Incomparable advantages of Pagsasarili preschoolers as testified to by parents

My Part 1 column last week was a plea to Mrs. Cynthia Villar to prevent the closure of the 26-year-old Pagsasarili Preschool that has developed superior type of children who are the pride and joy of Las Piñas communities. We have discovered the biblical “precious pearl” within them as testified by their parents since 1986. She must help conserve these national treasures that bring light to our country.

Since 1983 the Pagsasarili program for preschool children has helped various kids in different communities all over our country. With UNESCO grants, it has helped develop quality education to meet the UN Millennium Development Goal for “sustainable development” by partnering with governors and mayors, regional directors of DepEd and DSWD all over Luzon down to Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan (MIMAROPA). With UNESCO focus on reengineering education, it has also collaborated with teacher training state universities of Leyte and Cadiz in the Visayas and Mati, Davao Oriental in Mindanao.

Re-engineering preschool curriculum

The Pagsasarili preschool graduates adjust well to grade school because of its rich programs in Language, Math, Cultural Arts (Geography, History, Botany, and Zoology) allowing them to acquire competencies equivalent of a third grader in the conventional school.

They can read English and Filipino sentences with comprehension and can write longhand. Making use of Montessori Number Rods, Spindles and the Golden Decimal Beads, they could master numeration up to the thousands and eventually do basic addition, subtraction, multiplication with three to four digit sums. INCREDIBLE, RIGHT? Parents can easily attest to this because after attending the June Parent Orientation demonstration by their specially trained teachers, they are scheduled individually each trimester to discuss the progress of their children with the teacher, showing the apparata used in the classroom. The parents actually acquire literacy with the Geography Puzzle Maps of the World, Asia and Philippines, as well as the History Time Lines, Botany & Zoology Nomenclature cards. As they receive the descriptive report cards, the parents realize that other than their superior academic progress they readily develop an intense love for work, gain self-confidence and develop strong personalities. Soon, parents and children eventually get used to the discipline of “English 24 hours”, for learning a foreign language is a lifetime process while Filipino, being the mother tongue, doesn’t require as much learning.

Re-engineering teacher training

What is the difference between a traditional teacher and a Montessori Pagsasarili teacher? The former believes in the ancient philosophy that the child is an “empty vessel” and a more knowledgeable adult like the teacher or parent should fill it up. The Pagsasarili teacher believes that the child has a “secret teacher” which enables him or her to mature physically and intellectually if a “prepared environment of work materials” is provided. Frequent evidence of the Absorbent Mind is the ability of the Filipino OFW babies born in France or Italy to speak the local language without any teacher.  

Since 1986, when I programmed a teacher training module to make the Montessori system affordable for disadvantaged children, the National Housing Authority Community Relation Office (CRIO) would help us recruit teacher trainees who have reached college level. A battery of tests made sure we would end up with young ladies having average intelligence, good teaching aptitude and mature temperament to undergo a proficiency course of 5 weeks intense theoretical and practical training. This included the daily observation of Pagsasarili children at work.

We just concluded last May 25, 2012 the: Part I - Basic Montessori Concepts and Philosophy Training of 5 additional teachers for Batangas and 7 for Metro Manila; Part II - Character Building and Normalization of the Pagsasarili Teacher for 2 trainees from Ifugao and 2 from Baler, Aurora. Lecturers required them to read the book “Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work” accompanied with daily essay writing, participate in Dale Carnegie sessions for English proficiency in oral expression, and experience hands-on activities with three-fourths of the complete set of Montessori materials we use in our own OB Montessori preschools.

Classroom Management training continues as they return to their provinces. To assist them in setting up the new school, the Pagsasarili trainors travel to the school site where they stay for two weeks. Parent orientation is done with the new teacher giving the talk and explaining the materials. Towards the end of the year the trainors return to monitor and evaluate them. The trainees conclude the proficiency training by returning to the OB Montessori Center for an advanced refresher course the following summer break.

Parents’ testimonies from different Pagsasarili sites

Lipa City, Batangas: Mrs. Teddy B. Naredo: “My son Carl Vincent B. Naredo has developed a great interest in reading and drawing. He is always interested to learn new things. He did not have a hard time in Canossa Academy for he is prepared academically and socially.

Mrs. Juanita Evangelista: “My son Lloyd Evangelista was First Honor in Grade 1 of Bugtong Elementary School, Lipa, Batangas. He is well loved because he is friendly, courteous and helpful to everyone.”

Parents at the Leyte Normal University Integrated Laboratory Pagsasarili Preschool are so proud of their preschoolers for they can keep things in order, can read and understand instructions, speak English, and initiate doing household chores. They are confident of their academic preparation for any grade school in town.

West Crame, San Juan City: Mrs. Melinda Tagala: “My daughter Wynona Tagala graduated from OBMCI Professional High School in 2012. As an OB Montessori Grassroot Leadership Scholar from West Crame, she got consistently high grades from Gr. 1 to 4th year high school. She is very disciplined and refined in behavior and speech. She actively participated in extra-curricular activities. She is now enrolled at the College of St. Benilde taking up Consular and Diplomatic Affairs.

Mrs. Helen M. Laruscain: “My daughter Ana Czarina Laruscain graduated in 1994. She studied at St. John’s Academy from Grade School to High School and was the batch Salutatorian. She took up Business Management at the Ateneo de Manila and now has her own food business.”

Bagong Barrio, Caloocan City: Julia Evelyn dela Cruz: “My son Genesis is now in 3rd year high school at De La Salle Araneta University Foundation and is consistently at the top 10 of his class. He is independent and responsible, regularly preparing the family breakfast.”

Pagsasarili adult alumnae and parents plead to Mrs. Cynthia Villar

I am Michelle Tayactac, sister of Michael, 30 years old who was among the first OB Montessori Pagsasarili graduates of CAA and is currently a    project engineer in Singapore. Michael recommended that I enroll my child Gabriele Railey T. Barcillo in the Pagsasarili where she stayed for 2 years. “Sa simula nang mademolish at mapaalis ang Pagsasarili Preschool ay nakaramdam ng lungkot at paghihinayang ang aking kapatid. Bilang ina, hindi ko mapigilan and pagtulo ng aking luha. Bakit nila inalisan ng karapatan and mga bata sa CAA na magkaroon ng magandang pundasyon sa edukasyon na ibinibigay ng Pagsasarili School sa mababang halaga. Paano na ang susunod na henerasyon?”

“Ako po ay si Mrs. Patricia A. Estevez. Ang aking bunsong anak at apo ay produkto ng OB Montessori Pagsasarili Preschool. Nais ko rin maranasan ng ibang bata and kaalaman na natutunan ng aking anak at apo. Nanghihinayang ako na nawala ang Pagsasarili School na isa nang institution dito sa aming lugar. Nagpapasalamat ako sa kagandahang loob ni Madam Soliven na nakapagtayo ng school dito kahit na “depressed area” ang aming lugar. Sana po magkaroon ng maayos na pagkakasunduan ang OB Montessori, NHA at LGU ng Las Piñas.”

“I am Joan Miraflor de Leon, 32 years old and one of the first CAA Pagsasarili graduates. I am fortunate for having experienced the extraordinary way of Pagsasarili learning that enabled me to be among the top in my class. I am so sad that my child was among the last to enjoy this wonderful school. I cannot understand why the school will be closed when it is financially sustained by the CAA residents instead of being a burden to the city hall. We are perplexed why such a valuable asset and pride of the community is being taken away.

Singing the praise of Pagsasarili preschoolers for three decades

Three decades of quality preschool education have made a difference in the lives of those who have experienced the Pagsasarili preschool. In 1983, General Gaudencio Tobias, NHA chairman, sang high praises of the Pagsasarili preschool as he helped launch the first site at San Martin de Porres, Cubao. He rhapsodized that “the Pagsasarili preschool is a major instrument in equalizing opportunity for the underprivileged. It is just right and proper that all NHA projects should have Pagsasarili preschools all over the Philippines.