Teachers' Day G.A. at SDEAS

(January 25) - A fitting opening to the new term and the New Year is an assembly and a seminar.

At the PEN-MLC Laboratory, Deaf and hearing faculty and staff of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies gathered to listen to Mr. Rodel Bugarin, (Director of Center for Learner-Centered Instruction and Research, CLCIR), explain "Learner Centered Parameters." But first, a briefing on how it came about…

On the imprimatur of Vice President for Academics Robert Tang, the Center for Learner-Centered Instruction and Research (CLCIR) took on the task of collating and then synthesizing existing DLS-CSB documents related to Learner Centered principles.

Fundamental definitions came out of that effort, example:

Who Are Learners?

Students – those who receive instructions under the academic programs

Faculty - the teachers who give instructions are also in the process of learning, perfecting their teaching techniques, improving themselves

Administrators – leaders of the institution and developers of the curriculum, like the Dean, have to study the directions the programs are headed, they learn about their jobs

Staff - non-teaching staff have as much to learn about the support roles they play as anyone else

Alumni - graduates comeback to share their experiences, some become faculty members, they learn from their work outside and bring it back into the campus

Parents - they are the first to support the instructions in the school, and they are the first to teach values to their children, parents have to constantly learn Everyone in the DLS-CSB community is a stakeholder, a contributor, a learner.

This synthesis has led to LEARN, an acronym for the skills necessary for a teacher to become Learner Centered:

L - learns continuously about his job and himself\herself, attends seminars, workshops etc.

E - evaluates learning experiences, seeks feedback

A - advances synergy and collaboration, develops an atmosphere of cooperation

R - respects diversity, accepts the fact that different students have different qualities,uniquely gifted

N - nurtures relationships, harmonizes, strengthens the community of learners

And to gauge a teacher's development (or lack of it) in LEARN, some Behavioral Indicators have also been identified. These Behavioral Indicators may reflect, for example, in the evaluation by students of their teachers. From there, the CLCIR will know which areas a teacher is weak and it can give appropriate training or workshops for them to take.

SDEAS Dean Theresa Christine de la Torre, explained that all these are products of DLS-CSB's growth, the evolution of its experiences, "It brings everything together, it will guide us on what we will do as a school."

She also roused-up everybody in the seminar to put their interest and energy into these skills because it will guide them and benefit their students in the classroom. It will also serve as a guide in their activities inside the campus. On a much larger scale, it can guide them in their participation as citizens of the Filipino nation.

Under the CLCIR logo are four words that best summarize the efforts of moving DLS-CSB into becoming a Learner Centered community – Developing People, Managing Change.

WE ARE ONE

For the duration of the Deaf Festival last November, the Deaf and Hearing celebrated as one community. We listened to informative and inspiring speakers, watched Deaf films, played games, and had fun. As the Deaf and Hearing continue to learn from each other, we see our path ahead with a little more clarity and smiles on our faces.

We have reason to be hopeful because whatever challenges awaits us, the Deaf and Hearing in the College of Saint Benilde, we know we will face them together ... as one.

On The Spot:

Bronson L. Escalderon
DLS-CSB SDEAS alumnus,
Bachelor in Applied Deaf Studies
(Multimedia Arts track)
Class 2007


Don't be afraid to try. Bronson Escalderon learned this when looking for his first job after graduating in 2007. Pushing aside his doubts, he knocked on the door of Pixel Project Advertising and Design in Makati and applied as a graphic designer. Nobody referred him to this company; he just saw it then went ahead and tried.

Pixel Project Advertising and Design have never hired any Deaf employees before. Bronson was in fact the first Deaf person to apply for a job with them. The bosses had to take some time to evaluate Bronson's application, for not only is he Deaf, he is also a fresh graduate, inexperienced. It would also be a gamble for them.

Bronson's try paid off. He was hired. The management of Pixel Project Advertising and Design decided to put aside their doubts and give Bronson a try. He is their first ever Deaf graphic designer, and first Deaf employee. The boss made it clear to Bronson that they have high expectations of him.

Bronson admits he also has fears about his new job. He says, " I'm sometimes afraid of my boss but I try to challenge myself because I am Deaf."

In one instance, Bronson's boss got mad at him because he did not know how to use Coreldraw software. Instead of moping and feeling bad, he humbly apologized to his boss for his lack of knowledge and skills and quickly studied Coreldraw. Now, Bronson's boss is happy that he has this quiet determination to learn new things to enhance his performance on the job.
Bronson also finds inspiration from his colleagues at work who eagerly communicate with him through the simple sign language he teaches them.

What Bronson did took courage, to just apply in a company despite his doubts. This courage came from his training at SDEAS and he knows it. " I want to thank SDEAS for helping me develop self-esteem, gain enough confidence in improving myself and have the courage to meet whatever challenge comes my way. I am proud of my school. "

Bronson hopes other SDEAS graduates will do what he has done, and maybe more.

Fast Facts

As of 2nd Term of School Year 2007-2008, SDEAS has 114 students. Out of the 114 students, only 3 students pay full tuition. Data from the Student Grants Office show that the remaining 111 are scholars.

Here is the breakdown:

73 students are full scholars (100%)
38 students have partial scholarships;
6 students are 95% scholars
19 students are 90% scholars
3 students are 85% scholars
2 students are 80% scholars
1 student is 75% scholar
3 students are 70% scholars
2 students are 50% scholars
1 student is 40% scholar
1 student is 30% scholar.

PWDs Can Go Negosyo

We bring you good news!

The Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) will recognize the entrepreneurship spirit of People With Disabilities (PWDs) through a Go Negosyo Caravan for PWDs. Dubbed "PWDs Can Go Negosyo!", this event will be held at DLS-CSB on November 20, 2007 , from 8:00 a.m. -12nn. Registration starts at 7:30 a.m. To reserve seats for your school/organization, please fax/email back the reply slip below by November 14 to confirm your attendance and number of participants.

The Go Negosyo Caravan ( www.gonegosyo.net/media_releases/events), a project of the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE), includes a forum and expo featuring successful entrepreneurs who share their business learning and experiences. PCE, the country's lead organization in entrepreneurship development, aims to spread the advocacy of promoting an entrepreneurial mindset to Filipinos nationwide. Lead advocate is PCE Chair & RFM Corporation CEO Mr. Jose "Joey" Concepcion III who will grace the event together with other successful Filipino entrepreneurs such as Mr. Les Reyes (Reyes Haircutters), Mr. Gerry Chua (Eng Bee Tin), Mr. Paolo Bediones (I/Tech.ph), Mr. Ricardo Cuna (Fiorgelato), Ms. Maoi Arroyo (Hybridigm Consulting), Mr. Dennis Mendiola (Chikka Asia), Mr. Chris Tan (Ideal Minds) and Mr. Victor Tan (Bobson Jeans).

During the Go Negosyo Caravan sa Manila held last September 7 at the Philam Life Theater, the presence of SDEAS and the active participation of the Deaf called the attention of the guest entrepreneurs to the need of the Deaf and other PWDs to have access to livelihood opportunities and entrepreneurship training. Mr. Concepcion himself said that the experience of learning first hand of the needs and dreams of the Deaf was "an eye-opener".

DLS-CSB SDEAS and PCE hope to inspire more PWDs to pursue entrepreneurship as a viable alternative for employment by bringing the Go Negosyo Caravan to DLS-CSB. The event will be recorded and will be televised in two episodes of Go Negosyo: Big Time over RPN9.

Also, in response to our school president's call to continue giving hope to the Deaf and to pursue our dream of expanding our services to other people with special needs, there will be a Job Fair (November 19) and Business Fair (November 20) for PWDs during the Deaf Festival. The two activities aim to provide employment and business opportunities for the DLS-CSB Deaf students and alumni and for the Deaf and other PWDs in the country.

We sincerely hope you can participate in these trailblazing events that will greatly benefit the Deaf and other PWDs.

The Deaf can Go Negosyo!

Lino is the fifth of 10 children and lives with 17 family members. He runs a neighborhood almusal business that sends his nieces and nephews to school. He struggles doubly hard because he is deaf.

Everlino Alvarez:
A Story of Perseverance

LINO wakes up before dawn to prepare for the day's work.

It's still one o'clock in the morning but the customers will soon start arriving. Lino and his two siblings speed up the cooking of their first batch of omelet and fried rice. They sell breakfast in front of their house.

At around five o'clock, half of their almusal have been sold. By seven or eight, little is left of the morning's offering. They make almost P1,000.

Work doesn't end there; they still have to clean up and prepare for the next day's vending activities. This has become Lino's routine since they opened for business nine months ago.
Lino, whose real name is Everlino Alvarez, is 30 years old. He is the fifth of 10 children. He lives with 17 family members in a small house in Pasay City. With the day's profit, he takes only P100. The rest of the money goes to the schooling of his nieces and nephews and to the electricity and water bills of the family.

Lino's story is common to the hundreds of micro-entrepreneurs who ply the streets of Metro Manila with their instant meals. What is unique about Lino is that he is Deaf. An accident when he was seven affected his hearing.

As he began to lose his hearing, Lino had to face society's prejudice against people with disabilities. In grade 5, he was physically abused by his teacher and classmates who made fun of his disability. He eventually had to stop going to school when he became totally Deaf, forcing him to study on his own.

The taunting went on for five years but Lino took every kick, blow and mockery with patience and humility. He may have been bruised and scarred but he was determined to succeed.

When Lino's sister discovered the Philippine School for the Deaf (PSD), Lino gladly resumed his studies. As a Deaf person, Lino learned sign language and adjusted to his new community. His perseverance and hard work allowed him to graduate with honors in PSD. He eventually received a scholarship at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde's School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies (DLS-CSB SDEAS). There he took up Bachelor in Applied Deaf Studies and specialized in Business Entrepreneurship.

Lino's father, a jeepney driver, was happy but apprehensive. He wanted Lino to pursue college but he was afraid his meager earnings would not be enough to provide for his son's food and transportation allowance. Often, Lino had to skip meals while in school just so he would have enough money for his trip home. Though his stomach may have grumbled, his list of achievements in school is full to bursting. He was a consistent Dean's Lister, a Service Awardee, a Social Responsibility Awardee and graduated with an Honorable Mention.

In March 2007, Lino applied for a micro-finance loan from the Youth Entreployment Support for the Deaf (YES-Deaf) Project, an entrepreneurial development project for the Deaf of DLS-CSB and the Deaf Benildeans Multi-purpose Cooperative (DBMC). Funded by the Philippines-Australia Community Assistance Program, Lino secured a loan of P2,500 which he paid in full two months ahead of the maturity date.

Honesty is another of Lino's many admirable qualities. While in school, he found a high-end mobile phone and promptly returned it to the owner, notwithstanding the prodding of classmates to keep the prized find for himself. It was through his hard work and budgeting skills that he now owns his own high-end phone. The cell phone is a very important tool for Deaf communication.

All these traits earned him the SDEAS' 2007 YES-Deaf Model Entrepreneur of the Year.

Now, Lino is looking for new opportunities to pour more capital in his business so he can expand it. But he knows he needs to be extra careful now that the business he once monopolized has given rise to copycats that have mushroomed near his place of business.

But given the perseverance and determination Lino has demonstrated throughout his life, he is almost certain to bring his enterprise to another level his competitors can only hope to emulate.

Everlino Alvarez' life story is a testament that though life may throw us obstacles, we have the gifts of strength and wisdom to set us free from fears, hesitations and yes, limitations. Poverty may temporarily cripple us but it will not permanently disable the creativity of the human spirit in thinking of ways to overcome material restrictions. Society may focus on the minuses of having a disability, but it is ability that really matters.

Lino continues to prove all this and he can proudly say that "Yes, the Deaf can Go Negosyo!" ß

DLS-CSB School for Deaf Education and Applied Studies YES-Deaf Project is a 2006 Panibagong Paraan Project Grant Awardee. Through a contest organized by the World Bank, AusAID's Philippines-Australia Community Assistance Program gave a P1 million grant to the project to enable qualified Deaf youth to have access to a micro-finance facility so they can put up their own micro-enterprises. DLS-CSB SDEAS is actively looking for partners who can provide entrepreneurship training and business opportunities for Deaf Benildeans. Contact the Office for Partnership and Development for partnership options. Call (632) 526-7441 local 239 or email yes.deaf@gmail.com.

DLS-CSB SDEAS joins GO NEGOSYO sa Manila Caravan

DLS-CSB SDEAS Students, Alumni, Faculty and Staff celebrate and promote entrepreneurship with Go Negosyo team at the Go Negosyo sa Manila Caravan where thousands of students from different colleges in Manila, OFWs wanting to be entreps and aspiring entreps lined up just to enter the 950 seater Philamlife Auditorium in U.N. Avenue, Manila.