Magigiting na Guro: Our Unsung Heroes in Education
BY NINA SHERIZZE DE SAGUN | EDITED BY MICHAEL RAMOS
This Day of Valor, Knowledge Channel also salutes our teachers who committed themselves to their profession. These new-day heroes have long begun a silent revolution in moving the course of the Philippine education system in their own ways.
FE HIDALGO
I had very good teachers in Grade I to III who taught us effectively the skills of learning how to learn. I promised myself to be a teacher when I was in Grade II, and that has never changed until today. My assumption is if you begin your dream early, you will also last long.
From her humble beginnings as an elementary teacher in the hometown of Batanes, she rose up the education ladder and became the Secretary of the Department of Education in 2005. An Australia Macquarie University doctorate degree holder in Philosophy and a favorite lecturer in the country’s top universities, Dr. Hidalgo plays a significant role in transformative educational leadership programs that aim to improve the standard of basic education in the Philippines. Dr. Hidalgo also works closely with Knowledge Channel Foundation in developing, enhancing, and delivering its teacher training program LEEP or Learning Effectively through Enhanced and Evidence-based Pedagogies.
ROSEO CABURIAN
We remember longer lessons that we learn with laughter. Futhermore, lessons that we cherish and construct with other are learnings that we will hold dear forever.
Being a multi-awarded teacher in the United States for many years with other achievements under his belt, “Sir Seo” (as students would call him) could have chosen a more comfortable life. Instead, he went back to the Philippines because he felt a greater purpose to reach out to his fellow teachers and work with them towards improving the quality of education in the country. Now, he is fulfilling his duty as a Journalism adviser at Balara National High School and Master Trainer for LEEP where he travels with Knowledge Channel to different parts of the country to train teachers in 21st century learning techniques and constructivism.
CRISTINA ROBLES
When we speak of innovation, form the word itself “nova”, nova means new. The teachers should be given the chance to accept the idea to be an agent of change; the first requisite is for them to accept it, embrace it, use it as a culture and then later on entice other people in the community and in other schools to do the same.
Even before winning the Oscar M. Lopez Award for Leadership, one of the highest recognitions given in the Excellence in Educational Transformation Awards (EETA), Principal Cristina Robles took in the culture of change seriously. She spearheaded projects such as the “Modified In-School, Off-School Program” and the “Project M-CART” installed with Knowledge Channel in Navotas National High School. These projects garnered recognition from the same award-giving body in 2013.
AUGUST JAMORA
Nakita namin na number one: the package of the materials is aligned with the K to 12 program and curriculum guides ng public school,” he said. “In terms of implementation, no question about the curriculum content [of Knowledge Channel]. The pedagogical approaches shown in the videos are not so different from those of the teachers. We are also able to localize and contextualize the content provided by Knowledge Channel. The videos are relevant, meaningful, and useful to our learners.
August Jamora has been with the Department of Education (DepEd) since 2002 and a public servant for almost 17 years. He started as a humble school teacher and was promoted to Education Program Supervisor (EPS) in Learning Resource Materials and Development System for the DepEd Schools Division of Rizal Province in 2015. He was also selected by DepEd to be a curriculum writer for the K to 12 Program from 2011 to 2015.
Believing that the power of multimedia is essential to educate the 21st century learners, he trailblazed a project in 2016 that would prioritize the integration of multimedia in all class discussions by providing ABS-CBN TVPlus to almost all of the schools in Rizal.
EMILY BAYLON
Yun pong achievement ni Grace ay isa ko ng napakalaking achievement bilang guro. Kasi po at least, kahit doon sa paraan kong iyon, malaki ang naitulong ko sa kanya.
An elementary teacher from San Fernando Elementary School in Batangas, Emily Baylon is more of a mother figure to her students especially to Mary Grace Manzanero, a physically-challenged Grade 2 student. Spending most of the time in school, Emily guides Grace’s every movement in the classroom- carrying her during recitation, involving her in class activities and even when Grace needs to use the loo.
Dedicating almost 28 years of her life in service, going beyond duty is what she says she does best for her students.
GLORIA ARTANA
Sabi ko nga sa kanya [Francis] na kahit wala ang magulang, mas marami ang dumadagdag para punuan ang mga pagkukulang. Kaya nga po dito sa school namin kasama siya sa feeding program kasi bukod sa mababa ang kanyang timbang, malayo pa ang kanyang pinanggagalingan pati po ang kanyang uniform ay pinagtutulung-tulungan naming mga teacher.
In the quiet town of Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte is a teacher named Gloria Artana. Working in a small and remote rural school at the slope of a mountain, Gloria and her co-teachers help their students in whatever way they can – even providing students’ needs out of their own pockets. One of her students, Francis Cabanas, used to work part-time breaking stones and panning for gold. But through her encouragement and support, Francis never lost hope in finishing school. Mrs. Artana continues to prove that through education, every student has a chance to make it in life.
NINA MERCADO
Dahil nga po sa iba’t-ibang stratehiya, luma man ito na binago sa paraang hinihingi ng mga estudyante, sinusubaybayan ko na lang sila.
A beloved high school teacher from Tanauan National High School in Batangas. Ma’am Nina is one of the participants of Learning Effectively through Enhanced Pedagogies (LEEP) conducted in partnership with First Philippine Industrial Park (FPIP). Right after the training, she implemented what she learned from LEEP through learner-centered activities and multimedia like Knowledge Channel. Since the introduction of these, her students now are now more engaged in class doing collaborative activities that make them think critically and discover their own learning.
KRISTINA RAFOLS
Alam ko na kaya kong magbigay ng pagbabago. Nandito yung puso ko sa pagtuturo kaya alam ko na mas matutulungan ko yung mga kabataan.
Cristina Rafols is a dedicated elementary teacher from Claudio Sandoval Elementary School in Coron, Palawan. Despite the challenges of teaching in a rural elementary school, she always put the welfare of her students first. Seeking to improve the academic performance of her students, especially absences and lack of interest, she joined the Learning Effectively through Enhanced Pedagogies (LEEP) in 2014. Not long after, she introduced the integration of multimedia learning resources in her class, which improved not only the academics and interest of her students but also her own passion for the profession.