Young teachers joined forces to form national network

Young teachers attend inspiring lectures and strategic workshops, including embracing the teaching profession and designing social development projects.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Windel Cabando was 15 when he was chosen by his Araling Panlipunan (Social Studies) teacher, Editha Fernandez, to represent Cansojong National High School in Talisay City in a quiz bee on Philippine history.

Cabando was not the top student but Fernandez motivated him to study and believed that he would succeed. He ended up winning the top prize.
“The trust she placed on me was very encouraging and I saw her positive influence on me. It was her example that inspired me to become a teacher myself,” said the 28-year-old Cabando, now a teacher of Talisay City National High School.

Cabando is the eldest of the two children of Edgardo, a fisherman, and wife Delia, a homemaker.

Windel went on to study Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Filipino at the government-funded Talisay City College and graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2009.

Between 2009 and 2011, he worked as a part-time teacher at the Bulacao Community High School and Cebu City Don Carlos A. Gothong Memorial National High School.

He was paid only P70 per hour.

But the young teacher did not mind.

He was inspired to impart his learning to the students and at the same time, learn from them.

Rewarding job

In 2013, Windel became a regular teacher under the Department of Education and until now, continues to use his skills to influence his students to be functionally literate, possessing the relevant skills to compete in the real world.

“Being a teacher is a rewarding job because though it is exhausting, it is fulfilling to know that at the end of the day, my students learn and they have the opportunity to do better in life because they are in school,” said Windel.

Windel and three other teachers from Central Visayas completed the 83 individuals from all over the Philippines who joined the 1st National Young Teachers’ Boot Camp, a weeklong gathering at the University of the Philippines Los Baños in Laguna to form the first national network of young teachers under the banner YOUTeacH Philippines.

Collaboration vs competition

YOUTeacH Philippines co-founder Gian Erik Adao said they aim to build a culture where competition is replaced with collaboration and where young teachers are given opportunities to develop themselves professionally and personally.

“Kung ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan, ano pa ang gurong kabataan (If the youth is the hope of this nation, imagine the impact young teachers can have),” said Adao during the formal launching of YOUTeacH Philippines last Jan. 13.

Carolyn Glassman, counselor of public affairs of the United States Embassy in Manila, said YOUTeacH is proof of the young teachers’ unwavering enthusiasm to engage in public service.

She said the move to create a network is responsive of the US Government’s commitment to contribute to the positive development of the Philippine educational system.

The US Embassy under its Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund sponsored the first boot camp.

Eighty three teachers attended a weeklong boot camp at the University of the Philippines Los Baños to officially launch YOUTeacH Philippines, a national network of young teachers from all over the Philippines.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Tireless foot soldiers

Undersecretary Philip Dy, chief of staff of Vice President Leonora “Leni” Robredo, delivered the message on behalf of the vice president who described teachers as “tireless foot soldiers” who are in the front lines in shaping the minds of the future generations.

“Teachers are in a powerful position to lead students to a path of discovery… you are champions to every child that you meet and you can help mold them to become better citizens who advocate for positive change over quick fixes,” Robredo said in her message.

Fernando “Pando” Oringo, a private school teacher who delivered the response in behalf of his fellow young teachers, said that the seven-day boot camp was an eye opener for every teacher who thought that he was alone in the battle to change the world.

The weeklong gathering was highlighted by inspirational talks, design-thinking workshop, community immersion and a pitching exercise for each region to present their projects.

Team Central Visayas came up with ProjecteduAKSIYON, a learning tool kit in Mother Tongue Based – Multi-lingual Education consisting of four

modules from Kindergarten to Grades 1, 2 and 3.
The tool kit will be published in the Binisayang Sugbuanon (Cebuano) language.