#cilque casis

According to a survey conducted by Plan International, women encounter two main issues when it came to studying: internet connectivity and household chores. While internet problems are more universal, female students are usually expected to do more household work than boys. This is due to the perceived notion of gender roles. As a result, they become an integral part of running the household and are also expected to prioritize it above everything else. This is an incentive for parents to keep their daughters at home, especially those who put a degrading value on female education. Consequently, girls are also at a higher risk of dropping out of school to take the place of their family’s caregivers when they become unavailable due to illness, Covid-19-related work, or death.

This issue only worsened during the height of online classes, when schooling became much more inaccessible to students from the lower class. This is thanks to a new kind of school requirement: gadgets. Although students do not need high-end ones to attend classes and do their assigned tasks and projects, it is hard to find an up-to-par gadget that is worth P10,000 or below. For a lower-class family, it is much more reasonable for the student to stop schooling when that kind of money could be allocated to their basic needs instead. Female students especially are considered to be more valued around the household than in school —one of the main reasons why the Philippine Statistics Authority recorded last 2017 that 68.9% of out-of-school youth are females aged 6-24. But it does not end there, as gender expectations, educational expenses, and the risk of dropping out are just a fraction of what young female students concern themselves with when in school.

Another issue girls face in school is gender-based bullying. The Program for International Student Assessment reported that 65% of Filipino students are bullied, with 70.5% of those students being female. In the hopes of reducing bullying incidents in the country, Republic Act 10627, or the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, was enacted but unfortunately, incidents only sky-rocketed from 1,309 cases in 2013 to a whopping 11,637 cases in 2019-2020. The sad part about this is that the number wasn’t even final as last February 13, 2023, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chairperson of the Committee on Basic Education, said that 11,000 reported cases did not make sense as this number is nowhere near 40-60% of the population of students. This expected figure set by “large-scale examinations” should have translated to 10 million - 12 million students, the discrepancy confirming the underreporting of bullying cases. Nonetheless, out of the 71,928 bullying cases tallied from 2013-2020, over 4,250 cases were reported to be gender-based in nature.

Even in the absence of in-person classes, female students still aren’t safe from harm. When the country converted to online learning back in 2020, it was reported that 68% or almost 7 out of 10 female students experienced online harassment according to a survey and interview by Plan International. Additionally, 8 of 10 girls have experienced sexual harassment through social media, with 68% of them falling victing to their own peers.

These instances of bullying, and other forms of discrimination are known to cause and worsen mental health problems. In a 2018 study by Jesus Alfonso D. Datu, it’s stated that discrimination can be linked to negative emotions and inhibited academic achievement. This is worsened by the stigma surrounding mental health; young girls are often described as “OA” and too sensitive, and are frequently asked the tiring question, “meron ka ngayon ‘no?” implying that the trauma these girls face is somehow connected to them being on their period. These comments do not only come from their peers; the majority of it comes from the older generations. The mindset that “trauma makes you stronger and it builds character” is one that has been popularized over the years but in fact, being tormented and invalidated do not make girls stronger, it just leaves them traumatized.

It’s sad to think that female students have to go through all these, just to be educated —a basic human right, and that giving up can feel like the easier option than fighting to learn. In spite of this, their struggle is one that cannot be neglected. After all, their successes not only benefit them individually, but the whole of society. Girls have a lot to offer, if only given the right opportunities and resources that they need to thrive. //by Cilque Casis and Daniella Garces

Sources:

Acosta, A. M. (2020, October 2). COVID-19 and Girls' Education: What We Know So Far and What We Expect. Center for Global Development. Retrieved February 28, 2023, from https://www.cgdev.org/blog/covid-19-and-girls-education-what-we-know-so-far-and-what-we-expect-happen

Ballesteros, K., Almeda, A. (2021, November 20). Safety First: discrimination at Philippine schools and work places — MentalHealthPH. MentalHealthPH. https://mentalhealthph.org/11-20/

Datu, Jesus Alfonso. (2018). Everyday discrimination, negative emotions, and academic achievement in Filipino secondary school students: Cross-sectional and cross-lagged panel investigations. Journal of School Psychology. 68. 10.1016/j.jsp.2018.04.001

De Guzman, P., Tomeo, A., Jaca, G. (2020, October). Plan International GYW Report CC 2017. plan-international.org. Retrieved February 28, 2023, from https://plan-international.org/uploads/sites/25/2022/02/through_her_lens_15oct2020.pdf

de la Fuente, J. K. (n.d.). Bullying and School-Related Gender-Based Violence in the Philippines. https://www.teacherph.com/bullying-school-related-gender-based-violence-philippines/?fbclid=IwAR33LS1-AuXZH4EJsaasIRmAFr_WTNosAVMtPBpflSjEA47wyVy2PBHlAUs

Gendered effects of school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic (By J. E Mueller D. G Nathan). (2020, June 12). thelancet.com. Retrieved February 28, 2023, from https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(20)31377-5.pdf

Harrison, E. (2019, March 19). Fleabag: Fans loved Kristin Scott Thomas' epic speech on womanhood. Radio Times. https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/comedy/women-are-born-with-pain-built-in-kristin-scott-thomass-epic-speech-on-fleabag/

Macasero, R. (2023, February 13). Bullying in schools underreported, says chair of Senate education panel. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/nation/bullying-schools-underreported-senate-hearing-february-13-2023/

Maderazo, J. J. (2023, February 14). School bullies: Unbearable scourge to Filipino families. Inquirer Opinion. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://opinion.inquirer.net/161057/school-bullies-unbearable-scourge-to-filipino-families

But why are planners the best friends you could have? Simply put, they help you keep track of information! When you’re writing down stuff that you think is important, like dates and deadlines, it becomes a record that you can look back on when you need to make plans. If you have a requirement due next week, writing it down in your planner makes it easier to plan and do homework in advance.

Write the essentials!

To make your planner effective, write all the essential information. These would include incoming assignments and their deadlines, reporting schedules, and school announcements for students like us. Writing things down also helps our brains retain information. So when you’re making a list of homework, you’re training yourself to remember the details!

This is where physical planners have an edge over digital planners. When we take physical notes, we rewrite the information in a way we can better understand. The process of rewriting is what helps us remember. When we use digital planners, however, we tend to copy things word for word because many of us type faster than we write. We don’t digest the information as much compared to physical notes. Ultimately, you should choose what works best for you, physical planners or otherwise.

Organize your notes!

Important information can become disorganized. Keep notes from the same day close to each other so you don’t get confused. You can use tables, calendars, or even just the pages of the planner you’re using. Color coding also helps you keep things organized. Assign a color to a specific type of requirement, purple for homework, red for quizzes, and so on. For example, you’re in class when your teacher assigns homework for next week. You take out your purple pen and write a reminder in your planner’s calendar. She also reminds you of a quiz happening in the same week. With your red pen this time, you jot it down on the calendar too.

Add extra tools!

Aside from general notes and reminders, you could put anything in your planner that could be helpful. Some people create daily task lists to help with their planning process, while others write weekly or monthly goals to keep themselves on track.

Consult (and use) your planner!

When you have the organization done, be sure to look at your planner frequently. All the information stored would be wasted if we didn’t check it! Keep your friend close, so you can quickly consult or add something! Keep in mind that planners are only helpful if they lead to plans and schedules followed. It won’t matter if you know there’s a quiz in a few days if you don’t actively study. The information you record has to lead to action for your planner to be useful.

But let’s be honest, going back isn’t exactly easy. Do you find yourself zoning out or wanting to check your phone during lessons? Do you get lost in school, not knowing which room your class is in? If you do, you’re most likely suffering from “online class syndrome”, otherwise known as the lingering effects of remote learning. We cannot deny the impact online classes have had on all of us. We’ve gotten used to turned off cameras and microphones for so long that returning to the traditional learning set-up may not come as easy. But don’t worry, for we can take small steps to help us get back on track. Here are some struggles that we students may be facing during limited face-to-face, and how we can slowly adjust to them.

Short Attention Span You’re in Zoom, listening to the teacher talk about derivatives and whatnot, until… beep! Is that a Discord notification you hear? The greatest struggle for most students in the online class set-up is focusing during synchronous classes. With no one to see us during class, we can often get away with doing other things. This may have led to developing a habit of constantly checking our phones, eating, or doing things unrelated to the lesson.

Photo Credit: Amira Castillo

In person, however, teachers can see if students are truly paying attention during classes. Doing other things during the lesson is disrespectful to the teacher, and may even be disruptive to the class. To break this habit, the best thing to do is to keep distractions out of sight. We should keep our phones muted and stored inside our bags, along with other items that may stop us from paying attention. It can also help to take notes so that we are occupied and have an immediate reason to focus on the lesson. Not only will it keep our brain active and help us avoid feeling drowsy, it will also make retaining information easier later on.[1] Using a notebook is highly encouraged, since it’s less distracting. But for those who take notes on a device, it will help to mute notifications and activate “Guided Access” or any other feature that only allows one application to be used for a period of time.

Loss of Recitation Confidence If you’re the type to know the answer to a question but won’t speak up or draw the class’s attention, then you probably love the chat box feature on Zoom. Reciting in class is much easier online than in person, mainly because it can be done through chat and we can simply send in our answers whenever we like. Don’t want the class to see your answer? There’s the option to send them directly to the teacher! Even if we have to unmute our microphones to recite, there’s no pressure of seeing our classmates direct their attention to us.

Photo Credit: Amira Castillo

Two years of this might have made us forget some practices when it comes to reciting in person. We can’t just blurt out our answers whenever we want to. We must remember to raise our hand, wait to be called, and stand up before speaking. Online classes might have also worn down our confidence when it comes to reciting. In person, there’s no “direct message” option to hide behind; we have to own our answer. What can we do to gain confidence? First, It can help to go over the idea we have in our head so we can articulate it clearly when called upon. It’s best to keep our statement brief and straight to the point, so as not to overexplain.[2] Second, keep in mind that recitation isn’t a test and it isn’t limited to answering a question; you can share an idea, add on to others’, or even ask about something you’re curious about. Third, remember that we shouldn’t be afraid to make mistakes. The whole point of school is to learn and we are not expected to already know everything. And lastly, just do it. If we try to recite every now and then, we can slowly build up our confidence again and we’ll be doing it effortlessly in no time.

Reporting Anxiety Are you forgetting your script and constantly stuttering? Not a problem for online classes, you can just retake it! Much like reciting, reporting is convenient when done online. Most of the time, we’re given the option to prepare a recording to present in class. Filming the report grants us an unlimited amount of takes, so there’s no pressure to do it perfectly in one go. While there’s an extra challenge when done live, we still can’t see the audience, and if we have our camera turned off, the audience won’t see us.

Photo Credit: Amira Castillo

However, reporting in person is entirely different. It can only be done live and there are no retakes if we stutter or make a mistake. We’ll also be standing in front of the whole class and will be able to see everyone’s reactions to what we are saying. Reporting in person is most likely what a lot of us are scared of doing now. Our confidence might be a little shaken, so it’s best to make time to prepare for in person reports. We can do that by writing a script, making cue cards (if the teacher allows it), and practicing over and over again. In case of group reporting, it's best to run through the flow and the exchange of speaking with our groupmates. Lastly, do you tap your foot or wipe your clammy hands pre-report? That’s the body feeling nervous. We suggest taking deep, slow breaths before going in front to speak. Deep breathing brings oxygen to our brain and relaxes our body, which calms down any unease we’re having.[3]

Difficulty Organizing School Supplies What were we talking about? Oh yeah, during online classes, all our modules are in one place, so information and materials are readily available. If we’re able to go to an online class, chances are we have access to the internet and can use that if the module doesn’t cover something we want to understand more. The internet also helps with further research. Other things like scratch papers, pencils, and art materials tend to be around the house, so people usually don’t have to worry about a lack of supplies.

Photo Credit: Amira Castillo

Face-to-face classes are more constrained, as we have a limited amount of space for our supplies. This could lead to some necessary items being forgotten! The only things that we consistently bring are our bags and lunchboxes. Making a note of what we’ll need for the class, and planning accordingly will help us organize. Checklists also help us know if we’re missing anything. Preparing our bags the night before helps us avoid the morning rush. If we have a group project that requires additional materials, we should coordinate with our group; make sure that everyone is bringing something so that no one person is carrying most of the supplies.

Bouts of Tardiness It’s 7:59 AM, and you just woke up. It’s a good thing that joining a meeting takes less than a minute! As long as we have a stable internet connection, being on time for online meetings is easy. When we recite via chat or turn our cameras on, we are considered present in class.

Photo Credit: Amira Castillo

When we have to go to a physical classroom, being on time is a bit more complicated. We’re dependent on our mode of transport to get to the building on time. We also have to consider things like traffic and finding the correct rooms for each class. If we don’t plan ahead, all of these factors may lead to irritating bouts of tardiness. Try to adjust to traffic, either by using alternative routes or by leaving earlier to avoid the rush. Having a regular and healthy sleeping schedule also helps minimize the risk of waking up late. It can even improve productivity and concentration and support our immune system.[4] As for the classrooms, we should memorize today’s rooms and keep track of the time. It’ll help us get around faster, and eventually, the schedule will become second nature to us.

Increased Exposure to Sickness Are your hands clean? Good, because it should be easier to adhere to health protocols at home. We interact with fewer people, sharing food isn’t a big issue, and other people at home can help clean up. Because we’re in one place the entire time, there’s less of a risk of spreading disease, especially if everyone in our families stays at home.

Photo Credit: Amira Castillo

Face-to-face classes are very different. We interact with more people and those people are interacting with other students. The number of students at school also affects the availability of the two drinking fountains. They might become busy areas because of people waiting in line to get water. Many students also mean more trash, and that amount of trash can build up quickly if not managed properly. These factors may increase our chances of catching a disease. Thus, we should be more responsible with our garbage, hydration, and sanitation. After we touch a surface that other people may have touched, use alcohol or wash our hands. This is especially important in bathrooms and classrooms because many people pass through. When we eat food, don’t share. This, along with consistent hand washing, will minimize the spread of any potentially harmful diseases someone could be carrying. Bringing an ample supply of water would also lessen our visits to the water fountain. Finally, we have to clean up after ourselves. When we’ve finished eating, we should clean up by throwing the garbage in the appropriate disposal bin and by sanitizing the tables. Don’t leave it on the floor or the chairs. Our janitors will have a much easier time if there’s less stuff to pick up.

In conclusion, face-to-face classes are challenging, especially since we have to deal with a pandemic. But everyone is struggling with the online class syndrome, students and teachers alike. It’s not unmanageable, and there is no shame in asking for help. Creating systems that help us adjust will go a long way toward surviving this school year. As long as we work together, we’ll be able to get through this as a community. //by Cilque Casis and Alyana Fabella

Sources: