The Department of Education, under the leadership of Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro, decided to drop “Science” from the curriculum of incoming Grade 1 students. The Secretary is all for a “child-friendly” curriculum. Luistro says:
“For instance, there will be no Science subject in Grade 1 but when the students do the readings, there will be Science concepts introduced but Science is not the subject.”
To add to that:
“The overall design of the new curriculum to be introduced and implemented this coming June to both Grade 1 and First Year high school students is based on the idea that we should be taking the students where they are.”
I’m not exactly sure what he meant to say in the latter statement, but I have to most respectfully disagree.
Perhaps this directive is part of a plan to make the Philippine educational system “more global” - the Singaporean primary education curriculum - but adopting to the global education market is beside the point. I think that the real value and purpose of science education isn’t about the introduction of concepts like phases of matter or the parts of a flower, but an appreciation of knowledge and developing the rigor that comes with appreciating that knowledge. Science piques curiosity, and curiosity fuels learning.
But beyond the value of good science teaching, any subject can be treated as a by-the-way to become “accidental” to learning: in the same way that a scientific concept can be introduced in English, a grammatical concept can be introduced in Mathematics as well. It’s possible to teach a biological concept in art class, and an artistic concept can be taught in biology class. A subject can be taught in any way and manner it needs to be taught for as long as the educator is competent, passionate, motivated, and able to facilitate, coax out, and stimulate the curiosity of any student who steps into the classroom with every intent and motivation to learn.
The real problems of education do not come from the subject matter, but from the method of teaching the subject matter. Beyond Friere’s “banking method,” there will always be the perennial problem of matters that remain unsolved since time immemorial. And yes, these problems are to be found in the most elementary of things like chalk and school supplies and schoolrooms. Education, much less the development and fostering of conscience, has a very small chance to grow and bloom in an environment not conducive to learning.
No subject in any curriculum at any grade level can ever be taught well if the teacher is underpaid and lacks the tools, training, and motivation necessary to teach well. No lesson can be remembered well when students are packed in crowded, hot classrooms with no proper armchairs and desks, forced to take lessons in shifts. And no amount of feel-good stories from those who have overcome these hurdles and excelled in life - in the face poverty and hunger, in spite of a lack of proper uniforms and supplies, despite the distance it takes to go to school - will ever take away the fact that these are real hurdles are the problems of education that need to be solved.
The end of education goes beyond creating a productive workforce for the nation and to create excellent people to contribute to the economy. It means creating knowledge; it means discovering new knowledge. While it is true that we owe it to our children to make education relevant for them, we also owe it to them to help them realize that the path to real, true knowledge is not easy to attain and takes a lifetime of commitment to do so. To rob them of realizing their curiosity very early on is not only a disservice to them and to the discipline we’re taking away from them, but to rob them of that very curiosity in the first place.
By robbing them of curiosity we rob them of an appreciation for their world. By robbing them of that appreciation we rob them of the knowledge due theirs. Yet the biggest denial doesn’t come by way of K12, but the most basic of things: chalk, books, classrooms, chairs, and teachers with a real and true appreciation and passion for knowledge.
And yet all of these are tied in the machinations and messes of our political system and all other variables, but that’s another story.
THIS. THIS. THIS IS GENIUS.
Julio Valiente!
Valiente…
Julio Valiente, Julio Valiente
This is the story of what happened long ago
We still remember the story often told
In a town called San Basilio, no matter how quaint
In every humble hut, people act with such restraint
Julio Valiente
Julio Valiente
Julio Valiente
Valiente, Valiente, aaaah!
But in every corner, you will find a snake
You’ll find an oppressor, whose loyalty is faked
But there’s Julio Valiente, loved by hearts so true
Society’s defender, from all who dare abuse
Julio Valiente, he’s handsome, courageous
He’s very skilled in using a bolo and poignard
He’s a true hero who’s difficult to fight
And even with firearms, he’s skilled with hand and sight
Although he will face a horde of enemies
Never victorious, their triumphs will decrease
So long as there’s San Basilio, and there is Valiente
The town will be defended, from those who break the peace
Julio Valiente
Julio Valiente
Julio Valiente
Valiente, Valiente, aaaah!
Julio Valiente
Julio Valiente
Julio Valiente
Valiente, Valiente, aaaah!
But in every corner, you will find a snake
You’ll find an oppressor, whose loyalty is faked
But there’s Julio Valiente, loved by hearts so true
Society’s defender, from all who dare abuse
Julio Valiente, he’s handsome, courageous
He’s very skilled in using a bolo and poignard
He’s a true hero who’s difficult to fight
And even with firearms, he’s skilled with hand and sight
Although he will face a horde of enemies
Never victorious, their triumphs will decrease
So long as there’s San Basilio, and there is Valiente
The town will be defended, from those who break the peace
Julio Valiente
Julio Valiente
Julio Valiente
Valiente, Valiente, aaaah!
Julio Valiente, he’s handsome, courageous
He’s very skilled in using a bolo and poignard
He’s a true hero who’s difficult to fight
And even with firearms, he’s skilled with hand and sight
Although he will face a horde of enemies
Never victorious, their triumphs will decrease
So long as there’s San Basilio, and there is Valiente
The town will be defended, from those who break the peace
Might as well post ‘em here for posterity’s sake. This is all a consequence of boredom.
- NORZAGARAY, Norzagaray, sige lang sige lang, itaas ang kilay
- But my love’s BOHOL, I have, to give
- ANILAO you want it, just the way you need it
- Yeah you’re PUERTO GALERA, for a girl
- Livin’ in a material world, I’m in CORREGIDOR
- So I’m SAMAL All My Love For You
- They be like smoove, what, can you teach me how to BAGUIO
- CEBU, Cebu, yalalalalalalalalalala, Cebu, Cebu
- PASAY Ko Ang Daigdig
- CAINTA Fight This Feeling Anymore
- ANGONO Love You Before I Met You
- JOLO, Is It Me You’re Looking For
- I Wanna Dance With ZAMBOANGA
- MAYON At Kailanman
- Didn’t We Almost Have It TAAL
- I’ll Find SAN JUAN Like You
- Oh Whoa, LA UNION a Prayer
- And DAVAO Will Always Love You
- I’m QC For You, Touch Me Once and You Know It’s True
- You And Me, Sitting On A Tree, M-A-N-D-A-U-E
- MARIKINA, Out Of Nothing At All
- We’ve Only Just VIGAN
- Who Cares Baby, I Think I’m Gonna MARILAO
- PORAC The Party That Rocks The Party
- I’m On The Right Track Baby, SORSOGON This Way
- Sa Yakap Mo’y Ako’y Na-su-SUBIC
- LUCENA Yo, Coz This Is It
- I’ve BINAN Mother, I’ve Binan Father, Could You Ask Me For More
- O Giliw Ko, MISAMIS Kita
- I Know BACOLOD Of Love, and It Lives Inside of You
- SAN FERNANDO Iiwake, my one and only
- TAGAYTAY a Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree
- LIMAY Dipang Taong Nagtutulakan
- OBANDO, Sa Rehas Na Gawa Ng Puso Mo
- ANTIQUE Kong Lalake, Medyo Bastos
- NAGA Never Give You Up
- IMUS Have Been Love
- This Guy’s In Love With APARRI
- AYALA la la long, Ayala la la long long i long long long
- Just a day, just an, URDANETA day
The campaign needs a jingle. Here’s one DIRECTLY COPIED from Rebecca Black’s “Friday.”
Yeah… ah-a-a-ah-ah-ah
Ooo-oo-ooh, hoo yea, yeah
Yeah-eh-ah
Yeah-eh-ah
Yeah-eh-ah
Yeah-eh-ah
Yeah-eh-ah
Yeah, yeah, yeah…
7,107 islands in the country
Beaches so fresh, with the awesome fairs
Pottery bowls and fantastic coral
Goin’ sightseeing and my time is runnin’
Manila’s on-and-on, everybody’s rushin’
Gotta get down to the bus stop
Gotta catch the bus and see my friends
Standing near the front seat
Pushing for the back seat
Gotta make my mind up
There’s no seat I can take…
It’s the Philippines, Philippines
It’s more fun in the Philippines
Everybody’s travelling for the weekend, weekend
Philippines, Philippines
It’s more fun in the Philippines
Everybody’s travellin’ for the weekend
Philippines, partyin’ (YEAH)
Philippines, partyin’ (YEAH)
#1forFUN, #1forFUN, #1forFUN, #1forFUN
Travellin’ for the weekend
7:45 at the National Highway
Wanna go there fast, off to NAIA to fly
#1forFUN, #1forFUN, think about #1forFUN
You know what this is
Kamatis, Chocokiss
My friend is by my right
TaxiKick, TaxiKiss
Now you know it
Standing near the front seat
Pushing for the back seat
Gotta make my mind up
There’s no seat I can take…
It’s the Philippines, Philippines
It’s more fun in the Philippines
Everybody’s travelling for the weekend, weekend
Philippines, Philippines
It’s more fun in the Philippines
Everybody’s travellin’ for the weekend
Philippines, partyin’ (YEAH)
Philippines, partyin’ (YEAH)
#1forFUN, #1forFUN, #1forFUN, #1forFUN
Travellin’ for the weekend
Yesterday it was Marinduque
Today i-is sa Leyte, Leyte,
We-we-we so excited,
We so excited
We gonna have Fishball today…
Tomorrow is Lagawe
And Baguio comes after…wards
I don’t want this weekend to end…
PH, Philippine Islands
So chillin’ with halo-halo (halo-halo)
Ginatang, bilo-bilo (bilo-bilo)
I’m drivin’ cruisin’ (yeah yeah)
Fast-lane, fast-lane
Wit’ a bus by my side (FAIRVIEW ORTIGAS ILALIM-LALIM!)
(C’mon) Drivin’ to the Hundred Islands in a minute
Or Bacolod, Inasal manok, dirty ice cream
Check my time, Dumaguete, it’s a weekend
And in Davao, gonna have fun, c’mon, c’mon, y’all
It’s the Philippines, Philippines
It’s more fun in the Philippines
Everybody’s travelling for the weekend, weekend
Philippines, Philippines
It’s more fun in the Philippines
Everybody’s travellin’ for the weekend
Philippines, partyin’ (YEAH)
Philippines, partyin’ (YEAH)
#1forFUN, #1forFUN, #1forFUN, #1forFUN
Travellin’ for the weekend
It’s the Philippines, Philippines
It’s more fun in the Philippines
Everybody’s travelling for the weekend, weekend
Philippines, Philippines
It’s more fun in the Philippines
Everybody’s travellin’ for the weekend
Philippines, partyin’ (YEAH)
Philippines, partyin’ (YEAH)
#1forFUN, #1forFUN, #1forFUN, #1forFUN
Travellin’ for the weekend
