LA TRINIDAD, BENGUET – The Philippine Association for Teachers and Educators-Cordillera Administrative Region (PAFTE-CAR) held its Annual Regional Convention with the theme “Building Capacity for Mastery Learning” on March 31 to April 1, 2016 at the College of Teacher Education Function Hall, Benguet State University.
The convention, endorsed by the Commission on Higher Education Central Office and attended by 40 participants from the region intended to strengthen personal and professional ties with PAFTE individual and institutional members in CAR.
Dr. Romulo H. Malvar, Officer-in-Charge, CHED-CAR, emphasized in his keynote speech the importance of building meaningful and mastery learning, relating this further to standards which guarantee quality and excellence . With this in mind, he challenged the administrators to monitor closely the implementation of the curriculum to assure that students are given quality instruction.
Engr. Reynold Agustin, who described himself as a calculator addict and author of Calculator Mathematics, convinced the participants with the power of calculator through demonstrating its different features and proving that formula is not needed in solving mathematical problems. He ended his discussion by paying tribute to teachers, stating that the inspiration behind his success was a teacher who did not give-up in guiding and molding him.
Dr. Stephenie Ong-Busbus presented about Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) wherein she equated knowing how to teach and knowing what to teach. She highlighted that while teachers’ strong content knowledge and verbal skills have demonstrated links to higher students’ achievement, these do not guarantee successful learning. She concluded her presentation by encouraging the adherence of teachers not only with PCK but also with Technology Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) and Values Technology Pedagogical Content Knowledge (VTPCK), if possible; thus, the inclusion of technology as well as values in the package.
Paper presentations and simultaneous demonstration teachings in Mathematics, English, Filipino, MAPEH, Science, SPED, TLE and Araling Panlipunan were also conducted for the participants to add in their repertoire of interactive, collaborative, interactive and reflective teaching strategies and adopt in their respective classrooms if applicable.
On the other hand, Dr. Felina P. Espique clarified the impact of Mastery Teaching and Learning by quoting that “the essence of mastery and meaningful learning is the effective transfer of learning done with creativity, polish and grace. They are a result of a teaching-learning process that is focused on clear, shared, essential learning outcomes.”
The session was culminated by the justification of Professor Raymundo Pawid on the implication of maintaining wholeness, wellness and wealth in which he affirmed that enjoying a flourishing life is complete mental health.
PAFTE is an organization for teacher educators which aims to promote the professional development of teachers. Membership, which is either institutional or individual, includes the deans and the faculty of Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) and those who contribute in the formation of the pre-service teachers: the cooperating teachers or mentors, the resource teachers for the Experiential Learning, the principals, the supervisors and the Superintendents of the Department of Education.
By MARLYN POKING-WACNAG
