Now, more than ever, Department of Education stands on its mission to deliver education despite the adversities brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic. It sought different means to alternatively deliver learning while ensuring the safety of its learners and teachers. With all the modifications made by the Department, the teachers who serve as its front liners have also fine tuned themselves to be abreast with the trends.

As the public schools in the Philippines mainly offer online and modular modalities as alternative deliveries of learning, teachers have to choose from these two modalities in accordance to where they are most at ease based on their experiences and expertise. While others can play with the options, there are teachers whose option is dictated by the circumstances they are in.

Mrs. Lorena S. Mendoza is a 46-year-old public school teacher from Langkaan Elementary School. For 25 years, Ma’am Mendoza handles Filipino subject and has handled different generations to which some are already offsprings of her former pupils. A typical classroom teacher yet her younger colleagues would always admire how her devotion to the profession has not changed through the years.

When she got married in 1997, she started her own family in Malabag, Silang, Cavite. She is happily married with two children. Her eldest has recently passed the board exam for Civil Engineer. In spite of the distance of her residence, the love for the community she first served with and the camaraderie she has with her colleagues made her choose to stay and travel miles everyday for the past 25 years.

In March 2019, Ma’am Mendoza was diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent through medical operation on April of the same year and took a 7 month leave for her recovery. Although against her family’s desire, she reinstated in service on January 2020. According to her, the pain of suddenly being out in a class on weekdays during her leave is harder to bear compared to any medical procedures she experienced. It is more deafening to hear silence in the morning compared to the students’ noise she gets used to for the past decades.

After 5 days of reinstating in service, classes were suspended for 2 weeks due to the untoward eruption of Taal Volcano. Then weeks after, the pandemic happened.

As Langkaan Elementary School adopts online and modular distance learning modalities for the School Year 2020-2021, Ma’am Mendoza initially enlisted herself under those who will handle modular classes. According to her, the challenges of technology will surely make it difficult for her to deliver. She would even exclaim that in her past performance reviews, ICT had remarkably been the lowest for her. However, Ma’am Mendoza is still under chemotherapy sessions. Her health is at stake. The modules that may be coming in and out of her house every week is uncontestably a threat to her health. This compelled her to enlist herself under online distance learning.

With her eyes closed, Ma’am Mendoza signed under the list of teachers who will deliver via online. She knew by then that it is going to be tough. Inspired by her younger colleagues, Ma’am Mendoza positively takes the changes. She takes every inch as an opportunity to improve her skills. She did not mind her age to start learning her ICT lessons – at her own pace, at her own space.

With her cellphone and laptop side-by-side on power, she supplements the Division and school trainings with self-directed learning. She would devote time everyday to browse tutorial videos uploaded on YouTube and do actual practice on her laptop.

As day passes by, she is becoming engrossed with the brilliance of technology. She started to explore the use of Google slides and has started to design her own Google classroom. With the limitations of some tutorial videos, she would ask assistance from her children

Ma’am Mendoza identifies herself to be a newbie in becoming technology savvy. She claims that her skills are not yet enough and she is open and excited to learn even more. She fondly shares her output with her colleagues. Thus, gaining the respect from her younger colleagues for her deep commitment as a teacher.

Amidst various complaints about the changes brought by our sudden shift in learning delivery, there is one Mrs. Mendoza, a seasoned teacher presently fighting against cancer, giving her best and trying to be at par with others in terms of use of technology to make sure that learning continues for her pupils.

            
In times of challenges like this, teachers will always stand up for the learners even if it’s against all odds. In a path of uncertain destination, teachers will raise the torch to shine an inspiration for everyone.

The inspiring story of Mrs. Lorena S. Mendoza and how her profound love for the service of the youth overpowers the limitations set by her health condition as she braves the challenges of the New Normal is the official story featured by the Division for the Regional Office’s advocacy campaign dubbed as GURONG CALABARZON: Suportado and Patuloy na Edukasyon!

Kasama si Mrs. Mendoza at ang mahigit tatlong libong guro ng City Schools Division of Dasmariñas, tayo ay #WalangIwanan para sa kabataan!

The City Schools Division of Dasmariñas launches an advocacy campaign titled Kwentong #WalangIwanan to share inspiring stories of Dasmarineños who are bravely and positively facing the challenges of the new normal. Each story featured aims to bring hope and encouragement as we sojourn together to champion our learners.

(If you know a Dasmarineño with an inspiring #WalangIwanan Story, you may send it via e-mail to markjayson.espinosa@deped.gov.ph)