560 Science Teachers Trained in 8 Sites under Project ReACh

Teams of UP NISMED academic staff conducted training in UP Diliman and seven (7) other venues in the Visayas and Mindanao over the summer months of April and May 2011. Participants were elementary school Science teachers of 40 divisions of the Department of Education which were selected on the basis of key performance indicators: participation rate, completion rate, and achievement level.

There were two groups of participants in each of the 8 sites: Grades 3 & 4 teachers and Grades 5 & 6 teachers. UP NISMED coordinated with teacher education institutions in each site to help provide comfortable lodgings, catering, and training supplies and materials for the participants.

The following table reflects the site, divisions included, partner institution, and dates for each cluster training:

Site	Divisions Included	Partner Institution	Dates
UP NISMED, Diliman, Quezon City	Ifugao, Occidental Mindoro, Camarines Sur, and Masbate	---	April 25 -30, 2011
Zamboanga City	Sulu 1, Sulu 2, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur I, and Lanao del Sur II	Universidad de Zamboanga	May 2 – 7, 2011
Koronadal City	Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Maguindanao I and II	Notre Dame of Marbel University	May 9-14, 2011
Davao City	Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte, Compostela Valley, Davao City, and Igacos	University of Mindanao	May 9-14, 2011
Bacolod City	Bago City, Kabangkalan City, Roxas City, Silay, Bayawan City, Bais City	University of St. La Salle	May 16-21, 2011
Cadiz City	San Carlos City, Sagay City, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental	Philippine Normal University – Cadiz Campus	May 16-21, 2011
Zamboanga City	Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte	Western Mindanao State University	May 23-28, 2011
Iligan City	Iligan City, Gingoog City, Bukidnon, Valencia City, Lanao del Norte	MSU-IIT	May 23-28, 2011

Two slots were given to preservice faculty from each of the TEIs to participate in the PD program but some sent more than two.

The six-day training, called the Professional Development Program for Elementary School Science Teachers in High Priority Divisions, focused on the theme, “Keeping Healthy and Living Safely” and is a component of DepED’s Project ReACh (Reaching All Children), an initiative in pursuit of Education For All (EFA) as well as the Millennium Development Goals on education.

Selected science and mathematics concepts were developed through a holistic, inquiry-based approach spiralling through the grades under the following strands: taking care of the body and proper nutrition; use of local resources for food and income-generating activities; and, understanding natural phenomena and taking care of the environment.

Tarp for the Professional Development Program

Participants and trainers take a break from a workshop session to pose with
DepED Region X Director Dr. Luz Almeda (with scarf) and Regional Science Supervisor
Dr. Lawrencia Llagas (in black). Dr. Almeda gave the participants a pep talk and moral
support. Dr. Llagas observed several days of the training and requested that the participants
be given a chance to see the Ma. Cristina Falls and the childhood home of former
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The Science Supervisor of Iligan
likewise dropped in a couple times.

The participants were given bound training manuals, printed modules and models for the study of the circulatory, respiratory, skeletal and muscular systems.

End-of-training evaluation by the participants across the different venues rated the PD program an average score of 4.88 on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 as the highest. A follow-through mentoring program which combines face-to-face and on-line interaction with teachers to sustain the gains and address 3^rd and 4^th quarter science topics is in the planning stage.