Manzo, Maricar G.
BSEnt 3-1
Reflective Essay
This school year is big challenge for everyone. The new mode of teaching
and learning in this time of pandemic gives a big impact to the professors as well as to
the students. We are not yet ready in this kind of new normal but we kind of survive and
able to adapt on it. This is not something that I am expecting to be when I reach my
Third Year in college. But then it really helps a lot to realise how important connection
is. During this time, whereas the pandemic almost overcome the situation, education will
remain, online classes start and everything is in “new normal mode”. On the article
written by De Leon, 2020 “two decades into the 21st century but none of us has come
prepared for a pandemic caused by a deadly strain of a viral disease. Indeed, everyone
has been caught off guard—changing the dynamics of our society and forcing us to
adapt the “new normal.” We are all experiencing difficulties in term of our living but still
we continue to live and make ourselves safe. This pandemic brought us challenges that
may hinder our normal way of living but we manage to cope with it and adapt what the
world could give to us. . . . . .
Going back on the first activity that was given to us which is “My Expectation” I
have written a lot on it. When our class starts, I have experience trouble in connecting,
there is lag on my gadget, slow connectivity in internet and surroundings are loud. But
then, I was able to say that I survive this class even there are lots of barriers in my
studies. A I look forward as this semester end, I was able learned a lot about Japan, not
only their language but also their history. I really enjoy it every time we are given a
learning material and watching a lot of tutorial videos on how people live in Japan. After
our class, I was able to see myself with a smile on it and talking to myself with all the
basic words I have learned in the class. Also, I was able to talk and teach my younger
sibling and cousin what I have learned in the class. Despite of trouble with internet
connection and the gadget I am using, I still do my best to attend the synchronous class
because I really wanted to learn a lot and adapt the way of their living because I have
been dreaming to go on travel in Japan and able to communicate well to their
indigenous people for me to be able to fulfil one of my bucket list. This subject gives me
the trill that I have been wanted and the eagerness to go to Japan and save all the
memories that I will have in the future. Though there are changes in the way of learning
because we have to consider also the time and schedule so sometimes we weren’t able
to see ourselves in the zoom meeting. I am really excited with the result of this class not
because of the grade I will earn but because I can be able to share it with my cousins
who love to watch anime series and movies. This subject Foreign Language bring us joy
and interests since I really wanted to learn Japanese language with the reason of I
find it cool when you actually understand the anime you are watching. . . . . . . . . . . .
It is really hard to have a better communication with my classmates since we
used to share our thoughts personally and have brainstorming with them before the
class starts. Still, at the end of the day we still survive and make it until this semester
finally comes to the end. In this time of pandemic, we still able to exchange our ideas
despite of the "new normal" we have but knowing them nothing could stop us to lift each
other specially my friends who keep on supporting and sharing their own ideas before
the class starts. My mood is lifting every time I hear my classmates with me saying what
we are hearing and watching on the tutorial every meeting we have. My classmates
become more cheerful and supportive when we are having presentation although it
could be much better if we are face to face to actually see on their faces the happiness
brought by each other. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The next activity that we have is our video for midterm examination wherein we
group ourselves and we all decided to be with our friend so that we could make it
casually. And it happens. Despite of the pandemic and after a long period of time since
we so each other personally, this subject give us the reason to see each other face. But
we make sure that we have been following the rules and regulation as well as protocols
before we interact with each other. We also make sure that we are all free from the
virus. I am so happy that we are able to personalize what we are learning and show to
our dearest classmates and to our professor our learning from this subject. . . . . . . . . .
I this period of time I have notice the improvement on myself, classmates and
even in our professors in a way that each sides, are able to achieve the “give and take”
whereas both parties are able to understand each other because different struggles. In
addition to that they are also become more patience with each other.
Our professor, Ma’am Panghulan was already our professor back then and I can
say that she is very understandable and considerate about her students, and now that
we have new setup that is very new to us she make sure that we could still make our
relationship better by providing us what we really need. Also, she always make sure to
update us, through giving us learning material that is truly useful while studying our
foreign language subject which is Japan language. She succeeded on pinning us
important details about Japan history, culture and ways of teaching, greeting, basic
words and many more. Her way of teaching keeps us alive and become more
informational and realistic since that we are all new in this kind of learning and teaching
method. Nevertheless, I can say that, before this semester end she do her job on us
because she can able to give us knowledge and information that makes our heart and
brain full also, rest assured that it will be useful when we decided to travel in Japan. She
never makes this subject difficult to handle. She is really good and I hope that we could
able to be her student again so that we can have much time to share with each other.
She won’t make our subject even harder and will give us activities that will
sharpen our communication skills with the use of Japanese language. She will guide us
until this semester ends.
I am also thankful that the University is considerate with us, for giving us a lot
favor and understanding towards in our situation. According to an article witten by
Handog, 2020 “We are promoting a strategy of flexible learning where those who are
prepared to offer courses fully online can start immediately. While those that cannot
offer fully online might provide offline modes of learning delivery like printed course
packets, radio broadcast especially for those institutions with radio stations, and
portable learning management systems,” said J. Prospero E. De Vera III, chairman of
the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). “We are giving flexibility to higher
education institutions. CHED is fully supportive of ensuring that their faculty gets the
necessary training.” Our University gives us the platform that is very accessible and
useful for everyone.
All in all, I wanted to show how grateful I am to learn the country that I have been
dreaming to travel with. It open a great opportunity for me learn a lot from it despite of
the challenges that I have been experiencing due to the barriers of this education
system. But then, Foreign Language subject makes us feels that we can still done what
we are doing before, even in between the screen. This semester is indeed a success for
everyone.
References:
De Leon, 2020. Education in the time of COVID-19. The Role of Technology in Distance
Learning. https://businessmirror.com.ph/2020/08/24/education-in-the-time-of-covid-19/
Handog, 2020. The Pandemic is Reshaping Education, Here's How the Philippines is
Coping. https://www.rappler.com/brandrap/tech-and-innovation/coronavirus-reshaping-
distance-learning-education-philippines
