Passion for teaching, anyone..? Says who? Most teachers know it is a burning desire to make a difference for pupils and persevere to keep on with their level of effectiveness as teachers. Passion for teaching means being able to take the tiring daily activities, meet the needs to utilize the limited resources available to attain the daily teaching goals, the endless stress and still want to come to school the next morning determined to teach and touch the lives of pupils. A teacher should never be tired of attending, the same old in-service seminar workshops to augment the knowledge of the subject areas they teach. At least, they just know… in an idealistic point of view. Honestly speaking I am one of them, but despite the fact that having this passion; I know that this perspective should revolutionize to a certain degree.

Until sometime in November 2005 (my 14th year of somewhat fruitful teaching), I was called up by my principal handing me a memo citing that I am recipient of FUSE (FOUNDATION FOR UPGRADING THE STANDARD OF EDUCATION, INC.) a 52 hours Telecourse Seminar Workshop for Science. I was also informed that this is a non government organization that caters to help upgrade the standard of education in the Philippines as conveyed on its acronym. I was very excited though it would consume my Saturdays and Sundays for my family. Aside from conducive to learn training rooms and free provisions of food, and its venue, which is almost two hours and a half travel time from Pulilan, Bulacan to Makati, knowing it is rather different from seminar/workshops we usually attend to.

During the seminar workshop, we are trained how to use multi-media as visual aid for teaching. The trainers discussed to us the use of CD-ROMs they provided offer a more engaging learning experience, with text, audio, video, and animations used to deliver information. The vivid pictures present along with bulleted text as an audio narration by Dr. Lourdes Carale provide the primary content of the topics. Basically, this package of CDs is purposely to endow with complete and comprehensive background information for teachers and 3 volumes of lesson guides/manual, the basic facts about Biology, Physics, Solar System and Earth Sciences. The use of multiple media optimizes learning styles easily: through auditory, kinesthetic, and visual. Students’ engagement increases with the use of multi-media device because it is self- paced, highly interactive, increases retention rates, and reduces cost of teaching materials. Additionally, I realize that times are changing and so are pupil’s needs; they are more inclined to technology like televisions, computers, net surfing and other gadgets through which teachers should be keep updated with the current trends and issues to meet the gap between them and the learners.

Typically, I use textbooks provided by the school and PELC (Philippine Elementary Learning Competencies) as guide. It’s a fact that teachers should be resourceful enough to effectively deliver its daily learning tasks by merely utilizing cut out pictures and colorful drawings to catch the pupils’ attention on manila paper or cartolina if the teacher is gifted in arts, but it is truly tiring and time consuming on our part.

Founded by Dr. Lucio C. Tan on December 1, 1994, FUSE seeks to improve the skills in English, Science and Mathematics teachers. Its programs include regular teacher training workshops; a post-graduate scholarship program for Science and Engineering teachers; production and distribution of telecourses in English, Elementary Science, Chemistry, Physics and Math; and a host of other educational programs in partnership with government and private learning institutions.