Global Filipino School: Building a community of 21st century-ready teachers and students

MANILA, Philippines - Hard work and persistence always pays off — this is what 32-year-old Armand Lagria has learned over the past years. Lagria started out as a utility assistant in the principal’s office of Bilar National High School in 2003. After getting his degree in secondary education at Bohol Island State University (BISU) in 2003, Lagria was hired as a teacher at BHS the year after.

Now, he has a full plate teaching Technology and Livelihood education (TLE) to third year and fourth year high school students as well as Filipino to third year high school students. “I’ve always wanted to be a teacher,” shares the 32-year-old TLE teacher.

Lagria was also chosen to be part of the Global Filipino Teachers (GFT) Program of Globe Telecom which trains teachers on the use of integrated communications technology (ICT) in classroom instruction and the use of project-based learning approaches. With an intensive 54-hour, six-day Global Filipino Teacher training program to his name, Lagria is also one of the peer coaches tasked to train other teachers on new methods of teaching using ICT integration in his school district.

When Bilar National High School was chosen to be the country’s first Global Filipino School in 2011 by Globe Telecom along with implementing partner, Coalition for Better Education (CBE), Lagria had mixed emotions. “I’m happy and proud but am also mindful of the big responsibility,” he says. The Global Filipino School is a competency-building initiative of Globe Telecom that seeks to transform public high schools into ICT centers of excellence and hopes to provide access to quality education. The first Global Filipino School was turned over to Bilar National High School in December 2012.

“Masaya talaga ako. I’m thankful for the opportunities — first as a Global Filipino teacher, and now our school as a Global Filipino School — to become more effective in my work as a teacher,” says Lagria. “Behind all these blessings are also big responsibilities. My duties will not only be limited to the classroom setting but now, I am tasked to help influence and mentor my colleagues not only in our school but other schools as well to promote the use of ICT as a tool in teaching.”

The community-based ripple effect is what Globe hopes to achieve with the establishment of the first Global Filipino School in Bilar National High School. The ICT model school is equipped with wired and wireless Internet connection, multi-media peripherals, and is housed in an energy — efficient and environment-friendly building. “More than just the physical infrastructure, we are helping build a community of leaders — of principals, teachers, and community heads who will be trained on mentoring, collaborative learning, effective leadership and ICT tools for student assessment and school management,” says Rob Nazal, head for Globe Corporate Social Responsibility.

With Lagria at the helm and with the support of Bilar National High School principal Maria Lileth Calacat, plans are underway for teacher training and ICT integration into the current high school curriculum. “We’re excited to teach more students with the new facilities and provide new avenues for learning. We want Bilar National High School to inspire and transform other communities and schools to be globally-competitive hubs for learning and teaching,” adds Lagria.