Respect Education Program Teachers' Training

Participants during Teachers’ Training on Respect and PREPARE Program, in Lake Sebu

​Extending far and wide this year’s Respect Education Program (REP), Pasali Philippines Foundation, Inc. together with Mindanao Convergence of NGOs for Social Protection (MinCoNSP) and Respect Education Foundation-Netherlands, in partnership with Department of Education-Region XII and with funding support from Cordaid, strongly started with a 2-week Teachers’ Training on the various respect principles and methodologies. A total of more than 300 teachers, school head coming from 72 schools across regions XI and XII and ARMM came for the event held last April 20 to 25 at Lake Eco Resort Lake Sebu, South Cotabato and April 27 to May 1, 2015 at London Beach Resort, Barangay Bawing, General Santos City.

Week 1 Training with REF Netherlands: Teachers’ Training on Respect + (Respect and PREPARE Program)

The Respect + Training was an integrate approach of the Respect Education program and Prepare Trauma program that aims to improve the quality of education by creating a learning environment where every child feels safe, accepted and able to fully develop himself/herself with a special focus on trauma counseling. The 5-days training which was participated by 100 teachers who are working at schools situated in conflict areas, was an opportunity for them to determine how to approach and manage traumatized children in the classroom. 

Synergizing the concepts of Adaptive Learning, theory on Multiple Intelligences and Cooperative Learning approach, the teachers were capacitated with techniques and strategies that will provide an environment where the children can maximize more their potentials and promoting a climate of respect through a productive and meaningful classroom climate. The sessions further allowed the teachers to explore more about their emotions and experiences which will help them analyze how to react professionally on certain behaviors and emotions that can take over the class. At the end, the participant found practical ways to professionalize their teaching skills in dealing with disturbing behaviors caused by trauma thus positively deal with and meet the needs of the children.

Main speakers, Femke van der Ster and Dolf Hautvast

Week 2 Training: TOT of Experienced Teachers and Facilitators and Teachers’ Training on Respect Education of New Teachers

The experience was a two part activity compose of two batches, the first batch, compose of 37 teachers, being the Training of Trainer’s or TOT held from the 27th to the 29th of April and catered to those experienced REP teacher advisers from the previous years of implementations. These two batches met on the 29th to welcome the arrival of the new set of teachers to be added for the next round of REP. The second batch, starting on the 29th up to May 1, undergone various activities to be able to internalize and understand the foundation of Respect Education. 

Not only did the teacher participants learn the 3 main methodologies of REP, which were: the Multiple Intelligences, Adaptive Learning, and Cooperative Learning, they were also able to understand how these methods can be used and applied in their daily teachings. The workshops were very hands-on, challenging the teachers to think critically and bring out ideas and solutions that are actually within them lodging and waiting to be brought out into the open. Activities like speed-dating, group dynamics, the various think-tank sessions, shadow characters, expert tables and many more brought together teachers from different schools who were previously strangers to each other to mingle, brainstorm and exchange positive opinions inclusive of the topics highlighted. Social issues like a sulky and unresponsive students where thoughtfully analysed. Teachers showed that they already had the capacity to think out of these situations and create possible Do’s and Don’ts applicable for this. Teachers were even able to experience simulations of the workshops conducted to the students. Like the children they were able to afterwards share their own outputs of their Symbols of Respect, Shadow Theater and Puppet Show, and I am Poem.

Leading these 2-week trainings were Dolf Hautvast, Senior Education Consultant, Femke van der Ster, Head of Education, both from the Respect Education Foundation in The Netherlands, and Dr. Rogier van‘t Rood, International Consultant on Educational Improvements, who shared his expertise on managing the traumatized child in the classroom. They were instrumental for the realization of what a facilitator of knowledge act towards the children. Their inputs circulated on how a child behaves in the classroom, the possible cause of the behavior. They were able to share their own experiences and reflections that taught them that every child is special and uniquely intelligent, and that a child learns best in his or her individual pace. They persuaded the teachers that a student can think, talk and learn without being forced into it if you just begin to understand the child.

It is a united activity to broadcast the ideals of REP for the betterment of the children.  Not only does it aims to inculcate positivity towards the child it also identifies the need for the teachers who are the facilitators of knowledge to and from the students to make use of the chance in the best way possible. It is a hope that all the teachers who have attended the teachers’ training will plant and cultivate that seed of knowledge to the group of children he or she will meet this next school year and propagate a garden filled with the blooms of self-expression and respect.

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