An essay written by Teacher Harley Monteclaro Rodriguez of Allen National High School, Brgy. Lipata, Allen, Northern Samar
KUYA GERMS VS. THE STEM PIPELINE METAPHOR
I have realized that germs do not make us sick. These microorganisms have long roamed the planet for millions of years and yet, people are anxious and scared of them. True sickness occurs when we are weak and left vulnerable from something we do not fully understand – in other words, ignorance. Being complacent and not doing the right course of action will result in sickness. Born in a family of educators, we fight in dispelling ignorance. We live in the near end between the coastal areas and hillsides of Allen, Northern Samar in Eastern Visayas – a tiny barangay called Lipata. Growing close to nature made me appreciate the science subject more; we often catch tambalukso when it is low tide, climb the mango tree in our neighbor’s backyard, and share the nights with friends and family under the moonlit sky. Now, school science came into formation when I first entered my first-grade class with Mrs. Grande. With the help of my science teachers, I was able to learn through the years that tambalukso belonged to the fish sub-class under the classification of animals, that to quickly climb a tree one has to consider his weight to mass ratio, and that the other planets’ satellites can also be called moon. Education and science are worlds filled with information. Information so fascinating that by the age of twenty, I claimed the best of both worlds.
I inspire and educate children to be a part of the science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) workforce. This is my story on how I am fighting the staggering increase in students’ disinterest in science and decline in STEM enrollment - the phenomenon known as the STEM pipeline metaphor.
I teach at a public Senior High School in my hometown. Remember how ignorance makes us anxious and scared especially in unfamiliar situations? That is what I felt like before the start of classes so I turned to Lemov’s Teach Like a Champion and Wongs’ First Days of School. Unfortunately, I always find my students either occupied talking with each other or using their smartphones whenever I enter the classroom. I thought it was a challenge. I am not the most experienced teacher, however, I am not the most inexperienced one, either. The ideas that I have read from Lemov and Wongs’ were manifested in the form of bellworks. My students busy themselves in answering the bellwork than being occupied with trivial matters while I prepare my teaching materials. I used this strategy for every class and I found it effective. Indeed, the best teaching strategy is the one that works.
I had different classes and subjects to teach every semester except for section Germany because we have their specialized subject General Physics 1 and 2 throughout the year. Now, this subject alone is very challenging if the lessons are inclined on its calculus-integration, what more if you are expected to teach it as a neophyte in the field? Initially, I focused on mathematical computations, however, I always see my students being confused than they previously were at the end of every class. It was frustrating on my part to see my students tsk-ing and huh-ing from my explanations. But, I took it as a challenge. The subject is physics, not mathematics. Although we cannot separate mathematics from the subject, I needed to find a connection that we can all relate to – something concrete rather than abstract. Physics is an adventure; it is more concrete that I never realized it has the most interesting examples. I focused on that perspective and I was delivering the lesson well. Eventually, my students and I met in the middle.
“Intawon, kaduroto pa san amon Special Science teacher! Irog lat kami sun san una pero mapapagal ka ta sun pag-abot san panahon (Our Special Science teacher is very hardworking! We are also just like you in the beginning but someday, you’ll get tired doing that).” One of my colleagues said that to me. Perhaps, that is our reality. Sadly, we give so much of ourselves that by the age of thirty we have little to no sense of self-worth. We are expected to act like everybody else and it is this major challenge that took its toll on me. I cannot promise what I will do in the future but I can promise the things I know I can do at the moment. True to the saying ‘actions speak louder than words’, I spearheaded the very first school science fair in the district. Filipino science fairs are done mostly in the division or national levels; this one is at the school level. I sacrificed some of my savings and professional time to purchase resources for the event, experienced sleepless nights with the students, and heard snide remarks from people who believed I cannot turn this idea into reality. Nevertheless, it was not all too bad considering I get to spend a lot more time with the students, to realize they’re quite persistent in solving each problem of the project, and to perceive a sense of ownership as they explain their projects to the judges. I get to see them grow. It was not the most imaginative idea but it served as a culmination of all my efforts and attestation of what I can do. I chose not to become like everybody else.
I made change happen. And you know for sure it is going to stick, maybe not forever but just until your students affiliate you in their memories for that one thing that also culminated their senior years as a high school student. Maybe that is how I want my section Germany to remember me by – their Kuya Germs and his school science fair. Comprehensively, it was more of a fight of their Kuya Germs with the current STEM pipeline. For STEM teachers to solve this, I realized we need three individual opportunities (1) to practice and hone our skills, (2) to learn an in-depth mastery of what we are teaching, and (3) to always have the attitude to seek personal and professional betterment. In short, a real opportunity to be experts in our chosen fields granted the easiest way possible.
I take any chance to get better. That is why if I were to be a science teacher to my loved ones, I would gladly volunteer myself as their teacher. It is not a matter of confidence but a matter of perspective because no matter how leery I am with my skills at the moment, how limited my knowledge is with the content, or how capricious my thoughts and attitudes are I will fail myself to be called a teacher if I will not have the courage to take that challenge. If I succeed, I get to teach much better. And unless I take that chance, I will never know.
I implore STEM teachers to keep on going no matter how hard or small our efforts may seem, know it will make a difference. It is not about the entire challenge; it is about the challenge that lies in front of us. Who knows how long it will take us to have the change that we’ve always dreamed of? I pray for a day that whenever a neophyte enters the real teaching world he will not be forced to think that he cannot make a difference for our so-called educational system. Why do you think there is always a 0.01% germ remaining after the cleansing? Allegorically, it is because even a fraction is enough to change the world. For the rest, they can be just like everybody else.
I hope you will not be swayed.
