Forming independent and socially responsible children: A challenge to education

Bella Ramos

Instructor, Mariano Marcos State University and PhD Development Education Student of Divine Word College of Laoag.

The purpose of education is not only to transfer knowledge but it is an instrument of transformation. Education should be able to transform a person to be individual and social human being. Individuality is shown in their uniqueness and independence that can help themselves in the future. Sociality is characterized by their relationship with others and their concerns for others or the world which can be shown through commitment, integrity, solidarity, flexibility, efficiency, openness, self-growth, accountability, initiative, proud to be Filipino and spirituality.    

Key words: formation, independence, sociality, empowerment.  

INTRODUCTION

The changing context of education in the Philippines defines the kind of education that must be provided to students. Any educational institution, particularly State universities and colleges, since these normally accommodate more students compared to the privately owned ones, should be declaring that today’s education is primarily to educate students for personal renewal and social transformation. Education is essentially to enable students develop their potentialities to the fullest for their holistic development. Students are helped to develop uniqueness or independence, and at the same time be made to realize the urgency to be socially responsible to others.

There are however social impediments towards attaining such end. The road is not easy. One obvious impediment is the readiness and availability of facilities in the educational arena in this country is in deep scarcity.  The physical plant is not ready to accommodate the desired changes in education. It needs more budget to come up with its actuality.

Experts in education talk about lack of vision among educational systems and institutions, which includes the students. The absence of a vision that gives a sense of direction and motivation to improve and develop oneself is a serious impediment to the realization of true education.

Another problem is the conviction that education is only geared to individual development. It begins with the self and ends with the self.

These impediments are serious but they have to be remedied. The urgency to respond to the imperative that students are educated to become change agents to improve society as it manifests itself in different and expanding environments such as family, community, workplace, nation, and the world is a calling that has to be accomplished now. Education for social transformation requires that students are aware of their own humanity, conscious and adequately informed of their environment and actively engaged in making themselves and their society responsive in promoting everyone’s well being and holistic development.

INDIVIDUAL FORMATION

The context of education described above defines the knowledge, values, and skills that students must possess to enable them to become renewed individuals and eventually transformative teachers or agents.

It is the VISION of every teacher and educational institution that students are formed as individuals or unique persons. Students must have a vision that leads them to the knowledge of the self and the development of a moral character. Students are to be molded as strong and independent individuals for the present society is complex and requiring firmer breed of people in order to survive.

In order for this vision to be in place, Educational institutions have to look at themselves as a vital force and move for their own empowerment and development. It is hoped that soon they shall be known nationally and internationally as the primary centers of excellence in the transformation of people and leadership in the country and in Asia. As the established producer of knowledge, they shall be the primary sources of high-quality professionals and managers that can directly inspire and shape the quality of Filipino life.

1.      EMPOWER THE TEACHERS. According to Association for Curriculum Development (1996), they must see their profession also as change agents. Today’s teachers must possess the following dimensions:

a.      exercise effective communication

b.      manifest professional competence

c.       possess adequate knowledge of the discipline

d.      observe professional ethics

e.       welcome progressive innovation and change

f.       exhibit a deep sense of nationalism

g.       radiate a caring attitude for others

h.      engage in problem solving and decision making, and

i.        demonstrate personal integrity.

According to Lawrence Kohlberg (1979), Teachers possessing these characteristics are expected to be:

a.      Expert - demonstrates depth and breadth in their field of discipline to exercise flexibility to select and organize pedagogical content knowledge

b.      Mediator – facilitates a teaching-learning process that helps students to become independent, critical, and reflective learners who construct meaning by synthesizing new information with their own background knowledge

c.       Professional – displays disposition and behavior that adhere to the highest standard of professionalism and teacher’s code of conduct

d.      Organizer – plans dynamic educational activities, organizes the learning environment, establishes and maintains a positive learning climate and implements effective intervention strategies to enhance learning.

e.       Worker for Change – initiates activities that encourage school-home-community partnership and engages in educational activities that promote personal renewal and social transformation

f.       Effective Communicator – uses appropriate and varied media to communicate effectively in the discipline.

g.      Researcher - seeks to improve the educational practices within one's own school setting by conducting inquiries to serve students more effectively; and generates knowledge that enhances the discipline.

h.      Evaluator – maximizes students' learning by applying diagnostic and assessment strategies and techniques to guide the teaching and learning process.

i.        Decision-Maker –addresses problem situation proactively and makes things done the best way possible, makes decisions for the best interest of the learners.

2.      EMPOWER THE STUDENTS

The direct result of teacher empowerment would be the empowerment and development of students. The result of empowerment of students can be shown in the following indicators:

1.       Quality students/quality output.

2.       Have the ability of knowledge creation and application.

3.       Are able to generate a Culture of Sharing and Service.

 

                  4. Learn the value of Growth, Efficiency and Accountability

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

In the pursuit of a solid individual formation, the word “service” is a logical consequence (Ennis, 1969). What completes good education is service or the possession and application of the value of social responsibility.

According to Campbell and Bond (1989), Students must be able to have the following values:

1. COMMITMENT. The students are to uphold the dedication and responsibility of pursuing their desired degrees and their promise of service that leads to common good.

2. INTEGRITY. The students are to maintain the highest standard of morality in the performance of their duties and responsibilities

3. SOLIDARITY. With the helped of their parents/family, teachers and even perhaps their fellow students, they (they students) are to nurture the value of shared responsibility and the spirit of collaboration in all its undertakings

4. FLEXIBILITY. Each student recognizes the significance of changing contexts that may require modifications in its operations

5. EFFICIENCY. Each student, in cooperation with their teachers, invests on holistic and strategic planning in determining what might be the appropriate courses of action to facilitate growth and development within available resources
 

6. OPENNESS. Students and their leaders should encourage consultative processes to arrive at informed decisions.

7. SELF-WORTH. Each student believes in the potential of every member of the community in contributing to the attainment of its mission.

           8. ACCOUNTABILITY. Students and their leaders must advocate transparency at every level of operation.

9. INITIATIVE. Each student promotes self-reliance, ingenuity and resourcefulness in its search for means to carry out programs.

10. PRIDE IN BEING A FILIPINO. Students in this country must take pride in being able to attain and maintain excellence in Filipino universities imbued with the cultural values of its people.

11. SPIRITUALITY.  Students must realize the value of entrusting themselves, their undertakings and aspirations into the hands of the Divine Providence for their realization.

CONCLUSION

 

            The development of vision, character, and competence in the young people of today is necessary to allow the nation to survive the challenges of the 21st century (Pitchard, 1988). Side by side with this is also the development of the sense for social responsibility. It is so true that students must learn how to survive amidst sudden twists and changes of the society in particular and the world in general. This does not happen however when individuals work alone. They are to help one another. They are to share their resources. They are to develop the ambiance of caring for one another, that of being socially responsible.

The experiences of Egypt, Iran, Spain, Portugal, and Great Britain as seen in history are perfect examples that challenge everyone to be firm and be knowledgeable in swaying and dancing to the demands of the times. These countries have failed to dance with the signs of the times as nations united and one, and therefore relegated now as former world powers, that is other countries have taken their places now in history. Each of these former world powers failed to keep pace with the changing demands of the world around them. In many cases it was not a failure of the economic or material aspect of society, but rather a failure on the human, social, political, or spiritual aspects (Mizzer, 1995). They were economically prepared yet their “preparedness” was at the expense of their people.

The educational systems and institutions must prepare individuals to progress in order to attain the development and the sustainability that everybody wanted. Therefore, character development or individual formation and the development of social responsibility must be seen as an organic process in the development of the material/physical, human/psychological, and spiritual/transcendental aspects of every human being.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. (1996). Schools as partners

in character development (Press release). Arlington, VA: Author. Retrieved December 1999, from http://www.ascd.org/today/position/part.html

Campbell, V., & Bond, R. (1982). Evaluation of a character education curriculum.

In D. McClelland (ed.), Education for values. New York: Irvington Publishers.

Ennis, R. (1969). Logic in teaching. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Kohlberg, L. (1976). The cognitive-developmental approach to moral education. In

T. Lickona (Ed.), Moral development and behavior: Theory, research and social issues. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

Mizzer, T. (1995, December 15). The school bell: Teaching the whole child. 

The Hill Rag. Washington DC. 

Pritchard, I. (1988). Character education: Research prospects and problems. American

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