A JOURNAL IN PROFED 11
by Dy Mae Amor F. Juarez
Related Readings/Assignments
Module 2: Challenges of a student's life
Life seems to be an endless series of many things, often with numerous "issues, struggles, challenges." Life as a student is like riding on an erratic roller coaster, constantly bombarded with many challenges which complicate studying, socializing, and living. Some students seem to confidently meet every challenge, while others struggle to overcome it.
Being a student is difficult, particularly in light of the pandemic. Every student faces insurmountable obstacles and challenges, and they take them head-on. In the Post-Covid era, adjusting to the changes brought on by this phenomenon has been a significant problem for us thus far. For any of us, it is not and never will be simple.
One of the challenges students face is finding money for schooling. For underprivileged students from low-income families, having a lack of financial resources leads to financial problems. Students face the reality of student loans and debt after graduation since most college students use student loans to afford school fees and make ends meet. Thankfully, social institutions like the government offer support, including free education at state universities through the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act. Many less fortunate students are given a chance to attend school for free without paying any tuition and other miscellaneous fees.
Another significant problem students confront balancing work, school, and family life, especially during the new mode of delivery, where there is an increased workload and the volume of assignments given. Many online students must work while attending school and caring for a family. Every typical college student must balance part-time employment, internships, and extracurricular activities. These obligations may be stressful for anybody. Fortunately, some families are sensitive to their child's welfare, making a student's life easier and assisting them in reaching their full potential by providing an enriching and loving environment from an early age. Sometimes going to church also help. Not only does religion teach virtue, but it also catalyzes moral action. From our youngest years, the church teaches us guidelines to live by (i.e. the importance of doing the right thing) and identifies life lessons, even from challenging situations and how to cope with difficult life situations.
Students may experience extreme stress due to these difficulties, which are frequently motivating factors in student attrition. But as long as government, educational institutions, religious institutions, and families continue to give support, and guidance, identify interventions, and collaborate with other institutions, every student will be able to handle every challenge life throws at them.
Module 3: "The 3 Idiots" - Movie Review
The 3 Idiots is a thought-provoking film that educates viewers on how the educational system functions and shapes human thinking. The film illustrates the academic and social pressure students experience due to a faulty educational system. It addresses a severe and prevalent issue among students since they are always at odds with pressure from their parents, society, and competition to succeed. The movie's main characters are three "idiot" pals named Rancho, Farhan, and Raju, who cope with their problems while studying engineering at a top university in India. It is a groundbreaking film which explores issues of friendship, pursuing a passion, academic pressure, and a failing educational system that has motivated many young people.
The story follows the three "idiots" — Farhan Qureshi, Raju Rastogi and Rancchoddas Shyamaldas Chanchad, who have diverse backgrounds and traits, but share an inseparable bond of friendship. Raju and Farhan are typical Indian engineering students. They did not take the course because they were enthusiastic about engineering; instead, they were there because their parents instructed them to. Rancho is our main "idiot," and in contrast to the rest of his roommates, he is enthralled with machinery. He entered engineering school because he enjoyed it. He embodies the perfect engineering student; intelligent, creative, and head over heels in love. The school's dean, Professor Viru Sahastrabuddhe "Virus," serves as Rancho's intellectual foe throughout the film. He also makes repeated but fruitless attempts to sever the bond between the three idiots. He expects order and perfection; like many poor professors, he defines excellence as memorizing the damned book. In one scenario, Virus informs a student's parents that their son is spending time on a "useless helicopter thing" and cannot graduate.
The plot centers on Rancho's friendship with Farhan and Raju, both constrained by society's unyielding conviction that the only respectable professions are engineering or medicine. Rancho encourages Raju and Farhan to pursue their dreams and not give in to what the outside world thinks of them. This is unquestionably true since doing what the outside world expects of you and not pursuing your interests relieves unneeded strain. This ultimately weighs on one and blocks the way to a fulfilled existence. Rancho's influence on his two friends is liberating, and through their interactions with him, they finally develop the courage to deviate from the prescribed course, much to Virus' dismay.
Following your dreams to achieve success and, more significantly, happiness in life is the key takeaway from the film "3 Idiots." Farhan wants to work as a wildlife photographer, though vehemently and forcefully opposed by his Father, who insists that he become an engineer since "the neighbour's son is earning so much because he is an engineer." Farhan leaves the engineering college to pursue his love for wildlife photography after having several arguments with his Father and following Rancho's advice. Eventually, his Father agrees. Farhan cites Rancho's advice from years ago, when he was starting as a photographer: "Make your Passion become your Profession, then your Work will become Play."
The film has all the collegiate shenanigans, romance, and tear-jerking tragedy one could ever desire, along with a culturally relevant message about pursuing one's ambitions. I agree with the statement; it takes tremendous guts to follow your heart, and I hope 3 Idiots will, if briefly, persuade you to think about taking the less-travelled route. Hence, Follow your dreams because it will make your entire life worth living. It is the only thing that will motivate you to get through any obstacles and whatever challenges life throws, even on the worst days. If you are struggling, your dreams are your reason to keep going.
Module 5: The role of teachers amidst the COVID 19 pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, educational institutions have transitioned to distance education, affecting the roles and responsibilities of teachers across the world. With this pedagogical modification—which includes synchronous online tutorials, asynchronous activity in moderated discussion forums, formative quizzes and other teacher-directed or self-directed learning activities—teachers need to adapt their practices as standard in-person lecture models do not work in a distance learning setting. Engaging with these new learning methods was challenging as they may be perceived differently from conventional classroom-based teaching.
With the pandemic in full swing, the teacher's job becomes increasingly crucial. Teachers' methods, strategies, and styles now have to focus on active learning and the technological support required to deliver teaching. No matter the channel used, teachers need to be innovative to keep students engaged and motivated, as every household has become a classroom - often without an environment that supports learning.
As they started implementing these standards and recommendations, teachers discovered that they had to strike a balance between balancing teaching, providing student interaction and feedback, administrative responsibilities, and taking care of their families. At its onset, teachers are experiencing a challenging period in both their personal and professional lives. In addition to the stress that COVID-19 may induce, they are expected to engage in efficient remedial instruction while adjusting to the new standard in the educational landscape. Though this change is perceived as both a chance for professional growth and a time when performing teacher duties is very challenging. Teachers are also responsible for supervising their students using social media platforms remotely. In addition to teaching, teachers are urged to discuss any school-related issues with parents or guardians.
Although we may think of teachers as merely experts in the subject matter they are teaching and delivering content, their contributions during the pandemic were highly valuable and beneficial to the community. Teachers volunteered and collaborated closely with community members to stop the spread of the Virus, which was the main driver for the present change in the educational program.
Module 6: The impact of media, technology and globalization on school and culture.
Globalization, technology and media have impacted many areas of human life, including education. Globalization's impact on education includes rapid media and technological advancements, which are bringing rapid changes in school systems around the country and the world as ideas, values, and knowledge change, changing the roles of students and teachers, and causing a shift in society from industrialization to an information-based society.
With the introduction of media and technology into the classroom, the nature of delivering education to students is increasingly giving way to a new type of education, which we now refer to as 'online education.' Institutions are now turning towards using the Internet to deliver courses to students, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. More educational programs and resources are now accessible online, with teachers preparing materials online and students generating outputs such as papers, assignments and projects in electric content. Blackboards are currently being replaced by video projection screens, books with storage device servers, and the rise of online digital libraries. Even tests and grades are accessible electronically using tools like Google Forms, and notebooks make way for computers. With such changes, distance barriers are being broken down rapidly due to the vital aspect of Globalization. One clear benefit of this flexible delivery system is that it allows students to explore new areas of learning and thinking as they no longer need to be physically present in a school to learn. Thus, media, technology, and Globalization have ushered a sea change in the school and culture toward relying on technology to deliver the material. Thus, media, technology, and Globalization have ushered a sea change in the school and culture toward relying on technology to deliver the material.
Media, technology, and Globalization have had many apparent effects on schools and culture. It changed and reinforced how education is delivered and the roles played by both teachers and students. Education systems in the twenty-first century confront the simultaneous task of providing students with the new information, skills, and values required to compete in a global economy while at the same time producing graduates who are responsible individuals and good citizens of their nation and the world. Thus, these aspects challenge us to rethink how much education is needed and its ultimate purposes.
Module 7:
1. How did school leaders and teachers address or respond to the challenges in education during this time of the Covid-19 pandemic?
- School leaders and teachers made many interventions to respond to the needs of our stakeholders, parents and students. One of those is to have a dry run on the distribution and retrieval of learning materials such as modules. During the pandemic, following the guidelines provided by the DepED, they adhere to a step-by-step process in everything they need to do. When entering the premises, hand washing and temperature check are required, next is to maintain social distancing between parents and their colleagues. They also have to fill in the daily monitoring papers required by the school nurse. Next to the dry run and preparing everything possible to happen when schools are officially open, in hopes that the new modality is successful in its implementation.
"At first, we have difficulties reaching out to our students and parents who are unwilling to take their time in answering and submitting their requirements because they have many excuses." one of my previous teachers recalled. As educators, we must think of other ways to give students the education they deserve. Some actions teachers take are to give the modules at students' convenient time and let them answer in a given period so that the student will not be left behind by their classmates. They also ask the parents for their suggestions and feedback to lighten the burden of facing this pandemic. Some provided actions like (1) giving modules for the whole quarter and checking on them weekly; however, students are provided one month to answer the summative tests and performance tasks. (2) offering online classes to students who like to take online classes. Aside from online classes, teachers also created a digitized classroom, a special section wherein students are given free gadgets to attend online classes mandated by the Department of Education so that teachers can have less work in printing and checking modular classes
2. What are the best practices of the teachers and school leaders that foster harmonious relationships within the school and the wider community?
- The best practice of teachers and school leaders is when they prioritize mental health by planning a gala/outing with co-teachers, having a celebration (kainan) after every event and even on busy days, and conducting a Parents-Teachers Day wherein they prepare games and contests for our parents to build our good relationship with them—lastly, volunteering and participating in community events like fiesta, Undas, and Christmas gift giving.
3. Describe the impact of leadership on student learning.
- Good leadership inspires students to continue learning and follow the good deeds that we impose.
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