EQUALIZER Principles for TEACHERS by Toto Gustilo

Bill Gates said to a group of graduating high school students: "Life is unfair, you just have to live without." Fact: This world is really "unfair." But we must "live with it" by being proactive and try to equalize with those people and institution who are unfair! I'm not saying that we must have a heart of revenge and "equalize" with them by putting them down. What I'm saying is that we must not let other people look at us with eyes of judgement thus we must act and elevate the identity of teachers in our land. Let's do away with the biased stereotypes this world has to offer.

Dr. Anna Amerilla of Philippine Normal University who happens to be my mentor in my doctoral program shares four relevant principles which can free us from the bondage called "mediocre." Here are the four equalizer principles:

1. Earn a Credential - this can be a higher position you rightfully deserve or an academic degree. Sad to say, people still look up to people who have prefixes and suffixes attached with their names. Specially in the realm of academics wherein these affixes are flaunted to earn the respect of their learning community.
2. Express Yourself - be confident because you are a person created with God's image bestowed with a destiny to fulfill.
3. Expand our Networks - this speaks about exuding excellent human relations. Your network will speak of your network. There's an Erap joke which says: "Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you mine." Your "friends" will make or break your influence.
4. Emit a Life of Integrity - model your life to others.

21st Educational Guide by TOTO Gustilo

Got this site from a seminar sponsored by Eduxi wherein Maricar Gustilo-De Ocampo lectured on leading a preschool in the 21st century.

This site got my attention.

http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/route21/

Hope it can be your guide!

Education Innovation by TOTO Gustilo

As a Filipino educator my passion is to see Phillippine education rise up to the challenges of the 21st century. Sadly speaking our country's education has undergone lots of dismal problems. In fact, according to Melbourne Indymedia (a website produced by grassroots media makers offering non-corporate coverage of struggles, actions and celebrations. Everyone is a witness. Everyone is a journalist.) (http: // melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2006/07/117598.php): 

Proof of this is the dismal state of our educational system. As of now: 
1 in 10 Filipinos has never gone to school (6.8 million) 
1 in 6 Filipinos is not functionally literate (9.6 million) 
4.1 million are illiterate 
11.6 million youth are out-of-school 
More than half (51 percent) of Filipinos had at most elementary education 
Out of 1000 Grade 1 pupils, only 688 will finish their elementary education and only 7 will acquire the required competency skills 
Of 100 students that enroll in Grade 1, only 13 will finish college; 

The Philippines has one of the most crowded classrooms in Asia. Class size is 55 to 56 students per classroom. Classroom shortage is more than 44,000 despite Mrs. Arroyo's recent pronouncement that there are no classroom shortages. Textbook shortage is pegged at 25 million. Public school teacher shortage is close to 50,000. 8.5 percent of schoolchildren are malnourished. Public schools are lacking in a comprehensive school-based, institutionalized child nutrition program. 

This blogspot serves as an "inspirational spot" for educators and educational leaders. It also dreams to be a nugget of wisdom/knowledge in developing Philippine educators in facing the 21st century. Mabuhay ang lahat ng Pilipinong Guro