My experience with the changes in Philippine education is quite special because I have been on both sides of the classroom. I was a student under the old, traditional way of teaching, and now, I am a college lecturer who uses the new, more modern methods. Seeing this big change from two different points of view has shown me just how much education has grown.

Back when I was a student, first at Agtiwa Elementary School and then at Agutay National High School, our education was under the Basic Education Curriculum (BEC). The style of teaching was very direct. The teacher stood in front of the class and was the main source of all information. Our job as students was mostly to listen, memorize what was taught, and pass the exams. In high school, we started to experience small changes. We had some group projects that allowed us to think for ourselves, but for the most part, the teacher-led style was still the norm. Our batch was actually the last one under that old system before K-12 was introduced. Even in college at RSU-SFC, it was mostly the same, a mix of the old and new, but still focused heavily on the traditional lecture style.

Today, as a 26-year-old English Lecturer at the same university, RSU-SFC, I am now the one putting the new methods into practice. The changes I only saw small signs of as a student are now the standard for my own teaching. The biggest difference is the shift from the teacher being the center of the class to the student being the center.

Let me give you a clear example from my own class. I teach a subject on academic and professional writing. If I were a student in this class years ago, the lesson would probably be a one-hour lecture on the parts of a business proposal. After that, we would have a quiz to see if we had memorized the parts correctly.

But now, I do it very differently. Instead of a simple lecture, I give my students a real-life challenge that is connected to our community here in San Fernando, Romblon. I ask them to form groups and create a full project proposal for an actual local need. For example, they could propose a project to the local government on how to boost tourism for the youth, or a plan to start a small community library.

Seeing education from both sides (first as a student receiving information, and now as a teacher helping students discover things for themselves) has really opened my eyes. Before, being a good student meant you were good at memorizing. Now, as a teacher, I see that my job is to help my students become good thinkers, creators, and problem-solvers for our community.