Nurturing Minds: The Inspiring Story of The School with No Walls
In the quiet outskirts of Barangay Sta. Clara in Sto. Tomas City, Batangas, Philippines, a unique endeavor has taken root. A family, compelled by their faith and driven by a deep sense of purpose, has embarked on a mission to transform their community through education. This is the story of a remarkable family and their creation—a School with No Walls, but boundless potential. Founded by the Atanacio Family, they heeded what they saw as God’s calling: to be agents of change in their community. Their commitment to advancing God’s Kingdom is manifested through their outreach efforts. With the assistance of dedicated volunteers consisting of like-minded friends and family, they share love and wisdom with local children and families. Their medium is a community school and simple church fellowship. The Community Situated along Lipa-Alaminos Road, the community consists of around 40 indigent and low-income families who are tenants, farmers, laborers, and small-time traders. The community is off-grid: there is no electricity, running water, solid waste management, or public transportation. Houses are made of lightweight materials. Being on the outskirts of the barangay, access to public schools, hospitals, markets, and local government offices presents a challenge. Literacy and Educational Challenges While most of the children attend public schools, their learning proficiency lags behind by approximately two years. There are also children and adults who have never had the opportunity to step into a classroom. Reasons vary, including difficulties in reaching the nearest school, a lack of family support, and the need to help the family earn a living. The recent pandemic only exacerbated an already grim situation. The Inception of the School with No Walls As the pandemic’s grip loosened in June 2022, the Atanacio family constructed a modest shed on a vacant lot. The initial aim was to provide education to two siblings, aged 11 and 14, who had never experienced school. Guided by their faith and a desire to offer these children a better future, the family set out to teach them basic reading, math, and practical life skills. In just a few weeks, the whispers of this initiative reached more children in the community who had an eagerness to learn. However, a stark reality emerged: students spanning from 1st to 7th grade struggled to read and grasp material at a level equivalent to even just Kindergarten. This revelation starkly illuminated the Philippines’ educational challenges. International assessments placed the country at the bottom of the list in reading, math, and science scores. Through various types of support from relatives and friends, the Atanacio family was able to kickstart the community school. By the end of December 2022, a total of 38 days, or 132 school hours, worth of sessions for 50 kids in the community covering lessons in Filipino, English, Math, Science, Art, and the Bible had been conducted. The help of donors and volunteers was crucial in sustaining operations and making a difference in the lives of the students. The School With No Walls – Mission and Vision This community school, coined “The School with No Walls,” holds a profound mission: To promote the love for God, love for country, and love for learning among their students. Their vision is to see their learners exhibit Christ-likeness in their family, school, and community; be at level with the Philippine Department of Education (DepEd) standard learning competencies; and develop a growth mindset that will drive them to invest in themselves and value education. The Learning Space A modest 20 sqm. school shed stands on a 500 sqm. coconut farm plot, forming the heart of the school. Tables, chairs, boards, and learning materials adorn the space, fostering an environment conducive to learning. Enrollment is open to all school-age children residing nearby. Admissions are flexible, allowing new students to join at any point during the school year. Young learners under five years old are welcomed as well, but they are required to have a parent or guardian accompany them. Dedicated Leadership and Passionate Teaching The Atanacio family shoulders the responsibility of administration, ensuring that the mission and vision remain at the forefront. Curriculum development, resource identification, and program execution are just a few of their numerous tasks. Volunteer teachers undertake the critical role of fostering learning. They meticulously plan lessons, adapt teaching methods, and cultivate an atmosphere of encouragement and growth. From managing attendance to assessing progress, these educators go beyond traditional learning to impart knowledge. Academ-e’s Participation Inspired by the Atanacio family’s dedication to their community, Academ-e did not hesitate to help their noble endeavor. Visiting the school in late 2022, Academ-e management sat down with the Atanacio family to discuss the various ways Academ-e can support them. Along with assistance in developing a strategic plan for the School with No Walls, Academ-e supplied the school with free access to its complete digital learning catalog along with a large-screen TV and a small generator to power it. The teacher-volunteers can pick and choose relevant Academ-e videos, learning guides, and exercises to use with the different age groups and learning levels. A Beacon of Hope and Transformation The story of The School with No Walls emerges as a beacon of hope. Through faith, dedication, and an unyielding commitment to the community, the Atanacio family shines light into the lives of children who yearn for education. In a community where walls are feeble or absent, a sturdy foundation of love, compassion, and learning is steadfastly built. The School with No Walls has begun its regular weekend sessions for the school year 2023-2024. The School with No Walls would not be possible without the help of donors and volunteers who share the same mission and vision of developing the love of God, country, and learning among indigent Filipino children. Those who would like to DONATE or VOLUNTEER may contact the School with No Walls by emailing: pollux_bex@yahoo.com
MATATAG Curriculum: DepEd’s New Panacea?
DepEd’s new MATATAG curriculum aims to improve literacy and math skills but raises concerns about implementation, English education, and continuity.
Interactive Digital Lessons and Gamification in the New Classroom
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Educational Videos: Learning for the New Generation.
With the advent of Tiktok, Youtube, and Facebook videos and reels, the ongoing trend among the youth is watching short videos. Children and teenagers can spend hours a day just watching short video reels. Can educational videos prove effective in teaching this new generation? Using educational videos in schools is nothing new. Since the invention of portable/low-cost film projectors, schools have been using videos to supplement the lessons of their teachers. However, the utilization of videos as the primary mode of lesson delivery is only now gaining popularity. Delivering Lessons within the Child’s Attention Span The generally accepted attention span for children falls between 2 and 3 minutes per year of age. This means an incoming Grade 1 student would have an attention span of around 12–18 minutes, while a Grade 6 student would have an attention span of around 24-36 minutes. As such, it is no surprise that shorter, concise lessons are more likely to be retained and comprehended than longer ones. Given that videos are a more passive medium, it is advisable to keep the videos much shorter than the attention span of the viewers. In fact, most viewers, if not engaged in the first few seconds of a video, would probably move on to the next video already. Hence, engaging, and entertaining educational videos between 2 and 12 minutes would be a good baseline for schools. Improved Accessibility and Convenience Computers, smartphones, tablets, and flat-screen televisions have made videos more accessible than ever. Utilizing educational videos for lesson delivery means students can easily access, watch, pause, and rewind videos at their convenience using gadgets they most likely have at home. This self-paced approach allows children to absorb information at a speed that suits their needs, ensuring a deeper understanding of the material. Consistent and Efficient Lesson Delivery Videos provide a consistent mode of lesson delivery. For example, when teaching English as a second language, videos can provide the correct pronunciation of words that the teacher themselves might mispronounce. Additionally, using ready-made videos frees up the teacher from preparing lesson materials, writing on the board, and reading off textbooks, thus allowing teachers to concentrate on expounding on the lesson topic as well as engaging the students through recitation and related activities. By delivering the foundational knowledge as a short video, the teacher and students can now spend the rest of the class on lesson reinforcement through discussion, exercises, and other activities. Multi-Sensory Learning through Educational Videos We humans naturally observe our environment through our five senses. School education can greatly benefit from a multi-sensory approach as well. Learning videos engage students through entertaining images and animations, easy-to-read text, voiceovers, and music. Visual learning is an effective approach for young learners, as it captures their attention and enhances understanding. Short video lessons utilize captivating visuals, animations, and interactive elements to engage students. By combining auditory and visual elements, these videos stimulate multiple senses, making the learning experience more immersive and enjoyable for children. Interactive videos can even introduce kinesthetic or tactile learning by encouraging user interaction in certain portions of the video or by asking the viewer to copy movements or dances in the video. Collaborative and Interactive Classroom Environment Replacing textbooks and long teacher lectures with video lessons fosters a collaborative and interactive classroom environment. Instead of focusing on individual reading assignments, class time can be dedicated to discussions, group activities, and hands-on experiments. Video lessons serve as a foundation, providing students with a shared understanding of the topic. This shift encourages active participation, critical thinking, and collaboration among students, wherein teachers play a more hands-on role in reinforcing the lesson topics. Updated and Interactive Content Textbooks often become outdated due to the ever-evolving nature of knowledge. On the other hand, video lessons can be easily updated and revised to include the most current information. This ensures that students receive accurate and relevant content. Additionally, interactive features within videos, such as quizzes or assessments, allow for immediate feedback and enable students to gauge their understanding in real-time. Eco-Friendly and Cost-Effective By replacing textbooks with digital video lessons, classrooms contribute to a more sustainable future. Reducing paper consumption not only benefits the environment but also minimizes the costs associated with purchasing and replacing textbooks. Video lessons can be accessed online, eliminating the need for physical copies and ensuring cost-effectiveness for schools and students. The Academ-e PI Learning System Academ-e created the Primary Interactive Learning System in the conviction that brief, entertaining video lessons are significantly more effective than textbooks in imparting knowledge to elementary school students. A Metrobank Most Outstanding Teacher awardee created the curriculum on which the PI Learning System is based, and top Filipino educators wrote, designed, and edited each individual video. PI Learning System videos are kept to a maximum of twelve minutes each, keeping in mind the attention span of primary school children. The PI Learning System provides complementary materials, such as a student learning guide that acts as printable notes and exercises, and quizzes for the students to reinforce their knowledge of the lesson. Additionally, teachers are provided with a lesson plan that guides them on how each lesson should be delivered and suggests activities and projects that they can use to further engage their students. Beta Testing of our digital learning system and educational videos have shown consistent improvements in students’ grades, lesson retention, comprehension, and engagement. Additionally, teachers prefer using the PI Learning System for the consistency of learning it provides, automation of teacher tasks, and availability of exercises, quizzes, and other activities they can use in the classroom. For further information, visit www.academ-e.ph or email us at inquiry@academ-e.ph.
The Great Debate: Is Digital Learning better than Textbooks?
Digital Learning has many advantages over textbooks. There are also significant limitations. Do the advantages outweigh the limitations?