Becoming global amidst uncertainties

By: Gerum O. Salatan

I used to think that being hired in the Department of Education (DepEd) in

Misamis Oriental, Philippines, is enough. Just like the usual, going to school everyday,
writing lessons, teaching children, fixing everything in school, and the like, I think are
more than enough. However, with my exposure in various learning courses for
professional development, I have broadened my outlook and perspectives. That
becoming an educator is more than the usual thing that we do everyday. It is
unfolding the box and going beyond from what is known as ordinary. In this age
where everything is changing and stridently fast, our teaching knowledge, skills,
attitudes, and practices should also be that flexible, advanced and adaptive to cope
with the demands of this enormously sophisticated era – globalization.
While the new landscape of learning delivery is continuously implemented and
the new normal is unbeatable, various challenges have confronted us educators
especially in the hinterlands, on how to make education at work amid the pressing
threat of COVID-19. It feels so unusual if not burdensome to stay away from your post
to find somewhere elevated striving to fetch a network connection in order to dance
with the information highway. While all the printers are busy performing multiple
commands to reproduce self-learning modules for distance learning, teachers are
tirelessly feasting over that snail-like internet connection to catch up with the required
webinars. Parents on the other hand, seemed to have shifted their daily routines from
ordinary guardians to distance learning teachers of their children at home, where most
of them have surrendered because of the incapability to provide learning and
instructional support brought about by illiteracy. All these and more have challenged
my capacity as a school leader.
Knowing the complexities that the pandemic has brought and the challenges of
the 21 Century teaching and learning, leading a paradigm shift and embracing the
st

so-called new normal education is not only an option but a necessity. Our school
formulated a school mantra - “Basta Lanise, ABANTE! - that would serve as our guide
and inspiration as we continue to embrace the new landscape of teaching without
prejudice to the requisites of quality education. The word ABANTE stands for
Advancing access to basic education, Building active partnership, Adapting to
change and trends in education, Nurturing learning environment, Target-oriented
and Empowering and enabling education community.
We are all aware that our learners lag behind in terms of technology compared
to those who are in urban areas and in other Asian countries, but this did not deter us
to spell out the 21st century literacy to our learners. We allocated funds for the
procurement of ICT equipment to be used in the development of Radio-based and TV-
Based Instructions (RBI and TVBI). As an instructional leader, I sent my teachers to
trainings in developing video and radio-based lessons for our learners especially in
teaching reading through the school human resource program entitled Learning and
Educational Advancement Program (LEAP). Through our strengthened
implementation of Project CARE (Collaboration to Amplify Readiness in Education)
we were able to acquire TV sets and flash-drives for the TVBI and RBI. We have, on
the other hand, strengthened our linkage building to help us address gaps on
instructional support at home. We have implemented our Feed and Read or FAR
Project, a modified feeding program that caters indigenous learners, who are greatly
affected by the pandemic.
Most of my teachers are in their senior years but with modeling practices and
inspiring them to take the wheels of uncertainty towards the highway of opportunities,
we can for sure make a difference in the lives of our learners notwithstanding the
distressing situation brought about by the pandemic.
Despite all the potential barriers towards globalizing education amid
uncertainties, as a 21st Century educator and school leader, I should be flexible. This
is a unique Filipino character, which is likened to a bamboo that bends with the wind
and survives ant storm. With the pressing crisis that we are facing now, I should be
inspired like the bamboo, resilient yet firm enough to carry out the tasks expected of
me.
Ours may be far from the realities of globalization considering the present
community’s socio-economic conditions but with the dynamic efforts that our
teachers have done to ensure that education is served to our learners and to the people
in the community, we can still be global in our own context – enabling a change of
mindset that is broader and open to receive ideas; see change and uncertainties as
opportunity to innovate and improve; embrace and adapt change and global trends;
take risk and aspire excellence in all things that we do.#