by Mary Charmine Grace O. Baniago
COVID-19 is a global crisis with far-reaching consequences for individuals and systems worldwide. This new reality is overwhelming, numbing, and crippling. However, every cloud has a silver lining. Amid the chaos, no one needs to feel they have all the answers, because clearly, no one does. During a crisis, it is acceptable to have more questions than answers. There is no room for 'not-invented-here' attitudes; we should all embrace being learners.
This crisis should serve as a final wake-up call for educational reform and the need for reciprocity between teachers and students. Today's youth are not the same as when we were young.
A new World Bank note outlines two key principles to strengthen teacher effectiveness during and after the pandemic:
Principle 1: Support Teacher Resilience to Ensure Teacher Effectiveness
School systems must protect teacher jobs and salaries to maintain a motivated workforce ready to help students catch up when schools reopen.
Principle 2: Support Teachers Instructionally to Ensure Teacher Effectiveness
Teachers must be equipped to assess students upon their return to school, identifying key content and skills that have been lost and need rebuilding.
Mary Charmine Grace O. Baniago is a Master Teacher in the DepEd Division of Capiz. She completed her master's degree in Science Teaching at Filamer Christian University.