The policy of the Department of Education to promote Learning Action Cell and Professional Learning Community (LAC and PLC) is commendable.
The teaching and learning process (herein referred to as educative process) is becoming complex in the course of time. Many will agree that in the past, learning can be just summed up into three, namely; the 3R’s or Reading, Riting and Rithmetic (writing and arithmetic). The quest for knowledge has evolved into a many faceted pursuit.
At the margin of the pursuit of knowledge are the teachers. Yet, the fact remains that the knowledge, attitude and skills (KSA) of the teachers are very important factors in the realization of an effective or successful learning. However, the teacher’s KSA is not a one size fits all tool in producing skillful and knowledgeable students.
The students themselves are complex living component of the educative process. Since they are complex living component, they cannot be manipulated or operated like static elements.
Hence, promoting learning among the teachers is significant in understanding the needs and situation surrounding the students as the center and most important element of the educative process.
The DepEd Order No. 35, s. 2016 Dated, 7 June 2016, entitled The Learning Action Cell as a K to 12 Basic Education Program School-Based Continuing Professional Development Strategy for the Improvement of Teaching and Learning, can be considered a one of strengths that will fill in the gaps. The department order, seeks to address the following:
…to improve the teaching teaching-learning process that will lead to improved learning among students; to nurture successful teachers ; to enable teachers to support each other to continuously improve their content and pedagogical knowledge, practice, skills, and attitudes; and to foster a professional collaborative spirit among heads, teachers, and the community as a whole.
In the rationale of the department order, although it may entail some expenses, it is a cost effective continuing learning process among the teachers.
Through these professional learning groups, teachers can share with one another their best practices. It can be a venue to analyze or evaluate programs. This can be an avenue to debrief each other. It can also be a forum to test ideas and a medium to assess progress, measure effectiveness and increase improvement among others.
LAC and PLC can become powerful instrument to find meaning and answer to the educative task.
By: MR. ARNOLD M. MALLARI | Teacher I | Orani National High School Parang-Parang | Orani, Bataan
