ABOUT ASSESSMENT

How would you assess the student learning and behavior progress? (Give examples)

“Okay, So examples of this, actually, it is not expected that it is always progressive.

Because in Special Education, as what I said, IEP, sometimes when the weekend passes
and the long vacation passes especially when Christmas Break. When January comes, they
most likely forgot all the lessons. The learner will not remember anything. That’s it.
Usually, what is needed is that, you should always need to repeat and repeat it. So this sem,
you will learn this. They need to have repetition. That is one of their qualities. Other
learners might not need repetition but basically for example, the blind or deaf [student]
what happens, even without repetition, it’s okay but it still depends on the cognitive level of
that child’s brain. Because sometimes in school, of course, you teach and teach, A-B-C, A-
B-C like that, numbers, plus, the learner’s now good. The learner is good at things like
that even in verbal. However, when it comes at home, no one teaches, what he is holding is
like… For example, the child, he’s now very good but he is autism severe. When it comes
at home, he is just holding a cellphone. That is why it also depends on the parents.
Therefore, sometimes, parents and teachers have to compare the child’s progress. That is
why the take home assignment is being done. The modules, like that. So it is not
progressive. You will definitely expect sometimes regression when it comes to learning
behaviors of the child or his assessment. Therefore, every time you see the child, you
should check him daily. That is why there is Individualized Education Plans. Usually, this
is daily. However, sometimes, of course, it is too rigid when it’s daily. Sometimes, we do
weekly observations.”

“So what is the grading system of the SPED learners?”

“Okay, the grading system, it is not the same as the regulars. Usually there is
modification. For example, physics. 4th year regular is having his physics class then
suddenly they have autism severe. He couldn’t even understand 1 + 1, how could that be?
So what you need to do is to tell the learner to explain. “What happens when you push the
car? When you push the car, what pushed it and how far. So you modify the questions or
you modify the equation the activity. That is also what we do to our work plans this
pandemic. Especially they are in module, written. In modules, there are easy, average, and
difficult. Usually what work plan goes to SPED student, they will have the easy, That’s
what they’ll answer for them to not go away from the curriculum. However, let’s say non-
reader, that’s what difficult is. We therefore ask the help of parents really to help.
Sometimes, what happens is that, it’s not ahelp anymore, the parents are the one who
answer the modules. That is what they do.. Modification of Learning Activities or Learning
Sheets, which is what we are already doing during the time of face to face, modifications.”

What are some creative activities you’ve planned that your students have loved?
 “Maybe,‘ the one here at Ilocos Sur National High School, it’s like the time when I
see them happy, it’s the Christmas Program. That’s what they always look forward to,
every year. So when it was like a pandemic, we didn't even have a Christmas program but
we went house-to-house. We still had a Christmas package because it was no longer
present. It was like spaghetti package and fruit salad package. That’s just what we teachers
did. So, we, SPED Teachers, divided ourselves and our location. For example, I have
Bantay, San Ildefonso until Magsingal. Others would be in Vigan, because it’s too many.
There are 14 total SPED receiving teachers. However, not everyone is functioning.
Because others there, either totally no experience at all and newly hired. That is why it’s
more on assist with the teachers. Therefore, I think the Christmas Program activities is
what my students loved. “
What do you think is the most difficult aspect of this job?
“The most difficult aspect of my job is how I maximize my available budget.
Because sometimes we need to reroute the budget. Our number one need is when we have
projects and activities, of course all you need is budget. So usually, I need to ask for help
financially, either organizations or if we need to fulfill this kind of activity, we need to have
an activity for fund raising. So usually some of the challenges, usually, it falls on non-
acceptance of the parents. That is the hardest aspect. The teaching of Special Education to
children is easy. However, without the cooperation of the parents, that is difficult. That’s
what I always say. If parents will not accept, then we won’t be able to do or conduct that
certain activity. So, when we have activities, like the Christmas Program, even the R1AA,
as much as possible, we specify to thank the parents. Those who participate. Because it’s a
big deal. It is really difficult if it’s only the teachers.”

Can you please tell us a scenario where you had to deal with a difficult parent. How did
you address the situation?
“This scenario has happened many times. During that time, the parent got angry,
the mother accepted it. She was willing and actually, she was okay with it. However, the
father was the one who got angry. Therefore, we need to back the child out, because the
father did not accept it. Because we don't want to have a scenario where we feel like we are
the ones who will be in trouble. It’s really hard because the child’s only a minor. Without
the consent of the parents, there’s really nothing we can do. No matter how we want to
help the child, if that child’s parents did not consent it. It’s like all plans are canceled.
Sometimes, there are other students who grew up with their grandparents, uncles, aunts
especially if the parents are separated. But of course, the one who will sign the consent is
the parent. Then when we call the parents, they won’t consent it. The grandmother was
willing and okay with it. The child was with the grandparent. It’s a legal matter actually,
what we follow is the parental consent because they are now in legal age. So we can’t say
where the child lives, that’s not it. Therefore, we always have parental consent that is
needed to be signed no matter what, even this pandemic. Those who participate in regional
contests, dances, songs, online things like that, all of them have the attachment of consent.
Sometimes, the grandmother wants the child to join the regional festival of talents or
RFOT to sing because she is really good at singing. Then suddenly the father did not agree
but the mother agreed. So we can't take the child. So if it’s the parents, we are now out of
it. We need to follow the procedure and the legality of the situation. Because, of course,
even if we turn the world upside down, we can't fight back. Actually, we also have a case of
abuse. When a child is abused and that child is tagged as SPED [learner], we forward it to
the DSWD. We cannot interfere as a teacher. So we need to follow the legal procedure.
After we forwarded the child’s case to the DSWD, the police have already intervened. The
one who reported to us, teachers was the grandmother. We also had a situation, during the
pandemic it happened where the boy was caught in robbery. He robbed and tagged as
SPEd learner in school. What happened there, we can't intervene as a teacher because the
police caught him So, again, DSWD intervened not us. So, it's still automatic even if you
say we're second parents. Because sometimes there are parents who really don't do their
responsibility but they give the responsibility to others. Either grandmother, aunt and
uncle. We still follow the legal procedure. ”

How have you collaborated with General Education Teachers to benefit your students?
“Of course, collaboration really starts with Inclusive Education. With the DepEd
Order, we need to follow regardless if it’s severe, if moderate or really non-reader or
anything, we need to accept the students in an inclusive education. So, hand in hand we
provide Inclusive Education Training especially the newly hired teachers. Before the
school year starts, before, during the summertime, we still have face-to-face, this happened
before the pandemic. We gave One week, five-day seminar in total. Because we need to
give them an idea of whether, per disability, that's what it's all about. All newly hired
teachers. There are also workshops and anything. That is why for me, I am hoping that
before they start to teach to school, all the newly hired teachers are equipped
educationally… Inclusive Education background. However, sad to say, sometimes even
trained, ‘When it’s really on the field, discrepancy really happenssometimes, they are
confused, “Ma’am why, how is this, that”. So we need to reorient. We need to remind.
Sometimes they wonder why it needs to be modified. Others are complaining about why
they need to modify. That’s why it is Inclusive. That means, he should be able to do what
the regular ones do, which is a false notion. It doesn’t mean to sya that Inclusive
Education you will need to insist that he understand the regular course. You as a teacher,
will modufy the questions. That is Inclusive Education. It is not the student who will
adjust. That also happens in intervention, you will notice that “Why doesn’t he get the
identification correctly, 1-10. He can't answer it” then alter it, make it a multiple choice
setup. Maybe if there were choices, it would be easier, than Identification. However, it
should be the same concept. That’s what I always tell to the teachers. Or, he doesn’t get the
Identification as well as the multiple choicethen try to make it in essay setup. Maybe he
could explain it. That’s it. It’s really the modification.”