Special Feature: Taking a Leap for LEEP

BY MICHAEL RAMOS

How Knowledge Channel Foundation’s teacher training program became a catalyst for change in the schools of Sto. Tomas and Tanauan, Batangas

It was a humid afternoon when the Knowledge Channel team finally arrived at San Juan Elementary School in Sto. Tomas, Batangas. It was a partially urban school taking up a small corner of a lot that was mostly converted into a barangay multipurpose hall and basketball court.

But the size, if anything, was no indication of how big of an impact Knowledge Channel’s teacher training program has made in this school.

Carolyn delos Reyes of San Juan Elementary School is one of the teachers who have taken this teacher training program called LEEP or Learning Effectively Through Enhanced and Evidence-based Pedagogies. “Nung una, nag-iisip ako kung ano ba ang meron sa seminar na ina-attendan namin. Then all of a sudden may word na ‘constructivism’.”

“Constructivism”, a learning theory in teaching, is at the center of LEEP’s training framework. It says that people construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world, through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences. Unlike traditional teaching where teachers lecture, LEEP allows teachers to explore new teaching strategies that would best stimulate student learning.

Students create their own learning

“Bago ako mag-LEEP, mayroon akong hinahanap na way kung paano ko mapapatuto ang mga estudyante ko na 44 to 50. Nag-struggle ako sa kung paano sila magakakaroon ng deep understanding o critical thinking sa kanila,” said Teacher Carolyn. “Kita mo na mahiyain sila, hindi sumasagot.”

WATCH: Ma’am Carolyn Delos Reyes shares how LEEP transformed her class

In a teacher-centered environment, students were expected to listen to their teacher while the teacher becomes the “sage on the stage.” This kind of learning is best described as passive, thus Teacher Carolyn’s descriptions of how her students were acting before she attended LEEP.

But after taking her LEEP training (sponsored by First Philippine Industrial Park) and implementing “constructivist” strategies in her class, her students became more lively and engaged. “Mas nagkaroon sila ng self-confidence and mas madalas na silang nagpa-participate,” she says. From passive learners, Teacher Carolyn’s students have now become active learners.

This is also evident in the walls of her classroom. Manila papers filled with mind maps, activities, and colorful drawings were plastered on all four walls. In a traditional classroom, it would usually be bare or would only have decorations made by the teacher. But in Teacher Carolyn’s case, these works of her students were showcased as if it they were in some kind of exhibit.

Teacher Carolyn said that these were group outputs of her students from the different subjects and topics they discussed. They were clear evidences that in her classroom, students were the ones creating their own learning and not the teacher. She was merely a facilitator.

Impact beyond the classroom

San Juan Elementary School was just one of the many schools trained under LEEP. First Philippine Industrial Park (FPIP), through its Community Relations Officer Mr. Marco Amurao, has worked closely with Knowledge Channel Foundation to ensure that every school in Sto. Tomas and Tanauan City, Batangas have experienced the teacher training program.

“At the end of the day, we want to have quality employees in the park. It may be a long-term program but we are assured of the quality of the values and education we will have with the residents. We want them to develop as FPIP continues to develop itself,” shared Marco.

And this development has started to become evident in some Sto. Tomas and Tanauan schools as well.

San Fernando Elementary School in Sto. Tomas for example, used to have 50 non-readers prior to taking their LEEP training according to Teacher Mark Louie Guevara. “Dati pagkit-pagkit kami sa board ng manila paper kaya tendency ng mga bata ay inaantok at bored sa klase,” he said. But after implementing LEEP strategies and utilizing Knowledge Channel multimedia resources in their classes, their non-readers were brought down to 10.

WATCH: Principal Carvajal explains the impact of LEEP in their NAT scores

Dr. Alcantara Elementary School in Tanauan, on the other hand, had attributed LEEP in the improvement of their performance in the National Achievement Test (NAT). Principal Elena Carvajal shared that after participating in LEEP, scores increased “from 73 percent to 86 percent, and then 94 percent.” In her comparative analysis, she showed the increase in scores per subject.

According to Principal Carvajal, LEEP was one of the reasons the Division of Tanauan ranked first in Region 4A in NAT.

Engaging stakeholders

LEEP also trains teachers on how they can engage with different stakeholders including parents, their local government unit, and business owners to forge partnerships and pool resources for their school.

WATCH: Ma’am Marites Rocero shares how LEEP helped them engage stakeholders

Such is the case of Sta. Clara Elementary School in Sto. Tomas. “Isa po sa naging problems namin ay yung pagkakaroon po ng mga telebisyon sa mga classroom,” Teacher Marites Rocero expressed. She said the school wanted to acquire these technologies to catch up with 21st Century learning. Through the leadership of Principal Mila Mercado, the school was able to gather officers of the Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) and came up with a “Mr. and Ms. Contest” of which the proceeds were used to purchase flatscreen televisions for all of their 16 classrooms.

Evolving and growing

Since 2013, LEEP has trained more than 5,700 teachers in over 1,700 schools with the support of various local government units, non-government organizations, and companies.

LEEP has also included a Psychological First Aid module in its training. This was done in partnership with ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation (ALKFI) of which more than 250 teachers and principals from critical or disaster-stricken areas have been trained.

These changes and opportunities simply prove that Knowledge Channel Foundation’s flagship program for teachers is making a huge difference in the lives of Filipino teachers and learners.

And that is one giant LEEP for education.

*The LEEP Sto. Tomas and Tanuan, Batangas Project done in partnership with First Philippine Industrial Park was Knowledge Channel Foundation’s entry for the 2017 Lopez Achievement Awards.