sisihan at hugasan ng kamay

(this the the fifth and last article of the board exam series: Tip to top; It's a team play; bored teachers; administravision)

Sa isang tagayan:
Alumni: Nakakahiya ka student, dinungisan mo ang record ng skul natin bakit ka bumagsak sa board?

Parent: oo nga eh, sayang ang ginastos ko dyan
Student: Huwag ako ang sisihin ninyo. Si teacher ko kasi kulang ang binigay na lesson. Akalain mo ni isa sa mga questions sa board ay hindi man lang niya naituro.
Teacher: Ba't ako ang sisihin mo, ang hirap kasi sa inyo mga estudyante, spoon-feeding kayo. Gusto ninyo sinusubo lahat. Ni hindi nga kayo pumupunta sa library
Student: Palagi naman kasing wala si Teacher
Teacher: Owws... kayo nga ang gusto palaging walang klase eh. Mas nauuna pa nga kayo kesa memorandum

Student: At wala pa kaming sapat na laboratory.
Teacher: kung laboratory, huwag ako sisihin mo. Sisihin mo si Admin. walang suporta sa atin
Admin: Bakit ako? May binibili naman tayong mga lab equipment ah
Teacher: pero kulang
Admin: Kulang pa yon? halos naubos na pondo natin, kulang pa iyon?
Student: Paano ho ba naubos ang pondo, eh kulang naman ang lab namin?

Parent: Paano maubos, nagbayad naman kami ng 10k kada semester ah.
Admin: sampung libo? eh 5k lang naman sinisingal ko ah.
Parent: oh ito oh ang mga resibo. Acquaintance party, kickout party, pasiklaban party, field trip, intrams fee, society fee, LSG fee, fines.
Admin: hindi kami ang nagasingil nyan!
Parent: bakit may resibo? niloko mo ako anak ah.
Student: malay ko! katabi man nagabigay ng enrolment form yung nagasingil nyan. hindi nga kami makakuha ng forn kung hindi kami makabayad niyan eh. tapos di kami bigyan ng pre-clearance pag wala signature nila.

Admin: Basta kami wala kaming kinalaman dyan. Hinahayaan namin yang mga student orgs na iyan kasi kami naniniwala sa right to self-organization nila
Parent: Eh saan pala pumupunta yung 5k namin kung wala namang lab yung anak ko?
Admin: kung tutuusin kulang pa yan eh. Halos nahihirapan nga kaming sweldohan ang mga contractual namin eh. Tapos pinipilit pa kami ni Teacher na magpataas ng sweldo at bonus.
Teacher: karapatan namin yun!
Admin: kung kakulangan sa sweldo, huwag kami ang sisihin nyo. Kasalanan ni DBM yan. kinaltasan niya ang budget natin.

DBM: nanahimik ang tao, ginugulo niyo! Anong kinaltasan eh tinaasan ko pa nga ng 10% ang mga budget niyo eh.
Admin: tinaasan nga pero sinabihan nyo kaming taasan din sweldo ng mga permanent personnel namin. Eh di parang wala!
Parent at Alumni: Oo nga. Bakit ba kulang binibigay mo DBM sa kay Admin?
DBM: Hoy Parent at Alumni, magbayad kayo ng tamang buwis para may ipamigay kami kay Admin!

bored teachers

(This is the third of the board exam article series. Please read also (1) Tip to top, (2) It's also a team play)

When the board exam performance goes nowhere, students would point to their teachers as the culprit. We'll we cannot blame them. But do we really have to blame the teachers outright?

Before going any further, let me paint a picture of teacher-student knowledge exchange. When a teacher share knowledge to his students, not all will be received well by the students. Students have different capacity to absorb the knowledge shared by the teacher. For a perfect knowledge transfer, the knowledge shared by the teacher, should match the capacity of the students to receive. If the knowledge shared by the teacher is overwhelming, students will be shocked. On the other hand, if the knowledge is too miniscule, students would laugh at the teacher for being dumb. But in reality there is no such thing as match made in heaven. One has to select between too much or too little knowledge. I guess too much is better than the latter. From what is explained above, there are two actors involved here: student and the teacher. For the purpose of this article, we concentrate on the teacher.

A knowledge sharing model of a teacher 

Now, let us examine a model for knowledge sharing by a teacher to understand how knowledge can flow based on a teachers' motivation. Knowledge shared is a function of appropriate knowledge and  motivation to share. If a teacher has the appropriate knowledge and he is highly motivated, he can effectively share what he knows. Even if he has the appropriate knowledge but he is not motivated, then there is no knowledge shared. If he has the motivation but does not know anything, then knowledge was not imparted.

Appropriate knowledge as defined in this article is the knowledge that is at par with the students' capacity. It may not be directly match the capacity of the students but at least it is on a level understood and can be assimilated by the students. Knowledge is a function of knowledge bank and the capacity to impart. Knowledge bank is nourished by a teachers' further acquisition of knowledge. This can be done by research, self-study, seminars, conventions, and pursuing graduate studies. It is the obligation of a teacher to really nurture his knowledge bank to make it relevant and attuned with times.

But even if a teacher has his PhD or EdD, it does not guarantee an appropriate knowledge. A teacher should have the skills to select the right lessons and to employ right strategies and skills. This is like a withdrawal slip. Without it, one cannot withdraw from the knowledge bank. Right teaching strategies does not include intimidating the students by projecting you are a "terror" professor. This approach will motivate students to learn but for the wrong reason - fear. On the other hand, if a teacher possesses the best teaching skills but his knowledge bank account is bankrupt, then there is no knowledge imparted as well.

There are two types of motivations: rationalized and honorific. In a rationalized motivation, a teacher get motivated by salary increases, promotions, and recognition. One of the traits of a teacher is that they can be satisfied easily. A five hundred peso increase in his salary can make him throw a party worth a thousand! Even a promotion with not much salary increase makes him smile just for recognition. Let me cite an example. During my first year at USEP, we produced board topnotchers (no.1 and no. 4 in board). The then president Dr. Ed Prantilla gave us (the teachers) individually certificates of recognition for the performance in the board. We used that as additional points for our NBC (see below). It motivated the USEP AE instructors to study more to improve their teaching. Right now, majority of the AE instructors of USEP have masters degree and overtake USM as Center of Development in AE education.  How much more if the university can give a teacher substantial increase in salary?

On the other hand, a teacher is demotivated if he is neglected for so long. A teacher is usually not a radical type of guy, he would just retreat in a corner and talk to the walls about his heartaches and dissent. However, this state of mind slowly eats his person and his motivation to share. And through the years, this will have impact on his enthusiasm to teach. A proactive management needs to seek out teachers' dissent before it can be a systemic problem.

The government has seen this predicament of teachers way back. Before, the promotion is based on available items (just like the regular employees of the bureaucracy). When a professor retires, associate professors compete to get that item. This kind of competition is counterproductive. It pit teachers against each other to the extent that it can lead to backbiting. That is why the central government has instituted measures to make sure that teachers are evaluated according to his own merits regardless whether a higher rank is open or not. One teacher upon satisfying the needed points can be reclassified. This is the so-called NBC 461 which has evolved from NCC 69. The only role that the management has to do is to make sure to evaluate the teachers every two years so reclassifications (promotions) happened in every two years also. 

They say that sometimes a teacher is a fool (please read: ganyan din kami noon). That even with meager income, he can still afford to smile. This is where the honorific motivation kicks in. We can also call this as dedication. Sometimes, it is a struggle between a rationalized and the honorific motivation. When rationalized motivation is so negative compared to honorific motivation, this is the time that a teacher gives up teaching. We assumed that honorific motivation is always positive. It is the rationalized motivation that can drag the motivational state of a teacher. But so long as the conviction that teaching is a noble job, negative rationality is checked in abeyance by honorific motivation.

Using the factors discussed above, I argue that for a outstanding teacher to emerge and stay in the university, the management has to invest in graduate studies (more scholarships please) and enhancing their teaching skills (for free!). It would also be rewarding if promotions are done in an up-to-date, equitable, and transparent way. After all it is not the money a teacher wants, it is respect.

Let me sum up again the above discussion with an equation:

U = aK*C*(cR + dH)

where a = appropriateness of the knowledge
K = available knowledge in the bank
C = capacity to share
c =  quality of motivation
R =  rationalized motivation (little money and respect)
d = the strength of the honorific motivation
H = honorific motivation

Are all of these factors met?

(Next article: administravision)

It's also about team play

In a previous article (Tip to Top), I outline how should a student prepare for the board. Using basketball as analogy, preparation for board exam is like playing basketball ALONE against five opponents. The article proposes that the central figure in a board exam is the student himself. Preparation is the key.

A lot of events happened since I wrote that particular article. We were shocked to learn that a good number of USM's courses were beaten beyond recognition. When almost all of the exam takers flunked, it is a symptom of a systemic problem. It is no longer about individual's constraints but rather shared by the commune.

Since we have started discussing about board exam through basketball, let me continue my assertion through basketball as well. This time I'll continue with the role of team mates. The role of classmates and the student community as a whole. Your classmates and student organization also help a lot in supporting an individual. Using our hypothetical game, an individual strives to take a shot with the assistance of his teammates. It would be a lot easier right than playing alone? In what ways therefore the student community can help nurturing a future topnotcher?

Synergy of individual capacities. Through collaboration, one can increase its capacity. For example, one student can increase his knowledge by sharing with fellow students through group studies and intensified group learning activities. No one can muster all knowledge by himself. It is a given fact that everyone has its own competencies. One can excel in one area and maybe dumb in one area. In a solid learning group, everyone compliments their weakness with other's strength. Like basketball, there is a sharp shooter, a blocker, one with good assist skills, a ball handler, etc. The strength of the team is more than the sum of the individual players' strength.

Molding a standard. In a good group dynamics, we induced uniformity within a certain batch. We are creating a batch of more or less the same caliber. Is it in this state that we do not rely on the "star" players or the cum laudes to do the job for us. A star player-centered approach is like rejoicing one or two topnotchers at the expense of 100 or more flunkers. All the star players are with Miami Heat in the last season, but they still lost. It is already about the team.

For four to six years, a particular batch is nurtured to act as one. Let me illustrate an example. During our time, if we encounter a difficult problem, we usually retreat to a group and try to solve it. If we cannot solve it, we coordinate with other groups to find for answers. It is not really cheating because we understood what we are copying. At the end of semester, we have almost the same line of thinking. Our student organizations also are academically oriented. Fines are imposed on activities that nurture academic standard (convocations, seminars, etc.). When we took the board exams, our scores are close to each other . Needless to say, almost all of us pass the board (3 of us landed in top 10 and the rest are claiming they are no. 11). When we have created a "standard", the batch goes up and down together. Yes a batch can also go down together if they are not nurtured the right way.

Nurturing a positive synergitic power. In learning through groups, the disparity of knowledge among individual is narrowed but the knowledge has increased exponentially. In a synergitic environment, 1 + 1 is not 2 but 2 raise to a certain power. The sign of that exponent is crucial. If it is positive, the result is multiplied several times. If it is negative, the value is reduced as well. I think I have illustrated above how to nurture a positive power environment. It is group dynamics with a good content.

Let us take a look at how the negative power can come into play. The current student community dynamics is not really helping. When you have a student organization whose primary objective is how to win in beauty contests and sports activities; when you have an organization whose agenda is how to spend every last cent making acquaintance parties memorable, pasiklaban more bonggacious, and kick-out parties like there is no tomorrow, then I am afraid we assigned a negative coefficient to our synergetic power. What is worse is that societies and other organizations are forcing fellow students to attend irrelevant activities through the imposition of fines. Sadly, we only realize this after 5 or more years after the fact. At a time when this negatively signed powered activities have become the "culture and standard" of a student life. At a time when students are so addicted to it that taking it away will require a therapeutic session similar to that of a drug-dependent individual. 

Let the good times roll. Learning does not have to be dull. We also share the same laughs, and cry together for nothing. It is hard to infuse learning when the mind is not happy. Our minds are sometimes wired in such a way that we receive new ideas when we are happy. But all activities should conform to a goal of academic excellence. So that when an activity contradicts with our academic pursuit, we snub it.

Willingness to learn. I happened to teach for a year in USEP (currently, the leading university in Mindanao in terms of board exam results). I was so proud then. Coming from USM was like a giant entering a dwarf's house. The facilities there was not comparable to the ones we had in USM. The campus dean even warned us not to boast about USM because they already accept the fact that USEP is 20 years behind. But what strikes me the most is the students' willingness to learn. They make do of what they have. Students would join you in lunch and invite you to parties in the guise of asking question about lessons. They were eager to learn. Students there are good in befriending professors to learn new techniques. USEP students are clever enough to observe you when you go to library hoping that they will discover where did you got all those difficult questions. They even join USM for review to learn from USM. It is a closely knit community who thinks as one. Now if I visit USEP, I am the dwarf entering a giant's house.

In an engineering tradition, let me propose the following equation to describe a board exam performance:

Z = (aX + bY)exp (W * U * V)

where Z = board performance
X = individual taker's knowledge
Y = other takers' knowledge
a = individual taker's motivation to learn
b = other takers' motivation to share (b = 0, when there is no collaborative learning; b<0, when other takers are bad influence)

W = student community and supportive mechanism for learning
U = the teachers and their willingness to share knowledge
V = administration and its ability to provide a conducive environment for learning


Team spirit is one factor beyond the individual player. We still have to discuss the role of teachers (like the coaches) and the administration (team management). That would be discussed in the  next articles. I encourage you to share this article to those whom you know is interested about board exams too. The more shares, it will give me the synergistic power to write more.

Vis Unita Fortior. - United strength is stronger

(This is the second article of the board exam series. Please read the next article: Bored teachers)

lean, fast and seamless

"$15 please," the front desk told me at the Registration and Records Office. I am about to get 3 copies of my transcript for my MS. A week before, I have just taken my last exam to conclude my last semester in NC State. The following week will be my graduation. The day after graduation, I will be heading back home to the Philippines. "When will I get a copy of my transcript?," as I handed my ID card to her. Our student ID is actually our ATM/debit card also. She replied, "In 5 minutes, please wait." She went to the rear portion of the office on what looked like a computer terminal with laser printer. As I wait for my document, I can't help but wonder how this office with less than 10 staff can handle records of more than 30,000 undergrads and around 5,000 graduate students.

After a while, she returned with the documents. She apologized for the 10 minutes delay. She handed me the document and explain that our transcript is on a security paper and fresh signatures are not included (like the SECPA of NSO). She further explain that if I photocopy my transcript, a message "This is a Photocopy - NC State" will appear on the photocopy (you cannot see this message on the original. Only on your photocopy. Cool!). 

-oOo-

My adviser handed me my personal access code to enter the Registration and Records enrolment portal. I was only given the codes if we agreed on the subjects I will be enrolling in that particular semester. So I went to the computer laboratory and logged in to the school website. I browse the recommended subjects my adviser told me. Some classes are already full. It shows  real time accounting of students who have registered on a particular class. I learned that it will automatically closed upon reaching a certain threshold and only the teacher concerned can opened it back. But what I am impressed with is the systems' capacity to detect CONFLICT of schedules. You cannot proceed with the enrollment process if the system can detect overlaps.

The payment procedure? I only receive a bill a week later with the schedule of payment for every academic program spread throughout the semester.  Not all will be flocking the R&R to pay tuition fees (whew you could imagine 30k+ students if they are on the same sked!). Or for convenience, we were advised to go to a bank or pay through credit card online.

-oOo-

Is it about hardware resources or software skills?

Tip To Top

(first of the board exam article series)

Maraming nagtatanong: Ano ang mga paraan para mag-top sa board?

Simple lang ang sagot: basketball

Ang paghahanda para sa board exam ay parang larong basketball. Meron ka ring "ring" at ang pakay mo ay ma-ibuslo ang bola mo sa ring na yun. Ngunit sa laro nating ito, ikaw lang ang naglalaro kalaban ang limang players. Paano ka manalo sa larong ito? Ito ang mga basic tips:

Know where is your ring. Marami sa mga mag-aaral ang hindi alam ang kanilang "ring". Sa dami ng distraction sa buhay estudyante, maraming hindi alam kung ano ang tunay na ring para sa kanila. Naglalaro kayo at nang makita mo ang ring sa kabilang court na walang nagbabantay ay tumakbo ka doon at doon mo shi-noot ang bola.

Ito yung mga estudyanteng gusto lang ang marangyang buhay. Ayaw magpursige. Gusto lahat madali. Inom dito, inom doon. Tsiks dito, tsiks doon. Ayaw magpawis. Mangongopya lang ng assignment, magkodigo lang. Kung ano lang ang lecture, yun lang din ang alam. Di nag-iisip. Walang initiative na matuto. Pagmahirap na ang subject, nawala na ng gana. Kaya nang nakita na ang limang guwardiya, tumalikod at pumunta sa kabilang ring.   

The points is determined by the ring not by the court. Meron namang ang gusto lang ay maglaro lang sa bola. Heto at nagpupursige makipag-dribble, ikot-ikot sa court, lahat ng exhibition gawin. Masaya ang mga fans at cheerleaders. Ang galing mong maghandle ng bola bro! Sarap pakinggan di ba? Pero wala ka pang points hangga't hindi mo tinapon ang bola sa ring.

Ito yung mga mag-aaral na busy sa mga extra-curricular activities. Ito yung mga estudyanteng walang takot humarap sa mga challenges ng buhay. Student leaders. Sa student government man, sa sports, etc. Maganda ngang pakinggan kung marami kang kaibigan, pumalakpak sayo. Ika nga kung "balance" ang buhay mo. It adds spice to your life. Life is so boring daw without it. Ngunit ang hindi mo napagtanto ay kung lagpak ka sa board, lahat na ito ay mawawala. Manliliit ka sa sarili mo. At marami ang makakalimot sa lahat ng ginawa mo.

Hindi ko sinabing huwag kang mag-extra-kuri-kuri. Kasi kailangan mo ring magdribble. Pero dapat alam mo kung kailangan mong i-shoot ang bola. Kung magtatagal ka sa pagdi-dribble, merong tinatawag na 3 seconds, 10 seconds at 24 seconds violation. Huwag nang magpasikat! Shoot that ball!    

Review early, feel the board exam early. Sabi ko maraming mga violations kung magtatagal ka sa court kaya dapat agahan ang desisyong i-shoot ang ball. Dapat mo ring malaman na habang papalapit ka sa hoop, palaki ng palaki din ang guwardiya. At lalong kang mahihirapang i-shoot ang ball. Kaya kung kaya mong i-shoot ang ball sa 3-point line, gawin mo na. Maraming nagsasabi ng mas madali ang lay-up kesa long range shot, pero sa laro nating ito, ikaw lang mag-isa. At sa court na ito kalaban mo ay lima.

May limang guwardiya yan. Limang taon din ang pag-aaral mo (kung engineering ka). Dapat alam mo ang bawat galaw ng mga kalaban mo. Hindi dahil nalampasan mo ang mga guards ay kalimutan mo na sila at sa center ka na mag-concentrate. Pwede pa ring nasa likod mo ang mga bulilit na gwardiya na pwedeng agawin ang bola mula sa iyo. Ito yung sitwasyong bumagsak ka dahil nalimutan mo ang algebra. Kaya dapat alam mo ang galaw at estilo ng bawat guwardiya. Malay mo ang consti at engineering laws and standards lang pala ang makatulong sayo pagdating sa board. 

Habang maaga, paghandaan mo ang laro mo. Pag-aralan ang liksi, bilis, at estilo ng mga guwardiya bago pa kayo maglaro. Huwag mong hintayin na sa review ka na mag-aral kung saan malapit na sa ring. Kasi sa pagkakataong ito, sisiguruhin ko sa iyo na sampung palad ang susupalpal sa lay-up mo.

Always aim higher than the ring. Basic law ng physics yan. Sa projectile motion. Kung gusto mong swak ang shot, ang angle of release mo ay dapat mas mataas kesa hoop. So kung gusto mong pumasa, dapat top 10 ang aim mo. Kung gusto mong mag-top, dapat "perfect the board" ang aim mo. Well, kung ang aim mo lang ay makapasa, huwag ka nang umasa.


A Latin proverb some it all: Amat Victoria Curam (Victory loves preparation)

Stories like these make me proud as a USMian

We can measure how USM has touched lives by stories of encounters in places you won't expect USM has influence. These are just simple stories. But somehow it made me happy as a USMian.

-oOo-

I paid a courtesy visit to the Center Chief of the Cagayan Valley Integrated Agricultural Research Center (CVIARC) in Ilagan, Isabela. I handed in my introductory letter to the clerk and after few minutes, I was let in inside the Chief's Office. The Chief was reading my letter when I came in. All of the sudden, he spoke in a familiar language of Maguindanaon! Wait a minute! How did he knew this language? We are on the extreme north in the land of Ilocanos and Ybanags and perhaps only Maranaos have gone this place. I recheck his name. He name is not Maguindanaon. But I admit, he speaks Maguindanaon very well. Sensing that I don't have a clue of what he is saying, he backtracked a bit and said, "You don't know Maguindanaon?". "I am sorry sir, I don't", I said. "I am Orly Lorenzana, like you, I am an alumnus of USM. Welcome to Isabela".

-oOo-

Far north in Cagayan (I mean Cagayan in Luzon not Cagayan de Oro), I did my fieldwork for my thesis. I am about to interview a group of farmers. The usual pleasantries, introduction from where I come from. I mentioned I came from USM. "USM as in University of Southern Mindanao in Kabacan, Cotabato?" One NGO worker asked. "Yes, I am," I said trying to discern how did he know about USM. Then, he asked, "Do you know Sir Boy Cena?". Then they went on explaining that Dr. Romulo Cena and Dr.  Naomi Tangonan were their consultants in their cacao production projects. As part of their agroforestry project under the Success Alliance and World Cocoa Project, that village pretty much know USM and our expertise in Cacao.

In Brgy Cabbo, Penablanca, Cagayan

-oOo-

Meanwhile my fellow Dutch researchers knows of USM because of our crocodile research project. For some time, there was debate whether their a wild population of Crocodylus mindorensis in Liguasan Marsh. Dr. Ketch Pomares, Prof. John Aries Tabora and Dr. Jonald Pimentel were the familiar names  Dutch researchers knew when talking about the Philippine Crocodile in the South.

-oOo-

We were dining in an eatery in a remote area in Ilagan, Isabela, when two ladies approached me and asked. "Sir, are you from USM?". They introduced themselves and said that they are alumna of BSND at USM. They are currently conducting survey of the nutrition status of kids in far-flung, "red" areas for the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) in Diliman. They claimed that their "training" in USM makes working in conflict-affected areas a piece of cake. They can go to places, other nutritionist are wary of going to. Talk of how tough our graduates are!

"with the tough nutritionists"

-oOo-

In one of my sessions with Isabela farmers, someone asked what rubber looks like. The conversation went fine that some farmers suggested to go to USM! Their wish was granted when two of them visited USM last June. They were so impressed with USM's landscape. "Nalawa! Napintas!". We visited the Vermicomposting Center, PCC, USMARC, and PPSM. They were impressed with "basket of technologies" available in USM. But what impressed them most is the way scientists in USM explain their respective technologies. "Ang galing ng mga professors ninyo. Hindi namimilit sa mga technolohiya at binibigay ang advantage at disadvantage ng bawat teknolohiya. Kumbaga, kami ang bahala kung saan ang gusto naming gamitin. Sa paraang yun, mas malinaw at kumbinsido kami. Bakit kaya hindi ganyan sa amin?"

"Sino nga yung cowgirl na professora sir?"

at PPSM

"Ito pala ang cacao!"

"Paano kaya naging gulong ito?"