Bohol public school teacher pays it forward

MANILA, Philippines - Armand Lagria, 29, does not have any formal computer training and has only learned from experience. As a computer teacher who was recently given the chance to improve teaching using web-based skills through the Global Filipino Teacher (GFT) training program of Globe Telecom, Armand is committed to pay it forward knowing how it is to struggle without systematic training.

Armand conducts computer training to around 80 public school teachers from Bilar even without benefit of honoraria. “I have to exert more to mentor fellow teachers as a GFT graduate,” said Armand with a sense of conviction.

GFT is part of Globe Bridging Communities (Globe BridgeCom) corporate social responsibility (CSR) effort. GFT seeks to improve the knowledge, skills, and attitude of public school teachers all over the country in the application of ICT-enabled learning environments.

The GFT graduates thus far have become catalysts for change in their respective schools and the other schools in their communities. One such exemplary catalyst is Armand.

Armand may not be a popular figure outside of his native town but he, together with fellow teachers from different parts of the world, deserves to be given credit for the role they play in guiding people through the life-long learning process as the international community celebrates the World Teachers’ Day.

The GFT training received by Armand would redound to the benefit of the students of Bilar National High School, where he studied. Armand was the first valedictorian of this far-flung school when it had about 90 students and 2 sections. Now, his school has over 700 students and a total of 17 sections.

After earning an undergraduate degree in Secondary Education Major in Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE), Armand went back to Bilar NHS in 2004 as a casual employee assigned to assist the Computer teacher in the computer lab.

“When the Computer teacher was promoted and assigned to another school, I was put in-charge of the media equipment,” Armand recalled. No other teacher in Bilar NHS at that time had formal studies in computers nor was qualified to take over the Computer teacher’s post.

Armand was granted a permanent teaching position in 2007. As a Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) teacher, he uses computers in teaching his subject. Bilar NHS now has “computer majors” among its 3rd and 4th year students, as an area in TLE.

It was then natural that Armand was sent to represent Bilar NHS when Globe conducted the 3rd cluster of its GFT training program in Region 7 in November 2009. The series is in partnership with the Cebu-based Coalition for Better Education (CBE), which promotes education development through policy advocacy, community involvement, research, training and development.

 “GFT changed my teaching strategies and techniques,” said Armand. Through GFT, he was introduced to the Project-Based Learning (PBL) Approach. “Students discover their own learning through PBL. There is authentic learning, because it is the students experiencing the lessons. They’re the ones doing the activity,” he explained. Armand handles around 40 students in a given school year.

From a computer lab assistant who played it by ear, Armand has become confident in equipping his co-teachers in Bilar in the use of ICT-enabled learning environments. “It will help the class. Nowadays students learn more by integrating technology in a class. They are more eager to learn,” explained Armand.

Bilar NHS has been welcoming neighboring schools in the use of its Internet facilities and computer lab. Presently, it has 15 computers, and the school plans to have 30 to 40 computers. Bilar NHS was a also beneficiary of the Internet-for-Schools Program (ISP) of Globe BridgeCom.

Since the launch of Globe BridgeCom in July 2004, through its ISP initiative, Globe has connected more than 2,000 public high schools to the internet, bridging the digital divide and pioneering the use of the latest Information Technology (IT) platforms, such as Wi-Max (Wireless Inter-Operability for Microwave Access) in the public educational system. Now, being a student or a teacher in a remote public high school no longer puts him or her at such a disadvantage.