Childlink, the first “School of Character” in Visayas/Mindanao

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

CEBU CITY – Education system in the Philippines and worldwide has been widely affected by the corona virus pandemic, but there is one school in Cebu that has coped well with the challenges brought about by this worldwide health crisis.

The Childlink Learning Center and Childlink High School, Inc. prided itself on high quality education through face to face classes and close supervision by teachers and teachers’ aide before the pandemic.

It has been designated by the Character Education Partnership with headquarters in Washington, USA as the first “School of Character in the Visayas and Mindanao” with an accredited character education program that was established in 1993 with the Character organization’s aims to foster character development in schools and communities. 

To maintain the high standards the school is known for, Childlink Learning Center and High School Inc. made some adjustments on how to handle the classes in the new blended education system in the country.   It is now conducting online or home-schooling classes as the new normal.

Childlink’s Online Classroom provides a safer and more accessible learning environment. It focuses on the students as individuals, respecting their identities and focusing on their current knowledge and skills.  By knowing their students’ capability, the school can maximize the potential of each student.

 “So far, after the first quarter, most of our students have good grades even though that classes are done online. Because here in Childlink, it has always been inculcated in students the value of being responsible,” Childlink founder and school directress Maria Theresa Tio told the media in a press conference on January 9 at the school.

Online classes open a whole world of possibilities as students learn how to access reliable sources of information with the guidance of their teachers.  The Childlink Online Classes further developed this sense of responsibility among the students, Tio added.

Aside from teaching their students to become responsible, Childlink students have also acquired good values, such as sharing and helping each other. This strategy has paid off for Childlink as their students continue to do well and help each other in their studies.

The school had also set up group chats and break out rooms to allow students to socialize with each other and work on the tasks given to students and this help foster long distance relationships among the students.

To ensure that the students are on track with their studies, the school uses a learning management system to monitor group chats and breakout rooms that enabled teachers to guide the students on their studies.

With the advent of so many Internet resources, students can learn to be independent and be self-reliant. However, there is a need for closer collaboration among teachers and classmates as well as with parents.

Early results on the online classes showed that it could also be as effective as traditional, face-to-face classes, Childlink said.  Aside from online classes, the school offers another option to parents, especially those living in areas where the Internet connection is hounded by slow speed.

“The school also has home-schooling, when parents are given the topics to be studied every week. But we also give the home school students the opportunity to join the online classes,” Tio explained

She said that the Childlink Home School Program provides a great opportunity to integrate the child’s social, emotional, intellectual, spiritual and character development in a natural and nurturing setting because Childlink learning modules are appropriate for each student.

The program offers academic flexibility, Tio added and it enabled parents to choose the pace and approach for their children’s lesson modules, which means that they could make some adjustments depending on various situations at home.

 According to Tio that watching educational videos on You Tube, Tiktok and on TV keeps the child’s interest in the Home School Program and to monitor the home school students’ performance and to ensure that they learn their lessons, the school conducts weekly assessment for each student.

Tio emphasized that whatever program the students are under, the school’s collaboration with parents and students is always highlighted as very important.  “We need the support of and collaboration with the parents, especially at this time of the pandemic,” she added.

Childlink does have good relationship with the parents of their students even before the global health crisis.  It had been conducting parenting seminars on various topics and also emphasized the importance of parents having communication with their children.

 E-Learning, future education

The school also offers After School Care Program, daily tutorial classes for English and Chinese and Music Instrumentation Class.  Since online classes are recorded, parents and students who want to review these videos can access these from the school’s database.

Childlink’s strategy ensures that the quality of education the school offers will not be affected when it transitioned from the traditional classes to e-learning.  Tio believes that online classes are here to stay, citing other countries like Singapore had been using hybrid learning, a mix of face-to-face and online classes.

Tio added that the World Economic Forum cites a recent research indicating that e-learning has shown to increase retention of information and takes less time.

“This means that the changes in the education caused by coronavirus might be here to stay and eventually, education will slowly become technology-based and automation will become the norm, she added.

Childlink Learning Center and High School, Inc. is a private international school in Cebu, Philippine offering both English and Chinese curriculum for the playgroup, nursery, grade school and high school levels. The school has highly qualified staff and has a strong commitment to offer quality education. (Photos: Childlink/Robby Alugar)