HOMEROOM GUIDANCE

The introduction and implementation of the K to 12 Basic Education Program necessitated changes and revisions on existing DepEd programs to align them with the new curriculum. The K to 12 curriculum puts emphasis on capacitating learners with skills in doing their tasks and enriching these as they progress up to Grade 12. The curriculum takes into account societal factors and the learner’s developmental needs. They need to perform different tasks, confront personal and social issues, and eventually decide for their curriculum exit. A responsive and proactive program in addition to the existing academic programs must address these needs.

In 1998, Revitalized Homeroom Guidance (RHG) for secondary learners was created to answer the learners’ needs. However, certain considerations to make it more comprehensive, developmental, and proactive are deemed necessary.

Contemplating on the above-mentioned concerns, the Department of Education launches the Homeroom Guidance (HG). The program is relevant as it promotes rational thinking, healthy behavior, and positive disposition. Issues like academic failures, school dropouts, bullying, unhealthy sexual behavior, teenage pregnancy, drug addiction, online and social media addiction, and confusion in and/or poor career choice, and other challenges that beset our learners today were considered in developing the program.

These provisions were formulated based on relevant current literature, and in consultation with teachers, School Heads, and Guidance and Counseling experts. This will provide clear and functional understanding about the important processes in the implementation and the proper monitoring and evaluation of the program, which is an important component for its sustainability and continual improvement.

Based on the relevant literature and the practice in other countries, Homeroom Guidance is equivalent to Guidance Class, which is just a part of the Information Services of Guidance and Counseling Office (Villar, 2007; Mendoza, 2003). Aquino and Razon (1993) defined Homeroom Guidance as “an organized segment of the school's guidance services, which is given to a homeroom group usually a section or a class with a teacher-adviser as facilitator.” Hence, the term Guidance Class Curriculum or Guidance Class is the most common nomenclature.

Homeroom Guidance is a responsive program that equips learners with competencies to address issues not included in the formal learning areas but is very essential to their development. Learners who go through Homeroom Guidance have been found to have significantly decreased inappropriate behaviors and demonstrated positive attitudes toward school as compared to those learners who were not part of the School Counseling Program (Baker and Gerler, 2001). The study of Brigman and Campbell (2003) also showed that elementary and middle school learners who were part of the school counseling curriculum and group interventions that emphasized cognitive, social and self-management skills have consistently exhibited good performance in Mathematics and Reading. Furthermore, the study of Schlossberg et.al (2001) supported the effectiveness of Homeroom Guidance. They showed that there is a significant improvement in terms of learners’ behavior, attitude and knowledge in the areas of goal-setting, problem-solving, career exploration, and school resources. Further, the study of Carey and Dimmitt (2012) found that student’s success in school, academically and behaviorally, can be attributed to the student’s access to school counselor and comprehensive guidance programs and this is particularly true for students in high- poverty schools.

Based on the consultations conducted with the regional representatives and Guidance and Counseling experts, there is a great need for a program that advocates the developmentof skills along academic, personal and social, and career aspects. At present, Homeroom period is part of the class program, however, there is a need to update and improve its implementation. Some schools reported that Homeroom period is being used for classroom cleaning, extension of breaks, collection of reply slips, and the like. Clearly, the current practices do not aid the realization of the program objectives. More so, the consultation with different stakeholders, reiterated the significance of collaboration among home, school, and community to ensure the holistic development of learners. It has been raised that there should be a systematic and consistent monitoring and evaluation of the program to achieve its proper implementation.

To obtain the vision of the Homeroom Guidance, this document serves to guide the schools in:

a. implementing the program properly to support the learners’ development;

b. providing systematic process in the overall conduct of Homeroom Guidance;

c. organizing resources needed in the program such as budget, manpower, facilities, learning materials, and other logistical needs; and

d. articulating the scope and limits of the program including its monitoring and evaluation.

Homeroom Guidance Curriculum is essential to ensure access to quality guidance and counseling services for all types of learners. Hence, different learning modalities will be made available in the implementation of the Homeroom Guidance program.

Seventy-five percent (75%) of the HG MELCs are from the Personal-Social Development Domain. These competencies pertain to concerns or issues affecting learners’ individuality (self), relationship with others and their interaction in community. It equips the learners with foundation for personal and social growth as they progress through school and into adulthood. This includes but not limited to intrapersonal and interpersonal skills, self- awareness, coping with emotions and stress, and resilience.

The remaining HG MELCs are composed of twenty percent (20%) Academic Development Domain and five percent (5 %) from the Career Development Domain.

Since this is not a formal learning area, Homeroom Guidance should not be part of the computation of grades by the end of each quarter. For S.Y. 2021-2022, it shall serve as enrichment activity that can be performed at home and in school or through other platforms with the help of guidance counselors /guidance designates, teachers, and parents.

In the process of choosing the MELCs the following criteria were also considered:

a. applicability to real life situations;

b. needs of the learners; and

c. complements learning competencies developed in other academic subjects.