Shifting to the new normal due to the prevalence of the formidable disease across the world thwarted

and eventually, has limited social, industrial, economic activities and the like that largely affect and
challenge our national economy as a whole today. All the departments under our government have
remained active and very critical despite these trying times brought about by the pandemic just to
deliver good services to people but in a very careful and strategic manner. One department that is highly
challenged today is the Department of Education. It’s a total shift from what the department was used
to that has made a total reform from the competencies to the learning modalities, if this is not in
exaggeration. However, it remains positive and firm on the decisions it is making right now for the
continuous learning and access to formal education. Besides face-to-face learning that is notably
impossible to happen during the first year of the pandemic due to no vaccine yet, the department
presented to the government different learning modalities to address the challenge in education. It is
somewhat ideal but its intention and direction are clear and comprehensive. Such modalities are online
learning, radio-based instruction, television, and modular. These modalities however limit and ground
the learners and the teachers from physical contact. Given these different modalities, it is significant to
anticipate what possible problems, difficulties and challenges that teachers and learners may encounter.
Thus, proper identification of our roles today as teachers is very important to address possible
unwanted problems. Today, what is expected of us is to maximize and heighten our creativity and
resourcefulness because the pandemic has impacted the academic achievement of many learners. We
teachers should not only confine ourselves to the basics but have to go deeper to everything what is
given to us today to still give the best to our learners and to sustain their interest of learning.

During the early months of the pandemic, I was bothered because giving instructions to primary
grade leaners through modular instruction was indeed difficult. I really couldn’t assess their abilities in
both literacy and numeracy. When we were given time to visit our learners to personally assess their
literacy and numeracy level, I took advantage of the time to visit them all so I may know what
appropriate intervention I would give them. I personally talked to the parents of my pupils to tell them
their strengths ang weaknesses. Likewise, I trained them on how to conduct reading sessions with their
children to at least they would know the proper strategies to employ and address the problem.  Now
that we have face-to-face classes, I can see significant improvement in my learners and so far, a lot of
them are improving and are doing good.

Finally, the academic success of our students is entirely in our hands. Of course, this would only be
possible with the full cooperation and support of all stakeholders. Even a small effort will mean a lot to
them, and you will be able to make a difference in their lives.