Observing the school experiences of learners who belong to indigenous groups

Read the following carefully before you begin to observe. Then write your observation report on the space provided on the next page.

If you are watching videos you searched, instead of actually visiting a school, have these questions in mind as you are watching the videos. You can try to get in touch with the creator of the videos and interview them too.

1. Before you observe, read about the specific IP group in the school you will visit. Know their norms and customary greetings. This will help you blend in the school community and interact with respect.

-An evacuate or refugees learners because of the civil war between the government and the rebel Communist Party of the Philippines.

2. Observe and note the different parts or areas of the school environment. How are learning spaces arranged?

-Environment was a mess, unfriendly and chaotic. No proper classroom facilities.

3. What activities do they do in these different areas of the school?

-Singing their alma mater song before the class started.

4. Who are the people who manage the school? Who are involved in teaching the learners?

-The Indigenous People

5. Observe how the teaching-learning process happen. Describe the learning activities they have and the teaching strategies that the teacher uses.

6. Describe the interaction that is taking place between the teacher and learners, among the teachers, and in the school in general.

-The learners interacts their teacher properly ang respectably as well as the teacher to his or her students.

7. What instructional materials and learning resources are they using?

-They used chalkboard and colorful art materials

8. 8. Interview the teacher or principal about the curriculum. Find out the curriculum goals. You can use the questions found on the Analysis part of this activity.

OBSERVATION REPORT

Name of the School Observed: Lumad Bakwit School

School Address: UP Diliman, Quezon City

Date of Visit: 09-14-2021

The Lumad Bakwit School is basically a school for refugees from the increasing militarization in Mindanao, a school on the run, as it were. Bakwit is the vernacular for “evacuate.” 85 Lumad schools have been closed since the declaration of martial law in Mindanao affecting as many as 3,000 students. The Lumad Bakwit School consists of 70 students and 8 teachers at present and these students came from indigenous communities but have alike experiences. My target here in my observation is the focused on Indigenous Peoples in the Learning essentials of episode 3.

The video I had watched was entitled Lumad Bakwit School 2018, created and published by the Tudla Production. In the video, the Lumad school have their own alma mater song which was sung in their vernacular language and was performed before the class started. Their environment, learning facilities, and instructional material have big different from us, in the city. They don't have proper desk to sit and write on , they're just using the floor when they're writing. The environment they have were chaos and unfriendly, due to unending war between the government and the people there. Obviously, the students could not focused on the their studies before of the fears they feel and this have an impact on their learnings and development. I've observed that during their activity, the teacher let them use their own vernacular language so they can express well their thoughts and opinions.

What do you think can still be done to promote and uphold the indigenous peoples’ knowledge systems and practices and rights in schools?

Giving the right quality education have peaceful environment, and right to maintain their cultural heritage should be done. They should have all the rights ,just like us, because they are humans too. The right quality education helps the indigenous people gain more knowledge. A complete facilities helps a lot as well.

Reflect

Reflect based on your actual visit or videos that you watched.

1. What new things did you learn about indigenous peoples?

As I’ve watched the videos, I couldn’t help myself but cry. Although I am just watching, I feel their pain, suffering, and struggle in living and trying to educate themselves. Children/ students, and teachers were in the city were so lucky that they have had these well-managed classrooms, instruments, equipment, and materials to use for their learning. I’ve learned that there were people out there trying their finest best to learn and educate themselves that no matter how difficult the situation, they’re still willing to continue and finish their education.

2. What did you appreciate most from your experience in visiting the school with indigenous learners? Why?

I appreciate a lot the peaceful environment I have right now, the accessible materials, and complete teachers who taught us well holistically, not just the inside of the classroom but in the real world as well. The indigenous people have none of these, and I am so grateful for having these things. In students' learning, the environment is necessary because it can affect them and their attitude too. The environment has a vital role in the process of the students' learning. The environment matters a lot to the students because it may have a negative impact on them and their learning.

3. For indigenous learners, as a future teacher, I promise these three things:

3.1 Be open to and respect indigenous peoples by respecting their cultural beliefs, and practices.

3.2 Uphold and celebrate their culture, beliefs, and practices by letting them perform proudly during celebration month.

3.3 Advocate for indigenous peoples' education by celebrating the celebration of the International Day of the Wold's Indigenous People.

SHOW YOUR LEARNING ARTIFACTS

With the principle of individual differences in mind, what methods and strategies will you remember in the future to ensure that you will be able to meet the needs of both the high and low achievers in your class? Make a collection of strategies on how to address the students' different ability levels.

My collection of methods and strategies are the following:

Cooperative Learning - encourage students of mixed abilities to work together by promoting small group or whole class activities.

Inquiry-based instruction - encouraging students to ask questions and investigate their own ideas helps improve their problem-solving skills as well as gain a deeper understanding of academic concepts.

Behavior management- implementing an effective behavior management strategy is crucial to gain my student's respect and ensure students have an equal chance of reaching their full potential.

Technology in the classroom- incorporating technology into your teaching is a great way to actively engage your students, especially as digital media surrounds young people in the 21st century.

"Visualization Of Information- visualization is a great method to summarize or process information that has been taught in class".