Saturday, June 6, 2015

Narrow Streets of the Metros

Have you ever wonder why most of the streets in cities are narrow? So narrow that we find it out very difficult managing our way when we drive, plus the ambulant vendors and the piles of trash adding to our burden.

We often blame our local government and other government agencies about this issue.  But, is it the real problem? Are they the one who’s responsible for it? Well, somehow.

Before we jump to conclusions, let’s try to visit our past, our history.

It was 1569 when the Viceroyalty of the New Spain successfully annexed its power and jurisdiction to the archipelago that lies east of Indochina. They called it “Las Islas Filipinas”. The Western Kings, as well as the Friars, controlled its inhabitants (Indios) for 320 years.

So what’s the catch? Well, for 3 centuries, they’ve controlled everything in the archipelago especially the economy. They monopolized our products that hinder economic growth. They built roads and bridges in the cities and other urban municipalities, not for cars to pass but for the Carruajes and Calesa/ Caritela. Our streets were not designed for cars.

Why didn't Spain brought cars here? Simple reason, they don’t want the colony’s economy to grow. For them to continuously worshiped and looked up by the Indios. They just want us poor.
We were engaged for hundreds of years by the Westerners, and now we’re free. Free do things for the betterment of our country. We now have a Sovereign Government that’s here to help us to make that happen.

Narrow roads? Don’t blame the government.




Leave science to the scientists

When I was browsing my news feed on Facebook, I found an article about 2016 Republican presidential candidate (in US) Rick Santorum reacting about the encyclical letter on the environment that (will be) released on June 15 by the Pope. It is about the Catholic Church’s strongest statement to date on the moral issues associated with climate change. Many environmentalist got excited except for one, I think.

In one of its talk he says to the Pope "leave science to the scientists", in thinking that the church has gotten it wrong, in some cases, on science. Santorum told radio host Dom Giordano. “We probably are better off leaving science to the scientists, and focusing on what we’re really good at, which is theology and morality.” -ThinkProgress, 2015

The the memes went out and gone viral about this topic noting that the Pope is a scientist with a Master Degree in Chemistry. But this claim is not true.

He may not be a Master's Degree holder in Chemistry, he still graduated with a título (similar to diploma) in chemistry when he was 19... Pope Francis certainly respects the scientific method, and careful measurement ranks high in his list of values.
So don't ever under estimate the people who works and serve in church when they talk about science... because they might be credible than we are...


Friday, June 5, 2015

New system; is this the key to a quality education?

by Samantxa Cedro and Patrick Familara

Many students were alarmed when the said K-to-12 curriculum is going to be implemented for the sake of near future and nation’s development of quality education. This may make sense and this may be our turning-point; the key to the success we aim, but unfortunately, there are still questions left unanswered. These questions run through our minds and mouth – “Aren’t they just making it harder?” Majority of those who are affected by the implementation speak that question, even some parents disagree with this. Though, like most things- there are the pros and cons, advantages, disadvantages and of course, the Yin-Yang Principle; “There is a good in every bad and bad in every good.”

The 2010 discussion paper of Department of Education (Deped) states that they aspire each students to achieve mastery of core competencies and academic skills – claiming that the new curriculum is not only about placing additional 2 years but it is also about the two folds that has begun to be the main focus of this program: 1. Curriculum Enhancement 2. Transition Management. Now, it is well-proven that this program is being put in place due to the desire of imitating the foreign-standard-education from other countries. Alack, leaving us the questions: Is Philippines k-12 ready? Can they handle the first graduates of this curriculum well? Or will they screw up? Not only that - Most parents ran about the additional expenses that will be spent on it, adding that they have such little knowledge about the unfamiliar cycle of twelve.

Speaking of the unfamiliar cycle, Private and public management began to re-new their assessment framework while some had issues with it and some did not. These assessments are made to keep track of the progress and improvement of the child, to see if they have learned anything. How was it like, back then – anyway? Grades used to be based on the scores an individual get from the periodical exams, pre-tests, and quizzes, but now everything has changed. KPUP found its way to the program and made a drastic impact to the youth’s academic- education. Knowledge, Process, Understanding, Performance? Things were much simpler yet easier when it was all depended off the examinations (25%) but some things need to change. This kind of change might be a benefit of the others while the opposite goes for the rest.

KPUP, No More!

Just like John F. Kennedy (JFK) says, “Change is a law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”

Everybody were shocked especially the teachers who were just learning to love the newly implemented grading system for the K-12 curriculum, the KPUP (Knowledge, Process/Skills, Understanding, Product / Performance) when the Department of Education (DepEd) released an order last April 1, 2015 known as DepEd Order No. 8 series of 2015.

DO No. 8 s2015 – brings back the numerical rating scale to grade the students and the new grading system in all DepEd and Non-DepEd schools in the country (Philippines).  According to the DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro, the K to 12 Basic Education Program uses a “standards-and competency-based grading system” which are “indicated in the curriculum guides.” He added, all grades “will be based on weighted raw scores of the learners’ summative assessments” which will focus on three components including Written Work (WW), Performance Task (PT), and Quarterly Assessment (QA).

Starting this School Year 2015-2016, all schools in the country must use the new WW,PT,QA system as the basis for grading with “the average of the Quarterly Grades (QG) produces the final grade”.
Below is an example of the grading system  and the computation of grades / formula that was released by the DepEd.





Read more about the Classroom Assessment at deped.gov.ph/orders/do-8-s-2015