Making Filipino Heroes Relevant When You Teach

By Christine Gapuz
Syndicated from www.factoidz.com

If there’s one commentary Filipino historians and columnists frequently say these days, it’s that Filipinos have a short memory. We easily forget crimes against our country. We easily get distracted from an issue by another not-always-more-serious issue. From the broadsheet editors to Conrado de Quiros, the observation is consistent. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s win as congresswoman of Pampanga, the Maguindanao massacre, the Hello Garci issue, and even Ferdinand Marcos’ burial… all these issues of the past few years might just be buried in our memories in the next decade.

With such "short memories" when it comes to events that transpired five, ten years ago, how can we keep alive events that took place over a hundred years ago? How can we prevent national amnesia so that names like Rizal and Bonifacio don’t simply mean place-names and monuments? How can we pass on memories of Philippine heroes and revolutions to the youth and make sure the memories don’t get erased by Hollywood superheroes? As an Araling Panlipunan teacher, you need to ask these questions and find creative answers.

Making our country’s heroes relevant is a daunting but necessary task for social studies and history teachers. With various media and personalities competing for your students’ attention and admiration, giving your lessons on heroes a "current" vibe can ensure that your classes take notice and remember. Maybe giving a modern makeover of our heroes’ images can make them more relatable to young students. The following tips will give you ideas on making heroes more relevant to our youth.

Modern-day Comparisons. Perhaps the easiest way to make our heroes relevant to our students is to provide modern-day counterparts. If you haven’t noticed, many of your students probably don shirts, bags and badges with the face of one rebel-hero called Che, or Che Guevarra. Che figured significantly in the Cuban revolution. Like our national hero Jose Rizal, Che was also a physician, author and intellectual. With such similarities, you can go on and explore commonalities and differences in their roles in revolutions and the ideas they espoused. What about Gabriela Silang? Who is her modern-day counterpart in the Philippines? Making modern-day comparison and contrasts emphasizes to your students that the problems of the past continue to the present and that the heroes needed in the past may or may not be the same kind needed today.

Pop Culture Counterparts. Consider using the pop culture heroes your students watch in the movies or read in graphic novels and comics. They may be superheroes, ordinary people granted with superpowers, aliens helping the world or mutants with special abilities. Why are they considered heroes in their own right, even in the fictional world? If you aren’t into these kinds of stuff, some research will be required of you. You can connect the dilemma of the mutants in X-Men with the dilemma of Rizal and Bonifacio’s time. In both cases, the options were to establish an independent community and to assimilate into an existing social order. You can find out more about pop culture heroes and their qualities and compare and contrast with our revolutionary heroes. Here’s a baffling question your students might consider: Among the heroes of the Philippine revolution, who can be considered as Superman? Or maybe Batman. Take nationalism a notch higher and use Filipino komiks characters and storylines.

Current Problems. What would Jose Rizal say about the RH Bill? What would Emilio Jacinto comment on corruption and plunder cases? How would Sultan Kudarat react to the Maguindanao massacre and the issue of autonomy for Mindanao? Show your students that our heroes then are not mere characters but people who thought and lived in a specific milieu. Based on how heroes reacted to the social problems of their time, discuss what their reaction will be if they were alive today. Ask your students to choose one hero, study that hero’s writings and actions during his milieu, and to propose solutions to current problems and issues based on what they learned. You can also hold a panel discussion of a current social problem and have students play-act as the heroes. Ask them: What would Hero X do?

About the Author

Christine Gapuz, aka Diwa, loves reading books and dressing up. She would love to further study literature and social studies. Education for all (EFA) and gender and human rights are advocacies close to her heart.

The Making of a Filipino Hero

By Gilbert M. Forbes

As I look at how things are happening in the country and Filipinos react and act with it young and old, I am upbeat doubtful if Ninoy’s statement of us worthy of dying for is still relevant.  More on the statement being popularized by one of the national TV network which aptly says the reverse, “Filipinos are worth living for.”

How can we both worthy of dying and living for when apathy, irresponsibility, corruption, ignorance, selfishness and materialism are all that can be seen.  The youth in particular are mesmerized by different genre of all sorts except nationalism, patriotism, and humanitarian concern.

The olds however who failed to move our nation forward and in fact left a damaged culture and values are rewarded. Everyone of them, even the bad guys is given senior citizens discounts now losing the government coffers billions.  In fact, one popular comment is that, they have corrupted our values and yet they deserve rewards!

And what are these damaged culture and values that they successfully left after all?  Some of these are apathy, selfishness, poor sense of community in favor of the family interest, low regard to manual labor, mediocrity,  peddling, use of influence, political patronage, insensitivity, and a lot more.  All these are not taught and learned at our schools but from the adult citizens of today and of the past.

What is saddening and more alarming was the result of a study done three decades ago by Dr. Malu Doronila of the UP College of Education.  The education community was practically shocked upon knowing that the average Filipino kid would rather be a citizen of another country, rather than be a Filipino.

Is the average Pinoy not at peace with himself, his country and his identity?  Consider the following manifestations as taken from the previously posted article entitled Functional Literacy and Nation Building amidst the Challenges of Globalization

• Getting a “green card” or gaining American citizenship has become a high measure of success in life that is well admired and worthy of emulation.
• Penchant for anything “stateside” even if some local products are highly comparable, price competitive and contextually appropriate
• Obeisance to or greater cooperation with a foreigner boss; many local managers may not be able to exact the same amount and level of work discipline. Or most Pinoys excel in whatever they do when working in other countries but may not be as productive or effective in local workplace
• Obsession with the white skin and the whitening of skin.  Just see how many advertisements and products openly cater to this physical delight. Take note also of the preference to have a Caucasian-looking espouse to marry and having mestizo children.
• Sometimes “suicidal” attempts to “try one’s luck” in other countries even if they are already making good in their profession or livelihood in their country. Oh, such true stories of Pinoy professionals and non-poor who were chased by guard dogs while crossing state borders, who hid for days in windowless container vans in freezing weather to get inside European countries, etc.  Other citizens migrate due to political turmoil and civil stripes in their home countries just like the Africans but Filipinos don't. 

And where are all these influences emanated from? How could then we be able to make a hero out of all these?

Learning the humble yet excellent and untainted political career that Ninoy had,  I just can’t help but feel sad for his generation who are still alive today have failed to emulate him including our political leaders.

Hence he started young, how could the young politicians of today fare with him.  Ninoy who’s utmost concern is the emancipation of his countrymen not only from the quagmire of poverty but most importantly from total ignorance which led them to be victimized by self-serving politicians they themselves put to power.

But as ordinary citizen of this seem to be forsaken country, managed to be governed by hell of its citizens as prophesized by the former Pres. Manuel L. Quezon, I am still hopeful.

Until there are ordinary citizens who can still put their faith in practice, until there are still who can manage to remain humble and righteous in the midst of unrighteousness.  Godly in the midst of the ungodly, innocent children, unborn and yet to be born—only the end of time is enough for the hopeful to cease in having faith in the Filipinos.  This could be where Ninoy’s statement of the Filipino is worth dying for refers to.

The making of the Filipino hero should be in the hearts of this privilege few whom all what they wanted are to see a country they could be proud of.  The Making of a Hero is within our unselfish hearts.  And this could be done in a single step, in simple things that we know will create a bigger impact in the future.

It all starts in a simple equation of 1+1.  May we all find a hero in ourselves.  What about you, in what equation do you belong?

Functional Literacy and Nation Building amidst the Challenges of Globalization

(I would like to share an emailed article a year ago from TEDPloop egroup which is very interesting for all of us. It is earlier entitled PRESIDENT CORY AND THE NEW FUNCTIONAL LITERACY originally written by Napoleon B. Imperial but slightly edited and revised here for emphasis.)
     In the age of globalization and in the era of “internationally- shared human resources,” nationalism or love of country might have become passé or been relegated to the background. Some might even have unwittingly looked at it as a liability or a “bad word” in the drive for higher foreign investments and accelerated economic development.
     This is how adults have looked at it during the past twenty five years of obsession with global competitiveness. What about the children and its implications on basic education? 
      About 27 years ago, the late Dr. Malu Doronila of the UP College of Education, shocked the education community with the revelation of her doctoral dissertation: that the average Filipino kid would rather be a citizen of another country, rather than be a Filipino. Among the citizenships or nationalities they would rather have included being an American, a Japanese, a Saudi and I think five others.
     It said it all. This child-like aspiration or real wishes of children on their national identity will speak much about the values and attitudes they would live out in adult life. Perhaps, these are even reflective of the values of their families and larger communities.
     Is the average Pinoy not at peace with himself, his country and his identity?  Consider the following manifestations: 

1. Getting a “green card” or gaining American citizenship has become a high measure of success in life that is well admired and worthy of emulation.
2. Penchant for anything “stateside” even if some local products are highly comparable, price competitive and contextually appropriate.
3. Obeisance to or greater cooperation with a foreigner boss; many local managers may not be able to exact the same amount and level of work discipline. Or most Pinoys excel in whatever they do when working in other countries but may not be as productive or effective in local workplace.
4. Obsession with the white skin and the whitening of skin.  Just see how many advertisements and products openly cater to this physical delight. Take note also of the preference to have a Caucasian-looking espouse to marry and having mestizo children.
5. Sometimes “suicidal” attempts to “try one’s luck” in other countries even if they are already making good in their profession or livelihood in their country. Oh, such true stories of Pinoy professionals and non-poor who were chased by guard dogs while crossing state borders, who hid for days in windowless container vans in freezing weather to get inside European countries, etc.  

     With the above examples, the writer would be happy to be corrected or proven wrong by empirical studies. I also don’t intend to generalize and I recognize the economic rationality of the average Filipinos’ desire to land abroad, no matter what difficulties, negative social consequences not to mention the great expense such decision involves. But I tend to think that these predisposition may not be that prevalent if Pinoys have more of the drive and motivations that made average Vietnamese, Koreans, Japanese and Malaysians highly value their identification with their countries and thus give more to nation-building.
     What should we teach and how effective can we do in fostering a sense of “shared identity” and national pride that strengthen national unity. What should underpin such basic education that we may also equate with good or quality teaching? 
    Following the education for all (EFA’s) expanded vision of education and Delors Commission Report on Learning: The Treasures Within, the Literacy Coordinating Council (LCC) officially adopted in April 2008 the new definition of Functional Literacy whose revisit began in 1997. The LCC-convened10- man study grooup recommended the new definition as follows:
     A range of skills and competencies – cognitive, affective, and behavioral – which enables individuals to: live and work as human persons.

• develop their potentials
• make critical and informed decision
• function effectively in society within the context of their 
• environment and that of the wider community (local, regional, national and global)
• in order to improve the quality of their lives and that of society

     Operationally and in simpler terms, FL is the ability to communicate effectively, to solve problems scientifically, to think critically and creatively, to use resources sustainably and be productive, to develop one’s sense of community and to expand one’s world view.  Along with the new definition officially adopted are five strands of indicators which were heavily influenced by the four global learning goals, e.g. learning to do, learning to be, learning to learn and learning to live together recommended by the Delors Report.
     EFA, hence,  equates being “educated” with being functionally literate.  This is why the Philippine EFA Plan is aptly titled:  Functionally Literate Filipinos, an Educated Nation. By this concept, therefore, quality education is not to be seen and judged solely on the basis of how many classrooms, teachers, textbooks, etc.  Nor should it be indicated alone by the traditional notion of "academic excellence" indicated by examination scores.  Rather, by this yardstick, what should matter more to us as a society, should be how functional individuals and citizens Filipinos have become.
      One important strand added and emphasized in the operational definition of the new FL is the “development of one’s sense of community.” To stress its importance in the holistic education of the Filipinos, this strand was assigned numerous and elaborate indicators such as: a sense of personal and national identity, makatao, makabayan, makakalikasan, maka-Diyos, knowledge of one’s history, pride in one’s culture and respect for those of others, self-awareness, self-discipline, sense of responsibility, self-worth, self-realization, pagbabagong- loob, pakikipag-kapwa (pakikilahok, pakikiisa kapatiran). These indicators of functionality practically point to both our schools and other sources and venues of learning what and how we teach and what and how should Filipinos learn values and attitudes, the most fundamental competencies.
       It bears repeating that schools need not be solely responsible for bringing about this kind of  functional literacy. Sources of informal learning, especially the individuals' media exposure also have much to do in one's becoming functionally literate. With the patterns of Filipinos' media exposure as revealed by the FL Surveys, one can surmise why some who had little or no schooling became functionally literate while some who have higher levels of schooling are still functionally illiterates.
     The new definition, indeed, has staggering implications on both the content of and manner of learning and who is delilvering it.  By adopting this definition, a policy signal is thus declared to government and society: education is not a monopoly of DepEd but a societal responsibility; learning in schools and out of schools and the ways of delivering education should be consciously be harmonized and coordinated towards a highly functional Filipino.
     The late President Corazon C. Aquino so loved her country for all its weaknesses and pitfalls that made many Pinoys to leave and even seek other countries' citizenship. As long as Filipinos can remember President Cory, so will they also remember her prayer-statement which was well demonstrated by her life and deeds.  That we can continually be challenged how to be more functionally literate is a great legacy in education and learning that she has left. 
      May we not be a nation of short memory. By not being so, we can always re-kindle and strengthen our love for the country of our birth.  Maybe, that is where real and full national development will begin.

Tired of Corruption? We Can Do Something About It

By Gilbert M. Forbes

As I was reminded of the corrupt practices I just noted for the past few days, I stumbled on a forwarded email from TEDPloop containing the text of the column in Manila Bulletin written by Emmanuel Bagual, a former UP Diliman freshman taking up Community Development:

He starts by saying that "Filipinos have become very tired of hearing about corruption. How to eradicate corruption has become a very big question to all of us in the past decades, under different sets of leaders."

Well, I am also tired like him but I am just wondering why it is happening and why so many of our countrymen just allow it to happen.  Like for instance, I just can’t imagine why policemen in their patrol cars have to hide under the bush along the national high way and wait for unlucky truckers or ‘biyaheros’ who they could ask for ‘pangkape’ though they are already receiving salaries bigger than ordinary soldiers, teachers and government employees.

I can’t also imagine why some Municipal Agricultural officers can’t leave their airconditioned offices while their higher officers are working to the bones particularly their secretary and their regional directors.  Most of all, how are they able to submit relevant data to the national level and worst of all make the power of their offices their milking cows.  Sad to say, that is only at the municipal level.  If agriculture offices at the local level will only function as their counterparts do, food security could have not been a serious problem.

And what about of seeing our high way not yet finish for repair and the portion initially repaired has already cracked but motorists do nothing to report it to the authorities.  Where do these people proclaiming themselves as believer of God learn all these crazy evil things?

But what about other stories of the roots of corruption which come from simple adults whom the young ones converge with?  The immediate family members and acquaintances.

"Corruption does not always merely  refer to money and finances; it may also be moral and emotional, some starting on small scale and grows bigger and bigger because of our unhealthy habits and culture," Emmanuel Bagual explained in his column.

He furthered that he was able to interview four young students who told him about their specific experiences in their schools which were clear indicators that corruption indeed proliferated and was practiced by even those whom they looked up to as models- their teachers and some persons in authority in school.

Some examples given as evidences of corruption in school:

- "Minsan po napapansin, late na darating ang teacher tapos hindi pa po agad siya magtuturo, minsan pupunta sa kabilang room at makikipag-usap sa ibang teacher."

- "Pag po may field trip, dapat po educational ang field trip.  Kaso po, minsan sa Star City or minsan sa Enchanted Kingdom.  Parang sayang lang po ang pera."

-" May pagkakataon po na ang project na pinapagawa sa amin, nalalaman namin eh pareho ng project ng anak ng teacher.  Pipiliin nya ang pinakamaganda sa sinubmit namin at iyon na rin ang magiging project ng anak niya.  At yung ibang gamit sa school, anak ng teacher ang personal na nakikinabang at gumagamit."

The writer-interviewer goes on to ask the students-- "usually what do you do to survive?"

Answers:

- " Hindi na lang kami sumasama sa field trip. Nagtatanong na lang kami kung pwedeng special project na lang kasi nag-aaral lang ako through scholarship. "

-" Sa amin naman, may mga ilang estudyante naman po na gumagawa ng paraan para magkapera, minsan lolokohin ang magulang nila para makakupit pambayad, minsan nga po pag may mga group project, parang nangungurakot na nga rin sila, tapos yung iba nag-vovolunteer na sila ang magpa-photo cop , tapos mas mahal ng konti ang singil. "

"Anong epekto nito sa mga students or sa mga kabataang katulad natin?"

- "Kapag naging habit na po nilaang pagiging corrupt, dadalhin na po nila yun hanggang pagtanda.  Kaya tuloy parang nagkakaroon lang ng cycle."

- "Ganun din pag naging professionals na, halimbawa yung mga magiging teachers din, yun din tuloy yung makikita sa kanila dahil ito ang nakita nila, at pwede rin nilang maituro."

Conclusion:  The young students' exposure to corruption early in life --especially with the wrong actions and examples seen from their teachers, will adversely affect the students' character.

This is only in school.  The writer no longer mentioned of other important events happening at home and the communities.  The values and upbringing, a strong and positive one which could have counteract those experiences outside the home.

I myself was not exempted from expriencing deficiencies in our school system which Emmanuel just mentioned.   But the wrong values and moral foundation we had from our parents and from the majority of our good teachers and good companies helped us to learn to separate what we know is not right versus what is wrong.

But this is not true to many particularly now that many families are not functioning normally.  If there are and there could still be majority of them, there is that ‘monster box’ whose influence is beyond what we can imagine.  It is further strengthened by the internet.

Taking this situation further down the road as Emmanuel puts it, “we may be able to conclude that the next generation will most likely be corrupt leaders too considering that they will become the next leaders of our country.”

He further explained- " We don't need just to have a change of leaders but mostly for people to have a change of heart."

Conscious citizens and teachers play an important role in developing honesty and doing the right thing even if all people around are stealing, lying or cheating.  If started as a habit at an early age, this is a good character trait that we as teachers can instill in our students.  And that is a mighty good "brick" towards nation-building.

See also:  

Beginnings of Corruption: Basis for Preventive Measures in the Future

We Are a Family Remember?

The Philippines, Our Only Home

Education as a Way of Correcting the Errors of the Past

Improving the School System for Quality Learning

By Gilbert M. Forbes
Principal, Padre Burgos Central School
Padre Burgos, Quezon

Raising the standards and quality of education in our schools depends largely on the existing system that the school effectively follows and implements.  Actually, as former DepEd Secretary Lesli Lapus puts it when he took office, there is no more need to reinvent the wheel.  What school leaders, teachers and the rest of the school stakeholders need to do are to keep it rolling.

Aside from making the existing system works and the wheel rolling, Kathy O’Neill, Director of Learning Centered Development Program based in the US suggested the following which we may be acquainted already but we’re only doing some only for compliance.

• Using Data to Focus Improvement.  We have it already under our so called School Basic Education Information System.  What we need to do is to enrich it aside from looking for trend.  One way to enrich it is to take it down to the classroom level seriously.  Lots of data are generated every year.  All we need is to utilize it fully and design a workable program out of it in consultation with the stakeholders which should be integrated in the School Improvement Plan.  It should always be remembered that schools that successfully improve student achievement regularly use data to guide decisions about instruction, student support and professional development.

• Creating a High-Performance Learning Culture.  It is uncommon to see schools fully supporting a school which support a true culture of excellence due to underlying behaviorial, attitudinal, and values prevalent under the present circumstances in the Philippine School System.  If itsn’t the school leader, problems lie mainly on teachers and other stakeholders who still prefer mediocrity versus quality and excellence popularly known as ‘puwede na yan’ and ‘bakit pa’ attitude.   Schools cannot improve when the culture does not support school improvement. Often in the push to improve quickly, the school's culture is forgotten. School leaders should learn what that culture is and why it must be challenged, changed and cultivated for the better; what roles leaders play in growing the culture; and what tools and strategies are available to help leaders foster a culture that supports improvement, high expectations and the well-being of students.

• Using Root Cause Analysis to Reduce Student Failure.  Improving student learning by changing classroom and school practices both requires and results in changes to a school's culture. Culture also impacts how and what improvements are made to benefit student learning, and data can be a powerful lever to explore inequities, expose systemic biases, and change beliefs and practices needed to improve the achievement of disenfranchised pupils and stakeholders. We need to gain analytical tools to uncover the real problems that school leaders need to address to close success gaps in schools. Aside from the school leaders, teachers being at the forefront of the teaching and learning has a pivotal role in this regard.  One way to do it is the so called student tracking system long time promoted by DepEd in the late 90’s.  Another way is identification of highly at risked children through the Project REACH and DORP, the promotion of at least basic but strong guidance and counseling program, and basic parenting seminars in our schools.

• Providing Focused and Sustained Professional Development.  Professional development is a powerful tool for changing schools, yet professional development is frequently done poorly and results in little or no positive change.  This is a long time ago.  With the introduction of the NCBTS and CB-PAST, individual teachers now has a hand and a say on what professional development assistance they need.  The first and foremost need however is how could teachers fully utilized these tools when current observations point out that they usually don’t know where they really are.   This a major challenged that is seen so far which school leaders should  attend.  School leaders should lead teachers in the realization that standards are standards.  It is non-negotiable.  For one to claim that he/she is able to meet one standard or is competent of doing something should be evidenced-driven and is highly observable on varying degrees.

• Organizing Resources for a Learning-Centered School.  How can schools more effectively use time and resources for teaching, planning and professional learning?

• Building Instructional Leadership Teams That Make a Difference.  The heart of leadership is the willingness to assume responsibility. Schools that improve and sustain improvement use teams to lead school reform. A crying need exists for teachers to lead by taking a more formal and explicit role in the supervision and improvement of instruction. 

• Communicating to Engage Stakeholders in School Improvement.  Effective communication is the key to an improving school community. Often the best intentions are sidetracked by poor communication. One feature of poor communication which doesn’t promote strong stakeholders involvement is the lack of transparency and enough for full cooperation characterized by mutual understanding and democracy.  On extreme cases aside from monetary issues, clash with the PTA’s leadership come into being when school administration appear to be autocratic instead of democratic and consultative.

• Leading School Change to Improve Student Achievement.  School leaders have gotten used to the idea that "the only constant is change." Productive school leaders understand the forces that influence the change process and can direct these forces for continuous school improvement. Learn how to lead change rather than react to it.

• Benchmarking and Coaching for School Improvement.  Schools undergoing transformational school improvement processes often need external models or bench-mark and coaches to help them through the process. The main challenge however in our schools is that too few want to share their secrets of success.   While any school could benchmarked a model school, they base it merely on outside and observable indicators because more often than not, selfish desire sad to say exists due to shallowness of professional beliefs and values as successful school leader implementers would often see other school leaders as competitors to their possible rise to the educational ladder.

Certainly, there are no shortcuts in making our school continuously improve and be a quality and excellent one.  The great challenge however to achieve it in a long sustainable and continuing way is for us to change our attitudes and values for the common good.  All best systems are already there.  The only thing and the main challenge is for us is to make those systems work.

(We welcome reactions, sharing and additional ideas in relation to this article.  All that will help our schools.)

(Mr. Gilbert M. Forbes had his Bachelors Degree and MA in Educational Management (CAR) from the Philippine Normal University.  A campus paper adviser and trainer for 13 years.  Currently, he is a school principal in one of the central schools in the Division of Quezon.) 

Knowledge Should Equate Competence

From the original article entitled Knowledge and Competence

BUSINESS MATTERS (BEYOND THE BOTTOM LINE) By Francis J. Kong

(The Philippine Star) Updated June 11, 2011 12:00 AM

Two pilots are trying to land an airplane. As they touch the ground, one pilot screams, “Pull up! The runway is ending!”

The second pilot swiftly gets the plane back up in the air. They make a big turn and prepare to descend again. But the moment they touch ground, the pilot screams again, “Get the plane up  the runway is ending!!!” This goes on for another round.

On their fourth descent, the first pilot says, “This is so dumb. They built this huge and expensive airport, but made such a short runway.”“I know,” answers the second pilot, “But look how wide they made it...”

Some people think that by pulling rank, bullying people or throwing their weight around, they can get others to admire them, fear them and follow them. This is so dumb  as dumb as the pilots in the story. Those pilots are certainly not very competent or very know-ledgeable in flying an aircraft.

Competence and knowledge  is there a difference (apart from the spelling, of course)?

Yes, there is. Knowing is not the same as doing. Competence means one has progressed beyond knowing what to do to doing what one knows.

There are four levels of competence:

1. Unconscious Incompetence  You do not know that you do not know.

2. Conscious Incompetence  You know that you do not know.

3. Conscious Competence  You know that you do know.

4. Unconscious Competence  What you know is already automatic with you.

If you want to gain people’s respect, enchant people and inspire them, you need to be knowledgeable in what you do and be competent at it.

I have met people who pretend to be knowledgeable, when in fact what they do is just echo others’ ideas and opinions. They read a book and suddenly become experts at the subject matter. But once you get to know them and work with them, they fall awfully short of expectations.

There are others who may know what they’re talking about but are not really competent at it. They’re the Talkers. They talk a lot. Yakitty-yakitty-yakitty-yak they go, but when it’s time to act on the things they speak oh-so-well of, they do a poor job. That’s why I feel a little awkward when people introduce me as a person who practices what I preach. I’d rather be known as someone who preaches what I’m already practicing.

Two persons were having a conversation. One said, “I don’t think success has gone to her head.” “No, just to her mouth,” the other said.

In a different conversation, a church member boasts, “My pastor is so good, he can talk on any subject for an hour.” A member of a different church responded, “That’s nothing! My pastor can talk for an hour without a subject!”

Don’t just talk without knowing. And don’t just know without being competent at it.

Learn. Do. Act. Correct. Be humble and speak less. You make less mistakes that way. But when you do open your mouth, speak of what you know and you’re competent at. People will not only listen to you  they will believe you.

Five Leadership Strategies for School Leaders

Based on the original article by Eric Sheninger entitled Five Leadership Strategies for the New Year

As the calendar turns to August, school leaders across the country are meticulously planning for the upcoming year. This process has become more difficult as mounting challenges such as budget cuts and what seems like a relentless attack on the profession of education have taken their toll on staff morale. With this being said, quality leadership becomes even more essential in order to cultivate a school culture whose primary focus is on the learning and achievement of each and every student.

Here are some of my leadership strategies for making change during challenging times. Please feel free to share any other ideas in the comments section below.  

Strategy One: Make No Excuses

Success in this endeavor relies on us to take a no-excuse attitude. Ask yourself this: What am I prepared to do to improve all facets of my school? How will I accomplish more with less? Think and reflect upon the ways to accomplish the goals you set as opposed to the challenges, roadblocks, and pushback you will experience. These are all common complications that arise during the change process and should not be used as excuses not to push forward.

We must be the pillars of our respective institutions and focus on solutions rather than problems. Succumbing to the negative rhetoric, abiding by the status quo, and having a bunker mentality will do nothing to initiate needed changes in our building to improve teaching and learning.

Each day we are afforded an opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of our students through our role as education leaders. Our passion for helping all students learn and assisting staff in their growth should be the driving motivational force to make our schools the best they can be, regardless of the obstacles. Everything is changing -- the world, learners, job market, technology, access to information -- the sad reality though is that schools are not. We need to be catalysts to drive this change!

Tip: Meet with your administrative team and teacher leaders prior to the start of the school year to identify issues where excuses routinely arise. Begin to map out collective responses focusing on positive solutions to these problems.

Strategy Two: Model a Vision for Excellence

Begin by articulating a clear vision to your staff. The consensus has to be that every student can and should learn. Getting your entire staff to embrace this concept is at the heart of effective leadership. I prefer to use the word “embrace” rather than “buy-in" -- a more commonly used word synonymous with change efforts. We should not be trying to sell our staffs on pedagogical techniques and other initiatives that will better prepare our students for success once they graduate.

In order to promote the embracing of new ideas, strategies, and techniques we need to collaboratively work with staff to transform traditional classroom environments into vibrant learning communities where all students are authentically engaged.

Tip: Engage your staff in a brainstorming session during the first faculty meeting in order to develop a collective vision on how to transform the school for the betterment of all students.

Strategy Three: Embrace 21st Century Pedagogy and Curriculum

A vision begins with talk, but will only become reality with action. As society evolves due to advances in technology, we as principals must ensure that instruction follows suit or we run the risk of our schools becoming irrelevant. By irrelevant I am referring to our ability to prepare students with the skills to think critically, solve problems, demonstrate learning through creation, and compete in a global society.

As instructional leaders, it is our primary responsibility to observe and evaluate instruction. With this comes the responsibility to ensure that teachers are provided the freedom to take risks, knowledge of effective practices, resources to make it happen, and flexibility to incorporate innovative teaching strategies. With these parameters in place, principals must then be able to consistently identify, foster, support, and promote 21st century pedagogy.

Inherent within this shift is the need to re-evaluate the curriculum as the real-time web and information age present new challenges to instruction and student engagement. The time is now to lay the foundation to ensure that our students evolve into critical consumers of content, understand the importance of digital citizenship, as well as possess the ability to create, analyze, and interpret an array of media messages.

Tip: Start the year off by gathering key stakeholders to collaboratively revise your curriculum to emphasize essential skills necessary for today's learners to excel beyond your walls.

Strategy Four: Breathe Life Into Professional Development

Most teachers cringe when they hear the words “professional development” and rightfully so. The traditional model utilized by many schools forces educators into structured silos based solely on district and school goals while ignoring staff interests and passions. PD can be inspiring and fun when people are free to follow these interests and develop their own support communities.

Tip: If you thirst for an innovative culture focused on student achievement, begin the process of transitioning to Professional Learning Communities (PLC's). To take it a step further, model and encourage your staff to form their own Personal Learning Network (PLN). Then step back, give up some control, and watch your staff thrive as their passion fuels a transformation of the teaching and learning culture at your school.

Strategy Five: Stay Connected

Principals need support.  This should happen now in our country just like in other countries.

(THIS IS THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THIS BLOG.  TO CONNECT WITH OTHER SCHOOL LEADERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.  THAT'S WHY UNTIL NOW, WE WELCOME SCHOOL LEADERS TO BE OUR FOLLOWERS AND CONTRIBUTORS OF THEIR EXPERIENCES IN THE FIELD AND BE CONNECTED JUST LIKE THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN OTHER COUNTRIES.  IT IS SADDENING HOWEVER THAT WE ARE STILL WAITING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.)

Change begins with a no-excuse mentality. Don't waste one more minute pondering what could be. There is a revolution going on right now in learning, and it is up to us to lead the way. Please share any leadership strategies that are making a difference in your building.

The writer of the article:  Eric Sheninger is principal of New Milford High School and the subject of a recentarticle in USAToday on social media in the classroom.  He is the author of Communicating Camp; Connecting With Social Media.  You can also follow him on Twitter at NMHS Principal.

(This article came to the knowledge of The Learning Captain through the post of Dr. Aniano Ogayon, SDS of the Division of Lucena City who posted it on his fb wall for the many to see and was reposted here for easy follow-up.) 

Enlarging Territories by Thinking Big

From the original entitled How to Enlarge Your Territories by Bo Sanchez

A long time ago, I was taught that a person who thinks big has a big ego. And a person who thinks small is a holy person.

Especially in religious circles, big thinking is criticized and small thinking is praised. Because all desire for expansion is a sign of pride.

And when a person says, “I want to be promoted in my job,” or “I want to earn more,” or “I want to expand my business,” some religious people will tell you, “Be happy with where you are. Be content with what you have.”

But today, I’ve realized that small thinking may mean small love. Some people think small not because they’re content, but because they’re cowards.

As little children, we were told, “Don’t stand out. Don’t rock the boat. Don’t create waves. Don’t call attention to yourself.”

But now I tell you: Stand out. Rock the boat. Create waves. Be the best that you can be. Fulfill your destiny. Don’t put your light under a bowl, but put yourself on the lampstand. (Matthew 5:17)  And shine God’s light within you!

My main message? Think big, love big.

Think Big

Once upon a time, the Israelites were conquered by the Babylonians and Assyrians. They were captured, chained, and hauled off like animals to another country to become their slaves. 

One day, after many years in captivity, they returned to their land. But the Israelites were a people with a broken spirit. They were a defeated people coming with a defeated mentality.  They felt small. They were thinking small. They were in survival mode. 

But God told them, “Enlarge your territories.”

He said, Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left… (Isaiah 54:2-3)

The Israelites were a conquered people with a conquered spirit. Yet God says, “It’s time to conquer. You’re not conquered, you’re a conqueror.”

God wanted them to make a switch: From small thinking to big thinking.

Friend, you may be like the Israelites. 

Perhaps you’ve been defeated by your problems. Recently, you’ve been hammered by trials. And you have a defeated spirit. You see yourself as a small person. And you feel small. And you’ve been thinking small in your job, or in your business, or in your family life, or in your ministry. 

God is telling you now, “Don’t think small. Don’t think survival. Instead, think big. Think growth. Think expansion. Enlarge your territories. Because I want you to use you to bless the world.”

Be like Jabez. He prayed a unique prayer…

Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory…” (1 Chronicles 4:10)

When I read that verse, I think of my friends Rolly and Donna España.

Love Big

Rolly and Donna are fantastic business people. 

God blessed their businesses so much, they were able to build a gigantic house in Laguna. 

Let me give you an idea of how big their house is: It has an elevator. (But I was mildly disappointed it had no ATM machine.)

From the surface, it’s totally illogical why they have such a humongous house. Because Rolly and Donna don’t have kids.

But here’s the logic: When this couple hears about one of our ministry teams planning to have a retreat, or a seminar, or a workshop—Rolly would raise his hand and say, “Please use my house.”

If the retreat is 3 days long, Rolly and Donna would be there for the entire 3 days, to cook for them, serve them, and meet all their needs. They haven’t only opened their home, they’ve opened their hearts.

They have no biological children. But they have many spiritual children.

Here’s my point: They enlarged their territories for others.

       Claim these words from Daniel. But those who know their God shall be strong and do great and mighty exploits. (Daniel 11:32)

There’s really only one thing that prevents us from expanding our territories: Its Fear.

Fear is the biggest thief in the house. It has been stealing your dreams away.

Let me share two common fears…

1. Fear of Discomfort

We live in a culture that worships the god of convenience.

In our culture, convenience is the most important thing.

Don’t get me wrong. Convenience is a gift from God. Thank God for convenience. 

Once upon a time, it took 6 months to go to America. Now, it takes 10 hours.

Once upon a time, we wrote handwritten letters—and it took a few days, sometimes weeks, for our letters to reach our friends. (Prehistoric days.) Now, we can facebook them in a snap of a finger.

Once upon a time, you had to call up people via a landline phone. If you’re my age, you remember the rotary phone that took forever to dial. “Zip, Rrrrrrrr….”   And if you’re my age, you also recall that you also had a “partyline” (usually your neighbor). If she’s using the phone, you can’t use it.

Oh, thank God for convenience. Thank God for cellphones. Thank God for digital cameras.  Thank God for google. Thank God for Ipads. Thank God for 24-hour pizza delivery.

But here’s the problem: The moment convenience becomes the most important thing in your life, that’s the moment you stop growing. That’s the moment you stop expanding.

Life begins to atrophy. Decay. Disintegrate.

Here’s the truth: Expansion and growth and development can only happen if you do the very opposite of convenience—which is sacrifice.

Convenience is nice.   Enjoy it if its there. But throw it out of the window when your big dreams are at stake.

Sacrifice!

Success Requires Sacrifice

Are you married? If you want your marriage to work—you’ve got to sacrifice. Many marriages aren’t working now because the husband and wife just want convenience more than anything else.

A marriage cannot be based on convenience.

Raising kids cannot be based on convenience.

Having a great career cannot be based on convenience.

Building a business cannot be based on convenience.

Growing your investments cannot be based on convenience.

A healthy body cannot be based on convenience.

Expanding your territories can only be based on sacrifice.

Here’s another common fear that prevents you from expanding your territories…

2. Fear of Failure

Let me tell you a story.

Julio was a new salesman. Despite of the fact that he would go house to house every single day, he couldn’t make one sale. 

So his sales manager called him and asked him, “Why can’t you sell?”

Julio said, “I don’t know why. Bad luck, I guess. I stand in front of the door waiting for someone to answer, but no one opens the door. So I go to the next house.”

After a few more questions, the sales manager discovers the reason: Julio would go house to house, standing in front of the front door, but he would never knock. He would just wait for it to open.

Why? He was afraid. He was afraid of failure. He was afraid of rejection.

Are you like Julio? Do you also simply stand in front of the door of opportunity—and don’t even knock? Have you been passing up so many doors of expansion, because of a fear of failure?

Knock!

Do something. Try it out. Dive in. Wet your feet. Experiment. Fail a few times.

Please know: To think big, you don’t act big. In fact, I strongly recommend that you act small. Because I assure you that in the beginning you’ll be failing first. So act small so that your failures are small.

There are two kinds of big thinking.

1. Big thinking that comes from big ego.

2. Big thinking that comes from big love.

Let me tell you the difference.

One Thing To Check 

       Do you want to know if big thinking comes from big ego? From pride? From insecurity? From a need to prove yourself to others? From a need to buy other people’s love? From a need to cover up one’s unworthiness and inadequacy?

Look for one sign. Look for the presence of hurry.

If there’s hurry, there’s a 75% change that big thinking came from big ego.

For example, you’ll think big and act big right away.  Because you’re in a hurry.

But if big thinking comes from big love, you’ll think big and act small at the start. Because you’re not in a hurry. Because whatever you’re doing is not about you anyway. It’s about serving others and blessing the world.

If it’s big ego, you’ll think big and grow fast. If it comes from big love, you’ll think big and grow naturally. Not slow. Not fast. But naturally.

When Hurry Destroys You

       You can’t hurry a woman’s pregnancy. 

It’s 9 months or bust.

Not 6 months, 7 months, or 8 months.  If a baby comes out before the 9^th month, it needs to be in an incubator. Its health is in danger.

Nor should the baby stay in the womb after 9 months. If the baby overstays in the womb, it’s dangerous to both the baby and the mother.

Do you know that some of the food that we eat is dangerous to our health? Why? Because we hurry the natural process of growth. 

For example, a native chicken takes 3 to 6 months for a baby chick to become an adult chicken. A regular chicken takes 45 days. But today, some only takes 28 days. How do they do it? They inject the chicken with massive doses of growth hormones—chemicals that throw our own hormonal system off balance. Some believe that these chemicals can cause cancers.

You’ll Lose Money If You’re In A Hurry

The reason why a lot of people fall for terrible scams is because they’re in a hurry to grow their money. This is also the reason why people gamble and lose all their money—because they’re in a hurry to grow their money. (This is the reason why I tell people to “invest” in the Stock Market, not “trade” in the Stock Market. Those are two very different things.)

In business, it’s the same thing. I’ve learned not to rush expanding my business. Instead, I just let it grow naturally. I avoid so many problems. And I avoid useless stress.

Expand Your Territories—

Because It’s Not For You Anyway! 

 Be the best that you can be.   Grow. Flourish. Expand. Because it’s not for you anyway.

Think big, love big!

May your dreams come true,

Bo Sanchez

THE LEADERS WAY: Putting the best with the best

By: John C. Maxwell

The Philippine Daily Inquirer 

10:53 pm/Saturday July 16th 2011

 

(The Learning Captain's Note- Have you wondered why many good, intelligent, reform oriented and well educated educational leaders find it hard to transform their respective stations in the shortest possible way?  The article below will give us an idea.)

Imagine that you get a call from a nationally respected headhunter. She represents a company that wants to hire you. In fact, she’s offering a signing bonus and a 20-percent pay increase. Your authority would increase, and you would get an ownership stake in the company. It’s a job you know you could handle, with responsibilities you know you would enjoy.

The drawback? You would work on a team with a reputation for mediocre work. It is known in the industry for doing no more than what it takes to get by, and there’s no indication that the leadership at the company plans to change that. Mediocrity is so much the rule at that company, in fact, that you’re a little concerned that they would want you. Do they really think you’d fit into that culture?

Despite the material benefits, many of us would turn down such an opportunity, rightly recognizing that it fails to satisfy one of our most basic needs – the desire to work with people who share our commitment to excellence.

The best want to work with the best. In fact, just one weak link can dramatically influence an otherwise strong team – ultimately leading to turnover among the best producers. So if we want to recruit and keep the best people for our teams, we have to recognize the importance of a strong weakest link.

We can demonstrate the impact of the weakest link with some basic math. If you have a five-person team and all five people are “10s,” then you might add that up and say your team is a “50.” But what if one of those people goes into a funk and becomes a 5. Now your team is a 45, and its effectiveness drops by 10 percent.

That’s a pretty big impact, but it still falls short of reality. In the real world, synergy exists, so our impact on a team is more like multiplication than addition. One and two doesn’t equal three in teamwork; with synergy, one and two can equal 10.

Consider the previous example but with multiplication. 10 times 10 times 10 times 10 times 10 equal 100,000. But 10 times 10 times 10 times 10 times five equal only 50,000. One weak link reduces the team’s effectiveness by a whopping 50 percent.

Clearly, the way to keep good people is to keep them around other good people. When good people find themselves working with people who are not carrying their share of the load, dissatisfaction creeps in. Pretty soon, the productivity of the really good people begins to fall off too. They lose motivation for excellence or they just get worn out from carrying someone else’s share of the work. Eventually, the best leave for greener pastures.

Everyone on a team needs to add excellence, which means leaders first need to place people in roles that make the most of their gifts and talents. But a person with the right skills and the wrong attitude is still like the proverbial bad apple that spoils the whole batch. So if you want a team that experiences low turnover and high success, fill it with people who are both capable and committed to doing great work.

(This article is syndicated from the The Philippine Daily Inquirer which was granted with the permission from The John Maxwell Company and Inspire Leadership Consultancy. For your training needs on personal and organizational effectiveness please call us at 687-2614/706-4853. For more details visit us at www.inspireleaders.com.ph)