Teaching Profession in the "New Normal" Situation

Teaching Profession  in the "New Normal" Situation

Department of Education is one of the most important government agency in the country, the Philippines. It is a department of human transformation to better life in the future. Its implementing arms are the schools operating in the same vision, mission and core values. The teachers are the front line service crew doing the regiment of transformation process guided by the its goal.

Few months ago, the whole world was shaken and severely threatened by a pandemic called COVID 19. Its disastrous effect put every person in the world in great dilemma locking down themselves for life.

The effect of COVID19 riffled in unimaginable distance around the world affecting all status and walks of life. It’s after effect is undeniably irresistible forcing the so called new normal phenomenon.

New normal phenomenon is a change adaptation responding to the needs of general public for survival and betterment. This, in a way overhauls the old ways of doing classroom instruction. A new out look is force open not just considering factors of preparedness but factors of health, safety,  well being of the learners and all teaching and non-teaching personnel.

School operation will be leaving from  an old usual way. Classroom instruction will become a whole new way. It will be moving from  formal face to face to something bizarre which includes Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM), Modular, Modified In School Off School Approach (MISOSA), IMPACT, Home School, etc.  Distance teaching and learning through remote access will be dawning into reality for better end.

In response, teachers must prepare themselves in conformity of this new ways of teaching. They need to do the URL (Unlearn, Relearn and Level-up) of learning to be at par with the new demand of the teaching profession.

In doing the URL, teachers must endeavor to change their mind set, attend relevant training, learn fast, explore more, learn advance ICT skills and apply the meta -cognitive concept to perform willingly what they are expected to do as teachers of this new normal situation.

In as much as learning is life, teachers must carefully review their professional needs using the Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat (SWOT) analysis. This would allow them to re calibrate their professional worthiness into the cause  of excellence. Prepare their professional development plan according to their needs.

In totality, teachers are called to respond positively to the demand of the new normal phenomenon. They are to employ paradigm shift leaving old usual ways while embracing new one. Innovate ways teaching with the use of technology to implement learning continuity plan in the height of pandemic, COVID 19.