Steiner Education for a Visionary Philippines
Tesa Jalaandoni leads Grade 3 pupil
in recorder playing
ZARRAGA, ILOILO –A unique initiative is unfolding in Zarraga, Iloilo. The Gamot Cogon Institute (GCI) is a new cultural organization that seeks to advance the principles and practice of integral sustainable development, including training and education for human development. It will be featured among other aspiring efforts at the Dungog Panay Mini Conference and Festival being held this weekend at the Cultural Center of West Visayas State University under the theme: 'Celebrating excellence towards a visionary Panay.'
Tesa Jalandoni, one of GCI's founders, shared that the name Gamot Cogon (Cogon Roots) came from the desire to counter the ningas cogon (quick burning, but short-lived) tendency of many initiatives with a positive statement of the extensively rooted, many-shooted, hardy and persistent nature of cogon grass. 'The initiative also happens to be located in Barangay Libongcogon where both my grandfather and father worked the land. And the name gives the impression of healing since gamot means medicine in Tagalog, which also communicates the healing impulse that we hope to embody through the Institute.'
One of the first efforts of this group is the launching of a teacher training course. According to Nicanor Perlas, 2003 recipient of the alternative Nobel prize and another founder of GCI, 'education is a crucial component of building a visionary Philippines.' Perlas also shared that 'traditional educational methods are not only damaging the potentials and capacities of students but are also not preparing them to join society as self-actuated, creative, responsible,compassionate human beings. We are all familiar with stories showing deficiencies in math, science, and English performance, high dropout rates, limited creative thinking, lack of meaning and purpose, and loss of moral depth and responsibility, just to mention some of the more prominent problems in education in the country.'
GCI believes that Steiner education offers a way forward. 'It's a proven approach that balances artistic, academic and practical work to educate the whole child-hand and heart as well as mind and is considered by many to be one of the most advanced educational systems in the world today,' according to Perlas.
Steiner education seems to be catching on with more than 2,000 schools worldwide and an impressive roster of parents and graduates who include: Kenneth Chennault, chief executive officer of American Express; Actresses Sandra Bullock and Jennifer Aniston among many others.
The GCI teacher training is intended for education graduates who are dedicated and seeking a deeper meaning in and service to life. The Training Course is for early childhood and grade school teaching and will be an intensive part-time seminar consisting of three live-in blocks designed to prepare teachers to begin working with Steiner educational approaches in kindergarten and classes 1-4. The first of three blocks will be held from December 4-16, 2005. GCI is also looking to hire teachers who successfully complete the training.
GCI envisions establishing Steiner schools throughout Panay so that more children can benefit from this exemplary education. This means that they will be needing many more teachers. Contact Ms. Tesa Jalandoni (0917-243-0399; 033-525-4393) for more information or to reserve your place in the training now. Financial assistance may be available to qualified applicants.
In the future, GCI will be offering courses in sustainable agriculture,creativity and leadership, and community health among others.
Everyone is invited to check out the workshops and exhibits on Steiner Education at the Dungog Panay Mini-Conference and Festival, November 12-13, 2005 at the Cultural Center of West Visayas State University.