TEACHERS will have to deal with a new normal when classes open in August as protocols call for strict implementation of physical distancing. And with such safety measures in place, people are wondering what will happen to physical education classes?
Cebu’s physical education teachers said it’s a matter of adjustment, versatility and finding new ways of teaching that would be effective to the students while maintaining the social distancing measure.
Archie Reyes, Music Arts Physical Education and Health (Mapeh) teacher at the Abellana National School (ANS), said the guidelines for physical education are now being discussed by teachers thru a series of online seminars.
“It’s still part of the curriculum and I think what will change only is the method of teaching and how you adjust to keep social distancing,” said Reyes, who is also a football referee and is chairman of the Referees Committee of the Central Visayas Football Association.
He said using videos and infographics is one of the possible options.
“We have to adjust to the new normal and think of ways to teach and keep the students safe. Physical activity is important to everyone, especially in these trying times. We must maintain our physical health to keep our mental health in check,” said Reyes.
RJ Villarosa, a Mapeh and English teacher at the Cebu City Don Carlos A. Gothong Elementary School, said teachers must be versatile in their ways of connecting to students in this time of global health crisis.
“There are a lot of teaching styles of a teacher. P.E teachers are known to be versatile. In the new normal era, Physical Education must be included in the curriculum in order to keep our students and also the teachers fit and healthy,” he said.
Villarosa, a tournament manager for Aero Gymnastics in the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association Meet, said sure there will be directives and instructions that will be given to them from the Department of Education (DepEd).
“We will wait for the directive from Education Program Supervisor in Mapeh in DepEd Region 7 and Cebu City Division. I’m sure they will update us on the new acceptable trends,” he said.
Sen. Pia Cayetano is one of the advocates who is pushing to include physical education in the new normal curriculum. The known sports advocate made the suggestion when the Senate committee on basic education, arts and culture discussed the impact of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic on the country’s education system.
She said DepEd officials must come up with innovative ways to ensure that PE subjects will continue to be taught to students and tailored for different grade levels.
The country’s education agency is eyeing to open the School Year 2020-2021 on Aug. 24, 2020.
Reyes said there will be a training for them before the start of the school year.
“There will be a training from June to August, I think this will be part of our in-service training, social distancing will be observed. But it will be a challenge to have many teachers in the school,” he added.
Reyes said even the proposed 15 to 20 students in class per days would be difficult in this situation, since there are other barangays that are still on lockdown to control the rising numbers of Covid-19 cases.
“The normal will only return when we have the vaccine,” he ended.