Marikina Shoe Exchange professional development program for science and mathematics teachers of Commonwealth Elementary School

The participants collaboratively work in developing their research lesson.

The Marikina Shoe Exchange, through the leadership of Dr. Victoria B. Villa sponsored a seminar-workshop for science and mathematics teachers of Commonwealth Elementary School (CES) on “Assessment and Collaborative Lesson Lesson Planning.” The Elementary School Mathematics (ESM) and Elementary School Science (ESS) Groups of NISMED conducted this on 27-31 May 2013. Thirty teachers of each subject area of each grade level, except for Grade 2, attended the seminarworkshop. The seminar-workshop included construction of TIMSS-based assessment items in mathematics and science, collaborative development of lessons incorporating the inquiry approach in science and the problem solving approach in mathematics, presentation and critiquing of outputs.

The seminar-workshop started with an opening program attended by Dr. Victoria Villa, President of MSE, Mr. Rodolfo Modelo, Principal of CES and the NISMED academic staff. During the opening program, Dr. Villa delivered a short message on the importance of professional development; Mr. Modelo primarily thanked Dr. Villa and NISMED for always tapping their school in such efforts; and Dr. Ulep emphasized the importance of developing inquiry skills and hands-on teaching and learning.

There were plenary and parallel sessions for the mathematics and science groups of teachers. The first two days were devoted to workshops on TIMSS-based multiple-choice and constructed response test item
construction. Before the workshop, NISMED staff presented some TIMSSbased assessment items aligned with the appropriate behavioral skills. Each group of teachers constructed and presented their test items, critiqued by the other teachers and the NISMED trainers. Revisions of the test-items were done after the critiquing sessions.

On the third day of the activity, Dr. Levi Elipane, an expert on Lesson Study, delivered a plenary session on the Lesson Study method and its importance in professional development among teachers and in quality
learning among students. This was followed by a modelling of an inquirybased science and problem-solving based mathematics lesson by NISMED staff in parallel sessions. Each group then engaged in goal-setting where the participants set goals that are “pupil-centered, relevant to real-life situations.” This goal guided their lesson development. Each group of teachers in grade levels represented were able to come up with a research lesson. These were presented and critiqued by other groups of teachers and NISMED staff before revision and submission of the same as their final outputs.

The seminar-workshop promotes collaborative lesson development among teachers. The outputs are planned to be implemented by the teachers in their respective grade levels in the second phase of the
program. The lessons are expected to be further improved based on initial implementation and pupils’ feedback into the delivery of the lesson.

This activity ended with a closing program where certificates of participation were distributed and a couple of participants shared their impressions. Closing messages from Dr. Villa and Dr. Ulep highlighted the challenge to all teachers to help each other in improving inquiry and problem solving skills among their pupils.