MAY 2 - MAY 8, 2021 6 OPINION WILLIAM E. ABLONG EYE OPENER wea_129@yahoo.com E


very time I see parents going to schools to claim their children’s learning modules, or whenever I hear of parents talking about their son’s or daughter’s travails about using the internet for their daily school lessons, I can’t help but wonder how working parents of today handle their children’s classes. Here in our place, most parents are working full-time and do not have the money to get private coaches, ordinarily called ‘tutors’. Which means that a huge number of young learners will not be able to learn as they should. It does not mean that parents don’t like to help their children or that they don’t care, they just don’t have enough time to juggle a full-time job at the same time supervising school lesson plans. Another reality is that many parents are not skilled educators. Teaching is a skill that needs training and passion. Many parents will be completely clueless when it comes to subjects such as modern algebra, calculus, and what not.


Gatchalian, chair of the Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, “schools in the Philippines will focus on distance learning. Depending on where you are, there can be blended learning, online learning only, or something modular.”


He added that since approximately 90 percent of


FOOD....FROM P. 5


help you discuss everything you want to in the allocated time. It will also allow people to come to the meeting prepared for the discussion. Microsoft has a number of free agenda templates you can use. 5. Review your


messages. When it comes to group texting, it’s more important than ever to think before you text! Instead of sending a snap text, review your response, punctuation and spelling!


text


6. Get involved in the conversation. A lot of times, it is hard to keep up with some of the group chat conversations. Nonetheless, it’s important to respond now and then so your fellow group chatters know that you’re still available. Instead of hitting mute, make your presence felt once in a while, and let people know what you actually think about matters in the agenda. 7. Don’t get off the topic. Six or seven people chatting can be pretty busy so it’s important that the content stays on topic. Instead of going off on unrelated issues, try a direct message or phone call. Once the topic has veered, it can be confusing to get back to the root of the matter.


chat. I am soooo guilty of this. It can be difficult to respond to a text barrage from one person, but it’s more complicated with group chats! Instead of asking multiple questions, wait for a response. If everyone has to jump in, and answer more than one question, the thread can get too busy too fast, and turns into a fruit salad gone bad. Here are some additional groups chat rules that I came across from experience:


8. Be patient in a group


common to look at the video feed of others, or at yourself, during a video call. But really, you should be looking at the camera to maintain the impression of eye contact. Position your webcam on eye-level or higher. This way, you will be looking directly into the camera, not down, and it will look more natural. You need to practice this even before the chat to get used to it! 10. Don’t think you can get away with turning off your camera. If everyone else has their camera on, video call etiquette demands you must, too. Be prepared for it. Cameras on have become the norm. Video helps add a human touch to virtual meetings, which can combat isolation, and strengthen team relationships. It also helps the meeting facilitator identify who is talking, or if anyone’s attention is wandering. 11. Mute yourself when not speaking


9. Make eye contact. It is


Even when you are not speaking, and think you are being quiet, most microphones can pick up even minor background noise. These sounds can be incredibly distracting and may prevent the speaker from being heard. Make it a practice to mute


important to be prudent about the information you share. Never give out information passwords, addresses, and even credit card numbers and other sensitive information. 13. Avoid Private


Conversations in a Group Chat


It’s one thing to direct message people individually if you want to talk about things. But if you’re on a group text, stick with conversations that relate to the whole group. 14. Don’t Text Bomb No one wants to receive


15. Refrain From Overusing Emojis Emojis and emoticons can be a fun way to be more expressive in a text. But when it comes to group texting, they can make it much busier. While you can still use them, it’s important to minimize your use so it doesn’t overwhelm the chat.


15=6. Never Leave a Group Chat Unexpectedly


yourself whenever you are not talking. Just remember to pay attention so you can unmute yourself quickly when you need to respond. With most software, it’s as simple as a click of the button. 12. Withhold Sensitive Information If you’re part of a larger group chat, there’s a chance that you might not know everyone. That’s why, it’s


20 or 30 notifications because they’re in a group chat. It can become impossible to respond and will make it hard for others to stay involved. Stick with easy responses, condense your texts, and be direct.


According to Sen. Sherwin


kids in the Philippines go to public school, twenty-three million public school children will need to learn how to absorb lessons from DepEd in this new format of teaching. “The struggle is truly massive and is being felt the world over, but all the more amplified for us here in the country due to socio- economic disparities and weak technological infrastructure….. less than 47 percent of public school children have access to the Internet let alone gadgets. In rural areas, these numbers can go below 10 percent.”


What a situation indeed. Today, the burden of


online learning no longer falls on the teacher. We parents are now thrown into taking on the responsibilities of an occupation that is foreign to most of us.


hurdles, she is struggling to juggle her time with a full-time career, and having to help her three children throughout the school day. I, too, have a young learner at home. I am very thankful to God though that I can provide her with all the necessary gadgets she may need in her lessons, I can provide her internet, and I and my wife (because we are both educators) can provide her all the guidance that she needs. But what about the others?


Parent or teacher?


a full-time working mother struggles with today’s new normal. She said that while her children may have all the right gadgets and that they, as a family, don’t have financial problems, she is besieged and fraught with the issues of online learning. She just can’t imagine others who are not as lucky as she is, how do they cope? And because she is not a “techy” person, she is forced to learn how to use and navigate Google classroom and Google suite. More than the technological


I’ve read somewhere how


Those who are in the margins of society? How will they be able to cope? Those who have to toil day in and day out just to be able to bring one kilo of rice and some viand to the table? Will they still be able to have time or energy to tutor their children? And even if they have the stamina to sit beside their kids after a hard day’s work, are they capable of teaching them the things that they need to learn?


METROPOST


Silliman University distributes food packs to outsourced personnel who have been displaced due to the pandemic. (contributed photo)


AMNESTY....FROM P. 3


I don’t have the solution at the moment. However, despite all the questions in my mind as to how parents are coping today’s education hurdles, I see one silver lining -- this COVID-19 pandemic has provided people a once- in-a-lifetime opportunity to reset their relationships with school teachers and with their children.


I think that’s one that we need to be happy about and be grateful for.


which are not granted in their names, will not solve the problem and would put those who have acquired these franchises under grave economic prejudice.


Councilors Amores and Edgar Lentorio noted the intention of the amnesty is to stop the selling of more franchises, and for those


ILEARN....FROM P. 5 being pursued?


Let’s say, you oppose it because the construction of a campanile-like structure competes with the only campanile left—there used to be a quadrant of campaniles: the current Cathedral Belfry; the one that disappeared at the corner where the BPI is now located; the one that disappeared at the corner of Holy Child Hospital; and the one that disappeared on one of the corners of the Public Market.


Or you oppose it because a certain Prelate who is biased against Freemasonry rejects the construction of an obelisk. Isn’t it ironic that an obelisk is one of the centerpieces in St. Peter Square at the Vatican? What motivated Pope Sixtus V to erect the 82-feet high phallic pillar there is still a mystery to me. But how’d Jose Rizal as a Mason respond to the Prelate’s condemnation? Moreso, how’d the local Masons here respond?


Or you oppose it because


you simply prefer the revetment of the existing and deteriorating seawall.


Once you’re in a chat with other people, you’re a part of the thread whether you want to be or not. Unfortunately, if you’re not interested in participating, it can be awkward to leave. Instead of simply exiting without saying a word, let people know that you’re leaving politely. This will ensure there are no hard feelings. Similarly, if you’d like to add another person, first ask the group if it’s okay.


Bottom line: Observe the Golden Rule!


Or you oppose it because of your overblown belief of an environmental Armageddon to be soon generated by shoreline modification. I have more questions to


ask but suffice it to say, I acknowledge that no one has a monopoly over notions of what is moral or immoral. That is why, I perfectly understand the either-or trajectory of non-volunteers and armchair experts making sweeping conclusions within the confines of their own insights and interests. The trick for me, however, is to resolve this quandary


operating more than five franchises to surrender the “excess number” which can be assigned to other qualified operators so that more families can benefit from the business.


Representatives of MCH


operators and drivers said they have become victims of unremitted fees for Special


as an ontological issue (the actual reality) rather than as an epistemic issue (what one prefers as the reality). This is what I cherish the most as a pro bono (or puro abono) adviser of the Chief Executive. I can disinterestedly work with his vision and plans without expecting any gain or favor.


I can objectively counsel


him that there is a tremendous amount of science that can be learned from planning models of coastal protection and management in the world. That is why alleging


and preempting every development act as a moral matter reduces it into an epistemic rather than an ontological problem.


Repeating endlessly the contention of concern for corruption or hurting the poor -- with no evidence to back it up -- does not itself constitute evidence of anything. It is nothing but using allegation and preemption in place of evidence.


In fact, no one has shown facts or proofs that the City’s projects are under board. The thing is, you can huff and puff and allege or preempt anything but at some point, you have to provide some proof to back it up, especially when what is being alleged or preempted is so serious like


Power of Attorney that give them additional financial burden.


The proposed amnesty will ensure that all MCH units operating in Dumaguete are duly registered, prohibit the need for SPAs, create more livelihood opportunities for others, and protect the riding public.


corruption or hurting the poor. My inclination is different. I have studied and seen successful planning models of coastal protection and management that utilize “soft engineering” and “hard engineering” approaches. Thus, I find it compelling to share them as development alternatives to consider. And so, allow me to end with these questions: Is the City’s development


effort to protect lives and properties, let’s say in Barangay Tinago, slammed by strong waves and storm surges moral?


Is the City’s decision to


balance the costs and benefits of a development act moral? Is the City’s effort to even the playing field between private space and public space moral? Is the City’s utilization of “soft engineering” and/or “hard engineering” models for coastal protection and management moral?


Are they the right questions to ask? Or are they just oxymorons? Or the Chief Executive is just doing the right thing because it’s the right thing to do. I like what Jesus said in the


Sermon of the Mount: “Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth.”


You be the judge.


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