Research and Information

Today's topic at training was Research and how to teach it to SHS. The facilitator seemed knowledgeable. Unfortunately, her audience, on their 12th day of "incarceration" were either too tired, too preoccupied (with their gadgets as the hotel offered free wifi) or just naturally shutting down their brain stem at the mere mention of the word "research". Research isn't exactly a strength among basic education teachers. Many of them struggled thru their Master's just so they could get a more respectable rank. In many divisions, research is synonymous to the local government's additional COLA of 1500/month. Or so I discovered.

I remember that years ago, as a teacher in a very research-oriented university along Taft Ave., I made the mistake of revealing my lack of interest in research. I think that was the beginning of my downfall in the eyes of my superiors. I eventually began to appreciate research's role in the academic profession but I wasn't able to cultivate a good enough reputation in it. Proof is the fact that my dissertation took too long to be defended and when I finally did, my panel already had made up their minds it wasn't good enough. Not that it was the worst paper they have ever read. But that's another issue. 

I have since taught Intro to Research to technology students somewhere near Morayta. I loved the subject. I enjoyed teaching it and getting my students started in the wonderful word of sociological research. They didn't have much use for it though bec by the time they got to thesis writing, a whole new angle to research is presented or forced on them, that of the technological kind. They even forgot the importance of honesty in the use of sources. All they cared about was the design or program their thesis was all about. 

Research is also not a strong suit of Filipinos in general. There are very few people who are into it. Many Pinoys seem averse to the "tedious" process of finding out more and that they'd rather accept what ever info is presented to them despite the obvious irregularity, lack of logic and truth in it. Google has made info so accessible that many Pinoys take it for granted. Instead of making the search engine their friend, they have become too lazy to use it to their advantage. It's like settling for the info received thru the grapevine or the neighborhood gossip. Many would readily believe the tall tales bec verifying them would just take time.

Several times, the problem of fake news was mentioned by almost every facilitator we've had. The teachers seem to acknowledge it but so far no effort was made to discuss it further. Yes, even if the queen of fake news has recently been rewarded for her achievements in it. The talk centered only on how much she would be getting. Nothing much on how she has twisted the appreciation for the truth and the factual on socmed. The teacher seated near me even pointed to (and ready to believe) the latest fake story of two senators holding hands on the street. I was just quick enough to correct him. Good to note that his source was FB and mine was Twitter. We do realize though that it's not really the platform but the user. This morning there was this misleading use of a still photo from Coco Martin's teleserye to depict the worsening drug situation in the country. And that's from Reddit, supposedly a better, more reliable platform than FB. 

Anyway, information is power and in this age of Trump and Duterte, false information is more powerful than facts  it seems. It has won elections for the undesirables and unimaginables. I don't know when we are going to come around and realize the value of research and the pursuit of facts but obviously we can't just rely on our educators. Not yet. They, too, are in the infancy stage when it comes to research and its rewards.

I don't deserve this government!

It took sometime before I could really feel my government was working for me and that my taxes weren't being squandered by the selfish and the greedy. From Marcos to Arroyo, I think I didn't prosper much bec I was too preoccupied with getting pissed off by my government. PNoy's was a dream. Despite the many problems it needed to face, it made me feel that I was working for a society and country that deserved all my love and concern. It was PNoy's admin wc inspired me to seek government employment despite being quite comfortable as a tenured faculty in a private university. It was time to give back. PNoy and his people (save for a few bad eggs) gave their all for good governance. PNoy gave hope and pride which were missing in many of us for decades. 

Then Duterte happened.

I have no regrets transferring to the public school but this present regime is making me feel abused and deprived again. I would have accepted the fact that delays are norm in the public school system, may it be in documents or in remuneration but what makes things hard for me to go thru day in day out is our leader's utter disregard for the importance of good influence, role models and the high level of appreciation for the pursuit of truth and knowledge which our society needs in order to prosper. This government is so blatant in its insults for the trustworthy, the sincere and the properly educated. Many appointees of Duterte are walking insults to members of society who are consistent in their uprightness and perseverance not to mention their thirst for wisdom. This government gave power to men and women who possess qualities exactly the opposite of what are often aspired. 

Duterte hated school and is disgusted with knowledge thru education. He belittles the scholarly and the scientific and decides on things out of sheer impulse and caprice. He rewards the liar, the fake, the greedy and the crass. For one who has given much premium on education and has devoted many years helping educate the young, how can I feel inspired by the rottenness and shallowness his regime seems to espouse? 

I love my job. I will go on teaching till my retirement but God grant me the resolve to continue on despite the grim atmosphere this government has set for me, our youth and our country as a whole. It's just too tiring at times. I don't, we don't deserve this government.

A Time To Cuss

As a teacher, I try my best not to use cuss words beyond "ulol" and "gago" in my tweets. I also avoid RTing posts that slut-shame women or denigrate certain sectors like the mentally-challenged. I could call Duterte "demonyo" or Arroyo, "makapal" but the most I could say is my fave HT #NaMo or #NaNyo when I am really really disgusted by it all. 

There are many reasons why I should let my guard down. Duterte's government has given me enough instances to forget that I have students who follow me and I should not care anymore if I use words "unbecoming" of my profession. Believe me, it's not easy restraining myself. 

At home, I noticed that I cuss over meals when the TV is on and the news would show our evil president doing what he does best- lie and insult everyone. I really feel guilty bec I know my kids, all grown up and who don't use bad words, feel uncomfortable about it. I know though that they understand where the frustration is coming. They share the sentiment. They know how concerned and disturbed I am about our present predicament as a nation. 

Online, I will leave it to my socmed friends to curse and cuss on my behalf when we are time and again get agitated by this punishment called government. My priority is still to express/share my opinion on issues hoping the younger set would be encouraged to think and form their own take on the never-ending concerns we face as a people. Thank heavens for symbols, punctuations and emoticons for giving me the option when it's time to cuss. So , Duterte, 😡💩😏😡👿$/@&%#€¥%!

Too much

I really don't mind her unsavory past. I take offense at the lies she helps spread especially at the expense of other women like the good senator and the gentle VP. Though it was ironic that she got appointed to the MTRCB at first, I was thinking she would try to fit the job. But she went on disparaging truth and the second highest official of the land. She has influence obviously, but she uses it to mislead people especially our countrymen abroad who aren't critical enough of their news source. 

The former mayor is the worst president we've had. He doesn't care who he insults. He is pure evil. He allowed the bad back into power, he encouraged the slaughter of the very people who looked up to him for support and worse, he continues to ram down our throats the worst appointees ever. 

This government has no shame. It deserves its new ASEC for Comms but then, do we really deserve the way it insults us everyday? On May 9th yet. It's the day some 16 million fools dragged us down to hell. Pilipinas, ang hirap mong ipaglaban. Ang tanga mo kasi. Gustong-gusto mong ginagago ka. Nakakapagod ka na. 

Carebears.

I half-expected it. I know how teachers, whether from private or public schools seem to shun social issues and are only lending all ears when remuneration is the topic. Still, I felt sad that the group of social science teachers didn't rise to the occasion when the topic of human rights came up in the training-seminar. They are teaching social studies, politics and government and now are tasked to handle a very timely course "Community Engagement, Solidarity and Citizenship". I am sure we are all acquainted with issues that confront us as a nation. But...

The young historian who walked us through the curriculum guide for the subject was quite excited on the first day because he said we are going to tackle Human Rights and so he asked the training staff to distribute copies of the UN Declaration. He also dropped some hint on what key issues we would be discussing and the key words are definitely not alien to any of us: EJK, war on drugs, gender sensitivity, etc.

The first activity was already very telling. When asked who do we consider as best PH president, three volunteered the following choices one after the other:

1. Garcia - because a former professor told them of his admin and this teacher was impressed. The fact that she couldn't say much about what Garcia accomplished is as we now say "maliit na bagay". 

2. Marcos- because this teacher was brought up in a family who thinks the late dictator did so much (infra-wise) . 

3. Arroyo- because ,let's face it, argued the teacher, it was in her time that teacher salary began to increase. 

Now, I must admit that I tend to judge others by their political choices. The three above went on my list of co-trainees I wish to interact less with. Well, not really. I could still stand them because tolerance and understanding were also taken up seriously in this seminar. Still, I could only roll my eyes at the prospect of them teaching the soc sci courses to SHS.

When Human Rights came up, there were three who volunteered the following opinion:

1. The US who forced these rights on us is guilty of violating them (cites Gitmo) and so why would we be forced to follow said UN Declaration?

2. We are a weak state with a weak justice system and therefore we may not follow the universal declaration.

3. Drug suspects rape or kill and they are not entitled to the respect for the right to live. 

The resource speaker was obviously having a hard time at this point and his enthusiasm about pursuing the topic waned. He just said it is but a topic in the syllabus and will only be given a few meetings to discuss and so he moved on to the next instead. EJK was not taken up anymore. Not by him. It was mentioned again by the next facilitator but I doubt if anyone would discuss it in the demo teaching scheduled for the next day.

If I were Dep-Ed, Human Rights should have been allotted at least two weeks to discuss. Given the nonchalance these teachers exhibited towards upholding the said rights, it seems it will just be given cursory treatment in class. And EJK will be trivialized if not totally accepted as a day-to-day thing. Teachers didn't care enough for human rights obviously in the same mind with many who think that killing druggies outright is the solution to what this regime has brainwashed many into thinking as the foremost problem of our country.

Aside from corruption, the foremost problem we have it seems is bad education which contributes to the weak instilling of values in many families. 

Sad.