The Pedagogy of the New Normal

An On-going Conversation on

The Pedagogy of the New Normal

Jonevee Amparo, Early Sol Gadong, Jessie Labiste Jr., Donne Jone Sodusta

Div. of Professional Education - UPHSI, College of Arts and Sciences

UP Visayas

The Germ of an Idea

Many, if not all, of us were caught by surprise when the enhanced community lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic was put in place in March 2020 --- first in the nation’s capital, and then the whole of Luzon. Iloilo City and the Province of Iloilo, where two of the three campuses of UP Visayas are located, soon followed. 

A lot of questions have been raised since, particularly those in the context of our role as an academic institution.

Our team has decided to initiate this conversation to help us move forward and fulfill the Prof. Ed.’s mission to set the pace and standards for teacher education in the region.

Through a series of interactive webinars, these conversations aim to create a framework for the Pedagogy of the New Normal by exploring current or emerging educational and pedagogical assumptions, approaches, and assessment schemes. 

Using a bottom-up approach, we expect the framework to be inclusive and evolving by integrating the experiences of different stakeholders from different contexts.

What Do We Talk About?

Participants in the webinar are engaged to:

Ø reflect on the educational and pedagogical assumptions, approaches, and assessment schemes before the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ);

Ø explore the current or emerging educational and pedagogical assumptions, approaches, and assessment schemes during and after the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ); and

Ø articulate personal or professional thoughts and practices that one thinks need to stop, start, continue, or tweak given our recent collective experience.

After a brief talk on the proposed analytical framework, participants are then asked to fill up a template that aims to generate ideas in further developing the tentative framework.

Assumptions		Remarks
The Old Normal (Before April 2020)	The New Normal (April 2020 and beyond)	Reasons/ Observations/ Sources of Your Opinion
The purpose of education and pedagogy was…	The purpose of education and pedagogy will now be…
The teacher’s role was…	The teacher’s role will now be…
The learners were viewed was…	The learners were viewed will be…
The values that education and pedagogy will were focused on before were…	The values that education and pedagogy will be focused on now will be…

Approaches		Remarks
The Old Normal (Before April 2020)	The New Normal (April 2020 and beyond)	Reasons/ Observations/ Sources of Your Opinion
Teaching happened when…	Teaching now happens when…
Learning happened when…	Learning could now happen when…
The place where teaching and learning happens was…	The place where teaching and learning now happens is…
The most useful tools and resources for teaching were…	The most useful tools and resources for teaching now are…

Assessment		Remarks
The Old Normal (Before April 2020)	The New Normal (April 2020 and beyond)	Reasons/ Observations/ Sources of Your Opinion
Learning was assessed by…	Learning is now assessed by…
The means of learning assessment that teachers used were…	The means of learning assessment that teachers will now use are…
The most important consideration or aspect that teachers need to consider when conducting assessment were…	The most important consideration or aspect that teachers need to consider when conducting assessment are now…
What assessment valued were…	What assessment now values are…

The Conversation, So Far

Two initial runs of the webinar have been conducted in the past week.

The first one was held with a number of teachers from the UP High School in Iloilo (20 April 2020). Interestingly, the open forum and workshop part of the webinar became a venue for faculty members to express their difficulties during this crisis, and their willingness to be involved also in addressing educational issues.

The second run of the webinar was participated in by mid-level faculty administrators from UPV (24 April 2020).

Participants’ concerns included the following:

l feasible grading requirements and assessment methods;

l additional requirements to be complied with during the ECQ; and

l safety and mental health.  

Both sessions revealed an inconvenient truth: many of us are still trying to manage current problems using the mindset from the Old Normal, and are therefore mentally and psychologically unprepared to handle the situations that we are faced with in the New Normal.

The Conversation Continues

Research show that the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic manifest in many aspects of our lives. Yet there is a nagging feeling that learning institutions expect us to come back and resume regular learning experiences as if nothing overwhelming has happened and continue happening to us.

Many eyes are on the University of the Philippines as state universities and colleges, as well as other higher education institutions, await the adjustments nad policies that we will be setting in response to what is happening.

In particular, UP Visayas should be taking the lead in shaping the state of education in Western Visayas and beyond.

As such, future conversations aim to answer the following questions, and more:

Are schools now ready to think and plan for the New Normal? What aspects of the Old Normal would be difficult for us to let go as an academic community? Should we insist on reaching the remaining goals imposed by the Old Normal today, despite our current conditions? If so, how?

My Little Big Book is Going Places

Happy to see articles about my book, Ayoko Po Sana (published by Anvil, illustrated by Borg Sinaban), and the many places it has reached!

The Philippine Embassy in Vientiane, Laos Cultural Officer Ms. Cristina M. Llacuna read “Ayoko Po Sana (I’m Sorry, But)” by Professor Early Sol A. Gadong, which was launched on 19 November 2019 as part of the commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of the Convention of the Rights of the Child. Full article here.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) donated to the Santa Ignacia North Central Elem School 5 copies of the new children’s book entitled “Ayoko Po Sana.” Said books were received by SINCES Principal Susan Dela Cruz together with Mayor Nora Modomo. Full article here.

The Philippine Embassy in Abuja conducts storytelling of the children’s book explaining to the students its important message– that kids should learn and practice asking for consent, and obeying the elderly so they can be more responsible citizens of their community. Full article here.

Translation Projects in the Time of the Pandemic

It's been a crazy couple of months because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, and other days one feels too overwhelmed to function properly.

One of my ways to cope with the health crisis was to help out in numerous translation activities that aimed to spread information about the pandemic.

Here are some posters from a translation project with AGHAM.

Throwback: Kidapawan Massacre (Ngayon ko Lang Nalaman)

Medyo mahaba itong post na ito, pero holiday naman kaya heto.

Dating pulis sina Nanay at ang ama niya, si Lolo Gustin. Naging propesor ko sa UP ang pinsan ni Lolo, at palagi niyang ikinukuwento sa akin nang may magkahalong pagmamalaki at inis, na si Lolo Gustin lang daw ang kilala niyang naging Chief of Police na hindi yumaman. Taga-Negros sina Nanay, at kapag nakilala mo siya o ang Lola ko, pati na rin ang lola ko sa tuhod, madali mong maiintindihan kung bakit tigas ng tubò ang ihahambing mo sa kanila, sa halip na tamis nito. May mga kamag-anak kaming lumipat at namuhay na sa Davao, GenSan, at South Cotabato. Last year ay swerteng nabisita ko sila at nakilala.

Pulis din si Tatay bago siya namatay. Lumaki siya sa bayan ng Tapaz, sa probinsya ng Capiz, at dahil dito kami madalas magbakasyon noon ng mga kapatid ko, at dito na rin inilibing si Tatay noong 1990, Tapaz ang kinikilala naming “probinsya.” Dito, magsasaka ang mga tiyuhin ko’t mga lolo, samantalang public school teachers ang mga tiyahin ko at mga lola. Malaking bahagi ng buhay at kabuhayan namin ang lupa. Sa kabilang banda, may mga kamag-anak din kaming lupa na rin ang naging mitsa ng pagkamatay.

Yung kaisa-isa kong kapatid na lalaki, na madalas ang pabirong tawag sa akin ay aktibista o lider ng mga makakaliwa (hindi pa naman niya ako natatawag na komunista), ay nagtapos sa PNPA at kapo-promote lang sa pagka-Senior Inspector. Sa Tacloban siya nakadestino, at noong minsang nasabi ko sa kanya na may biyahe ako papuntang Samar at Leyte, pinag-ingat niya ako dahil hitik daw sa mga NPA ang bahaging ito ng bansa. Bago matapos ang pag-uusap namin ay hiniritan niya pa ako, “Ay, hindi mo naman pala kailangang mag-ingat kasi mga katropa mo naman sila.”

Hindi ako miyembro ng NPA; kahit nga sa LFS hindi ako nakasali. At kahit ano pa ang sabihin ng mga estudyante ko, pramis, hindi ako terorista. Pero sa humigit-kumulang 20 years ko sa UP, hindi ko naman kailangang maging bahagi ng progresibong grupo para sumali at mag-organisa ng mga pagkikilos upang maipahayag ang pagtutol o pagsuporta sa mga isyu ng paaralan at lipunan. Sa maliit na pamamaraan ay naging bahagi ako sa paglaban para manatili ang UP campus sa Iloilo City, maipahayag ang mga kontra-estudyanteng policies ng isang dating Chancellor, maipanawagan ang pag-oust sa dating pangulong naakusahan ng plunder, at maiparating sa publiko ang perennial issue ng kapos na state subsidy para sa edukasyon. Naranasan ko ang maglakad sa kalye, mainitan, at taas-kamaong ipagsigawan ang mga pinaglalaban. Syempre, kasabay nito ay ang maranasan din ang pangungutya at pang-aasar ng mga estranghero’t ilang mga kaibigan. Sa loob naman ng silid-aralan, bahagi ng pagtuturo ko ng matematika ang pagpapaintindi sa mga mag-aaral na bilang Iskolar ng Bayan, ang responsibilidad nila ay hindi lang sa kanilang mga sarili, o sa kanilang mga pamilya, pero pati na rin sa kanilang komunidad, at higit na sa mga marginalized na sector ng lipunan.

Bakit nga ba humantong sa ganito kahaba ang post ko? Araw ng Kagitingan ngayon, holiday. Wala akong pasok. May panahon para mag-Facebook. Pagkatapos ay unang tumambad sa akin ang news article na may pamagat na “President Aquino breaks his silence on Kidapawan incident.” Gin-click ko ang link, binasa ang nilalaman, at bago ko pa namalayan, umiiyak na pala ako.

Kung binasa mo ang ilang talatang pagpuputak ko dito, hindi ko na kailangang ipaliwanag kung bakit malapit sa akin ang isyu ng Kidapawan. Ang simpatiya ko ay sa pamilya ng mga magsasaka, pulis, pati na rin miyembro ng mga progresibong grupo, dahil sa totoo lang, sa gitna ng lahat ng ito, ang mga nanay, tatay, kapatid, pinsan, anak, lolo at lola ng mga naging bahagi ng madugong panlalapastangan sa Kidapawan ang higit na nagdusa, nagdurusa, at magdurusa pa. Pagkatapos ay mababasa kong sinabi raw ng pangulo ng ating bansa na “Sa totoo lang po, [noong April 1, kung kailan tapos na ang lagim sa Kidapawan] doon ko lang narinig sa unang pagkakataon na mayroon palang nangharang ng highway sa Kidapawan at nagkaroon ng isang violent dispersal.”

HINDI NIYA ALAM. Sinlakas ng putok ng baril ng natarantang pulis at pagkulo ng sikmura ng gutom na magsasaka ang pag-aalingawngaw ng mga salitang binitiwan niya. WALA SIYANG ALAM. HULI NA NANG MALAMAN NIYA.

Ngayon ay Araw ng Kagitingan: araw ng pag-alala sa libong buhay na ibinuwis ng ating mga ninuno sa pag-martsa mula Bataan hanggang Pampanga. Marami sa kanila ang namatay dahil sa init, uhaw, gutom, at impeksyon mula sa kanilang mga sugat, dala ng ilang araw na paglalakad. Ang ilan ay nagdusa sa pagmamaltrato ng mga dayuhan. Ang sakit-sakit isiping makalipas ang 74 years, uhaw at gutom pa rin ang ating mga kababayan. Nagnanaknak ang sugat ng kawalang-hustisya sa ating bansa, at ang isang kagaya kong aktibistang anak ng pulis, pamangkin ng magsasaka, at pinagbibintangang NPA ay luha na lamang ang maisusukli.

HANGGANG NGAYON AY PATULOY ANG PAGDANAK NG DUGO, AT SA GITNA NG LAHAT NG ITO, ANG COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF NG HUKBONG SANDATAHAN NG ATING BANSA AY UMAKONG WALA SIYANG ALAM TUNGKOL SA ISANG NAPAKASERYOSONG ISYUNG APEKTADO ANG MARAMI SA KANYANG PINAMUMUNUAN.

DIYOS NA MAHABAGIN, KAYO PO NA MAY ALAM NG LAHAT-LAHAT, KAYO NA PO ANG BAHALA SA BANSA NAMIN.

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Sinulat sa Facebook noong 9 April 2016 bilang reaksyon sa article na ito ng Manila Bulletin.

Of Sicknesses, Sexists, Statistics, and Social Solidarity

Of sicknesses, sexists, statistics, and social solidarity

At the peak of the COVID 19 scare, people started hoarding masks. Even the healthy ones started wearing them.

This is ill-advised, according to public health professionals, because those who really need the masks are those who were infected, and those who came in close contact with possibly infected people.

Imagine the following example. A room has 500 people, with one person infected. Giving the mask to that one sick person is immensely more effective than making the 499 healthy ones wear them. Extending this logic, giving the mask to that one sick person is obviously more effective than boosting the immune system of the 499 others.

Now, this could be the same with how we look at programs designed to make change work for women.

At this part, I will have to use a bit of mathematics (para ma-credit sa promotion, kay indi daan credited ang creative work kay math perzen ako dapat).

Suppose, out of the entire population, only 1% of men are sexist. We are going to use the binomial distribution in this case, since we have simplified our problem to only two (hence, bi) outcomes: either a man is sexist or he is not (Caveat: In reality, of course, sexism is more complex than being just a “sexist or not” binary.).

As such, we use the following formula for s, or the probability that among the n men that a person meets, at least one (1) man is sexist:

s = 1 - pⁿ,

where p = probability that a man is not sexist (in our example, 99%).

So, let’s say I meet 500 men (goddesses forbid!) in my life. As per our formula,

s = 1 - .99⁵⁰⁰ = .99 or 99%!

This means there is a 99% chance that at least one of those men is sexist.

Another important thing to note is this: Given the calculations that we made, if you had a room of 100 men and 100 women, it is highly likely that only one of those men were sexist but almost all of those women have felt the brunt of sexist acts.

The original poster of this concept I found said it well: Math is cruel with odds.

Now, this will of course merit a number of reactions.

Let me highlight two:

“I’ve been in a room with far fewer than 100 men, and I can assure you, more than one of them is sexist!”

“But I’m one of those 499 non-sexist men, why do I get to be called trash just because of that one sexist man?”

Of course, your reaction may also be different from these two. But whatever it may be, I urge you to think about why your reaction is such. Think about why you think the fact that you got your feelings hurt because you got lumped up with fellow sexists bears the same weight as the fact that women suffer through abuse brought about by sexism almost every single day (even if they don’t come in contact with men because guess who makes up most of the laws and policies we live by everyday?).

Now, if you’re done making this about yourself, imagine if that one sexist man in our example was given the opportunity to be better informed of the repercussions of his sexism. Imagine how many women would be spared from unnecessary abuses.

To conclude, while it is a good idea for women to enroll in self-defense lessons to “empower” themselves, it has a sense of “save yourself” mentality. Only those who have the resources to empower themselves (as with COVID analogy: buy masks, alcohol, vitamins, have the time for exercise, self-quarantine, social distancing, etc) will be able to ward off abuse. The abuse is merely passed on to the most vulnerable ones.

Hand in hand with empowering women, we must likewise educate men and cultivate an environment where the absence of sexism is the norm.

This is the same with our current health crisis situation. While we ought to be increasing our immunity, we should also provide resources for basic hygiene (soap, alcohol, WATER!) and medical services that are accessible even to our poorest communities. Any threat to the well-being of a sector of our society is a threat to us all, in one form or another. Beyond social distancing, let us practice SOCIAL SOLIDARITY (Thank you, Doc Gene Nisperos @docgene sa Twitter).

We can’t just think of saving ourselves. We are part of a community. The sooner we care for the welfare of the most vulnerable sectors of society, the sooner we’ll get over the crisis we are facing.

The Story of an Hour at the #1BillionRising Event in Sunburst

::: TL; DR (Let's educate our boys on how to treat all humans with respect, so they grow up to be adults that respect all humans)

I was at the One Billion Rising event at Sunburst this morning when a middle aged man stood beside me and asked, "What exactly are you fighting for here?"

I told him we are calling for the end to Violence aginst Women.

"Is that really a problem here in the Philippines? Pila gid ya ka bilog ang naga-experience sang violence haw?"

"Sir, in at least one point in our lives, we women experience some level of violence."

"Really? I've never experienced it."

"Because you're a man, Sir. It doesn't mean nga kon wala mo ni naexperience, wala na ini naexperience sang iban."

He insisted, "I think that you are just making a big deal out of this. My father also beat us up, but that was it. I've hd no other experience of violence from men. And I've never hurt anybody." (I was literally shookt at his logic here.)

We got into a heated debate where I attempted to explain how, everyday, women get molested, catcalled, raped, how women are at a disadvantage when it comes to employment opportunities and salaries.

"So you think women should receive the same salaries as men?"

"Of course, Sir."

"But women can do less than men can."

"Sir, that's misogyny. And you're exactly the kind of person we are fighting against in this event."

Lawig pa amon baisay. He said the whole thing was just to agitate people to rebel against the government. I told him that there were representatives from the police force and other agencies there, fighting the same cause in solidarity.

"They don't have an idea why they are here," he said.

"Really, Sir? Let's go ask them then."

So nagpalapit kami sa pulis kag namangkot kon ngaa ara sila didto. Siling nila kay gasupport sila sa call against violence against women.

Then gin-invoke niya na kon ngaa kuno may people's orgs. Ngaa kuno may mga komunista. He said he will not let communists take over the government that he loves.

The participants in the event were literally just DANCING 🙃 Ngaa nakalab-ot kami sa mga komunista???

And that's when i realized I've been talking to a brick wall all this time. Ahahahuhu.

After talking to the police officers, nag-attempt na ko ya distansya. Gintag niya pa ko ya nga communist. Diwaw. Had I known early on kon ano gid ya iya hugot, I wouldn't have wasted my Valentine morning on him.

Anyway, before he left, he said, "I will defend my country against communists until my last breath."

To which I replied, "And i will defend my country against misogynists like you, Sir. So good luck to the both of us."

#OneBillionRising
#EndVAW
#NoToGenderBasedViolence
#PalanggaaAngAktibista
#KonKawsaGaniGinapakigbatoKoIkawPaAyhanChour

Month 12 / Feb 14

We spent our 12th month together kind of reliving the night we had a year ago: a trip to Cinematheque and Dunkin, a bit of crying, and a hug as I dropped her off.

Valentine's Day morning, we went to church and had breakfast before attending the One Billion Rising event at Sunburst.

It was supposed to be my attempt at a fun date, merging advocacy, landi, and a bit of dancing.

But then this guy hijacked our moment (story on a separate post), but I'm really lucky to have someone like Rheane who is very understanding of why I do what I do.

Later that night, she dropped me off at the airport, and gave me the most amazing Valentine gift ever.

Haaay.

I thank the universe for her every single day.