Training and Development for mentors for higher quality education

2. According to Seyfarth(1991), some authors extend the
explanation of in-service training and staff development by
distinguishing between training and development. For them,
training typically refers to teaching technical employees and non
teaching staff how to perform their present jobs effectively and
efficiently. This perspective is based on the defect or deficiency
orientation that seems to pervade in-service education. In
contrast, staff development refers to teaching professionals and
administrators the necessary skills for present and future
positions in the organization which is a growth-oriented view.
The defect view inhibits the development of the human potential
as it is basically a linear process, and only addresses very limited
specific concerns. On the contrary, the growth approach implies
that the teaching-learning process is complex, and involves many
interacting and interlocking elements.

3. The defect perspective assumes that school personnel
are out-of-date, and whatever problem can be fixed like
any ordinary machine. In contrast, the growth approach
recognizes that school personnel are continuous learners;
acknowledges personnel in a humanistic rather than
mechanistic perspective; considers that staff or personnel
development is not a single event.
Lunenberg and Ornstein(2000) provide a compromise
view about learning and development. They do not make
a distinction, and refer to both types of intervention
(training and development) collectively as training. They
argue that both terms have the same objective which is
to help all people in the organization, whether teaching or
non-teaching, to develop their potential by learning new
knowledge and skills, as well as enhancing previously
learned ones. To them, training and development are two
sides of the same coin, or currency directed to the same
goal: effective instruction in school.

4. The limited view of in-service education for teachers
is reflected in the scope of the in-service training program
of the Department of education, Culture and sports
specified in the Congressional Commission on Education,
or EDCOM (1993). In the report, in-service training refers
to any planned school activity intended to enhance the
knowledge, skills, and competencies of teachers which
may take the form of any or a combination of workshops,
seminars, conferences, conventions, summer institutes,
and meetings. Specifically, the various types of in-service
training programs are designed to provide teachers the
opportunity to upgrade and update knowledge and
competencies directly related only to curriculum and
instruction as indicated by the following concerns (the
Congressional Commission on education, 1993, p. 17:

5. 1. Orientation to new concepts, objectives, values,
curricular innovations, and educational policies
2. Upgrading of skills and competence in methodology and
content in different areas
3. Evolvement of models, strategies, methods, guidelines,
and instruments
4. Monitoring and evaluation of projects and curriculum
innovations
5. Planning and programming in curriculum development,
instructional evaluation, and action research
6. Enrichment, production, and utilization of materials
7. Problem identification and evolving proposal for
possible solutions
8. Sharing and enriching knowledge and experiences, and
information dissemination
9. Strengthening of inter-agency cooperation and
collaboration

6. This focus on correcting deficiencies is a response
to the findings by EDCOM that basic education
teachers still exhibit poor academic preparation in
general. For instance , based on the evaluation
conducted in connection with the Secondary Education
Development Program(SEDP) in 1991, secondary school
teachers were not competent in the subject that they
were teaching. They could answer correctly five out of
10 questions in English and in Filipino, and six out of 10
questions in science and in math which underscored
the urgent need to improve the mastery level of
teachers in these subjects. The premise is that through
in-service training, this defect could be corrected, and
better performance would ensue.

7. Even the specific proposal by the President
Commission on Educational reform (PCER, 2000) to
strengthen teacher competencies at the basic
education level is primarily a deficiency orientation.
PCER proposed the implementation of Project TEACH
or Teacher Empowerment to achieve Competence and
Humaneness. The objectives of the project, which
imply lack of certain skills, and competencies (i.e., use
of technology, reading, critical thinking) that need to
be addressed, illustrate the deficiency view.

8. These are to develop the teacher as
(p. 55):
1. an IT teacher who is adept at
using new learning technologies as
means of enhancing the teaching-
learning process;
2. a reading teacher;
3. a critical and creative teacher;
and
4. a values education teacher
imbued with the ideals of
integrity, honesty, patriotism, and
work ethics.

9. On the other hand, the Professional and
Organizational Development Network in Higher Education
(n.d.) explains that faculty development has a three-fold-
focus —the faculty as a teacher, the faculty as a scholar and
professional, and the faculty as a person which varies the
former. When the emphasis is on the faculty as a teacher, the
program offered is geared toward the instructional supervision.
When it is on the teacher as a scholar and professional, the
program assists in career planning and professional
development is scholarly pursuits such as writing grants,
publishing, committee work, administrative work, and
supervisory skills, among others. When the stress is on the
faculty as a person, the program provides training in wellness
management, interpersonal skills, stress and time management,
assertiveness development, and other concerns which address
the individual’s well-being.

10. In some schools in the Philippines, the holistic
approach to faculty development includes activities geared
not only toward physical, emotional, and mental
development, but also toward spiritual development.
Thus. In many Catholic schools, the annual activities
include recollections or retreats for the faculty members’
spiritual growth. This orientation can be gleaned from the
following activities clustered into five major areas
formulated by a group of educators from various member
schools of the Catholic Education Association of the
Philippines (CEAP). These activities have been identified
when this group attended a graduate summer program
(April-May, 2004) at the College of Education of De La
Salle University (see Table 17).

11. What is not open to question
is the idea that whatever the
focus is, the underlying
philosophy of faculty
development is the recognition
that faculty members are the
driving force behind the
institution. As such, all teachers
deserve every assistance they
need. They must be as
productive as possible to ensure
the optimum effectiveness and
productivity of the institution
which is measured by the quality
of its delivery of services
(instruction, research, and
outreach) to its clientele.

12. Objectives Activities
Professional Development
1.To update and upgrade the 1.Enrolment in graduate
knowledge of the faculty programs
members in their respective 2.In-house and off-campus
fields of specialization. seminar-workshops
2.T o enhance the teaching 3.Demonstration lessons
skills of the faculty members. 4.Orientation for new
teachers
5.Action research

13. Social-Cultural Development
1.To expose teacher to “low-stress 1.Field trips
and “non stress” activities. 2.Recreational activities such as
2.To promote healthy working ballroom dancing and parties
relationships in the organization. 3.Sports festival (Volleyball,
3.To deepen community awareness bowling, basketball, etc.)
and involvement. 4.Community Day
4. To enhance home school 5.Family Day Celebration
relationship. 6.Team-building Activities
5. To develop appreciation of the 7.Cultural shows (folk dancing,
richness of the Philippines culture. musical concerts, etc.)

14. Personality Development
4.To help teachers develop 1.Seminar workshop on
self-confidence in dealing public speaking, power
with students, peers, dressing, social graces, art of
administrators, and parents. listening, proper diet, and
2.To develop health nutrition, good grooming,
consciousness among the and coping with stress
faculty. 2.Group dynamic sessions on
3.To help teachers recognize self-awareness
their strengths and 3.Aerobics
weaknesses, and deal with
them appropriately

15. Curriculum Development
1.To enhance skills in 1.Seminar-workshops on
syllabus-making, lesson syllabus-making, lesson
planning, and test planning, test construction.
construction. 2.Demonstration lessons on
2.To enhance the skill in how to integrate different
integration of different concepts.
concepts.

16. Spiritual Development
1.To deepen the Christian 1.Retreats and recollections
spiritually of the faculty. 2.Pilgrimage
2.To strengthen relationship 3.Involvement in Basic
with the lord. Ecclesial Community(BEC)
3.To have a sense of renewal, 4.Bible sharing
and view teaching as a calling 5.Living rosary
from God. 6.Colloquium on teaching
4.To deepen the knowledge ministry
and devotion to Mary.