Curriculum Integrates WATCH

Prepared by: Janice I. Sapin

Filipino time! We often hear these phrase everywhere. But indeed,

what is a Filipino time? This phrase is often associated with problems of
punctuality of always being late. An example of these so-called Filipino time
is the well – known expression “mañana habit” which is short for "mamaya
na,” most people frequently say things like, "I'll do it later," "tomorrow," or "I
don't have a certain time,” consequently breaking promises.

Is this what we want for us? To be known as someone who’s always

late and irresponsible? Or we want to be known as someone who can
manage his or her time responsibly? and finally, reverse the generalization
of Filipinos’ being late and break the so-called “mañana habit.”

This problem is indeed serious yet mostly neglected by many of us.

To combat this problem our government, in partnership with the
Department of Education establish the creation of project WATCH or We
Advocate Time Consciousness and Honesty.
DepEd Memorandum No. 410s, 8 dated September 18, 2009, entitled
“Guidelines on the Establishment of WATCH SCHOOL” (We Advocate
Time Consciousness and Honesty) aims to strengthen the value of
punctuality and honesty among the DepEd officials and employees.

Concerning this, Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

issued Presidential Proclamation No. 1782 dated May 31, 2009, entitled
“Declaring the Month of June as W.A.T.C.H. Month and Enjoining all
Schools, Colleges, Universities and Local Government Units to Undertake
Programs of Activities Thereto Every Second Week of June. Its purpose is
to inculcate the two core values of a Filipinos that should be developed, the
Honesty and Punctuality.

This project aspires to strengthen and enhance the implementation of

Project WATCH among teachers and school heads as the role model to the
young learners, how they can bring change to everyone, manifest the habit
of coming on time in every activity and being truthful in every dealing and to
see how the teachers show punctuality and honesty. The project aims to
better our knowledge and understanding of the value of punctuality and
honesty on the development of our Filipino character specially the youth.
As the timeless quote of our great national hero, Jose Protacio Rizal
Mercado y Alonso Realonda once said, “The youth is the hope of our
future.”

What best to do this, by starting at the very center and foundation of

our knowledge and education, our schools. Inculcating these traits to the
very core of our children’s minds and hearts is our duty as an educator and
as a second parent to our students. It is our task to empower them to
become highly knowledgeable and respectable individuals in our society
not just in words but in actions as well.

In response to this, Ihan National High School created concepts and

programs with the integration of honesty and time consciousness in all
learning areas in consonance to the K to 12 Curriculum.

As we all know the curriculum is one of the most important aides in

implementing project WATCH (We Advocate Time Consciousness and
Honesty). Curriculum, being the heart of education, serves as the base of
learning and experience of our students.

Ensuring that every student has access to challenging academic

experiences, the curriculum serves as the primary reference point for us
educators. A curriculum's structure, organization, and concerns are
designed to improve student learning to effectively support instruction and
learning, curriculum must include the required objectives, approaches,
resources, and evaluations. Thus, instilling WATCH project in all learning
areas is one of our strategies in implementing this plan.

Integration of WATCH within the curriculum is evident, as proof of this

integration here are some examples which can be found on our K to 12
Curriculum Most Essential Learning Competency; for Inquiries,
Investigations and Immersion, Practical Research 1 and 2; the competency
states of gathering and analyzing data with intellectual honesty using
suitable techniques. In Leadership and Management in Different Arts and
Fields, the competency explains the importance of time management in
day-to-day life in relation to punctuality in attendance in class and other
activities and in submission of requirements.

On Values Education or Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao, it was

emphasized in the content standard the importance of understanding of
honesty not just in words but in actions as well. It highlights the significance
of being honest in words and deeds as the proof of having commitment to
the truth and having strong conscience. Its goal is to have self-actualization
of being responsible and true to oneself and others.

In Ihan National High School, upon entering the premises of our

school, we are welcomed by a huge canvas of WATCH sign. This signage
can be seen as well in conspicuous places near offices, pathways and
inside each classroom and laboratories. These help us teachers to always
be reminded to be always on time. Another one is posting the honesty
saying which is “Honesty is the Best Policy,” inside our classrooms has
been one of the practices made by our school. The purpose of these
posters and signages is, one, to enhance our students visual learning –
learning by viewing the things in their surroundings and two, learning by
doing, by coming to school early we become role models for our students
to do the same.

We also practice checking of attendance daily among our students

and acknowledging our them for being early which demonstrates their
willingness to get up early, plan and make every effort to complete their
work on time hence indicating the value of being discipline, reliable and
trustworthy.

In the making of our daily lesson plans and daily lesson logs we see
to it that honesty and time consciousness is being observe through valuing
of our lessons, including process questions related to honesty and
punctuality and through our instructions. Here are some of the examples of
our instructions; do the task in five minutes only, manage your time
properly so you can finish the task on time, additional ten points will be
granted to the group who finish first, be honest in performing the activity,
and do not cheat, are just some of the few examples we use on our
instructions. We also include footnotes on our quizzes and summative test
papers promoting honesty among our students for example, “be honest in
all that you do, that way others will know that you are a trustworthy person.”

In conclusion, project WATCH integration on our curriculum is an

essential tool for us to encourage punctuality and honesty not just among
teachers but especially among our students. Students learning and
experiencing how to be honest and prompt in every little thing they do is a
step closer to becoming more discipline preventing the dreaded saying of
“mañana habit” and finally overturning the meaning of Filipino time. The
youth being the hope our future should be guided and molded to become
respectable and responsible citizens of our society and as their educators,
mentors and second parents it is our job to do so.