Module 7 – The Teacher and the Community

Objectives:

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. Explain what school and community partnership means

2. Explain the legal and sociological bases of school and community partnership
3. Cite examples of community partnership
4. Discuss the roles and competencies expected of school heads

Introduction:

Schools, families and communities should work closely with each other to meet their mutual
goals. Schools are located at communities, families live in neighborhoods and neighborhood have major
stakes in the community. All these components affect each other, for good or bad. They share goals
related to education and socialization of the young, schools, homes and communities must collaborate
with each other if they are to minimize problems and maximize results.

A. SCHOOL-COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

School-community partnerships often referred to as collaborations. Optimally, such partnerships

formally blend together resources of at least one school and sometimes a group of schools or an entire
school district with resources in a given neighborhood or the larger community. School-community
partnerships can weave together a critical mass of resources and strategies to enhance caring
communities that support all youth and their families and enable success at school and beyond.
Comprehensive partnerships represent a promising direction for generating essential interventions to
address barriers to learning, enhance healthy development and strengthen families and neighborhood.
Building such partnerships requires an enlightened vision, creative leadership and new and multifaceted
roles for professionals who work in schools and communities.

As the school lays the foundation of education, the community serves as the laboratory for holistic
learning experiences for the learners. Undeniably, the school and the community may influence the child’s
character and may determine the quality of formal and non-formal education he received. It is not only in
school that education takes place, the community also offers a wide array of learning experiences that
enable learners to be sociable, interactive and participative to communal affairs. Either formally or
informally, the school and community work-hand in hand in giving the utmost welfare for the learners in
order for them to succeed in various life challenges.

Similarities of school and community is nurturing aspect. Nurturing a child to be good, responsible
and caring citizen is a task worth doing for. Another similarity is that the school and community provide
opportunities for learners to realize their full potentials. Like in the school, the community is a place where
a child could learn a lot of things. With proper guidance, the community could be an avenue for learners
to practice what they have learned in school.

At the end, the school and community share a common responsibility to raise the child. This is the
very reason why Parent and Teacher’s Association (PTA), Brigada Eskwela and other school community
activities existed. These associations center on one thing – to assure that quality education is being
delivered to the learners for they are the most important clientele of education.

The school and community are partners for child sake. Thus, if this society wanted that no child
should be left behind, the school and community should work together to realize such goal.
What can the community do for schools?

It takes a village to raise a child” as the African proverb says. It has to work in partnership with
other institutions in the community. Does it also take the whole community to educate the children? One
example of what a community can do for schools are the following:

1. Brigada Eskwela

In more than one way, “Brigada Eskwela” engages the community.

It is a genuine partnership since the members of the community are
stakeholders. Most of these are parents of the children who attend school
and their work is purely voluntary. This program engages all education
stakeholders to contribute their time, effort and resources in ensuring that
public school facilities are set in time for the forthcoming school opening. It
takes place more or less two weeks before classes begin in June. This is a
school maintenance program that has been institutionalized since 2009 when DepEd issued DO#100.

2. Curriculum Development

This can mean use of community resources for learning. (e.g.

museum, elders of the community as key informants in research or
resource persons in the study of local history)

3. Work experience programs

Business establishments and offices in the community can

serve as training ground for learners. A concrete example is the
work immersion required for senior high school students. In this
work immersion, students are given the opportunity to work in
relevant establishments or offices in the community to help
develop in them “the competencies, work ethics and values
relevant to pursuing further education and or joining the world of
work.

Partner offices for immersion provide SHS students with opportunities:

1) To become familiar with the workplace

2) For employment simulation
3) To apply their competencies in areas of specialization/applied subjects in
authentic work environments (DepEd Order # 30 s 2017)

Some schools call this service learning since it actively involves students in a wide range of
experiences which benefits students and the community at the same time fulfilling the requirement of a
curriculum.

4. Remediation and enrichment classes

Parents and
Enrichment Programs.
5. Youth Development Programs

The young
talents, learn how to deal positively with peers and adults and serve as resources
in their communities.

6. Community service

Examples
reforestation programs, clean up drive for a river, assisting in medical
mission; school head involved in planning local celebrations,
teachers managing programs, projects, activities; school band
playing in fiesta parade.

B. What can schools do for communities in return?

Schools may allow the community to use school resources (read DepEd Primer on School-
Community Partnership)

1. Classroom used by community organizations for meetings

2. School used as a polling place and a venue for medical mission

3. Schools used by Rural Health Unit for mother’s class on child care

4. Schools used as evacuation center

5. Schools used for community assemblies

6. School basketball court used for local celebrations and barangay sports league

7. Schools conduct livelihood skills-training programs for parents and out-of-school youths by
using school resources

8. Livelihood skills-training for parents and out-of-school youths by teachers themselves

C. Sociological Basis of School-Community Partnership

The functionalist theory states that institutions must perform their respective functions for the
stability of society. Other institutions must come in if one institution fails to do its part for the sake of
society. The school cannot do it all. The rearing and education of the child is the primary obligation of
parents. The school, the church and other social institutions come in to assist parents and families to fulfill
their irreplaceable obligation.
 DISCUSS ALSO “IT takes a village to educate a child”

D. Legal Basis for Parents and Community Involvement

 RA 9155 – Governance of Basic Education Act
o Sec. E (10) establishing school and community networks and encouraging the active
participation of teacher organizations, non-academic personnel of public schools and the
parent-teacher community associations”

o Sec. 3 (f) local initiatives for the improvement of schools and learning centers and to
provide the means by which improvements may be achieved and sustained

o States that partnership between school and community also ensures that Se. 3 (d)
educational programs, projects and services take into account the interests of all
members of the community

 Batas Pambansa Blg. 232 – Education Act of 1982

o Sec. 7 states that every educational institution shall provide for the establishment of
appropriate bodies through which the members of the educational community may
discuss relevant issues and communicate information and suggestions for assistance
and support of the school and for the promotion of their common interest.
Representatives from each subgroup of the educational community shall sit and
participate in these bodies, the rules and procedures of which must be approved by them
and duly published.

 RA 8525 – Adopt a School Program Act

o Provides for school-community partnership. It allows private entities to assist a public
school, whether elementary, secondary or tertiary in but not limited to, the following
areas: staff and faculty development for training and further education; construction of
facilities; upgrading of existing facilities, provision of books, publications and other
instructional materials and modernization of instructional technologies.”

 Philippine Education For All (EFA) 2015 Plan

o Aimed to improve the quality of basic education for every Filipino by end of 2015 likewise
states: Schools shall continue to harness local resources and facilitate involvement of
every sector of the community in the school improvement process.”

E. Roles of the Teacher in the Society

Have you ever considered the many roles of teachers in our society? Sometimes it dawns on us
that the primary role of teacher is to teach, instruct or facilitate learning. However, the responsibilities of
teachers are countless and overwhelming. According to Helen Calcidott (2009), the teachers are the most
responsible and important members of the society because their professional efforts affect the fate of the
earth. Out present and future teachers are responsible for the development of young ones. They are
moulding our future leaders into the best individuals that they can be.

The following roles of teachers as they provide a warm environment for the learners to feel that
“love is in the air” inside and outside the classroom: (discuss the following roles)

1. Prime Mover of Change

 Change is a lifelong process. In order to survive in this very dynamic society, we need to adapt
on the many changes that confront us. The prime mover of change are the ones who start to make a
difference in this world. Teachers are our light. The school on the other hand is the telescope and the
mirrors reflect the changes made by our teachers day in and day out as they interact with the students
entrusted in their care. It is always a collaborative effort to produce beautiful patterns of changes that
can inspire the wave of positive emotions in our society.

2. Second Parent by Virtue of in Loco Parentis

In loco parentis means when the parents entrust their children in an educational institution, the
teachers alongside with the administrators, take some of the responsibility, and some authority of the
parents. In short they are accountable to their own actions and decisions that concerned their students.
In the absence of the parents in school, the teachers assume the roles of a parent substitute. Roles must
be performed with commitment and utmost concern for the student’s welfare. And above all, assuming
the role of a second parent is so of injecting enthusiasm to whatever teachers do beyond their oath.

The role of teachers as second parent proves difficult to many teachers. It helps that the
DepEd gave us the Child Protection Policy, thru DepEd Order 40 s2012, which protects students from
all forms of child abuse and provides for a different definition of a “child”.

3. Motivator

Another role of the teacher as motivator. The first type of motivation is the intrinsic one. it is
the type of motivation where our behavior is driven by internal rewards. There is an internal
satisfaction.

On the other side of the coin is the extrinsic motivation. This refers to the behavior that is
driven with external rewards. Both types of motivation are being performed by our teachers.

4. Presenter of Information

The teachers are still the credible persons to provide us with true and honest information.
Teachers should present factual information. It is the most common but crucial role of the teacher. In a
nutshell, they are our resource providers.

5. Innovator
Innovators are not confined in the field of technology and sciences. Like the fourth role cited,
teachers are always challenged to provide their students novel resources in order for the learners to go
out of the box and further inspire them to build their own box.

6. Role Model
Teachers are being modeled by their students. Students spend a great deal of time with their
teachers and whom they admire and love become their role model. Teachers are there not only to
instruct the children but also to emotionally support their students in their long journey.

7. Leader

Leadership is one of the attributes of out teachers. As a leader, they can inspire others in their
own simple way to act positively in solving the problems confronting the community. Since they are
experts in their own field, they capitalize on this to make a difference in the community to improve.

8. Trainer

A teacher as a trainer is one whose expertise is aligned with his or her area of specialization. It
is in this context that common sense must be employed. While the application of lesson is
commendable, good teaching in one’s specialization cannot be divorced from common sense (Paez &
 Serrano, 2015) and as such finds a way of instilling among the students and his or he colleagues the
relevance of continually developing one’s crafts. This role of the teacher as a trainer can be related
with apprenticeship.

F. Pedagogical Competencies of Teachers

Introduction:
The essence of quality education lies on the competencies of teachers. The pedagogical
competence of teachers is one of them. Whether a teacher is assigned in the public and private
school, his or her pedagogical competencies will make a difference in the life of the students and
the community he or she serves.

Pedagogical Competencies
Pedagogy is the study of teaching methods including the aims of education and the ways
in which such goals may be achieved. The field relies heavily on educational psychology which
encompasses scientific theories if learning and to some extent on the philosophy of education,
which considers the aims and value of education from a philosophical perspective (Encyclopedia
Britannica).
Furthermore, the profession of teaching is not a distant entity from pedagogy. It is
because the teacher is a professional who is imbued with the four pillars of learning and has a
thorough understanding that teaching is a mission, vocation and a noble profession. Thus, every
teacher must be in control of the events occurring inside the classroom and even beyond its
confines especially in the community so that his or her pedagogical skills must benefit both the
learners and the community.
Today, the teacher’s Pedagogical Content Knowledge or PCK must be integrated and
enhanced with technology. Hence, the acronym TPCK (Technological Pedagogical Content
Knowledge) emerges (Serrano, 2015).

Components of the Pedagogical Competencies of a Teacher

The components of the pedagogical competencies of a teacher helps to understand how
teachers should develop their teaching in order to bring out the best in their students. In the event
that the community is in need of teacher’s service, these pedagogical skills will facilitate and
enhance his or her service to the community. The following are the components of the
pedagogical competencies:
 Purpose
Teachers are responsible for delivering lessons that are planned, organized and
implemented based on the objectives that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant
 and time bound. However, these should be flexible enough to provide room for the
learners to make their own personal and independent connections from the classroom to
real-life situations (Serrano, 2015).
The new and young teachers must develop the confidence in themselves as they
prepare in the teaching profession in the near future so that they may always be conscious
of starting from the perspective of what the learners are expected to manifest after a
certain period of study. In so doing, they will be vigilant enough in integrating the very
fundamental legal basis of the education in the Philippines that are emphasized in Article
XIV of the 1987 Philippine Constitution.
Some of the following points stipulated in our constitution are indicated herein so
it can steer future teachers in aligning them to the lesson objectives they may be
formulating.
 The right of all citizens to quality education at all levels
 Provision for complete, adequate, and integrated system education
 Inclusion of the study of the Constitution in the curriculum
 Education to put emphasis on the inculcation of nationalism and patriotism
as well as other values deemed important in developing better person and
responsible citizen
 Enjoyment of academic freedom in all institutions of higher learning
 Filipino as the national language; Filipino and English as official language
s for use in communication and instruction
 Promotion of Science and Technology
 Preservation and enrichment of Filipino culture
 Promotion of physical education and other related programs

 Content
Content normally refers to a description to be covered, evident in a reference book
or school documents lie the curriculum guide, syllabus (or course plan) and course
outline. Finding its way to the curriculum is not that easy especially if it has to be aligned
to the clienteles and needs of the community. It has to be governed by standards designed
by competent curriculum planners and developers tailored to the needs of the learners and
later to the community that is being served. This is why making survey of what the
community need is a must so that the teacher can align the content correspondingly.
Content selection is subject to the principle of validity, significant, balance , self-
sufficiency, interest, learnability, usability and feasibility.
Content includes a combination of and must observe the
principles of
Knowledge Skills Affective
  Facts Manipulative skills Values and attitudes  Validity
 Concepts Thinking skills  Significance
 Principles Creative thinking  Balance
 Hypotheses Critical thinking  Self-
 Theories Convergent thinking sufficiency
 Laws Divergent thinking  Interest
Metaphoric thinking  Learnability
 Usability
 Feasibility

(Source: Serrano, 2015)

It will be of great help to adapt the acronym USES which captures the essence of
why content is of paramount importance as one of the components in pedagogical skills
(Serrano, 2015).
Where U stands for – unravel, S – sharpen, E – enhance and S – steer.
o Unravel the latent learning skills of the learners in order to provide the learners
with novel concepts, facts and experiences that could satisfy their thirst for
learning.

o Sharpen the mind of the students is seemingly difficult if the content is bordering
on the practices of the past. The contents of the lesson must enable the learners to
be aware that they are accountable for their own outputs. Knowing the potential of
the members of the community will help the teacher to further hone their talents.

o Enhance the learner’s desire to explore by themselves thereby allowing them to

experience learning on a first hand basis. It will be both joy and fulfillment in the
community if they themselves are involved in learning the crafts useful to their
setting.

o This Steers in the students to make a significant contribution to the daily lesson.
If they are moved by the novelty and richness of the learning contents they will
learn out of their own volition.

 Communication Skills
This refers to the communicative competence of the teacher both in writing and
speaking. The teacher’s communication skills can possibly influence the way the students
 speak and write. A teacher cannot be effective if his or her communication skills are
wanting.
 Professional Development
The purpose of the teachers’ professional development is to improve the teaching
learning process for the sake of the students. However, such development must come
from the teachers’ own volition since they are doing this professional improvement in the
spirit of lifelong learning in the interests of the very own students they cared for. Lifelong
learning as cited here is in the content of continuing professional education for teachers
after they had registered as professional teachers in order to further improve and enrich
their professional skills and competencies.
The following reasons will somehow justify the felt need to continue the teachers’
professional growth:
 The demands of the local and global standards
 The overwhelming trends in science and technology
 The interest of the stakeholders

G. The Teacher and the Vital Link

Introduction:
The teacher is the most vital link between the school and the community in motivating
the learners to become concerned of what is going on in the community where they belong.
Later, it will be a commendable accomplishment on the part of the teacher if the students can go
beyond the community they serve in order to reach out to others. A meaningful and collaborative
relationship between the teacher and the community can offset some of the problems in the
school especially when parents are very supportive of helping the teachers in their efforts to
bring out the best in their children.
The teacher should be the effective and enduring LINK between the school and the
community. L stands for light; I for impetus, N for news, and K for key.
 The Light. The teacher should provide the driving force to look into the “dark spots” in
the community which may be in the form of non-commitment and indifference of the
parents to get involved in the school activities of their son/daughter in school. The
teacher is challenged to enlighten the path of parents to be one with the school.
 The Impetus. There is a need for every teacher to be the impetus or the prime mover to
take the initiative for parents to commit themselves in their involvement to the Parent-
Teacher Association or PTA. No other individual should place more emphasis on PTA
than that of the teacher when a smooth interpersonal between him or her and the parents
are to be established.
 The News. The PTA is a fertile ground for the school and parent’s communication. It is
in this regard that the teacher must be good news to the parents that the school cares.
 This can be facilitated during PTA meetings when the meeting of minds and heart to
heart talks to transpire among the administrators, faculty and the parents or guardians.
Parents should be encouraged to make their presence felt via consistent attendance to
PTA meetings.
 The Key. If the school wants to prevent any adversarial relationship with the
community, then it must develop the potential of its faculty in the areas of
interconnections and establishments of linkages with the community. In so doing, the
teacher will serve as the key that will unlock the treasures in the parents’ active
involvement in the school’s varied activities to develop holistically the learners.

H. The Teacher’s Ethical and Professional Teachers

The Code of Ethics for Teachers, Article III

Teacher and the Community

Teachers get in touch with the community in a more interactive and collaborative way.
Teachers have to, for the prime reason that it is their task to relate to human beings and as the old
adage goes, no man is an island. Furthermore, problems related to work behavior, unmotivated
students, and the need to improve school resources, among others, necessitate group solutions.
The need for teachers to establish a close effective community relationship has been
underscored in the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers, Article III - The Teacher and the
Community which are stated as follows:
Sec. 1. A teacher is a facilitator of learning and development of the youth; he shall,
therefore, render the best service by providing an environment conducive to such learning and
growth.
Sec. 2. Every teacher shall provide leadership and initiative to actively participate in
community movements for moral, social, educational, economic and civic betterment.
Sec. 3. Every teacher shall merit reasonable social recognition for which purpose he
shall behave with honor and dignity at all times and refrain from such activities as gambling,
smoking, drunkenness and other excesses, much less elicit relations.
Sec. 4. Every teacher shall live for and with the community and, shall therefore, refrain
from disparaging the community.
Sec. 5. Every teacher shall help the school keep the people in the community
informed about the school’s work and accomplishments as well as its needs and
problems.
Sec. 6. Every teacher is an intellectual leader in the community especially in the
barangay and shall welcome the opportunity to provide such leadership, when
 needed, to extend counselling services, as appropriate, and to actively be involved in
matters affecting the welfare of the people.
Sec. 7. Every teacher shall maintain harmonious and pleasant personal and official
relations with other professionals, with government officials, and with the people, individually
or collectively.
Sec. 8. A teacher shall possess freedom to attend church and worships, as appropriate,
but shall not use his positions and influence to proselyte others.