This collaboration is a reminder that the desire to learn and connect is bigger than the fear of the unknown brought by the pandemic.
Philippines’ Montessori De Sagrada Familia, Inc. (MDSF) has officially expanded its venture through the recently concluded collaboration with Thailand’s Kasintorn Academy (KA). The event was virtually held last January 7, 2022, via Google Meet, with the aim to explore the beauties of both countries as well as their hallmarks of customs.
The proposal for the collaboration started when Mrs. Ma. Elena Bernabe, the foreign-teacher coordinator of KA whose child is a student of MDSF, reached out to Mrs. Arleen Cruz, a Grade 5 English teacher and her son’s adviser (Agate). The two of them brainstormed and discussed what the students of each school can do to show cultural awareness and express their own language. With the concept in mind, they each talked to their respective administrators and fellow teachers and organized the flow of the actual event.
The Philippines-Thailand collaboration program commenced with an introduction by Mr. Melchor Cruz of MDSF and Ms. Janice Ociones of KA, the esteemed Masters of Ceremony. It was followed by an opening prayer led by Kaitlyn Repking, a student from 5-Agate, and the singing of the Philippine and Thailand National Anthems via successive video presentations.
Opening remarks were then delivered by MDSF’s directress and principal, Mrs. Maria Cristina Santos-Silamor, and came the most-awaited part of the program: the activity proper which consisted of virtual tour presentation, word translation, project output, and open forum. The students who participated and took turns in sharing their perspectives and knowledge about their culture and religion were MDSF’s 5-Agate and Chrysoberyl with Mrs. Arleen Cruz and Mr. Gerald Vergel de Dios and KA’s 5-Elves with Ms. Janice Ociones. All of them did not hold back and gave their best throughout the event—in communicating their insights during presentations, trying to say greetings in the opposite language, channeling their creativity through the Maskara-Elephant craft, and conveying what they learned when given the opportunity.
With the program nearing its end, the closing remarks were spoken by KA’s school licensee Dr. Tanachit Kasintorn and was followed by the awarding of certificates led by Mr. Jomar Dela Cruz, MDSF’s department head, and Mrs. Elena Bernabe, KA’s coordinator.
Indeed, the collaboration between Montessori De Sagrada Familia, Inc. and Kasintorn Academy had been successful—it was the beginning of a fruitful partnership and interpersonal relationship between the Philippines and Thailand today and in the future. As the highlights of the program, all pictures and videos were compiled via the Official Facebook Page of MDSF.
By Arleen Cruz and Melchor Cruz