Birth of the Idea
The idea started with a meeting of the graduates of the University of San Carlos Science and Mathematics Education Department (USC-SMED), more colloquially known as the double-majors, last April 4, 2009, at PAREF Springdale School. There were 29 attendees, including myself. On April 16, 2009, another meeting was conducted at AA's BBQ at Salinas Drive, Lahug, with 6 people attending: Mr. Alvin Cuandot, then head of the science department of PAREF Springdale School; Miss Sheila Milan, freelance tutor; Miss Manilyn Piloton, formerly of Bethany School and now studying for a masters in science teaching; Mr. Glenn Nigel Javier, formerly of PAREF Springdale School and now studying for a masters in math teaching; Mr. Jo Alton Narca; and me. I suggested adoption of the name, and a prepared constitution and by-laws which I patterned closely after the defunct Carolinian Science and Mathematics Education Department Alumni Association (CSMEDAA) - I originally wanted to revive CSMEDAA but I realized that there are some people more suited for that job.
May 23 Meeting
The meeting was also a coordinators' meeting for our planned monthly meetings. This month, we hope to hold a panel followed by an open forum on investigatory projects in the high school. Mr. Mart Maravillas, himself a graduate from USC-SMED, who is the science coordinator of Bright Academy will try to see today if the administration of their school is amenable to the idea. The activity will be on May 23 (that is a Saturday), 6-8 P.M. (Activities are set regularly every third Saturday of the month, 6-8 P.M. There are already set activities for June up to August. I'll post them here soon.)
Here is the news item which will be released to the press (still subject to the agreement of the Bright Academy administration):
The Science Department of BRIGHT Academy, the school with a heart, invites all science and mathematics teachers from the city and province of Cebu for a down-to-earth, "real"-teachers conference on investigatory projects this May 23, 2009 (Saturday), 6-8pm, at BRIGHT Academy, Banilad, Cebu City. The free conference, titled "Investigatory Project in the High School Curriculum: The Whys and the Hows" will feature teachers who are "in the field": Ms. Manilyn Piloton, formerly of Bethany School; Mr. Patrick Alinsonorin, USC South Campus Basic Education Department; and Mr. Mart Andrew Maravillas, head of Science Department, BRIGHT Academy. The goals of the conference are: 1.) to agree on a common format for the investigatory project; and 2.) to plan for a projected grassroots student science congress this September 2009. The conference will conclude with an organizational meeting for a projected Cebu ScienceAt the last 30 minutes of the activity, we expect to meet with those who are interested to become core members of the CSMTA. At this stage of the organization, volunteers would be appreciated; surely we can understand those who would not be willing to start working on a starting organization. It is usually the most difficult years, when procedures are still being worked out.
and Math Teachers Association (CSMTA) for those interested.
For confirmation of attendance and other concerns, please don't hesitate to contact Vincent Isles, PAREF Springdale School, Lahug, Cebu City via landline number 232-2220, mobile 0927-829-6000/0922-829-6001 or email islesv@gmail.com. Particulars of the conference can also be found at the Education in the Philippines Forum at http://eduphil.org/
The CSMTA Dream
Or at least the islesv dream for CSMTA. I will be presenting this idea of what I hope CSMTA to be, but I'm not going to cry if they are not carried by the body.
We hope to be able to have as members a majority of the science and mathematics teachers from the city and province of Cebu. We hope to gather enough strength and influence to be able to effect positive changes in the areas of science and math curriculum, instruction, and teacher training. This strength and influence will come from a reputation of providing relevant, cost-effective and regular inputs (seminars, workshops, forums, panels) to science and math teachers.
How would CSMTA differ from already existing groups? (Because, if it is no different at all, I might as well spend my time blogging and forget about the entire business of trying to set up an organization.) We will focus on the provision of RCER inputs - relevant, cost-effective and regular.
Relevancy is immediate usefulness to teachers, thus inputs are to be conducted only via consultation with teachers (what do they need at this particular time?). This does not mean that we would not take advantage of some opportunities, for example the presence in the city of an expert on a topic which may not be immediately useful to the members but which is useful to them nonetheless, perhaps in the future.
Cost-effectiveness would mean minimum charge for inputs, if at all there are charges. Perhaps a membership fee should be collected, but this should be one time (annual), and it has its purposes also: the one-time payment would make a member be conscious of his membership. But as much as possible, the seminars should be free, or if there is a charge, it should be very minimal. The word "minimal" must be defined by the membership, but the guiding idea is to ask: Would asking for a seminar fee prohibit any member from attending the seminar? If the answer is positive, then the seminar fee must be reconsidered.
How would it be possible to provide cost-effective seminars? Here are some ideas:
1. Utilize local experts. I have experienced many times where a Manila-based expert is invited for a one-day seminar and paid a handsome sum for his trouble (aside from the hotel accomodations and the flight expenses) when a local expert could have presented the same thing for a fraction of the cost.
2. Get the venue for free. Teachers have their schools. The support of the administration of each school must be obtained so that the organization may be allowed to use the school as a venue. There is no need for airconditioned venues. Instead of a PowerPoint presentation, a one-page outline of the talk/lecture can be provided. On the other hand, there is really no need to provide full-text copies of talks/lectures, unless someone requests for it. In that case, the request can be noted, the requester asked to pay for the photocopy, and the copy provided the next meeting (anyway the meeting is monthly).
3. Minimize on the bring homes. How useful are souvenir bags from seminars? Have you really used what you received the last time you've attended a seminar? Most of the time these bags act simply as advertisements for the organization sponsoring the seminar. If they are advertisements, why should the attendees pay for them?
4. Don't provide snacks. This is one of the reason why we've decided earlier on to hold meetings from 6-8 P.M. The effective length of inputs is just actually 1 hour and 30 minutes. By around 7:30, most of the attendees would already be hungry. It is already time to end the input then; the remaining 30 minutes is for the organizers to clean up and do other administrative tasks. (Organizers may be provided snacks, but it should be after the meeting.)
5. Get sponsorships. Once the membership base is larger, we can ask some commercial companies for sponsorships in exchange for subtle advertising.
Other ways of minimizing costs can be considered. Raising funds from members should be kept to a minimum.
Finally, CSMTA hopes to provide regular inputs to its members. Have you noticed that some of these national professional organizations only remember you when it is time for the national convention? (If you are thinking that they remember you out of courtesy because they want you to attend the national convention - after all you are a member - you are only half right: they also want you to attend since your convention fee would partly subsidize the cost.)
We hope to have one activity at least every month. In this way, the membership is kept updated of new developments, esp. those useful for their daily lives as teachers. The organizational staff is also kept updated of the needs of the members.
Invitation
For those who are from around Cebu and interested in joining the Cebu Science and Mathematics Association (CSMTA), please attend the meeting this May 23, 2009 (Saturday), 6-8 P.M. If you can't attend the meeting but interested in joining, please text or call me at 0922-829-6001 or landline (032) 232-2220 (look for Mr. Isles; ask to be connected to the high school) or email islesv@gmail.com
You can download a copy of the proposed Constitution and By-Laws.
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