TEACHING IN THE NEW NORMAL

A collaborative effort of; Tina Joy Lastimoza     Georgie Naquita     Annabelle Alingalan     April Joy Dela Cruz

A year ago, the coronavirus or Covid 19 crisis started to ravage the entire world. The education sector is one of the sectors most affected by the crisis because of the lockdowns.

It has brought a paradigm shift in teaching and learning methodologies forcing educational institutions across the globe to shift from traditional classroom learning to an online mode of teaching to provide uninterrupted access to education and knowledge.

John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University, Inc. has ascended from the hefty cargo, from the anger of the ocean waves and the tormenting storm. Covid 19 is just one of the many storms the university has encountered.

JBLFMU recognizes the value of education and how it can lift the lives of the students virtually towards a better learning experience to maintain high quality education and training through instruction, research and extension in our unrelenting quest for excellence.

However, there are uncontrollable elements we cannot ignore in the new normal system of education such as:

· New teaching preparation

· Interrupted classes

· Gadget problems

· The Philippines’ slow and intermittent Wi-Fi internet connection

· Students’ Virtual Classroom Behavior

The administration became the backbone by investing in technology and making WIFI connections stronger and readily available for teachers. Cubicles for online learning were made available so that the teachers can concentrate on their classes while maintaining physical distance.

Preparatory training for JEL and Moodle was also given before the onset of virtual classes. Teachers helping teachers to cope with the virtual challenge created a positive, supportive climate for all the JBLFMU Molo instructors.

The teachers manage to weather the challenges of the new normal system of education through careful planning and preparation of online modules, mastering learning management systems like;

the JEL (JBLFMU Electronic Learning), Moodle, and other online platforms like Quipper School, Google Classroom, and Exploring Powerpoint Presentations, Youtube, Facebook Pages and Groups, Messenger, Many Chat Boot (auto reply application for students’ inquiry for 24 hours) and other meeting applications, like Zoom and Google Meet

Let’s have a look on some of JBLFMU Molo Basic Ed teacher’s best practices in the new normal system of education

Many of these candid reflections, told in words and in deeds, served to ignite passion for the best practices and good work that all JBLFMU Molo Instructors, teachers and staff, young and old, endeavor to do, always moving forward towards achieving excellence in quality education and training for themselves, the university and for the students.

Georgie Naquita, an instructor for 18 years, has his fair share of challenges met in teaching on the onset of Covid 19 Pandemic as he feels responsible in providing quality education and training, even with the absence of face-to-face experiences, from the planning of the online modules to the conducting of classes, and distributing of performances and assignments. He even practices and make his power point presentations a few days before they were finally given to his students. His working time had to be longer this time around to ensure learning amongst his students virtually.

Danny Soriano, an instructor for 25 years, maintains a work-life balance by making sure he spends time with his family on weekends to keep him motivated and sane. His daughters remind him to enjoy the beauty of the world. So despite the pressure of the new normal education and the new modes of teaching, he makes sure that he enjoys what he does by providing innovative experiences virtually by using improvised materials for performances and demonstration in Basic Seamanship.

Our MAPEH instructors maintain a joyous disposition towards life. The teachers practice a lot of creativity when dealing with their students. They effectively demonstrate their lesson by taking a holistic approach by demonstrating, singing and even dancing virtually.

JBLFMU Molo teachers are committed to give their best in teaching. During the onset of the opening of the classes, Our Math teachers were challenged on how to make their students understood geometry, algebra, linear equations, functions and etc. They even use a white board marker to solve equations. Later on, pen tablets are made available so they learned to use other modes of technology to transfer learning.

Some teachers have created their own platform teaching. Ma.Paz Eclavia believes that her skills and insights gained from constant attendance in seminars and workshops gave her a little advantage. Despite the technological difficulty, she demonstrates various kitchen tools through pre recorded video and presentations.

Ma. Michelle Benerio, a Filipino teacher, with a soft-spoken manner displays an air of motherliness to her students. She shows dedication with her work and she makes sure her students understood. Many times, she would story tell Filipino literatures to her students. She shares that there is no actual strategy to make the students work, you just need to follow up students’ progress (submissions and attendance) all the time through text, call and other modes of communication. She evens contacts her students’ parents for a smooth parent-teacher collaboration.

This continuing saga of amazing practices is brought to us by our equally amazing teachers both seasoned and new whose dedication,collaboration,  commitment and passion remain solid and unsullied. I also would like to thank our CEO, DR. Ronald Raymund Sebastian, Administrator, Mr. Robert O Parcia and our novel Basic Ed Principal, DR MARI ANN SARROZA for the opportunity to document the above practices and for Belle, Georgie and April for the help extended to make this presentation possible. Thus, it is a great honor on my part to highlight the best practices through their aspiring testament to serve without holding back in our mission and vision to provide high quality education and training through instruction, research and extension in our unrelenting quest for excellence even in times of difficulty brought by the Covid 19 Pandemic.

Excellence shown in many remarkable things; dedication, commitment, passion, noteworthy professionalism, resiliency, integrity, love and service towards our stakeholders.

This is Tina Joy Lastimoza, your paper.

THANK YOU.