Ask The ManComm: SSD
The Student Services Division (SSD) is well-acquainted with the scholar. As the SSD Chief, Ms. Mary Jane Turingan does her best to warmly accommodate everyone.
“The students are so dynamic. You can’t predict and you can’t set a structure on how to deal with them. Because they’re so dynamic, they’re so creative, you have to deal with them individually. Their gifts are all different from each other,” Ms. Turingan said.
She wasn’t always the SSD Chief. In fact, she started working in Pisay as a substitute guidance counselor.
When one of her old schoolmates, a former Pisay guidance counselor, had to go on a work leave, Ms. Turingan was asked to take her place.
“[My friend] had to go for a scholarship in Japan for a year and half. She was looking for a substitute guidance counselor, so she asked me to come,” she explained.
Ms. Turingan used to work as a Psychology teacher in Saint Paul University, Tuguegarao. So when she came to Pisay, she knew how it worked.
The culture of Pisay, however, came as a shock.
“They were more mature than my students in college. And how they conducted themselves, how they spoke– it was a lot different. So sabi ko, wow!” she laughed.
That was in October of 1999.
“I had my one and a half years, and I didn’t think about what would happen after that. It just went on with my substitution,” she recalled.
With her background in Psychology, she was tasked to work on Nonverbal items for the UPCAT review, and then later, for the NCE.
“That was the start.”
Eventually, Ms. Turingan applied for a permanent position as a Values Education teacher. She didn’t give up her work as a guidance counselor, though.
She even continued writing test items, and from there, was assigned to the Curriculum and Instruction Services Division (CISD) where she became its Chief for a year.
“I think it was because of my experience with the Guidance. Since they found me effective with the Admin, they put me there (CISD) so I could take care of the other services.”
What does the SSD do?
Five years ago, Ms. Turingan was inducted as the SSD Chief.
Many challenges came with taking over the office. For instance, it wasn’t easy handling both the student activities and services in one division.
“When the activities and clubs were under the SSD, hindi masyadong naasikaso dahil sa permits pa lang, ubos na ang oras mo. And then you’d have to take care pa of the dorms tapos yung mga ibang services pa, and you have to attend meetings and teach. I couldn’t do all that.”
To remedy this, she suggested distributing the responsibilities by creating another division. It was the Division of Student Affairs (DSA) that took over the handling of student activities and clubs.
Since then, the SSD has been able to focus on providing better services, especially in the dormitories.
Ms. Turingan resides in the dormitory and is often on-call for the dormers.
Accommodating six batches is one of the biggest challenges for the SSD Chief.
“As much as I want to accommodate everyone, because of the lack of space, we might end up saying na no accommodation for Grades 11 and 12. ”
However, if the need arises, students from all batches living within Metro Manila will be given least priority. This will provide more space for Grades 11 and 12 students who come from the province.
Although there are plans to extend the dormitories, it’s still along way to come.
“Meron, pero it’s at Phase 5 of the plan. We’re still at Phase 2, the extension of the Front Lobby. After that, it’s the Cafeteria, and then the Admin Building. Tapos last na yung dorms.”
Read the rest of the interview transcript below:
[You took up] Psychology. So you were really supposed to be guidance counselor?
“Yes. I was working in Saint Paul University [in Tuguegarao] and at the same time, I was a college instructor in the Psychology department. Then, during that time, one of your counselors, who is also from Tuguegarao and was a schoolmate of mine in Saint Paul, had to go for a scholarship in Japan for one year and half. She was looking for a substitute guidance counselor, so she asked me to come. And I went here to substitute for her.”
Do you remember what your first day was like?
“Of course, it was a new environment. There was excitement and at the same time, uncertainty because I didn’t know the culture of Philippine Science. Though I already knew the work [of a guidance counselor].”
How did you find the students?
“My description at the time was that I was culture-shocked. In Saint Paul [University], I handled college students so I expected them to be adult and mature. But when I came to Philippine Science High School, I expected to them to be children. But they were more mature than my students in college. And how they conducted themselves, how they spoke, was a lot different. So sabi ko, wow [laughs].
And in Saint Paul, I usually spoonfed the students. You couldn’t really expect them to research on their own. But when I came to Pisay, you just [have to] give them the topic, then ask them the question, then they know all about it without you even discussing first.”
You said that the guidance counselor you were friends with was only supposed to take a leave for one and a half years. What happened? What made you continue?
“I had my one and a half years, and I didn’t think about what would happen after that. It just went on with my substitution. And then, during that time, Dr. Torres — you do not know her anymore — was the head of Guidance. She saw me doing items for the Nonverbal Test. That was supposed to be for the UPCAT review of the 4th year high school [students] back then.
Ma’am Dinah Gutierrez was their batch adviser at the time and she asked me [to help], since she knew that I was also a Psychology graduate, so more or less I knew how to construct items for the Nonverbal items for the UPCAT review.
While I was doing it in the office, Dr. Torres saw me and at the time, [aside from being head of the Guidance Office] was also head of Admissions in Philippine Science. So she asked me if I could also do items for the NCE exams, so that was the start.”
You made the Nonverbal Test of the NCE? What does it test?
“It tests Logic and Abstract Reasoning.
Anyway, I had that job. Then, I do not know what happened, and I think Dr. Cruz [who was the CISD Chief] knew about it also and then she approached and said that after my substitution, I could apply for teaching to teach ValEd.
So I applied also since she told me to apply. When I applied, she took me in. That was also the start of my [teaching] job in Pisay.”
ManComm used to have four divisions. What’s your opinion on having some of the work of SSD being done by the DSA? Did you support that?
“Actually, it was my recommendation to separate the clubs, the activities of the students, and the services of the students. Kasi when the activities and clubs were under the SSD, hindi masyadong naasikaso dahil sa permits pa lang, ubos na ang oras mo. And then you’d have to take care pa of the dorms tapos yung mga ibang services pa, and you have to attend meetings and teach. I couldn’t do all that.
Kaya noon, if you see, I didn’t handle a general assembly for the clubs. It’s the SA that does it, right? Okay, so yun. Para matutukan yung buo, yung parehong services and activities, I recommended to Ma’am Gene [Andres] to separate the two. Tsaka lalo na since we’re five batches now, mas maraming activities.”
What’s the most memorable thing that’s happened to you in your time in Pisay?
“There was one time in my early days in Philippine Science High School, when I was still connected with the Admissions Office also. The ones making the items for the NCE were teachers of Philippine Science High School. After Dr. Torres [was moved to the SSD], she passed down the work to me, so I was left in charge of handling the tests. So the work of the Admissions was passed down to me and I took care of the ones constructing the items. We followed strict rules on that, like the teachers couldn’t go out [of the guidance center] while they were constructing the items. They weren’t allowed to see anyone or talk to their students while writing the items. And they didn’t like that. They felt as if they were kept in prison since they weren’t allowed to go out until the items were done. But that was SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) when constructing test questions for the NCE. And they didn’t like that.
It was memorable because [it was written by] the Union of the Philippine Science High School, a group of faculty and staff — but I think the author[s] of the letter [were] purely teachers. They wrote about yung masyado daw strict, parang daw preso.
It was a complaint about the entire system, actually. But it had my name there, siyempre since I was the one who implemented the rule. So ayun. Pero the letter was not directed to me. There was no signature, it just said Concerned Union Member.”
So how did you overcome that? How did you respond?
“I also made a letter.
So what I did was, I wrote ‘To the Union Member Concerned’. So I addressed the letter like that. I defended every issue that I raised and then I signed. I copy furnished the letter to the Executive Director and the Campus Director, then I posted it and gave it to all of the teachers. And then, the head of the Union, Mrs. Anna Obletias, she was an English teacher at the time when she came to me. I remember she was having an executive check-up. She went to Pisay, talked to me, and apologized.”
What [changes] do you plan to [implement] for the next year? Since the Girls’ Dorm is full.
“On outsourcing, I think we do not have the funds for that. So we might ask the Grades 11 and 12 to look for their own places outside. They will be given least priority. Pero sabi ko rin, paano naman yung mga Grades 11 and 12 na from the provinces? So, our second choice would be to ask those from the city (from all the batches) to be given least priority, if we want to accommodate Grades 11 to 12 talaga.”
Is there no plan to extend the Girls’ Dorm?
“Meron, pero it’s at Phase 5 of the plan. We’re still at Phase 2, the extension of the Front Lobby. After that, it’s the Cafeteria, and then the Admin Building. Tapos last na yung dorms.”
What’s the hardest part about dealing with high school students?
“The students are so dynamic. You can’t predict and you can’t set a structure on how to deal with them. Because they’re so dynamic, they’re so creative, you have to deal with them individually. Their gifts are all different from each other. For example, in the dorm, this rule may be applicable for this year, but you can’t expect that same rule to be applicable for the next years.
Even with the students, in terms of teaching. For example, maybe a certain strategy is very efficient or effective for this group, but you can’t expect it to be efficient for the next group.”
On a lighter note, how do you balance work and life? Are you married?
“No, I’m single. I think because of the variation in my work — to be a teacher and working in the office of the SSD, there’s a lot of new things. So it’s not just one thing that you’re doing for the entire year. For example, as compared to just teaching or just officework. And then I also go out with my friends, and once in awhile I go home [to Tuguegarao]. I think that those experiences na varied keeps my sanity, perhaps.”
How do you have fun, Ma’am? Do you have any special interests?
“Before, I [used to] do cross-stitch. It was ano pa, marami din akong natapos na mga ganun when I had the time. Kasi ngayon, when I am in the dorm, I still work. For example, I prepare my lessons or do reports for the SSD.”
Do you have a message for the student body?
“I hope that the students would take care of themselves well because of the many things that are happening.
It makes me sad when I hear news about students getting depressed. Even before, I really wanted to know the reason why they undergo that. I see them happy and okay during their first years in Philippine Science High School tapos pagdating na nila ng Grade 10 and 11, bakit ganun? So why do they get depressed?
I really want to understand that pero iba-iba yung reasons for that. They have reasons for that, they have valid reasons for that. Nakakalungkot lang na kasi siyempre, you are intelligent, you are smart. Pero because of some factors, nasisira yung buhay niyo dahil sa ganun. So ayun, I wanted the students [t]o learn resiliency, to be strong. That they won’t allow life factors in the environment to affect them.”
