Kinder teachers get image training

CEBU, Philippines - “You are more than teachers. You are educators. An educator is an experienced and trusted advisor,” Dr. Rey M. Revuelto, principal of Brightfields International School, a Montessori learning institution in Olongapo City, said in addressing around 70 private school kindergarten teachers and school heads last October 4.

The preschool teachers gathered for a two-day convention at the Department of Education-Ecotech Center in Sudlon, Lahug for a K to 12-related seminar designed by their organization, the Private Schools and School Administrators Association of the Philippines.

“Rejuvenating Teachers’ Image and Personality” became the first topic of the day wherein Dr. Revuelto presented photographs of good-looking, properly-dressed, and well-groomed people. These are images closely associated with bankers, entrepreneurs, and flight attendants.

“We have to face the reality of classroom set-ups today. Hindi nauso ang sticks, o kaya rulers, to emphasize authority. Iba na ang mga bata ngayon. They are more at home with their teachers. In the past, we avoid eye contact with our teachers, lalo na if they are mad. Pero ngayon, titigan  mo ang bata, aba, tititigan ka rin. May guts pag magtanong: Bakit ka galit teacher?” he detailed in his presentation.

“So you have to reinvent yourselves into the person that children love most, kahit hindi nyo pa gusto ang kanilang mga parents,” Dr. Revuelto said in jest.

He told the teachers that since “a person learns from preschool everything essential he needs to get through with life,” teachers must also look at the challenges posed at eye-level. “It hurts but you have to face it and you have to deal with concerns right away. Nandiyang wala kang teacher’s aide because the school can’t afford to hire one, tapos a pupil poo-ed and peed after the other, what will you do? How will you address these concerns? The least you could do is complain or get easily frustrated,” Revuelto pointed out.

He underlined that preschool teachers, just like any other teacher, wear various hats:  as communicator, disciplinarian, conveyor of information, evaluator (quizzes, tests), classroom manager, counselor, members of many teams and groups; decision maker, role model, and surrogate parent.

“Remember that you do not manage something already expected. Hindi yan katulad ng ating mga lesson plans na madali lang i-enumerate what we expect to achieve in children’s cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skills. So you have to be prepared to deal with situations,” he added.

He also encouraged the attendees to not only serve as teachers, but to transpire into “good teachers” by being good at explaining things to pupils, keeping cool (in that the same energy for the first period should be the same till the last), to have sense of humor, to like people especially students, to be inherently fair-minded, to have “common sense” in the event of situations, to have a command of the content one teaches, to set high expectations for students and hold the students to these expectations, to be detail-oriented, to be good managers of time, to lead or follow as the situation demands, and to never take things and people for granted.

“Remember that the person you meet today might be that person of greatest help when time comes,” he also said.

“Further, take good care of your health. Be neatly dressed and well kept. Preschool teachers are supposed to be the healthiest of teachers,” Revuelto further pointed out.

According to PRISSAAP national president Dr. Exequiel F. Guanzon, the Universal Kindergarten Teachers Training aims to develop participant’s understanding on the role of Kindergarten in the K to 12 curriculum; enhance their knowledge and skills on the theoretical and pedagogical foundation of the Mother Tongue Based-Multilingual Education; and demonstrate ability to apply the appropriate way of teaching in kindergarten using first language (L1) as the language of learning. (FREEMAN)