To motivate students, surly teachers told to ‘wear a smile’

Disruptive students should soon test whether teachers can easily comply with a new "bawal sumimangot" policy in the education department.  It may have begun as a joke, but Education Secretary Armin Luistro is serious about getting teachers to smile.

 

At the launching of the Child Protection Policy and Guidelines Against Bullying last month, Education Secretary Armin Luistro said a smile will be considered part of a teacher's uniform, and teachers who are frowning will be marked "no uniform," Mariz Umali reported on Saksi last May 4.  

But DepEd Assistant Secretary Toni Umali quickly clarified that Luistro was joking, and has no intention of punishing teachers.

 

"Nagbibiro po si Bro. Armin... Wala siyang intensyon na parusahan ang mga guro. Dapat parating masaya at nakangiti ang ating mga guro, ang ating mga kawani ng Kagawaran ng Edukasyon sa ating mga mag-aaral para maging interesante sa kanila ang pag-aaral," the DepEd's Umali said in the same Saksi report.

 

While there will be no penalties for frowning teachers, the DepEd nonetheless launched its "Wear a Smile" campaign to encourage all school personnel to be in a positive disposition when public schools open on June 4.

 

The DepEd announced the campaign on May 11 through its Memorandum No. 85. In an interview on GMA News TV's News to Go on Monday, Umali explained that teachers should smile and be cheerful, so that the students will enjoy learning. 

 

"Ang policy po ay ngumiti at maging masaya, policy po ng kagawaran. Ito po ay isa lamang pong mensahe na gustong ipatupad ni Kalihim Bro. Armin Luistro na ang ating mga guro at kawani ng kagawaran ay dapat sasalubungin ang ating mag-aaral na nakangiti at masaya para po maging interesante ang kanilang pag-aaral," Umali said.  Students and parents agreed, saying the teacher's mood affects her pupils.

 

"Dapat po mag smile bago magpasukan para mabaitan yung pupils nila, magsisipag mag-aral," said student John Louie Alota in the Saksi report.

 

"Kapag ang mga teacher hindi ngumingiti, ang mga estudyante parang walang gana," said parent Elma Liquido. While many welcomed the prospect of friendlier teachers, others reacting on Twitter argued that a smile policy was going too far. "Then the DepEd should GIVE teachers reasons to smile," said Joey Reyes, "rather than demanding to legislate their facial muscles."

 

Under the DepEd memorandum, school heads shall have the primary responsibility in helping ensure the success of the campaign. It remains to be seen whether like cabin attendants on airplane flights, teachers can continue smiling through thick and thin. — Carmela Lapeña/RSJ/HS, GMA News