In Balanga City, teachers are focused on how to access learning resources in the DepEd LR Portal and DepEd Commons. Different trainings are conducted in school and even at the Schools Division Office. Teachers are very fortunate that they are trained by experts. They are also requested to provide innovative learning resource materials that are aligned in the trainings conducted by the SDO and their schools.
To ensure that learners are on task and are guided on what they are expected to accomplish within a specific week, teachers are always reminded to prepare a Weekly Home Learning Plan (WHLP). The WHLPs, SLMs and activity sheets are always prepared prior to the conduct of the distance learning. The WHLP are properly delivered to various distance learning modality either printed or digital/e-copy. Other options are given to the students who have no access to radio or online learning and that is a provision of learning packets. They could receive hard copies or soft copies of WHLP at the OTG flash drive during the distribution and retrieval of WHLP/LAS/SLM as scheduled by the schools.
Parents are also oriented regarding the proper use of WHLP. Teachers are also required to provide feedback regarding the performance of their learners. Feedback on their current performance is written after answering the test questions. They can communicate with their learners and parents through text messages, phone/live chats, or through “online kumustahan” and online monitoring.
The teachers also employed “academic ease” by streamlining the learning tasks in the SLMs or other materials to ensure that learning development is manifested, and that activities or exercises are sufficiently covered.
School interventions are implemented in all schools to encourage children to read books and read it for pleasure during a new normal. As we all know, reading will help to improve not only literacy skills but also numeracy skills as well and prepare the mind of the children with their lessons. These approaches are part of the School Memorandum of Understanding among the school supervisors, principal, learning facilitators and parents/guardians who have intended to facilitate the implementation of the intervention and to ensure its success during distance learning.
Some best practices that they are doing in all schools/SDO relative to the K to 12 MELCs implementation are the subject integration for the performance tasks and Curriculum implementation plan wherein all supervisors are required to present the outputs in every quarter. And these are under the DepEd Memo No. 31, s. 2020.
The monitoring for the implementation method of different modalities is evaluated from time-to-time if the content of ODL/MDL & RBI lessons are relevant to the mandated Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs). The adoption of MELCs was the first one to be considered in Balanga City in ensuring the appropriate learning for good quality of instruction and if the instructional materials are available in a timely and efficient manner. The collaborative problem-solving among teachers which is essential in strengthening the learning process, knowledge, and application of the school program are always considered.
Educators here are always aware of ways in which they can increase motivation, effort, and strong focus that would help them to decide the kind of preparation as this type of modality is a new style of application of learning. A caring attitude and positive interpersonal relationships with the students and parents or guardians are always implied for the continuity of their motivation to learn.
By: Jennifer A. Quiroz | Master Teacher I | Cataning Elementary School
