The Family Farm School family is growing! This coming school year (2007-2008) will see the opening of three (3) new Family Farm Schools. Though they’ll be using different names, they nonetheless will be adhering to the four (4) pillars known to the Family Farm School System. Two new FFS will be established in Region 8 particularly in Tacloban. They will be known as the Family Rural Schools. Another one will rise in Region 3 which will be called the Canili Family Rural Development School. This will jack up the total number of FFS in the Philippines to ten (10) this year.
To prepare them for the work ahead, tutors from the three (3) new schools underwent a two (2) – week basic pedagogical training last April 16 – 25, 2007 held at DFFS Compound, Brgy Dagatan, Lipa City, Batangas. A total of 12 new tutors from the new schools attended the training; six (6) coming from Canili FRDS in Aurora, Quezon, three (3) from Capoocan FRS and another three (3) from Paraclete FRS, both located in Tacloban. They were joined by six (6) more new tutors from Balete and Gelacio Yason Family Farm Schools.
The training is the first of two parts and forms an intensive grounding on the principles and basics of the Family Farm School system. They were oriented on the four pillars of the Family Farm School system and how it guides the operations of the schools. The participants were able to complete 10 of the basic pedagogical training modules. Lectures, workshops as well as study visits were utilized during the training proper. They likewise simulated some activities in the normal operations of the school such as the conduct of a family visit, study visit and the making of the formation plan.
The second phase will consist of an immersion process where the new tutors will experience first hand the many principles and basics they’ve learned during the training period. When school starts by June 2007, all the new tutors will be asked to stay in a school to do the work of a tutor. In order not to disrupt their own school operations, the new schools will have to send only one or two tutors at a time for the said immersion. The remaining tutors will follow after the first batch of tutors has finished their immersion process. They will engage themselves in the normal operations of an existing school and act as if they are part of the team of tutors of an existing school. They will be given the roles and responsibilities pertinent to their designation in their own schools; e.g. a tutor will be given the normal load of a regular tutor while an academic head or principal will be given the corresponding load. A senior tutor will be assigned to the new tutors to act as their mentor during the duration of the immersion process.
There were talks of a new FFS brewing in Calabanga.
The visit was highlighted by the identification of major concerns/issues that would ensure the opening of the school next year. Identified concerns include 1) infrastructure, 2) teacher and faculty complement, 3) type of school (coed or exclusive), 4) Financing, and 5) Security. The concern on infrastructure seems to be the major stumbling block on the opening of the new FFS at Calabanga. It was agreed that there is a need to identify committees that will look into the different concerns and come up with specific timetable in connection to the possible opening next school year. Though very much enthusiastic for a new FFS in Calabanga, the officers are also aware of the works ahead and the possibility of moving the opening for SY 2009 - 2010 if the concerns identified are not met accordingly.
