“If it isn’t good, it isn’t done, yet.”
I like what that speaker said when he talked to a group of teachers in Professional Development Training.
That statement sort of confused the audience for a while. Yet, the speaker went on to explain and enlighten them about the booming idea of OBE or Outcome-Based Education. He said that this is a paradigm shift, a system that creates a condition of success for all learners. Its founder, Dr. William Spady, believes that (1) All students can learn and succeed; (2) Success breeds success; and (3) Schools control the conditions of success. How can all of these possibly happen?
The educator should understand that an outcome is a culminating demonstration of learning. Learning experience must foster it. Teacher must teach it. Student must demonstrate it. The assessment must measure it. The transcript must document it. In short, everything must lead to the expected outcome.
So when a child did not yet reach the desired outcome, he or she didn’t fail, he or she is just not done yet. He/She isn’t good, YET.
It is very important that a school, a powerful institution in building lives, must understand this concept of OBE, and breed the culture that there is hope for every seemingly failing child. He or she just needs an expanded opportunity in order to succeed. Maybe he or she needs just more time. Maybe a different approach will work best on him or her. Maybe all he or she needs is your faith in him/her that he or she can do it. “What and whether the students learn is more important than when and how,” adds Spady.
Teachers, parents, community, if we have children who are struggling, difficult to deal with, just remember they aren’t done yet. Extend that helping hand and run the extra mile with them. After all, it is what they become that matters most.
By JANET G. CORIA-EN