Student-tutors train for DSWD program

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 recently conducted a capability-building workshop training for the hired tutors and youth development workers under the “Tara, Basa!” Tutoring Program.

DSWD-7 said that some 487 tutors and 97 youth development workers, who are 2nd to 4th year education students from the Cebu Normal University (CNU), have participated in the training.

This activity aims to fully equip tutors and youth development workers and help them understand thoroughly effective teaching methodologies, learner engagement techniques, and learning approaches.

The training also aims to enable them to tutor non-reader grade school learners and facilitate the Nanay-Tatay Teacher session for parents effectively and efficiently.

Claribelle Luz Rivera and Blesilda Malillin of the Ateneo Center for Educational Development (ACED) discussed the Guidebook for Tutors and Workbook for Learners. They also facilitated the group teaching demonstrations of tutor participants.

During the interactive workshop training, Rivera and Malillin shared the importance of integrating these resources into the tutoring process.

The guidebook will help tutors provide personalized and impactful support to the learners they will teach.

Complementing the Guidebook for Tutors, the Workbook for Learners is a supplementary resource to support tutees in their learning journey.

For the Youth Development Workers (YDWs) participants, Maureen Velasco of the Social Technology Bureau (STB) of the DSWD Central Office discussed the Introductory Activity on the Nanay-Tatay Teacher Modules and provided valuable guidance and tips in conducting the Nanay-Tatay Teacher Sessions with the parents.

DSWD-7 regional director Shalaine Marie Lucero also emphasized that their efforts as tutors and youth development workers in building relationships with learners and parents are beneficial, not only on a micro level, but also have far-reaching implications for the country's development.

Through the collective commitment and collaborative efforts of partner tutors and YDWs, the capacity-building activity prepared the participants for their shared mission of promoting holistic development and creating a meaningful learning journey for the learners and parents in the community.

The program will deploy the tutors and YDWs on July 1, 2024, for the learning and Nanay-Tatay teacher sessions.

In March this year, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian led the launch of the national kickoff ceremony of the Tara Basa! Tutoring Program in partnership with the Cebu City Government.

The program is a reformatted educational assistance program of the Department that helps college students sustain their education by tutoring public school students in reading. — (FREEMAN)