NARRATIVE REPORT

The Philippines Association for Teachers and Educators (PAFTE) conduct a Regional Students’ Congress seminar on February 18-19, 2016 at Punta Villa Resort, Iloilo City for the graduating student teachers from different institutions for their preparation to become a 21st century teachers. The theme was “Revitalizing the Filipino Teacher Educator: Meeting the Challenges of ASEAN Integration.”  This activity was very relevant to us as a future educator and for the preparation for becoming a teacher. That’s why Maam Lina P. Grabato informed us to attend the said seminar for our own good and it will help us to meet the challenges of ASEAN integration and to further understand in the world of teaching. I am so excited for all the good things to come for this activity so as early In the morning before we arrive to Punta Villa resort, we decided to meet in the school to secure that we can arrive all and safely with the vehicles they contact. The group was divided into two because not all of us can occupy in one vehicle. We arrived at the time of 8: am in the morning. 

he activity was started with the registration of the participants at the program. After the registration, they gave the key of every room and the kit provided on us. Then, we go our respective rooms to put our things and take a rest for a mean time and after that we go down into the River mist for our lunch. Our money is worth it because of the place and foods that was provided on us in lunch. 

The program for the Regional Students’ Congress held at the Crown Ballroom hall starts around 1:30 in the afternoon. We were amazed when we enter the room because of its well-warming

atmosphere and the catching-eye crown at the center. The crown was ful

l of shining, shimmering, and different color of stones which symbolize the

 name of the hall. Dr. Hilda C. Montano presents to us the master of

 ceremony or the emcee who is no other than Dulce. The program  started with a prayer/doxology and singing the Pambansang Awit ng Pilipinas conducted by Mr. Jayson Gula, Pre-service Teacher, WVSU. Then, also we sang altogether the PAFTE Hymn. The Presentation of the participants of every institution who are attended the said seminar was presentedby Mrs. Dulce.  The PAFTE organization was surprice because of the large number of participants which is 2,045 that they not expect. We were lucky because we are sited at the front of the crown hall where we can see the speaker and PowerPoint Presentations.

The Keynote Speaker was Dr. Cesar H. Medina, CESO IV, and the Regional Director of Commission on Higher Education VI. He emphasized to us the said theme of the seminar which is “Revitalizing the Filipino Teacher Educator: Meeting the Challenges of ASEAN Integration.” He also discussed about the Emerging Trends in Teacher Eduaction and the Teacher Development: The Heart of a Learning Community. From his discussion I learned the big difference between traditional teacher and progressive teacher (constructivist) who I must possess when I am in field of teaching. 

 

In the first Plenary Session, Prof. Rejie F. Palmos, RGC, Metrobank Outstanding Teacher 2015 discussed to us about The Passion for Teaching: Keeping it Alive and Burning.Before his talk, he shared to us one of the story from the Mental Hospital at Rumbang, Pototan. The story that he shared to us catch the attention of almost participants. From that moment, I was surprised with what Mr. Palmos did because he knew how to get the attention of his listener.  The discussion of Mr. Palmos started with a question which is “You want to be a teacher?”. He explained to us that a teacher is like as a volunteer. He connoted to us that our life has no shortcuts but we should have experience and “Teacher is not always hard work but a Heart work”. While we are listening to Mr. Palmos, we are having our snacks.

          The Second Plenary Session was about the Department of Education’s Hiring Standards and Requirements which talk by Mr. Victor De Gracia, the assistant Regional Director of DepED VI. He explained the Mission and Vision of the Department of Education and he let us to paraphrase the said vision. He said that the teachers need to shift from the traditional teacher-centered teaching to the progressive learner-centered teaching. He discussed also the Application Process and Requirements that all applicants shall register to the Departments online system at application.deped.gov.ph where they must encode their Personal Data Sheet and select the division where they want to be ranked.  Once submitted, an Applicant Number will be issued.  In the submission of application requirements, this Number must be indicated. He also showed to us the criteria for hiring the applicants as showed below;

 Applicants shall be evaluated using the following criteria:

          CRITERIA                                    POINTS

          a. Education                        -                 20

          b. Teaching Experience          -                15

          c. LET/PBET Rating               -                 15

          d. Specialized Training and Skills               10

          e. Interview                        -                 10

           f. Demonstration Teaching              -                15

          g. Communication Skills         -                15          

                                      TOTAL                    100

          The last activity in the afternoon was the Parallel Sessions on Oral Research Presentations wherein different institutions shared their research study and they invite us to watch their presentations. After this activity, we took our dinner and go back to our respective room to prepare for the socialization night.

          In that night of socialization, we met different pre-service teachers from different institutions. We group according to the color of our notebook that we receive on our kit. We have a given a chance to mingle with each other. The first activity that we performed was the bingo game wherein we need complete the 12 box which have different information. The ten people who can fill it up completely will be the winner. There is also raffle for whose number will be chosen by picking up the number in the box. The program was end by 11 o’clock. After that we proceed to our room to take a sleep for another session tomorrow.      

           On the second day of seminar, we woke up early to prepare our self because the breakfast is 6:00-8:00 am only and the session will start at 8:00 am. The third plenary session started which is about the Updates in Philippine Education (k-12, et al.) by Dr. Purita P. Bilbao, the chair, Technical Panel for Teacher Education, CHED. I’m so glad at that day because I met one of the authors of our book in professional education. Dr. Bilbao stressed the importance of being a teacher and the revised curriculum the K-12. At the end of her talk, she told us that she doesn’t believe in the saying that” teaching is not a job but a profession” but for her teaching is both job and profession because in teaching we also earned money.

          The fourth plenary session was about the Preparation for LET 2016 with Dir. Lily Ann Rico-Badalgo, the director of Professional Regulations Commission. She explained to us how to apply for taking the LET and where and when it will be held and she also gave some advice for the LET takers especially in applying online application. She discussed also the subjects that we need to study for preparation for LET.

The closing program was done by giving the certificates of every institutions and the evaluation of the seminar.  It was end by the time of 11:00 and we prepare for our departure.

          Overall, the seminar was fun and educating and I had gained some new friends as well that I will surely value.