On Being Teachers and Teaching
11:20 AM
They asked, “Sir, why did you give us 2.8 when we are working scholars?”
Exasperated, I replied them upfront in question, “Are you academic scholars?”
In unison, they said, “No…”
I broke in, “Indeed, because you are in poverty and not because you are academically good, smart, or you have that ingenuity!”
With that blatant remark, silence came next in the room. Soon, though, I realized my words were just too harsh.
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| (Credit to the rightful owner of the photo) |
Now and sometimes, we are always challenged by the very depressing status of the Philippine education system. As teachers, our competence, used to educate individuals, is always a frontline to help our system advocate changes. It is a thematic concern that we have involved ourselves in this service. It is in this environment that we are conditioned to hone skills not in the very least that we can do. It is a commitment of transmitting the very ideal because we work in a profession which, to many, is fragile. Ours is a profession which walks a million miles and clads numberless individuals with all nitty-gritty. Our profession is supreme for it brings about change and empowers humans. Educationists, in existence, are born out of wedlock – of commitment and content – not because we are suppressed of finances, challenged mentally or consumed with a do-or-else argument because all these often lead to eventual systemic snafu.
Then and now, we always have to go back to the never-ending contention of what is quality in teaching. McRobbie (2000) asserted that "knowledge profoundly affects student achievement. In every teaching field — from mathematics to science to early childhood, vocational, or gifted education — those who are fully prepared, certified in education and in their discipline, and supported with solid induction programs are more successful with students than those less prepared. They are also much more likely to stay in the profession and do well."
In Darling-Hammond’s (2000) research, "teachers who lack knowledge of content and/or teaching strategies cannot offer their students adequate learning opportunities. In today’s high stakes education climate, those students may then be penalized — for example, held back or not allowed to graduate — when, in fact, the problem is the system’s failure to provide them with qualified teachers."
No Child Left Behind (2004) intensifies the background of teaching education. It stated that "teachers are one of the most critical factors in how well students achieve. For instance, studies in both Tennessee and Texas found that students who had effective teachers greatly outperformed those who had ineffective teachers. In the Tennessee study, students with highly effective teachers for three years in a row scored 50 percentage points higher on a test of math skills than those whose teachers were ineffective.”
In a peer-reviewed scholarly journal from the College of Education of Arizona State University published in the Education Policy Analysis Archives Vol. 12 No. 46 (2004) edited by Gene V. Glass, researches were summed up: "Before and after the reports of the 1980’s, the community of researchers concerned with teaching produced many studies to determine the relationship between teacher variables and student achievement. Hanushek (1992), for example, estimated that a high quality teacher, in comparison to a low quality teacher, can provide one full year difference in the learning of a class of children (one and one-half years growth in grade level vs. only a half year growth). Others echoed this theme (e.g. Goldhaber, 2002; Ferguson, 1998). While no single approved list of characteristics has emerged, it is generally agreed that credentials alone (graduation from a particular school of education, having advanced course work in education, holding a masters of education degree) do not provide assurance about the qualifications of teachers. Other factors are at work (Goldhaber and Brewer, 1996; 2000). But in the end, wrote Katie Haycock for the Education Trust (1998), “…What all of the studies conclude, is the single most important factor in student achievement [is] the teacher.” (p. 2).
As teachers in teachers college, we teach and seldom we involve in persuading our students the reality of being teachers, of letting them know that a course in Education is not an overnight profession. It is not graduating a thousand strategies but graduating a handful theory ready to be practiced and reflected.
I’m sure, that it is on realizing our own existence – how have we come to know and appreciate ourselves if our mentors before where nonsense and defunct teachers – that we acknowledge our competence. I can vouch my education was hatched by great teachers. I could have been unsure of my future if it were not due to them who were braced with good education. Thinking on this edge might be wondrous if we are to graduate incompetent ones. Adding these kinds of graduates to the ailing education system we have can worsen the condition. An editorial from the Philippine Daily Inquirer (05/Jan/08) opined: "English proficiency among teachers is deteriorating, but so is Science education and Mathematics too. And it is not just something, but a lot of things that are wrong with our educational system… Educators have cited a host of reasons for the dismal state of Philippine education, including the lack of teachers and classrooms as well as the error-filled textbooks and instructional materials. But way up there among the major reasons should be the poor preparation and training of teachers."
Let me leave you this final note from the quintessential teacher, Dr. Onofre Pagsanghan, as Butch Hernandez, in his commentary (Philippine Daily Inquirer Opinion Column, 11/09/07), ended: “Teaching is the only profession where so much is asked and so little is given. Be that as it may, such is the price you pay for the life you choose. On the other hand, if there is anything our teachers have taught us, it is that Excellence is its own Reward.”
____________________________
Darling-Hammond, L. (2000). “Teacher Quality and Student Achievement: A Review of State Policy Evidence,” Education Policy Archives, Volume 8. 19 Feb. 2008. http://epaa.asu.edu.
McRobbie, Joan (2000). Knowledge Brief – Teacher Development: Policies that Make Sense. 19 Feb. 2008. http://www.wested.org/online_pubs/teacher_dev/TeacherDev.pdf.
No Child Left Behind: A Toolkit for Teachers. U.S. Department of Education (2004). 19 Feb. 2008.
http://www.dese.mo.gov/divimprove/fedprog/grantmgmnt/PDF_Files/nclb_teachers_toolkit_04_rev.pdf.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, January 5, 2008, Editorial.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, September 11, 2007, Opinion.
Sanders, W. and J. Rivers (1996). Cumulative and Residual Effects of Teachers on Future Student Academic Achievement. Knoxville, Tenn.: University of Tennessee Value-Added Research and Assessment Center.
Then and now, we always have to go back to the never-ending contention of what is quality in teaching. McRobbie (2000) asserted that "knowledge profoundly affects student achievement. In every teaching field — from mathematics to science to early childhood, vocational, or gifted education — those who are fully prepared, certified in education and in their discipline, and supported with solid induction programs are more successful with students than those less prepared. They are also much more likely to stay in the profession and do well."
In Darling-Hammond’s (2000) research, "teachers who lack knowledge of content and/or teaching strategies cannot offer their students adequate learning opportunities. In today’s high stakes education climate, those students may then be penalized — for example, held back or not allowed to graduate — when, in fact, the problem is the system’s failure to provide them with qualified teachers."
No Child Left Behind (2004) intensifies the background of teaching education. It stated that "teachers are one of the most critical factors in how well students achieve. For instance, studies in both Tennessee and Texas found that students who had effective teachers greatly outperformed those who had ineffective teachers. In the Tennessee study, students with highly effective teachers for three years in a row scored 50 percentage points higher on a test of math skills than those whose teachers were ineffective.”
In a peer-reviewed scholarly journal from the College of Education of Arizona State University published in the Education Policy Analysis Archives Vol. 12 No. 46 (2004) edited by Gene V. Glass, researches were summed up: "Before and after the reports of the 1980’s, the community of researchers concerned with teaching produced many studies to determine the relationship between teacher variables and student achievement. Hanushek (1992), for example, estimated that a high quality teacher, in comparison to a low quality teacher, can provide one full year difference in the learning of a class of children (one and one-half years growth in grade level vs. only a half year growth). Others echoed this theme (e.g. Goldhaber, 2002; Ferguson, 1998). While no single approved list of characteristics has emerged, it is generally agreed that credentials alone (graduation from a particular school of education, having advanced course work in education, holding a masters of education degree) do not provide assurance about the qualifications of teachers. Other factors are at work (Goldhaber and Brewer, 1996; 2000). But in the end, wrote Katie Haycock for the Education Trust (1998), “…What all of the studies conclude, is the single most important factor in student achievement [is] the teacher.” (p. 2).
As teachers in teachers college, we teach and seldom we involve in persuading our students the reality of being teachers, of letting them know that a course in Education is not an overnight profession. It is not graduating a thousand strategies but graduating a handful theory ready to be practiced and reflected.
I’m sure, that it is on realizing our own existence – how have we come to know and appreciate ourselves if our mentors before where nonsense and defunct teachers – that we acknowledge our competence. I can vouch my education was hatched by great teachers. I could have been unsure of my future if it were not due to them who were braced with good education. Thinking on this edge might be wondrous if we are to graduate incompetent ones. Adding these kinds of graduates to the ailing education system we have can worsen the condition. An editorial from the Philippine Daily Inquirer (05/Jan/08) opined: "English proficiency among teachers is deteriorating, but so is Science education and Mathematics too. And it is not just something, but a lot of things that are wrong with our educational system… Educators have cited a host of reasons for the dismal state of Philippine education, including the lack of teachers and classrooms as well as the error-filled textbooks and instructional materials. But way up there among the major reasons should be the poor preparation and training of teachers."
Let me leave you this final note from the quintessential teacher, Dr. Onofre Pagsanghan, as Butch Hernandez, in his commentary (Philippine Daily Inquirer Opinion Column, 11/09/07), ended: “Teaching is the only profession where so much is asked and so little is given. Be that as it may, such is the price you pay for the life you choose. On the other hand, if there is anything our teachers have taught us, it is that Excellence is its own Reward.”
____________________________
Darling-Hammond, L. (2000). “Teacher Quality and Student Achievement: A Review of State Policy Evidence,” Education Policy Archives, Volume 8. 19 Feb. 2008. http://epaa.asu.edu.
McRobbie, Joan (2000). Knowledge Brief – Teacher Development: Policies that Make Sense. 19 Feb. 2008. http://www.wested.org/online_pubs/teacher_dev/TeacherDev.pdf.
No Child Left Behind: A Toolkit for Teachers. U.S. Department of Education (2004). 19 Feb. 2008.
http://www.dese.mo.gov/divimprove/fedprog/grantmgmnt/PDF_Files/nclb_teachers_toolkit_04_rev.pdf.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, January 5, 2008, Editorial.
Philippine Daily Inquirer, September 11, 2007, Opinion.
Sanders, W. and J. Rivers (1996). Cumulative and Residual Effects of Teachers on Future Student Academic Achievement. Knoxville, Tenn.: University of Tennessee Value-Added Research and Assessment Center.
