March 07, 2022, | As part of the quest towards internationalization, the College of Education (COEd), in collaboration with the College of Education Student Council (CESC), hosted the first episode of their webinar series entitled “Augustinian-Recollect Teachers Abroad: Their Testimonies & Words of Inspiration.” The guest speaker, Ms. Martha Isiderio-Gutierrez, LPT, MAEd, is a proud alumna of Recoletos de Bacolod Graduate School, where she finished her Master of Arts in Education Major in Special Education. She was also a part-time professor of the UNO-R COEd in 2016 and is now working as a successful inclusion teacher in Arizona, USA.
The first episode of the webinar series was held via MS TEAMS with two-hundred eighty-one (281) participants, including College Education students from various programs and levels, faculty members, and guests. Mr. Ralf Francis Haro, the CESC Governor, stated the rationale of the webinar followed by Rev. Fr. Jose Alden Alipin, OAR, who gave his welcome remarks before introducing the guest speaker led by Ms. Cecile Marie Pacis, LPT, MAEd.
Ms. Martha shared her life and a realistic perspective of striving hard to live her life to the fullest. The guest speaker also discussed the needed requirements of going abroad, specifically to the US. She highlighted the difference between the Philippines and America and the pedagogies used by the current school she works for. “I talk to myself, always do affirmation, have a vision board on where I want it to be, and see a bigger picture… Focusing on what specific goals I wanted and that led me to many doors opening.”, Ms. Martha’s motivational words to all Education students. Furthermore, she also reminded the students that opportunities dance only with those who are on the dance floor, and noted that “I surround myself with people who I wanted to be and how I wanted to feel.”
Meanwhile, “See one, do one, teach one” is a motto shared by Ms. Martha that struck the audience’s desire for teaching. “Working abroad does not make you less of a Filipino. This is just proof of how globally competent we are.” uttered by Ms. Andrea Nicole Sumugat, BEEd 4, during her giving of synthesis and impression at the end of the webinar. “I intend to work abroad in the near future, and this webinar enlightened me by the sharing of real-life experiences from a teacher who is currently working abroad. Our speaker discussed her challenges and opportunities as an OFW, and as a result of this webinar, I think we are now much more knowledgeable about working abroad.”, Mr. Jeffrey Latoy’s (BPEd 4) realization after the webinar. Practice teachers who hosted the webinar were Ms. Melva Gabitoya and Mr. Windsor Linus Sumbillo. (Written by Nicole Ordaniel, The Phoenix writer, Photo courtesy of Mark Joseph Macasa)
