Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in its rapid wave to another M-H-T levels became confusing and stern due to some procedures and regulations to be followed and any disobedience leads to costly fines. Physical social distancing, personal hygiene and flexible distance learning had been adapted and still be acknowledged as “new norms” now that the pandemic is increasingly, savagely stealing lives from all over the world.
The cliché “Work from Home” scheme using virtual and other social platforms had brought innovative resolutions to workplace temporarily closed by perishable threats of COVID-19 pandemic. People are groping the rope of silver lining embracing new norms to stay safe and not perish. Now, another real race to all educators and employees of the Department of Education is “how will we teach and how learners will learn?”. Who earnestly desire to experience Modern Era of Learning?
Webinars and other massive online courses like Open Educational Resources (Advanced program) concerning adaptations of new strategies and innovations to be utilized in “New Normal Classroom” services put educators more productive while staying at home. The Department of Education reiterates the adaptation of online classes in response to this crisis. The department is significantly collaborating to Information and Communications Technology services (ICTS) the initiatives to host various webinar sessions. The good news is that, they are provided for free. A newly embraced digital rise program worth learning by Filipino educators in private and public sects. I bet you’ve heard and felt vicarious experience of this innovation too.
Seemingly, teachers on the opening of classes will embrace to the Modern Era of Learning. We are now the secondary front liners of the students. Teaching responsibilities will bring us to a promising reck of caring our learners as our patients making them the re-constructivists of this generation.
The truce ends and real battle will about to begin pulling out students on the scene on its 1st day on June where educators and administrators will be doing continuity plans. School reports, school-based meetings and LACs will be faced off using protocols of the Bayanihan to Heal as one Act. This will be on trend all over the land.
This alteration of new life will later on introduce new learning delivery options such as blended learning, a combination of online, modular and face-to-face; distance learning where online platforms radio and TV, printed materials be engaged; home schooling which will be facilitated by parents, guardians and tutors’; apprenticeship and face to face.
Students who have more access to these learning deliveries will give more pace to learn and be flexible however, there were some millions of learners who can’t afford to have these online accesses will rather appreciate face-to-face interactions. The attachment is not limited rather more chances to experience various emotions seen physically.
The challenge of “Work from Home” among teachers and learners will be possible if vaccines will come late, if numbers infected will continuously increasing bringing mental anxiety and saddened deaths of others and stern levels of quarantine. Nobody wishes to be staying at home charging phones and other gadgets to be updated with online games and seminars. Nobody wishes to be kept in touch by beeps and tones of updates from workplace. Nobody wishes to be disturbed by the silent sounds of rants in television, radio and your neighborhood.
Who would have wished to close doors for your children and other people won’t disturbed you while sessions and lectures are on-going? Who would have wished to be in a situation that you’ll be having more time online than having more responsibilities and time with your family’s errands? Who would have wished to have this work by next year? Who would have wished to let his/her child come to school with the stake of having the detrimental virus around?
Our rants in this kind of system has no place. We have to pray hard in order not to be defeated. It is a difficult demand of life and stage as the gate of learning opens on August 24, be it physical or virtual learning. It is only in God’s perfect time that all of these threats and worries will be healed. The best thing we could do is follow what the national government wants and embrace the reality that this new norms in education calls for. The real race is on fire and it will always depend on how we set the fire.