Philippines – Page 64 – Goducate … Go And Educate!

2013-07-302013-07-25

Goducate in Laguna helps mothers and fathers catch up on schooling

Goducate in Laguna now has 40 students, mostly mothers, registered in its Alternative Learning System (ALS) program. The group consists of 31 mothers, 4 fathers, and 6 youths. One of the fathers is also learning farming at the Goduate model farm. Some of the youths who were attending the program at the start of the year have now gone back to high school.

The ALS is a Philippines Department of Education ladderized, modular, non-formal education program for those who for whatever reason have not completed their school education. There are uniform lesson modules for all academic subjects, and there are two levels—elementary and secondary (high school).

The classes are held twice weekly at the new Goducate office in Laguna, though not all the students are able to attend regularly. In October all the students will be sitting for their exams, 5 at elementary level and 35 at secondary. Naturally all are hoping to pass, but more importantly all believe that an education will help them in their daily lives.

Doing review papers---the two in the bottom left-corner are a husband and wife who will be sitting for the elementary level exam. — Doing review papers—the two in the bottom left-corner are a husband and wife who will be sitting for the elementary level exam.

2013-07-16

Staff at Goducate Training Center undergo training in Basic Life Support

On July 5-13, 15 of Goducate Training Center’s (GTC’s) employees underwent Basic Life Support training, held in conjunction with the Philippine National Red Cross. Those who took part included the Center’s administrative and training staff, as well as those employed to work in the recreational and construction areas. The latter group are mainly people from the communities surrounding GTC, since Goducate believes that one way of helping the needy communities around us is to employ them.

The training consisted of basic skills in handling emergencies such as fractures, burns, and the results of other accidents. They learned the standard procedures of dealing with unconscious patients and of doing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). They also learned different ways of bandaging, as well as of transporting the patient.

The course was tiring but enjoyable, especially the practical part. Trainees had practice time with their partners before undergoing the grading for their practical work. They had to show how to respond to different incidents.

With such training our staff should be able to respond to emergencies that might arise inside GTC. As one means of making GTC self-sufficent, the Center is open to the public, who come for the educational tours of the place or to make use of the recreational facilities. Having staff who can attend to emergencies is thus important.

We also hope that those of the staff who come from the neighboring communities will be able to pass on their skills to their communities. In addition, since they are now certified as having been trained in basic life support, they might want to respond to the government’s calls for help with emergencies.

Practical training in emergency response

2013-07-052013-07-03

Young Goducate musicians attend their violin teacher’s performance at Arellano University

A few weeks ago 24 children from the Goducate music program in Laguna had a special outing to Manila. They went to listen to their violin teacher Liezl perform at a concert at Arellano University. As an additional treat, the children were brought to a large shopping mall in Manila. For some of the children, many of whom come from small villages in Laguna, it was their very first time in a large mall.

Liezl had just finished a three-month perfoming arts (singer/musician) course at Arellano University. It was a Phillipines TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) accredited course.

In 2011 Liezl was one of 5 violinists from the Goducate Orchestra who were selected by a Channel News Asia program, Once Upon A Village, to go to Singapore for a couple of weeks of intensive training at the Wolfgang Music Studio. Liezl was invited back by the studio for a couple more visits to prepare for the Grade 5 Trinity College music examinations in the violin, which she passed with a merit in mid-2012.

Since her return to Laguna she has been teaching the beginners and the juniors in the Goducate orchestra how to play the violin. Her students were very encouraged and inspired watching her perform at the concert to mark the end of her course. She said that she wants to teach them the right techniques, intonation, flexibility and style in playing the instrument.

We hope that the children in the music program will have the opportunities that Liezl has had to further their musical training, or to get scholarships to university on the strength of their musical ability, as several other Goducate musicians have done.

Listenimg to Liezl's performance — Listenimg to Liezl’s performance