The need for simple reFORMS (Day 13)

The need for simple reFORMS (Day 13)

by Rey Laguda

(This is the 13th day of 50-day journey of DepEd Undersecretary Rey Laguda as being serialized here with his permission, culled from his Facebook account - Blogger/owner)

Teachers deal with a lot of paperwork. It's a major part of their work. There are many forms to be filled up at the school level by both teachers and administrators. There were forms that even contained similar information that were gathered repeatedly. The need to simplify and streamline beckoned.

Laguda

So in 2012, The School Forms Review Team was formed representing teachers, principals, division personnel including the superintendent, regional and central office personnel. The work was to review all existing forms at the school level and to generate feedback and discussion on usage, timing, content, and process flow. The objective was to rationalize data elements in existing school forms and create simplified new forms without compromising quality of data gathered. A total of 67 school forms were included as baseline inventory. From this number, 36 were identified as the most common school forms that cut across divisions. A smaller number of 16 forms were then identified as priority for review. From November of 2012 to March 2013, consultation and discussions were held to cover SY 2012-2013. This involved an iterative process, doing time and motion studies, understanding scenarios of schools with computers and without computers, etc.

De Bono's Six Thinking Hats - Effective?

De Bono's Six Thinking Hats

In making a decision for our forthcoming Christmas activity, we adapted Edward de Bono's six thinking hats technique. Some of us as school administrators heard this technique for the first time. Nevertheless, they worked effectively in coming up with a common decision.

Portia M. Mallorca, OIC-schools division superintendent employed this technique which we found interesting. We were curious about these "thinking hats" especially on they are used in a particular situation which requires a solution or a decision to make.

By applying De Bono's STH principle, we learned it that it was effective though we were amused of such color coding. Anyway we unanimously agreed or came up with a consensus for what to do for the preparation of our DepEd night in December 22. Every possible problem then was ironed out.

Education MANCOM: 'I Command Vision'

This is my statement I made in my opening remarks after I scrambled the phrase, "Division Mancom" while I was waiting for my turn to talk. "I command vision" prompted me to present it to my fellow school administrators. I referred it to the Lord's concern that He commanded us to look after His spirit children (the pupils) who are on our shoulders as  school heads or principals. We are the Lord's stewards for them. Therefore, He has given us to be visionary, to look ahead for the bright future of these children who are under our care and custody when they are inside our school. It is our utmost concern for their welfare and for their well-being as a good, law-abiding citizens of the community where they live in and be obedient to God's commandments.

Mallorca Appreciating BE documentation

Division Mancom is a monthly meeting of all Department of Education (DepEd) school administrators in the La Carlota Division. The 4th Division Mancom was held in our school, Cubay Elementary School, this morning. It was well attended by the school principals of 24 elementary schools, 4 high schools, and 3 district supervisors and division education program supervisors. Attending also were department heads of the secondary and division head.

La Carlota Assistant Schools Division Superintendent, officer-in-charged Portia M. Mallorca presided over the whole session of this meeting. Matters discussed were supervisory, administrative, and DepEd updates.