child with disabilities, regardless of the nature and severity of her disability and need for related services, receive total education within the regular classroom program.

"This school year, the DepED has started accepting children with multiple disabilities.  We have trained teachers to handle various disabilities.  We have to give them their rights for education and the opportunity to develop themselves and to be taken cared of," Ma'am Mirla stressed.

Chess, Anyone?

By Lawrence Cruz

Chess is one of the world’s most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments. Chess is a fun, challenging, creative game not much different from other games such as tennis, basketball, golf, etc.

But there is one striking difference: While learning to play almost any game can help build self-esteem and confidence, chess is one of the few that fully exercises our minds and can be beneficial to young kids.

Chess is an exercise of infinite possibilities for the mind, one which develops mental ability throughout life such as concentration, critical thinking, abstract reasoning, problem solving, pattern recognition, strategic planning, creativity, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Chess can be used very effectively as a tool to teach problem solving and abstract reasoning. Learning to solve a problem is more important than learning the solution to any problem. Through chess, we learn how to analyze a situation by focusing on important factors and by eliminating distractions. We learn to device creative solutions and put a plan into action. Chess works because it is self motivating. The game has fascinated humans for almost 2,000 years, and the goals of attack and defense, culminating in checkmate, inspire us to dig deep in our mental reserves.

And in these precepts, the Department of Education (DepEd) has arranged the integration of chess into the curriculum of grade school and high school students. In DepEd Memorandum No. 1 series. 2009, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus ordered that chess be included in the “Edukasyon sa Pagpapalakas ng Katawan” subject of Grade 3 to 6 students and in the Physical Education classes in high school.

To kick things off, the DepEd launched the program at Our Lady of Perpetual Succor College (OLOP) in Marikina City. The event was led by Education Secretary Jesli Lapus, Mayor Marides Fernando, DepEd-NCR officials and chess grandmaster Eugene Torre. Torre provided a chess demonstration to Grade 3 pupils at OLOP which was based on a syllabus for the course he took as a student in Europe.

"Chess is fun and challenging to play with," says Trisha Marie Tabubuca, a Grade 2 student from La Consolacion College, Bulacan. "Chess allows us to think and strategize," adds one student from the same school.

To ensure the success of the program, the DepEd ordered the school divisions to look for experts in their communities that could serve as mentors to teachers and students and to purchase chess sets following the three sets to a class ratio. School divisions are also responsible for training a core of supervisors, principals or teachers who will mentor other teachers about the game. The division will also monitor and evaluate the social effects of chess on children. While the DepEd-regional offices will monitor the use of chess as a strategy to develop higher orders skills and values and to provide technical assistance. The DepEd-central office in turn will formulate guidelines, manuals or lesson exemplars on the use of chess and track the program’s impact on students.

From Trash to Treasure

By Maribel P. Cabasal

"We created a teaching tool out of trash and we grabbed the top prize,” said the beaming Richard Bacud, principal of Cataggaman Elementary School (CES) of Cataggaman Viejo, Tuguegarao City, region 2, after winning the Zero Waste, Zero Cavities Project launched by DepEd and Colgate-Palmolive, Inc.

Some 290 Grade 1 pupils supported by their teachers were required to bring to school Colgate sachets for their biggest recycling project ever.

The kids’ leader, Angelica Biccan, first showed the group the proper cutting, cleaning and drying of scrap Colgate
sachets. In the midst of the buzzle, ideas started to pop up: “Magangwa tamtu makasta nga bag o nu slippers para ta
contes,” (“We’ll make beautiful bags or slippers for the contest”), said one. “Ari, mas makasta nu backpack o folders,” (“No backpacks or folders are better”), said another.

The approach of the Zero Waste, Zero Cavities Project is proactive such that it engages the hearts and minds of
schoolchildren to contribute their ideas on sustaining natural resources.

Then, one candidly thought of making a manual reading machine out of the tin foil packages. Voila! The kids were off to a good start. With 196 Colgate sachets in hand, the enthusiastic pupils gathered in their classroom after 3:50 p.m. everyday.

“We wanted to teach the children the values of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (3R’s), and we realized that this manual
reading machine is a wonderful sample of combining the 3R’s,” the principal proudly noted.

Constructing the reading machine was an enjoyable activity and a challenge. “It had a ripple effect because even our older pupils had to gather sachets for their own 3R projects at home,” revealed Grade 1 teacher Teresa Maramag of CES with tremendous pride and joy written on her face.

The reading machine has activity sheets and visuals on the value of Colgate and tooth brushing. Beside the machine are other lessons and teaching guides for future use. The machine’s lessons are replaceable.

Assistant Secretary for Programs and Projects Teresita Inciong did not expect to find a wealth of ideas from
the contest entries. “All are creatively crafted, but region 2 stood out because of its usefulness in the classroom,” she said.

The Nativity Scene project of region 4-A took the contest’s second prize while the Waste Segregation project of
region 1 got third.

Editorial - A Fresh Start

EDITORIAL

It's back to school for the 21 million students after the longest holiday season in years. The last day of classes in most schools was December 19, 2008, hence the students enjoyed a total of two weeks and two days vacation.

The Department of Education assured the public that the teachers are very much prepared for the students' return. Education Secretary Jesli Lapus has directed all school officials to ensure the safety and security of the returning students and to continue delivering quality education. At the same time, the Manila Police District dispatched 1,000 police officers to prevent kidnappings and other crimes.

Although the perennial problems in education are still there, the department is doing its best to provide access and quality education to all. The A Fresh Start
DepEd Secretary has called for a strengthened effort on alternative learning system for out-of-school youth, adults and the marginalized sector. The institutionalization of Pre-school Education is also in place.

The Secretary vowed to continue the agency's emergency employment and livelihood projects together with the on-going school feeding program. A more intensified system-wide campaign on handwashing with soap, toothbrushing, waste management and deworming are being conducted. The provision for internet connection to all secondary schools nationwide is also being pushed.

With all the necessary precautions in place, we can only hope that the new year bear positive results. Things will change eventually and hopefully for the better.

Kathang-Isip - Kathang mula sa isip at karanasan

ni Jason Villena

OPISMEYT

Ng makita kita ako ay sumaya, dahil ang feeling ko di ako mag-isa.

Siyempre nahihiya pa‘ko sa umpisa, hanggang malaman ko na ok ka pala.

Ka-join sa almusal, maski tanghalian, minsan sabay pa nga tayo sa uwian

Mga problema ko ikaw ang hingahan, at pag’ walang pera ay nauutangan.

Kapag kasama ka ligaya ang hatid, turing na nga sayo’y tunay na kapatid

Sa nararamdaman di ka naging manhid, pag naagrabiyado laging tagasagip.

Lahat ng anak ko ay inaanak mo, mula sa panganay hanggang sa’king bunso

Sadya ba talagang di mapaglalayo? Na tila ba tayo ay iisang dugo?

Subalit ang bukas di mahuhulaan, at mga pagsubok di maiiwasan,

Ang dating maayos, magandang samahan, ba’t sa isang iglap biglang natuldukan?

Selos, tampo lito, at naipong galit, ang init ng ulo at lihim mong inggit

‘Di agad naayos problemang maliit, nagaway na basta parang mga paslit.

Ilang buwan din tayong hindi nagpansinan, at maraming beses tayo’y nag-iwasan

Ang dating biruan, at ang bungisngisan, nauwi sa lungkot ng katahimikan.

At ito pa kamo’ ang lubhang masakit, nung day ng birthday ko ‘di man lang ako na-greet.

Kahit na ngiti lang at saki’y walang gift, basta’t maayos lang ang nasirang friendship.

Kelan maaantig ang iyong damdamin? Tuluyang limutin ang tampo mo sa’kin?

Huwag mo naman sana akong dededmahin, dahil ang totoo ay nasasaktan din.

Marahil marami ang nakaka-relate mga friends mong tunay, at maging mga fake.

Istoryang minsan love, at madalas ay hate, ang totoong kuwento ng mga opismeyts.

Blogtasan

Ang boses ng kabataan ay boses ng bayan na hindi dapat sikilin, hindi dapat pagbawalan.

Lalo’t-lalo kung ang panig nila’y tama at makatuwiran, wala kang “K” na hadlangan malaya niyang kaisipan.

Bakit di natin matanggap puna nila at suhestiyon? kapag tayo ay pumalya sa’ting gawa at desisyon, di ba’t ang isip ng musmos walang bahid ng korapsiyon?

Na sa ilang matatanda’y namamayani sa ngayon.

Huwag sana nating kuwestiyunin malinis nilang hangarin, na isiwalat ang lahat ng kamalian sa atin problema kasi sa iba hirap at takot aminin na kahit na may edad na’y sadyang pumapalpak pa rin.

Sa mata ng mga paslit ginagawa mo ba ay tama?

Kaya’t huwag kang magtataka kung batikusin ka ng bata

Marahil sa’yong diskarte sila’y lubos na nababahala? na sa paglipas ng mga araw mas lalo kang lumalala.

Ang sistemang demokrasya’y makatarungan at patas, anuman ang iyong edad, anuman ang iyong antas.

Kaya’t ang batang may daing na gusto niyang ibulalas ay di dapat parusahan na tila ikaw ang batas.

Iba na ang kabataan sa ating panahon ngayon

Matapang ng magmungkahi ng sarili niyang opinion,at kung ikaw may tamaan huwag na huwag kang mapipikon aminin ang kasalanan at hanapan ng solusyon.