This second semester of this year is the start of my journey to furthering my education, which is the graduate study.  I was fortunate to be able to take two education foundation subjects that have made essential impressions to me as to how a teacher should be really like.  I particularly liked EDFD 221 (Socio-cultural Foundations of Education:  A Comparative Approach).  It has brought to my attention many significant and most often taken for granted persistent issues regarding the education system which many are not addressed here in our country.

Two such issues are the use indigenous learning system and hidden curriculum.  I am so glad most of the ethnic groups in our country are taking great efforts to ensure the preservation of their culture, beliefs and tradition by employing the indigenous learning system.  I just hope that their efforts would be met with assenting actions by the government specifically the Department of Education.  Their culture is part of our Philippine identity and its preservation and continuance is I believe essential so that Filipinos would not be completely lost to the world.

The issue of hidden curriculum, on the other hand, has really made me look hard at how I teach, how I am in the classroom with my students.  It made me consider and always reflect on the ways I employ to make sure learning takes place in each of my classes, what do I say and what do I actually require, and exactly what values do I really impart.  It has made me to be more cautious lest I might be imparting the wrong message and grow damaged goods instead of the youth that becomes the hope of this nation.

Jeanette Ana G. Orocay

EDFD 221, 2nd sem (09-10)

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