Kenneth Carisma and his wife, Ruby Ann Carisma, hold a flag ceremony with their kids at home in General Santos City, as classes resumed nationwide in the ‘new normal’ on Monday. Photo courtesy of Kenneth Carisma/Facebook
Two parents in General Santos City who are both teachers took the new normal home schooling to a new level as they conducted a flag ceremony at their home with their kids and a niece when classes resumed nationwide on Monday, Oct. 5.
Photos of Kenneth Carisma and his wife, Ruby Ann Carisma, which showed them holding the flag ceremony with their four pupils at their home in Barangay Labangal, General Santos City, earned praises from netizens after they were posted by DepEd Tayo GenSan on its Facebook page on Wednesday, Oct. 7.
Kenneth Carisma, 40, is a school principal at Sinawal Elementary School—a small school situated in the mountainous area of Barangay Sinawal, more than 25 km away from the town’s city—while his wife Ruby Ann, 40, is a Grade 4 teacher at Saavedra Saway Central Elementary School, located only a kilometer away from their residence. She handles almost all subjects in school except Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan (EPP) and MAPEH. They have been working as school personnel for over 15 years.
In an interview with INQUIRER.net, Kenneth Carisma shared how they prepared their stuff prior to the opening of classes, as well as how they decided to proceed with the regular observance of the flag ceremony with their children before every class.
Kenneth Carisma and Ruby Ann Santos prepare their kids for the flag ceremony at their home in General Santos City on Monday, Oct. 5. Photo courtesy of Kenneth Carisma/Facebook
“Last Sunday, Oct. 4, we already prepared our things: uniforms, tables, pens for the classes, including the kids, to condition their mind that classes are now open. On Monday, Oct. 5, we all joined in the national flag ceremony, like the rest of public school teachers. Then, on Tuesday, we didn’t do the flag ceremony,” Carisma said.
“My eldest son, Hanz, who is a 10-year-old Grade 5 student asked me why we did not hold the flag ceremony [on Tuesday]. So my wife and I decided to do it on the following day, which is today. I downloaded some audiovisual presentations (AVPs), saved it on my USB, and played it on our TV,” he added.
Kenneth Carisma and his wife, Ruby Ann Carisma, hold a flag ceremony with their kids at home in General Santos City, as classes resumed nationwide in the ‘new normal’ on Monday, Oct. 5, 2020. Photo courtesy of Kenneth Carisma/Facebook
Carisma said he also asked his elder brother to buy them a Philippine flag that they can use for the flag-raising ceremony: “We will surely do this every day to condition the kids’ minds [as] it signals the start of the classes.”
They are joined in the flag ceremony every morning at 7:30 a.m. by their three boys Hanz, 10, Marc, 7, and Luke, 6, who are in grades 5, 2, and 1. Carisma’s niece, Alexa, who is in the same class and section as Luke, also joins them in their daily morning activity.
“As teachers, we do the usual preparations [being done for the opening of classes in the new normal]. We bought small tables for them to study. My wife also prepares the kitchen table as her office. I have my own space in the house too,” Carisma said.
Teacher Ruby Ann Carisma’s kitchen area at home turns into her workspace every after meal. Photo courtesy of Kenneth Carisma
Kenneth Carisma, a school principal, has set up a small corner space as his office at home. Photo courtesy of Kenneth Carisma
In DepEd Tayo Gensan’s Facebook post, it was mentioned that the couple decided to hold the flag ceremony regularly to teach their children love of country and so that they will get used to such common school activities in case the face-to-face learning modality is re-implemented.
Currently, Carisma’s kids are on a modular distance learning. They also attend a video conference momentarily with their teachers only to check their progress and to see if they are having difficulties and queries regarding their lessons.
Distance learning in the ‘new normal’
Since the coronavirus pandemic hit, people have been staying in the house for the quarantine. With that, Carisma and his wife did not have to do such complicated preparations or adjustments. For Carisma, their only problem is having no helper at home, which is why teaching their kids while doing their home chores has been a real challenge.
“The burden lies much on Ma’am Ruby because she has to prepare the foods, and I prepare the boys: bathing, clothing, etc. Teamwork lang talaga [ang kailangan] para walang gulo, mabait naman kami pareho (Only teamwork is really needed, so there is no trouble, as we are both kind).”
Carisma also openly shared with INQUIRER.net his thoughts when asked about what he thinks are the advantages and disadvantages of distance learning.
“Ang advantages ng distance learning ay matutukan naming mag-asawa ang mga kids, not only on their learning but on their values na rin (The advantages of distance learning lie in that my husband and I can focus on the kids, not only on their learning but on their values as well). [On] how they socialize with their siblings and niece, I get to know more about my kids,” he said.
Teacher Ruby Ann Carisma watches over her kids and niece while they answer their learning modules on Monday, Oct. 5. Photo courtesy of Kenneth Carisma/Facebook
“[With the work from home setup], we can also do our work here at home while [watching over] them. The kids are learning at their own pace too.”
Meanwhile, for Carisma, concentration and lack of focus on the present learning-teaching setup have been a struggle for both of them, as well as their kids.
“The disadvantages are, at times I can’t concentrate on my work, kasi magulo rin sila (since they are disorderly), imagine the boys, at sa isang area lang [nakapwesto] (and they are only stationed in one area). Hindi rin sila masyadong focus kasi nanay at tatay nila ang teacher nila (They are also not very focused because their mother and father are their teachers).”
As of this writing, the DepEd Tayo GenSan’s Facebook post has already garnered over 9,100 reactions, 448 comments and over 3,400 shares. /ra
RELATED STORIES:
Parents as teachers at home? DepEd says they’re needed to ‘motivate’ kids
Teachers, parents brace for double workload, unfamiliar tools
Students want online classes suspended