A Round Table Discussion with Professor Rolando dela Cruz

A few Saturdays ago, I attended a round table discussion headed by Professor Rolando dela Cruz, the president of Darwin International School System. Our discussion was focused on what schools can offer to help our students excel and make the most of their education, specifically what Darwin International School System's role is in the furtherance of Philippine education.

We spent a very engaging exchange of ideas for practically four hours. An overtime I must say for a lunch meeting. It was right timing for me as I am scouting for a high school where I can enroll my daughter next year. I have my own standards and preferences based on my daughter's abilities and inclinations but I welcome ideas from an educator and fellow parents.

Let me share the highlights of our discussion which parents like me can explore while guiding our children in the process of learning and education.


1. An education system which can compete globally hence should be international in orientation.

*Humanities is a part of the curriculum at Darwin International School starting from pre-school to high school. Japanese and French languages are also integrated as part of the students' language skills development.*

My thoughts, the integration of other languages is an important aspect in a multi-cultural environment. The world has long embraced diversity. The children can start through proper communication and understanding of the different languages and cultures of other countries.

2. An education system geared towards excellence.

*One of the goals of Darwin International School is to develop top graduates accepted in top universities in the country. For the record, 100% of all the graduating students of Darwin passed in the country's top schools.

• Ateneo, 25 %
• University of the Philippines, 45%
• De La Salle University-Manila, 92%
• University of Santo Tomas, San Beda & Mapua Institute of Technology, 100%

For the last three years, Darwin consistently topped the NCAE (National Career Assessment Examination) in the Division of Bulacan. This year, the school ranked 2nd in the National Achievement Test (NAT) in the Division of Bulacan.

3. Investing more for a quality education.

*Asked about the proposed 12 year education program instead of 10 years, Prof. Rolando asserts that "it should be 12 years of quality education". We cannot attribute to the 10-year education cycle whatever misgivings we have in the progress of our students today.

4. Asked by one participant about the one educational reform he can suggest that will give the greatest impact in the Philippine education system, Prof. Rolando replied, "changing the mindset by being accountable for your learning and education".

It's not only adding budget, teachers and structures that will help enhance our educational system but more on knowing that one is accountable with what you are learning and how you are using it. Education is personal. It is what you can do for yourself and eventually for your community. This goes for all involved - the teachers, the parents and the students themselves.



The participants with Professor Rolando dela Cruz in the middle and Miss Claire Agbayani, the facilitator (second from right).

*****

Professor Rolando dela Cruz is the president of Darwin International School System located in Bulacan - Malolos, Sta. Maria, San Jose Delmonte. He is a former UP professor, a scholar from different schools abroad including Cambridge University. Darwin offers pre-school, elementary and high school education. His school adopts a Cambridge-style eductation which encourages the development of a reading culture.

Darwin is the only school in Region III that offers a full-fledged Cambridge-based Honours Program wherein all enrollees need to maintain a very high annual average from nursery to high school. Darwin’s comprehensive internationally-oriented program makes its graduates shoe-ins for the top universities in the country.

***Check out more weekend sharing at Pixel Bug Weekend.

Coffee While Blogging

It rained hard on the way home. All the streets we passed by were flooded. Imagine, EDSA was flooded, even the flyover in Cubao was flooded. Tsk, tsk. But then what else is new. Good thing, the traffic was bearable. 'Pag ganitong umuulan, hinahanap ko ang kape. Kahit anong kape, 'wag lang yung nasa dispenser ng Nescafe. I don't like it. It could be the paper cup they're using. The coffee tastes like paper. Anyway, finally home, I got my coffee.

**********
Everything's quiet now. Mommy 'obligations', all check. I've a paper due on June 4. I've to start with it now. But blog first to set the mood. :) Good excuse to procrastinate.

I'm glad I've taken up the Leadership class this semester. I have to admit I thought of skipping this subject till the next term and take a more 'relevant' subject. Half of my class 'ditched' Leadership for the same reasons I had on my mind. We all know about leadership. We've read so many books about it, we've attended so many seminars and team buildings to understand how it is to be a leader and develop people to become the leaders that they are. I've been taught about it since my girl scout days. I can again read a book now and interpret it on my own. Gahhh, I don't need anymore of this.

But then nothing beats hearing an expert's words, and my professor proved to be one fellow who sees leadership in a different perspective. He goes deeper, more on a personal level. From my assessment, he made the course an understanding of one's own leadership. How it affects the lives of the people you interact with. And what else one can do with it. I like it that he doesn't sugar coat his lectures with big
words and big stories. Because we talk about our own heroes, our own crossroads, our own life book.

I must say this course reminds me to keep grounded. With all the decisions I have to make in my daily life at work, with all the interactions I have to do, I always have to uphold personal humility and professional will.

First Semester

Yes, it's pretty hard to balance family, work and studies but with all the learnings I get, both personally and professionally...I'm still all for it! I love this class! :)

Burnin' Brows

I've been reviewing for the past several hours. My only break was when we fetched my daughter from school. My form of stretching is talking to my classmates over YM. And we are all kind of buried on our work and on going over our book for the exam tomorrow. Well, good luck to us!

I have till Saturday to think over if I will enroll this semester or not. I want to but I have to manage my time.

On to other things.....

A day before Milenyo hit Metro Manila, my cousin Peachie gave birth to a cute baby girl she nicknamed Wazi. Wazi is the youngest in the clan so far. By next year, it will be my brother's baby who will get the title of being the youngest in the clan, both mother and father side.

A baby is always a welcome addition in a family. My daughter loves babies. :) She's so fond of her cousin.

Been Here & There, Doing This & That

Work, school, managing the household, (well, partly managing it since the husband has his lion's share of running the home), budgeting, meeting with friends, weighing my options on important matters.....these are the things that I was preoccupied with the past weeks. But aren't these also what most people are busy pondering about almost everyday of their lives?

I keep on postponing updating this little space of mine. Didn't I tell myself this is one of my stress relievers? Why on earth am I setting this aside? So for a quick shot at this, let me post some pictures to sort of chronicle what transpired the past weeks.

Ours is the last group to report for our MANACC class. I was thankful the business review at the office was rescheduled for this week. I cannot miss this very important activity. We prepared for it like we are gearing up for some battle that we have to win at all cost. We have to meet several times after work so we can polish our report. I am so grateful to have my groupmates since all of them are very cooperative, very enthusiastic and everybody contributes his fair share. And our Mommy Anj is ever so caring and ever so motherly. Needless to say, school and the learnings I get from the different sharings in our class recharge me. MM MBA program is like an end in itself for me. Anyway, the report was good though we ended the class at half past nine pm already. The picture on the left was supposed to be part of our closing credits in the video presentation.

**********

Had lunch with my good friends at the office a few weeks back at one of our favorite restos in the area where I used to work. Thanks to our "Mother" for the treat! You're the best! Anyway, it's at Santis Deli, located at the ground floor of Astoria Plaza, Ortigas. I love not only their cold cuts but their healthy snacks. There's one there which I always buy but have not memorized the name. It's like KitKat chocolate, only creamier. But what we go back for at Santis is their Angus beef. 100 grams is enough for one person. Though for guys, they usually order 120 or 150 grams. Ubos pa rin nila. :)

At Santis

Yummy Angus beef!

This will be a very busy week starting tomorrow. What week is not, tell me? :) I do want to post and update here the rest of the "happenings" the past weeks. I hope I can do that within the week. I'm quite ganado to blog and blog and blog hop.

Time to hit the bed! :)