(CLOCKWISE from above) Workshop participants with Capuyan (white shirt, center, second row), Formoso (next to Capuyan), Chana Omaweng and Pangod (extreme right) PHOTOS BY RICHARD REYES
ARMINDA Annabelle B. Bangcawayan of Tanulong Elementary School in Sagada, Mountain Province, brought back to her class seven free copies of the Philippine Daily Inquirer she received when she attended a recent Inquirer in Education (IIE) workshop.
Learning how she could use the newspaper as an additional teaching material and resource, Bangcawayan said she used the Inquirer in her lesson, asking her class of 17 to identify the different parts of the newspaper and to read its content. As a result of reading that one issue, “my class started reading the newspaper. They started to talk about what they had read and even asked if I had copies of succeeding issues,” Bangcawayan said.
The eagerness that her students developed to read a newspaper encouraged Bangcawayan to sign up for the upcoming Bayer Smiling Kiddie Einstein so her class could receive free copies of the Inquirer for six weeks.
Participant Nancy Jane K. Taguindodo, a Grade 6 teacher at Sagada Central School, also signed up for the Bayer Smiling Kiddie Einstein, after finding the workshop a “short but very fruitful training.” Taguindodo, who was the school paper adviser of Sagada Central School for five years but had to give up the post because of her other responsibilities, said, “I realized a while ago the importance of the newspaper in my teaching and I know it would be of great help to my pupils.”
Bangcawayan and Taguindodo were among 31 English and Science teachers, mostly from elementary schools in Sagada, who participated in the recent IIE workshop on the use of the newspaper in the classroom, news writing and photojournalism.
The first such workshop in Mountain Province, the activity was initiated by longtime Sagada resident Ed Formoso, the songwriter/music producer, and supported by Vice Mayor Benjamin Capuyan and business establishments in the municipality.
The self-effacing Capuyan said he was “shocked” that the Inquirer wanted to come to Sagada and do the workshop but it was an opportunity not to be missed.
He said Sagada campus journalists had won awards in provincial and regional competitions. With the skills their teachers acquired during the short workshop, he expressed the hope that they would finally get a shot at winning national competitions.
He said the town had “diligent and hardworking educators.” With what they learned during the workshop, they would have more skills to teach their students, the vice mayor said.
Capuyan hoped IIE would visit Sagada again and there would be more opportunities for local teachers and students to learn more from it.
Formoso said they organized workshops like the IIE activity so students would not have to leave to get the additional training they need. By bringing teachers and trainers to Sagada, the town’s students would have some of the opportunities available to lowlanders and perhaps parents would not have to send their children away to study, which often results in family breakups.
Robert Pangod welcomed the participants and guests to the workshop on behalf of Mayor Eduardo Latawan Jr.
Teachers do an exercise using the INQUIRER
Resource persons in the one-day workshop—Learning editor Chelo Banal-Formoso, Inquirer photographer Richard Reyes and this writer—discussed how teachers could use the newspaper in the classroom as an additional teaching resource and tool, photojournalism and news writing, respectively. Banal-Formoso also gave a brief overview on feature writing.
Many of the teachers said their schools did not have school papers at the moment but they expected to find useful what they learned during the workshop, as there were plans to start their own campus newspapers.
They found the session on photography particularly interesting as they usually had to take many pictures to document school activities and events.
Participants came from 10 primary and elementary schools and three high schools. The primary schools were Kilong, Fidelisan and Nacagang; the elementary schools were Ankileng, Sagada Central, Aguid, Bangaan, Tanusong, Alab and Ambasing; and the high schools were Ankileng National, Balugan National and Sagada National.
A participant gives her feedback.
Formoso said the workshop was made possible through the generous support of local officials and business establishments, who contributed in cash and kind. Donors and sponsors included the Henry V. Moran Foundation, chaired by Danny Moran and which has generously supported other Sagada initiatives like the training of football players, art classes and a special education program; Cellar Door, ERL Mami House, Hinode, Lemon Pie House, Log Cabin, Misty Lodge & Cafe, Ristorante Biag, Rock Farm Inn, Rusty Nail, Sagada Brew and Yogurt House.
Others who helped make the workshop a success were Chana Singtze C. Omaweng, assistant to Capuyan who was overall coordinator; tour guides Earl Page-et and Egbert Dailay; and transport operator Gary Omaweng.