Last October 29 to 30, 2019, a multidisciplinary group of educators from the Loyola Schools stole away from the Ateneo de Manila campus to gather at the Eugenio Lopez Center in Antipolo. Their task? To talk about a twenty-year old Ateneo dream: a possible Ateneo de Manila Institute or School of Education.
Twenty years ago, back in May 1999, Dr. Achoot Cuyegkeng–then the Assistant to the Dean for Research and Faculty Development, and concurrently the Chair of the Restructuring Committee of the School of Arts and Sciences–drew up a carefully crafted proposal for just such a school. It was “envisioned to have an impact on the Philippine educational system through world-class degree, research, and outreach programs.”
For reasons considered valid then, the project was unfortunately shelved. Earlier this year, however, upon the directive of Fr. Jett Villarin SJ, President of Ateneo de Manila University, various stakeholders in the university were consulted about the possibility of reviving this plan.
On the 8th of May, upon the encouragement of Dean Nandy Aldaba of the School of Social Sciences, the Ateneo SALT Institute, in cooperation with the Education Department, held a first multidisciplinary gathering of educators at the JJ Atencio Lighthouse for New Learning, to discuss the project. Dr. Cuyegkeng was invited to present her 1999 proposal. That meeting resulted in a consensus that it was indeed time to revive this dream.
After all, when you think about it, the Jesuits opened the very first teacher education institute in the country in the 19th century: the Jesuit Escuela Normal de Maestros established in Calle de Palacio in Intramuros, Manila in 1865. Today, Ateneo de Manila is ironically the only Jesuit university in the country with no school or institute of education yet.
The purpose of this follow-up gathering of stakeholders in Antipolo was to conceptualize and further concretize the project. The group was consulted about the ideas and plans thus far. The diverse backgrounds of those present made a crucial difference in the discussions.
From the outset when this possibility was first broached at a similar brainstorming meeting in 2017, the institute/school was already envisioned to be multidisciplinary by nature so that it would bring together and synergize the various initiatives and programs already residing in the different Loyola Schools.
On the second day, the group discussed the desired profile of the Ateneo de Manila-educated educator, a kind of “wish list” that was distilled from prior consultations with master teachers and veteran professors in the university.
For better recall and branding, this Profile of the Filipino Educator has been named TRIBE, which stands for “TEACHERS REDEFINING AND INNOVATING FOR BETTER EDUCATION.” It proposes five defining attributes of the Ateneo de Manila-educated educator: A formator of persons (CHILD), a master of learning and teaching (CRAFT), a leader of learning (CHANGE), a builder of nation (COUNTRY), and salt of the earth (CALLING).
The participants were requested to help enflesh and operationalize the five attributes as the TRIBE Profile of an Educator will serve as the basis for all the programs of the envisioned school.
The participants also brainstormed on the structure of the proposed multidisciplinary school or institute and its programs, especially in light of the TRIBE Profile of an Ateneo de Manila-educated Educator.
The group also had the opportunity to listen to Director John Arnold Sienna of NEAP (National Educators Academy of the Philippines), who shared his experiences and insights on what he regarded as the most pressing needs and challenges in Philippine education today. As it turned out, Director Sienna had been a product of our very own ACELT.
The group also found time to engage in some initial design work on an exciting cutting-edge undergrad program in Education.
A lot has been achieved at the two-day conversations, capped appropriately by an inspirational talk from Fr. Jett Villarin SJ, who dropped in on the last day.
Without a doubt, there remain a lot more studying and work that need to be done for this project, as well as a number of significant obstacles still left to hurdle. But based on the enthusiasm and determination of the participants, who knows? This twenty-year old Ateneo dream may still just come true in time for next year’s 155th anniversary of the establishment of the Jesuit Escuela Normal de Maestros.
Many thanks to all the participants who carved out precious time from their busy work schedules to attend this meeting: Minella Alarcon (Physics), Nandy Aldaba (Dean of SOSS), Rita Atienza (ATC, Education), Anne Candelaria (OADGP), Len Canilao (English, ACELT), Je Ching (Education), Achoot Cuyegkeng (AIS, JGSOM, ), Gary Devilles (Filipino), Pinky Escarez (Education, ASHS), Fr. Johnny Go (SALT, Education), Armando Guidote (Chemistry), Jojo Hofilena (OADAA), Zab Jimenez (JGSOM), Trish Panganiban Lambino (FIRE, Theology), Nino Leviste (Socio-Anthropology), Crisanto Lopez (Biology), Isabel Pefianco Martin (English, ACELT), Meling Macapagal (Psychology), Joel Maquiling (Physics), Rhoda Nicdao (Education), Solvie Nubla-Lee (Pathways to Higher Education), Didith Rodrigo (Arete), Nina Rosario Rojas (Chemistry), Natalie Ting (OADCC), Nestor Valera (Chemistry), and Alvin Yapan (Filipino),
Special thanks also to Jen Ramirez of Ateneo SALT for all the organizational and logistical preparations!
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I look forward to the concretized program, specifically the doctoral program in education, of the TRIBE. It is always my pleasure to be groomed (in Atenean way) as an educator championing the values of service and excellence, and contribute to the betterment of the public schools educational system.