PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS: A JOURNEY OF A TARA BASA TUTOR

One of the most precious gifts we can give children is influencing their reading. The capability to read allows children to learn more, express themselves and enhance effective communication throughout their lives. Not just a skill, but a weapon towards education and understanding reading literacy.

Hello, beautiful souls and kind hearted spirits! How are you all? It's been a while since I interconnected with you all. I hope life is treating you well! It's been a while since I posted something. I hope you miss me. I am back again with another blog!⁠(⁠๑⁠¯⁠◡⁠¯⁠๑⁠)

Do you know that a lot of kids raging 6-8 don't know how to read nowadays? yes? or no? YES! As I attend the TARA BASA orientation of DSWD—I know that a lot of kids, especially in rural areas, don't know how to read even small words.

(best part of the orientation)

The Department of Social Welfare Development found out about this problem so they created a Tara Basa tutoring program in remote areas of Cebu to address the educational needs of underprivileged children. Due to no or limited access to quality education, very few resources, and low literacy rates, many rural areas had children at the lower ladder, lagging behind. It is in these areas that the DSWD implemented the Tara Basa program, providing supplementary support and resources to improve reading and comprehension skills.

The rural Tara Basa tutoring program for the Province of Cebu is a very proactive approach to breaking this gap and increasing inclusivity in education. Bringing opportunities directly into these communities, DSWD is making sure that all children have equal possibilities to participate in quality education, whatever their geographical location or socio-economic condition may be.

Performing the Tara Basa tutoring program in the rural areas of Cebu is, therefore, viewed as a strategic vehicle whereby DSWD can help empower these children to enable them to achieve good learning performance and eventually help break the poverty cycle through education.

So the DSWD looked for a State Universities for partnership, luckily the president of Cebu Normal University, collaborated with the DSWD.

Before going to our designated areas, The DSWD conducted 3 days pre-deployment orientations to us tutors on our assigned areas. The DSWD wants us to be well-prepared, informed, and equipped to execute the roles entrusted to us on the conduct of the Tara Basa tutoring program.

These orientations were a kind of necessary training that had to be set out to us tutors as a way of providing us with an understanding of the goals of the program and the specific needs of the communities to which we were going to be allocated, besides the basic skills necessary for effective communication with the students. Cultural sensitivity and awareness to respect diversity and the unique values of the communities that we'll be entering were also accorded to us tutors by orientations.

The DSWD tried to standardize the quality and efficiency by having safety protocols, communication strategies, and program expectations discussed during the orientations in relation to the delivery of the tutoring program for positive outcomes for both tutors and the rural students that we would be working with.

(my safe place. thank you for granting my prayers lord🥹)

However, on the second day of orientation/training we were told that we'll be back up. If one from the final list of tutor's declines, the place that we'll be assigned to them will be ours.

We lost our lights from the news. We were really eager to be part of this program—this program will help us educate our future students and also can help those unfortunate ones who can't afford to have any tutors for them.

However, yesterday a lot of tutors backed out because their place is too far from the area that they were assigned, but we, who are really dedicated, pushed through to be part of this program.

Luckily, the heads agree and assign us to a nearby area. I am very happy to be part of this journey! THANK YOU DSWD!(🥹✨🫶🏻)

To our future students embarking on the wondrous journey of learning to read, know that within each of you lies the power to unlock new worlds, explore possibilities, and shape your own future through the magic of reading. Nothing brings me more joy as your mentor than seeing the sparkle in your eyes as you discover what lies inside every book. Each word, sentence, and story you conquer brings you closer to a stronger and more empowered version of yourself.

Embrace the challenge, celebrate every success, and seek out books that inspire you. Let's together explore the realm of imagination, dive into knowledge, and dance in the vast expanse of creativity. Fall in love with this adventure, where every letter is a friend, every story a companion, and every lesson a key to the universe of literacy. Trust yourself above all, for you are capable of extraordinary. FIGHTING!✊