The author reflects on an educational tour they took with their class to schools in Davao City. They observed more advanced facilities at the universities visited compared to their own school. However, they felt their teaching could still compete through cooperation between teachers and students. A highlight was visiting a special school, where interactions with special needs children inspired the author to teach such students. Areas for improvement included better communication of schedules and maximizing observation time at schools. Overall, the tour was deemed a valuable learning experience.

1. Arles M. Magdipig TTh-5:30-7:00 pm
IV- BEEd Teacher: Dr. Maria Gloria R. Lugo
Reflection
Learners are unique in various ways and learning environment as well. We went to different
schools in Davao City to see and immerse the learning environment that they have since the schools there
were known to be more advanced than ours. We have seen the evidences and we could say the
speculations are correct, they really have the advanced facilities and training than in DOSCST. The
Universities definitely provided the facilities that could helped them to attain the advanced learning and
be able to compete globally. They have shown the ideal classroom that we thought. But it does not mean
that we could not compete to them. Our facilities might not be as high tech than in the universities there
yet our teachings here may compete to them. As a matter of fact we were on the top 9 best performing
schools in the field of EDUCATION in the Philippines. We could be the best as long as the teachers and
the students are cooperating to achieve the goal that was being set and that is to produce Global
competitive graduates. As one of the authors says TECHONOLOGY can’t REPLACE the TEACHERS.
No matter how the modern the facilities are, it will be useless if it does not use well.
We visited the Special School in Davao City because of that, the Educational tour became more
substantial and more remarkable. Upon seeing those Special children they made us wondered and amazed
that even they were behaving that way yet they have shown the gifts given by our Father pleasingly. They
seem to be more talented than to us who were absolutely complete in terms of physical parts and
functions of the body. They have much inspired us to appreciate what we have, to study well and gain
more patience to teach and understand the people with disabilities. They encouraged us to embrace the
essence and the purpose of teaching. It’s a lie to say that we don’t need the salary in teaching as long as
we can abolish the ignorance of the child. But I felt that moment that what matters most is how I could
touch the life of those special children. Their smile and hug to me lingered to my heart and mind. They
felt happy and being acknowledged when they saw that we were there visiting and greeting to them. I
could say that the feeling is mutual, they don’t just the ones who felt that way, we likewise felt and very
much delighted for the things we have seen and discovered. And somehow they motivated us to take the
Special Education units to be able to teach and touch the lives of those people who have disabilities. We

2. know that it would not be easy as what we were thinking but we stayed positive that we could make it by
God’s will.
We were not just happy and enjoy in our Educational tour because we went to the malls and free
from worries for three days in school. It has been said that we teachers are the assets of the society
because we are the constructor of the general public. Undeniably we were blessed also because of the
things that helped us to build our personality well, to aim high and stimulated to appreciate minute things
that we have. It somehow opens our horizon to the things that were not present in our society where we
belonged. It taught us that we teachers do not just teach to live but we lived to teach.
Nothing’s perfect thus educational tour was not perfect too. We missed to maximize really our
time to observe the classes from different schools and most of us were not able to room around to the
campus well. As a result, the things that were written in the checklists were not witnessed greatly. The
same thing that other students were not observing properly because they were busy having their pictorials
or selfie. The tour guides were busy presenting the facilities and the classrooms to us but the others were
just sitting in the benches or chairs found in the schools. The purpose of the educational tour was
somehow neglected the other students maybe because they were tired for that time. The itinerary was not
properly communicated to us and I can say that it is one of the reasons why others were not guided to
what to do and where to go. Lastly, we failed to visit the public schools. For me it is very important to
visit the public schools since it is more realistic to what would be seeing in the schools today. But I was
contented when one of our teachers said that public schools there are just the same here in Mati.
I hope that next time if someone would conduct educational tour the activities and the Itineraries
must be conveyed well to the concern people and the time management also must be considered. The
purpose of the tour must be explained and instilled well to the minds of the students. There must be more
teachers that will go with the students to properly monitor the students and be guided to follow and
complete the tasks or objectives that were being settled. The Safety of the students were really managed
and the money too. It must be maintained and observed well. Teachers, facilitators, drivers, leaders and
the members accomplished well the duties and responsibilities. I want to congratulate all the people at
behind this event Dr. Romeo Redulla, Dr. Maria Gloria R. Lugo and most especially the PARENTS or
guardians for making this Outstanding! Incredible! Beneficial! And Constructive experience happened. It
would be one of the stepping stones of the pre-service teachers to become a GLOBALLY
COMPETITIVE TEACHERS in the field!