Now, treating dyslexia could only be a mouse click away courtesy of a concerned parent and a computer program of his own design.
By: Vanessa Uy
A decade or so ago, personal computers and surfing on the web were seen by conservative right wing Luddites as detrimental to the intellectual development of children. Now, the humble PC might serve as an important tool to cure the most prevalent form of learning disability: dyslexia. Dyslexia on average affects 7% of children around the world. The jury is still out on the exact cause, but current research points out to genetic markers that alter the brain’s biochemistry. This makes dyslexic children’s progress in their reading and writing skills a little more difficult than average.
Dybuster, a multimedia computer program designed to serve as a therapy for children with dyslexia. Originally developed by Markus Gross of ETH Zurich for his own dyslexic child. After achieving good results with his own child, Markus Gross did a “field” trial of Dybuster to a group of kids afflicted with dyslexia. On 20- minute sessions each day at home, the kids did their hands-on trials to the various skill levels of the Dybuster. When the kids go back to school the next day, a follow-up and evaluation of any changes to their rate of learning progress is done.
Dybuster shows statistically good results even after just 3 months of regular use. Positive training effects can be ascribed to the program say’s the educational experts evaluating Dybuster. The kids who tried out Dybuster fell in love with the program’s ease of use and the “fun factor” that it provides. Most of all, the kids are very grateful to the improvement in their reading and writing skills.
The beta version (trial edition) of Dybuster could even run on a relatively old PC on Windows 98, the type of computer commonly donated by aid agencies to schools in poor communities. So Dybuster could help lots of dyslexic children here in the Philippines.
Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts
Friday, May 11, 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Review of Research Papers / Publications on Science Education, Part I
Vanessa Uy
Science Education: Where Do We Start?
By: Roger Osborne
The Australian Science Teachers Journal, August 1981
Roger Osborne was very insightful in noting that the students / pupils might have misconceptions about science which they might have picked-up early on. These ideas should be corrected by the teacher-at-hand. Because they might be dangerous to the life of the individual if he or she stake their lives on a certain uncorrected misconception.
A few months ago, my playmate’s younger brother once thought that as long as there is an electric fan turning in an air tight, hermetically sealed room, a person or an animal can still live. Even though all the oxygen contained in the air sealed inside, is consumed by the respiration process of the person or animal therein. To remedy this misconception, my playmate and I, both aspiring scientists, made an experiment. Using common household materials: a large jar about one gallon in volume, a basin filled with water large enough to fit the inverted jar, a styrofoam float, a candle and an “unfortunate” grasshopper set up so that the jar faces down with an air pocket. Inside, the floating candle burned. Accelerating oxygen consumption while a small battery operated fan whirls. The grasshopper died after several minutes after the candle flame was snuffed out due to the oxygen being exhausted even though the fan is still running. Basing on what we’ve learned so far about respiration, the grasshopper didn’t die because of the candle’s flame but due to lack of oxygen, and the fan is useless as a life support device at this point.
Science Education: Where Do We Start?
By: Roger Osborne
The Australian Science Teachers Journal, August 1981
Roger Osborne was very insightful in noting that the students / pupils might have misconceptions about science which they might have picked-up early on. These ideas should be corrected by the teacher-at-hand. Because they might be dangerous to the life of the individual if he or she stake their lives on a certain uncorrected misconception.
A few months ago, my playmate’s younger brother once thought that as long as there is an electric fan turning in an air tight, hermetically sealed room, a person or an animal can still live. Even though all the oxygen contained in the air sealed inside, is consumed by the respiration process of the person or animal therein. To remedy this misconception, my playmate and I, both aspiring scientists, made an experiment. Using common household materials: a large jar about one gallon in volume, a basin filled with water large enough to fit the inverted jar, a styrofoam float, a candle and an “unfortunate” grasshopper set up so that the jar faces down with an air pocket. Inside, the floating candle burned. Accelerating oxygen consumption while a small battery operated fan whirls. The grasshopper died after several minutes after the candle flame was snuffed out due to the oxygen being exhausted even though the fan is still running. Basing on what we’ve learned so far about respiration, the grasshopper didn’t die because of the candle’s flame but due to lack of oxygen, and the fan is useless as a life support device at this point.
Introduction to Beowulf
By: Vanessa Uy
Beowulf is a perfect example of an Old English Poem, which survives to this day. Written probably in the 8th Century A. D. The author’s identity was lost to history. The poem has about 3,182 alliterative lines.
Cast of Characters:
BEOWULF – the hero of the poem, born of the royal house of the Geatas, a tribe living in a part of what is now Sweden.
HEARDRED – son of Beowulf.
SCYLD – the child who arrived in Denmark, then became a mighty warrior, one of Beowulf’s ancestors.
KING HYGELAC – maternal uncle of Beowulf whom he served as a henchman.
KING HROTHGAR – the Danish king terrorized by Grendel.
GRENDEL – the troll who came every night to kill and eat those he caught.
The action opens in Denmark. The Danish king can’t do anything about Grendel, so he asked Beowulf for help. Beowulf heard of the “haunting”, so he with his 14 followers took ship for Denmark. King Hrothgar welcomed the Geatish troop and allowed them to use the castle’s hall for the night.
That evening, Grendel came and fought with Beowulf. Grendel’s arm was dismembered by Beowulf’s very strong grip. Grendel escapes to the bottom of the sea leaving behind his severed arm. He died soon after he reached his underwater abode.
The next evening, Grendel’s mother took revenge by abducting a high ranking Dane. Beowulf came after her and made his way to her hall at the sea- bottom and slew her using a supposedly lucky sword that he found there. After the hard fight in which the sword he had taken with him proved useless. Beowulf nearly lost his life.
When he and his men returned to Geatland laden with gifts, he made report to King Hygelac, who rewarded him with a huge grant of land. Some years later Heardred died in battle. Then Beowulf became king and ruled for 50 years.
A dragon began to lay waste of the Geatish countryside, in revenge for a theft from his treasure hoard. Beowulf, now a king, with the aid of his young kinsman, Wiglaf and ten other warriors set out to hunt the dragon down. When they neared its lair, Beowulf made his men wait while he advanced to fight alone. The fight went bad for Beowulf, thus Wiglaf came to his aid as the others fled. He and Wiglaf finally killed the terrible beast, but Beowulf was mortally wounded. When all was over, the “cowardly ten” came forward to bask in the glory of victory. Wiglaf rebuked them, and condemned them to the life of outcasts. The news of King Beowulf’s passing despite having slain the dragon brought the royal court to the scene, and the poem ends with the heroes funeral and words in his praise.
Beowulf falls into 2 contrasting parts. Part one (lines 1 – 2,199), the hero is young, an ideal foot-soldier, eager to risk his life for the good of others in high adventure to far away lands and beyond the call of duty. Beowulf fights single-handedly and always wins, despite long odds. His followers, though faithful, are smart enough not to interfere in his moment of glory. In part two (lines 2,200 – 3,182), the hero is older, an ideal ruler. Beowulf still goes to battle, but only when duty calls him to defend his own people. Still victorious but with only a kinsman beside him that’s willing to die for him; his followers proved useless in his hour of need, all but one.
The anonymous poet who wrote Beowulf attempted to reconcile both his pagan ancestry and his present Christian faith and culture at a time when Christianity was spreading unabated throughout Scandinavia. Beowulf could be viewed as a Cathecistal story to be told to the still non-Christian people of the British Isles during the 8th Century. Beowulf has pagan elements of bravery and courage mixed in with Christian values like charitable service. For me, Beowulf, which in my experience is now fashionably taught in High School could serve as a pre-requisite for someone interested in Wagnerian Operas of similar theme like Lohengrin or learning Nietzschean values like the “warrior ethic.”
Beowulf is a perfect example of an Old English Poem, which survives to this day. Written probably in the 8th Century A. D. The author’s identity was lost to history. The poem has about 3,182 alliterative lines.
Cast of Characters:
BEOWULF – the hero of the poem, born of the royal house of the Geatas, a tribe living in a part of what is now Sweden.
HEARDRED – son of Beowulf.
SCYLD – the child who arrived in Denmark, then became a mighty warrior, one of Beowulf’s ancestors.
KING HYGELAC – maternal uncle of Beowulf whom he served as a henchman.
KING HROTHGAR – the Danish king terrorized by Grendel.
GRENDEL – the troll who came every night to kill and eat those he caught.
The action opens in Denmark. The Danish king can’t do anything about Grendel, so he asked Beowulf for help. Beowulf heard of the “haunting”, so he with his 14 followers took ship for Denmark. King Hrothgar welcomed the Geatish troop and allowed them to use the castle’s hall for the night.
That evening, Grendel came and fought with Beowulf. Grendel’s arm was dismembered by Beowulf’s very strong grip. Grendel escapes to the bottom of the sea leaving behind his severed arm. He died soon after he reached his underwater abode.
The next evening, Grendel’s mother took revenge by abducting a high ranking Dane. Beowulf came after her and made his way to her hall at the sea- bottom and slew her using a supposedly lucky sword that he found there. After the hard fight in which the sword he had taken with him proved useless. Beowulf nearly lost his life.
When he and his men returned to Geatland laden with gifts, he made report to King Hygelac, who rewarded him with a huge grant of land. Some years later Heardred died in battle. Then Beowulf became king and ruled for 50 years.
A dragon began to lay waste of the Geatish countryside, in revenge for a theft from his treasure hoard. Beowulf, now a king, with the aid of his young kinsman, Wiglaf and ten other warriors set out to hunt the dragon down. When they neared its lair, Beowulf made his men wait while he advanced to fight alone. The fight went bad for Beowulf, thus Wiglaf came to his aid as the others fled. He and Wiglaf finally killed the terrible beast, but Beowulf was mortally wounded. When all was over, the “cowardly ten” came forward to bask in the glory of victory. Wiglaf rebuked them, and condemned them to the life of outcasts. The news of King Beowulf’s passing despite having slain the dragon brought the royal court to the scene, and the poem ends with the heroes funeral and words in his praise.
Beowulf falls into 2 contrasting parts. Part one (lines 1 – 2,199), the hero is young, an ideal foot-soldier, eager to risk his life for the good of others in high adventure to far away lands and beyond the call of duty. Beowulf fights single-handedly and always wins, despite long odds. His followers, though faithful, are smart enough not to interfere in his moment of glory. In part two (lines 2,200 – 3,182), the hero is older, an ideal ruler. Beowulf still goes to battle, but only when duty calls him to defend his own people. Still victorious but with only a kinsman beside him that’s willing to die for him; his followers proved useless in his hour of need, all but one.
The anonymous poet who wrote Beowulf attempted to reconcile both his pagan ancestry and his present Christian faith and culture at a time when Christianity was spreading unabated throughout Scandinavia. Beowulf could be viewed as a Cathecistal story to be told to the still non-Christian people of the British Isles during the 8th Century. Beowulf has pagan elements of bravery and courage mixed in with Christian values like charitable service. For me, Beowulf, which in my experience is now fashionably taught in High School could serve as a pre-requisite for someone interested in Wagnerian Operas of similar theme like Lohengrin or learning Nietzschean values like the “warrior ethic.”
Review of Research Papers / Publications on Science Education, Part III
Vanessa Uy
Students’ Perceptions about Science: The Impact of Transition
From Primary to Secondary School
By: Wendy Speering and Leone Rennie
Research in Science Education, 1996
While evaluating Speering and Rennie’s paper. I found out that there is a method of teaching science that is only familiar in elite schools and on special genius-level classes that could advance science education here in the Philippines. This method is called a “master class”. Dismissed as an elitist method suitable only for those learning institutions with more money than common sense. I believe this method could work here, and is a good value-for –money program. For example, if the topic for discussion will be about sound and acoustics, I would invite a famous musician or a recording engineer whose job is related to my science topic and give a lecture to my class. I believe this method could make my students value science because most of our kids today think that science only belong to the textbooks as opposed to real life. And these are also very high -paying jobs that could catapult the practitioner into celebrity status, thus allowing the guest speakers to meet their fans at the grassroots level.
Students’ Perceptions about Science: The Impact of Transition
From Primary to Secondary School
By: Wendy Speering and Leone Rennie
Research in Science Education, 1996
While evaluating Speering and Rennie’s paper. I found out that there is a method of teaching science that is only familiar in elite schools and on special genius-level classes that could advance science education here in the Philippines. This method is called a “master class”. Dismissed as an elitist method suitable only for those learning institutions with more money than common sense. I believe this method could work here, and is a good value-for –money program. For example, if the topic for discussion will be about sound and acoustics, I would invite a famous musician or a recording engineer whose job is related to my science topic and give a lecture to my class. I believe this method could make my students value science because most of our kids today think that science only belong to the textbooks as opposed to real life. And these are also very high -paying jobs that could catapult the practitioner into celebrity status, thus allowing the guest speakers to meet their fans at the grassroots level.
Introduction to Geoffrey Chaucer
By: Vanessa Uy
Geoffrey Chaucer was born in London about 1340, the son of a well-to-do and well-connected wine merchant. In his youth, he served as a page to the countess of Ulster, and later as a valet in the royal household. In 1360, after his capture while fighting in the French wars, Edward III paid his ransom, and later Chaucer married Philippa de Roet, a maid of honor to the queen and sister-in-law to John of Gaunt, Chaucer’s patron.
Chaucer spent many years in royal employment, as a comptroller of customs for the port of London, as justice of the peace for Kent, as a Member of Parliament. His appointment took him on various missions to France and Italy, where he probably met Boccaccio and Petrarch and discovered the poetry of Dante—influences that are evident in his own writing.
Chaucer’s body of work is often divided into three periods. The French period (to 1372); consisting of such works as a translation of the “Roman de la Rose” and “The Book of the Duchess”. The Italian period (1372-1385), including “The House of Fame”, “The Parliament of Fowls” and “Troilus and Criseyde” and the English period (1385-1400), culminating in The Canterbury Tales. In 1400, he passed away, leaving 24 of the apparently 120 tales he had planned for his final masterpiece. The 24 he wrote were sufficient. Chaucer became the first of England’s great men to be buried in the Poet’s Corner of Westminster Abbey.
Chaucer’s literary works are an example of a form of Middle English dialect then in use in Medieval London, which evolved into the Modern English of today. On the Canterbury Tales, his metrical versification of choice is the ”heroic couplet”, which is composed of pairs of successive lines, in iambic pentameter (regularly five feet, or ten syllables), that rhyme. Sometimes, Chaucer also uses “Rhyme Royal” as in Troilus and Criseyde, and Terza Rima which is rare in English prosody but is used in Part II of one of his minor poems, Complaint to His Lady.
The Canterbury Tales is probably the most famous of Chaucer’s works. It is a collection of tales set in verse form about various pilgrims on their way to pay homage to St. Thomas a Becket, a martyr murdered at Canterbury Cathedral in 1170. The pilgrims have various tales of their own which they told during their stay in a local inn. These tales could be described as the religious, moral, and philosophical views in Medieval England. Like the Pardoner’s Tale, which preaches that “the love of money is the root of all evil” or the Clerk’s Tale, which is about the virtue of patience taken to the extreme. The tales could also be viewed as a satire aiming to expose, and sometimes to correct (His Retraction), personal, social, or spiritual follies or vices.
The various pilgrims of The Canterbury Tales in order of importance to the society of Medieval England:
1. Knight 15.Tapestry Maker
2. Young Squire 16. Cook
3. Yeoman 17. Ship man
4. Prioress 18. Man of Physique (Medical Doctor)
5. Monk 19. Wife of Bath
6. Friar 20. Parson
7. Merchant 21. Plowman
8. Clerk of Oxford 22. Reeve
9. Sergeant-of-the-Law (Lawyer) 23. Miller
10. Franklin 24. Summoner
11. Haberdasher 25. Pardoner
12. Carpenter 26. Manciple
13. Weaver 27. Author
14. Dyer
Various characters of the “Tale” and their profile:
1. The Wife of Bath/Dame Alice – She’s very open about her private sex life. And she’s not ashamed to tell everyone about it during her drinking spree in the inn. Described as “gap-toothed”, which in Chaucer’s time would mean a woman of considerable sexual prowess. Too liberated for Medieval England and her “kiss and tell” attitude is anathema to my politically correct sewing circle.
2. The Pardoner – His “de rigueur” preaching about “The Love of Money is the Root of All Evil” borders on the point of obsession. Made a fortune by selling false religious relics. The only redeeming trait about him is his honesty about his wicked schemes or maybe this is just a way of rationalizing his guilty conscience. His present day counterparts include Vice President Dick Cheney and former secretary of defense Donald Rumsfeld.
Is the Canterbury Tales a story on how Medieval England perpetuated a culture of inequality?
During Chaucer’s time, there are very rigid class barriers that cannot be transcended. Like the “Haberdasher” never ever contemplates on becoming a “Knight” someday.
Women were treated in an arcane system that is a cross between being a property and a holy cow. They are pampered by their spouses or suitors lavishly, but have little by the way of individual rights. Women back then can only develop their intellectual prowess if they’ll enter into a convent and become a nun.
People back then have a strong faith in God and they believe that He keeps their universe in perfect working order.
In my opinion, one cannot ignore the message the tale is trying to tell. It treats anything as trivial and irrelevant as the reader searches for the moral of the story. Someone well versed in English Literature studies might defend the work by stating this story’s raison d’être is prosody, literary structure etc. and tells me that this is not a philosophy class. In the end, I’d rather live in a future that has undeniable proof that we descended from animals than to live in a past that believes that we are the pinnacle of God’s creation but can do nothing else like the proverbial “Taliban Cardiologist”.
Geoffrey Chaucer was born in London about 1340, the son of a well-to-do and well-connected wine merchant. In his youth, he served as a page to the countess of Ulster, and later as a valet in the royal household. In 1360, after his capture while fighting in the French wars, Edward III paid his ransom, and later Chaucer married Philippa de Roet, a maid of honor to the queen and sister-in-law to John of Gaunt, Chaucer’s patron.
Chaucer spent many years in royal employment, as a comptroller of customs for the port of London, as justice of the peace for Kent, as a Member of Parliament. His appointment took him on various missions to France and Italy, where he probably met Boccaccio and Petrarch and discovered the poetry of Dante—influences that are evident in his own writing.
Chaucer’s body of work is often divided into three periods. The French period (to 1372); consisting of such works as a translation of the “Roman de la Rose” and “The Book of the Duchess”. The Italian period (1372-1385), including “The House of Fame”, “The Parliament of Fowls” and “Troilus and Criseyde” and the English period (1385-1400), culminating in The Canterbury Tales. In 1400, he passed away, leaving 24 of the apparently 120 tales he had planned for his final masterpiece. The 24 he wrote were sufficient. Chaucer became the first of England’s great men to be buried in the Poet’s Corner of Westminster Abbey.
Chaucer’s literary works are an example of a form of Middle English dialect then in use in Medieval London, which evolved into the Modern English of today. On the Canterbury Tales, his metrical versification of choice is the ”heroic couplet”, which is composed of pairs of successive lines, in iambic pentameter (regularly five feet, or ten syllables), that rhyme. Sometimes, Chaucer also uses “Rhyme Royal” as in Troilus and Criseyde, and Terza Rima which is rare in English prosody but is used in Part II of one of his minor poems, Complaint to His Lady.
The Canterbury Tales is probably the most famous of Chaucer’s works. It is a collection of tales set in verse form about various pilgrims on their way to pay homage to St. Thomas a Becket, a martyr murdered at Canterbury Cathedral in 1170. The pilgrims have various tales of their own which they told during their stay in a local inn. These tales could be described as the religious, moral, and philosophical views in Medieval England. Like the Pardoner’s Tale, which preaches that “the love of money is the root of all evil” or the Clerk’s Tale, which is about the virtue of patience taken to the extreme. The tales could also be viewed as a satire aiming to expose, and sometimes to correct (His Retraction), personal, social, or spiritual follies or vices.
The various pilgrims of The Canterbury Tales in order of importance to the society of Medieval England:
1. Knight 15.Tapestry Maker
2. Young Squire 16. Cook
3. Yeoman 17. Ship man
4. Prioress 18. Man of Physique (Medical Doctor)
5. Monk 19. Wife of Bath
6. Friar 20. Parson
7. Merchant 21. Plowman
8. Clerk of Oxford 22. Reeve
9. Sergeant-of-the-Law (Lawyer) 23. Miller
10. Franklin 24. Summoner
11. Haberdasher 25. Pardoner
12. Carpenter 26. Manciple
13. Weaver 27. Author
14. Dyer
Various characters of the “Tale” and their profile:
1. The Wife of Bath/Dame Alice – She’s very open about her private sex life. And she’s not ashamed to tell everyone about it during her drinking spree in the inn. Described as “gap-toothed”, which in Chaucer’s time would mean a woman of considerable sexual prowess. Too liberated for Medieval England and her “kiss and tell” attitude is anathema to my politically correct sewing circle.
2. The Pardoner – His “de rigueur” preaching about “The Love of Money is the Root of All Evil” borders on the point of obsession. Made a fortune by selling false religious relics. The only redeeming trait about him is his honesty about his wicked schemes or maybe this is just a way of rationalizing his guilty conscience. His present day counterparts include Vice President Dick Cheney and former secretary of defense Donald Rumsfeld.
Is the Canterbury Tales a story on how Medieval England perpetuated a culture of inequality?
During Chaucer’s time, there are very rigid class barriers that cannot be transcended. Like the “Haberdasher” never ever contemplates on becoming a “Knight” someday.
Women were treated in an arcane system that is a cross between being a property and a holy cow. They are pampered by their spouses or suitors lavishly, but have little by the way of individual rights. Women back then can only develop their intellectual prowess if they’ll enter into a convent and become a nun.
People back then have a strong faith in God and they believe that He keeps their universe in perfect working order.
In my opinion, one cannot ignore the message the tale is trying to tell. It treats anything as trivial and irrelevant as the reader searches for the moral of the story. Someone well versed in English Literature studies might defend the work by stating this story’s raison d’être is prosody, literary structure etc. and tells me that this is not a philosophy class. In the end, I’d rather live in a future that has undeniable proof that we descended from animals than to live in a past that believes that we are the pinnacle of God’s creation but can do nothing else like the proverbial “Taliban Cardiologist”.
Review of Research Papers / Publications on Science Education, Part II
Vanessa Uy
Student’s Preferences for Different Contexts for Learning Science
By: Jung-Suk Choi and Jinwoong Song
Research in Science Education, 1996
Choi and Song’s research paper has a scope that’s not only limited to teaching natural science subjects, like biology and physics. It can be applied to social science subjects as well, like Political Science. One evergreen topic that is often discussed in a political science class is feminism, which most middle-class-unmarried twenty-something college women can relate to. As a “cause celebre”, these women are within their rights to question our present patriarchal status - quo which to every quid pro “for blurry” quo, the dismay of a male professor not mindful of these things. Like the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision on Roe versus Wade abortion issue. An intellectual discussion that parallels in formulating a theory that works in uniting Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity with Quantum Mechanics. All sides of the issue must be put into account. Like is it better to abort a life not yet human than to subject that said human to a life of socio – economic scapegoat. In this post 9 / 11 word, majority of the civilized world rejected the ”Taliban”. I hope that through education, we will reject the path of barbarism.
Student’s Preferences for Different Contexts for Learning Science
By: Jung-Suk Choi and Jinwoong Song
Research in Science Education, 1996
Choi and Song’s research paper has a scope that’s not only limited to teaching natural science subjects, like biology and physics. It can be applied to social science subjects as well, like Political Science. One evergreen topic that is often discussed in a political science class is feminism, which most middle-class-unmarried twenty-something college women can relate to. As a “cause celebre”, these women are within their rights to question our present patriarchal status - quo which to every quid pro “for blurry” quo, the dismay of a male professor not mindful of these things. Like the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision on Roe versus Wade abortion issue. An intellectual discussion that parallels in formulating a theory that works in uniting Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity with Quantum Mechanics. All sides of the issue must be put into account. Like is it better to abort a life not yet human than to subject that said human to a life of socio – economic scapegoat. In this post 9 / 11 word, majority of the civilized world rejected the ”Taliban”. I hope that through education, we will reject the path of barbarism.
Problems Facing Science Education In The Philippines
By: Vanessa Uy
Isn’t the working title of this article, seem so ironic? I would not be surprised that right now in a remote corner of our country, a science teacher is being burned on the steak a la Giordano Bruno. In order to formulate a viable solution, lets examine the dilemma faced by our science educators.
The problem facing science education in the Philippines is that there is an incoherence of the three levels of curricula. It is a threefold problem first caused by a lack of a concrete educational philosophy / aim / mission of our own. Second, some subjects are not in harmony to our Filipino culture. Third, some curriculum planners have more than enough resources but lack creativity in formulating brilliant solutions to mundane problems.
Maybe there will be enough brilliant people who are fed up by these second hand tragedies that they would create an educational “renaissance” here in our country. But the main obstacle is the first problem mentioned. Most of what we know (i.e. being taught in schools) about philosophy is the Western Judaeo-Christian sort. Every intellectual worth his or her salt knows that this is inferior compared to the best the East or Orient has to offer like Sun Tsu or Deepak Chopka. (Is this just a quirk of genetic memory that I’m kind of uncomfortable with most of the teachings of “The Holy Bible”, or a topic to be discussed in the near future?). We need first to grow as a society to solve problem number one. A solution whose critics say “a big waste of time that we do not have. Problem number two is being solved at present but at a pitifully slow rate. Its solution is hindered by politics, incompetent powers-that –be, and by book publishers (Attention Vibal Publishing!) who conduct their business like Arab dictators. Problem number three may be waiting to be solved by the new generation of curriculum planners, but when? Should we wait until the government’s jingoism suits our fancy? The need is immediate, and I think this is the right time that the teacher should apply their leadership skills. Teachers should also display integrity and genuine sincerity to the well being of their students / pupils so that they will be able to influence them the value of hard work and intelligence and all those teaching strategies / techniques will come naturally, like water flowing downhill.
Isn’t the working title of this article, seem so ironic? I would not be surprised that right now in a remote corner of our country, a science teacher is being burned on the steak a la Giordano Bruno. In order to formulate a viable solution, lets examine the dilemma faced by our science educators.
The problem facing science education in the Philippines is that there is an incoherence of the three levels of curricula. It is a threefold problem first caused by a lack of a concrete educational philosophy / aim / mission of our own. Second, some subjects are not in harmony to our Filipino culture. Third, some curriculum planners have more than enough resources but lack creativity in formulating brilliant solutions to mundane problems.
Maybe there will be enough brilliant people who are fed up by these second hand tragedies that they would create an educational “renaissance” here in our country. But the main obstacle is the first problem mentioned. Most of what we know (i.e. being taught in schools) about philosophy is the Western Judaeo-Christian sort. Every intellectual worth his or her salt knows that this is inferior compared to the best the East or Orient has to offer like Sun Tsu or Deepak Chopka. (Is this just a quirk of genetic memory that I’m kind of uncomfortable with most of the teachings of “The Holy Bible”, or a topic to be discussed in the near future?). We need first to grow as a society to solve problem number one. A solution whose critics say “a big waste of time that we do not have. Problem number two is being solved at present but at a pitifully slow rate. Its solution is hindered by politics, incompetent powers-that –be, and by book publishers (Attention Vibal Publishing!) who conduct their business like Arab dictators. Problem number three may be waiting to be solved by the new generation of curriculum planners, but when? Should we wait until the government’s jingoism suits our fancy? The need is immediate, and I think this is the right time that the teacher should apply their leadership skills. Teachers should also display integrity and genuine sincerity to the well being of their students / pupils so that they will be able to influence them the value of hard work and intelligence and all those teaching strategies / techniques will come naturally, like water flowing downhill.
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