The school teachers integrated the concepts of organic agriculture, nutrition, and climate change in the lesson plans of the above-mentioned subjects under the current Department of Education (DepEd) curriculum for Grades 4 and 7.
On the first day of the writeshop, an overview of climate change implications for nutrition was discussed by Dr. Maria M. Talavera, Associate Professor 6 of the Institute of Human Nutrition and Food, College of Human Ecology, UPLB. Through the facilitation of the Project Leader, Dr. Blesilda Calub, the participants reviewed the concepts of organic agriculture and nutrition, which were covered in the past project seminars and workshops. In integrating these concepts in the lesson plans, the teachers were grouped according to their assigned subjects. The writeshop concluded with the teachers sharing their enhanced lesson plans through a “demo teaching” method.
As part of the learning event, the participants visited the crop museum of the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) in Silang, Cavite on 13 May 2016. Ms. Irish P. Baguilat, IIRR’s Program Manager for Food and Nutrition Security, discussed IIRR’s School Nutrition Program, which is being implemented in the province of Cavite, and gave a lecture on bio-intensive gardening techniques.
The PMT and the participants agreed on an action plan that outlines the activities and timeline to complete the preparation of the target number of enhanced lesson plans, and to facilitate their processing and endorsement to the DepEd. The teachers are aiming to pilot the enhanced lesson plans/manuals during the start of classes in June 2016.
The writeshop was facilitated by the PMT headed by Dr. Blesilda Calub of UPLB; Mr. Lamberto Perolina of the DepEd Laguna; and the principals of the participating schools. (Anna Gale Vallez)
