Heart-Based Coaching (HBC), a Pilot Program in the Philippines (PPP)

I want to share with you, fellow Gorgeous Friends, Parents, Educators, and Leaders, that we had our Pilot Program in the Philippines (PPP) last week. The name of the workshop was, Strengthening the Consolidation Learning Camp through Holistic Psychological Coaching Support using Heart-Based Coaching (HBC) Skills at Leodegario D. Deocampo Sr. National High School (LDSNHS) in Capagao, Panitan, Capiz, Region V1, Panay Island, Philippines.

Day 1 was the LDSNHS High School Teachers

Day 2 was the Parents, Stakeholders, and Community leaders

Day 3 was the High School Students, 7th and 8th Graders

I was honored because it was their first Coaching introduction. Wow, I got to be the first Presenter; I felt special! I was also excited to facilitate the workshop for parents and students in our native dialect, Hiligaynon. Of course, English language for teachers.

In the Philippines, the school's medium of instruction is English; the second language is the national language which is Tagalog, and the third language is the dialect of each province. LDSNHS is in the Western Visayas, so the idiom is Visayan or Hiligaynon.

Thank you, US Team: Some of our LCT (Limitbusters Coaching & Training, Inc.) Facilitators attended the program to welcome, support, and congratulate them. I thank Eric Kohner, Michael Lattimore, and Aila Marie Torres as our Zoom LCT Team. Jarra Pinuela was responsible for our workshop materials and our Zoom Manager. Special thanks to Eric Kohner, who ensured the timeline followed the International Coaching Federation (ICF) guidelines, the guild of all Coaches worldwide.

Salamat po: In the Philippines, I am forever grateful that this project happened due to the innovation and Leadership of LDSNHS Principal III Geroe Odicta, with the support of his loving community - teachers, parents, students, sponsors, and leaders. Sir Odicta, thank you for checking my lesson plan. Your detailed Philippine Education insights made the program smooth.

I acknowledged the In-person Co-facilitation of LCT Team Ge Roeben Odicta and the LDSNHS Teachers who took care of the technology and assisted the needs of the participants throughout the program; it made my co-facilitation easier; Loyal Bautista, Ailyn Vergara, Felen Marie Villeza, Christy Mae Joy Dolfo, Jan Vincent, Elaine Delaney, Lezette Delfin, Eddarlyn Ombid, and Julie Ann Marie Corros. Madamo gid nga salamat mga Mam kag Sir!

I appreciated the recognition, acknowledgment, support, observation, and approval of PPP by the Division of Capiz Team.

~ Miguel Mac D. Aposin, EdD, CESO V, Schools Division Superintendent

~ Lunie D. Sampane, OIC ASDS

~ Segundina F. Dollete, EdD, CID Chief

~ Marggie A. Obligacion, EdD, Sr. Program Specialist in Research

~ Alan Vincent Altamia, Education Program Supervisor in Values Education

~ Calin A. Bernales, EdD, Public Schools District Supervisor

~ and others.

The Heart-Based Coaching (HBC) program was created in Europe when we lived in Spain from 2008 to 2012; we started the HBC training in Barcelona for parents, professionals, entrepreneurs, teachers, and leaders. HBC has all the elements of parenting, teaching, leadership, communication, and relationship skills. The foundation of Heart-Based Coaching is the ALIMA model, which means Acknowledgment, Listening, Intuition, Mindful/ness, and Accountability. ALIMA in Visayan means a hand. So, each skill corresponds to each finger. It fits perfectly to pilot in Capiz, Philippines, because of the meaning and significance of the HBC model. It, indeed, found its place back home where it should be part of their communities, and everyone can use the skill in their personal or professional life. I felt like a proud Mama!

In the US, a few years ago, we launched the program at Pepperdine University, at the Graduate School of Education and Psychology department, through the leadership of Yas Hardaway, Executive Director, and Adjunct Faculty. I felt the love and support of Yas all the time.

LCT did a lot of Individual Coaching and Training for professionals, parents, educators, schools, and organizations in Europe and the US. Last week was so special because this has been a dream of mine for decades - bringing Coaching to the Philippines, my people.

The Department of Education in the Philippines mandated additional schooling in all schools nationwide, despite their vacation time, due to the impact of the pandemic in 2020. The students needed time to recoup for their learning to be ready for the next school year's standard at their level as 8th or 9th Graders.

In other words, they have to drill the academic left brain subjects, such as English, Math, and Science, to the students. It was said to be voluntary but ended up being mandatory. All teachers and administrators must comply with this mandate as government employees.

Photo credits to UNICEF and Sunstar

The next challenge was that in a remote area like LDSNHS, the students were supposed to help parents with their farm and household chores. The parents demanded that their children had to be at their house during July and August because they were not around during school months. So, both parents and students were hesitant to attend the learning camp.

The Principal, Mr. Geroe Odicta, went to the Sponsors, Stakeholders, and Community Leaders to ask for their support about this challenge. They all agreed to campaign for the learning Camp to persuade parents and students to come to the school and provide some transportation and food to feed the students. Indeed, it was a miracle, the power of a Heart-Based collaboration.

The Principal's innovation and leadership asked to strengthen the learning camp through a Holistic Psychological Approach from our Team, Limitbusters Coaching & Training, Inc. We happily agreed through the Heart-Based Coaching (HBC) program. His sincerity, dedication, and unwavering love for education and his community touched us.

Mr. Odicta understood, as a parent, as an educator, and as a leader, what his community is going through. He wanted them to experience that through the HBC workshop; we got loud and clear about the needs of the Participants.

In the Introduction of each group's workshop, I discussed the importance of the class, honoring their values, acknowledging their situations, and supporting them in taking care of themselves.

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. The Psychological approaches to education include behavioral, developmental, cognitive, constructivist, and experiential perspectives.

Holistic Education supports a positive learning environment where children can develop the skills, knowledge, and values to serve them for a lifetime.

Heart-Based Coaching (HBC) is the program to navigate the implementation and strategies of Holistic Psychological Coaching Support in the Learning Camp of Leodegario D. Deocampo Sr. National High School.

HBC skills are fundamental Coaching skills that are effective in all areas mentioned in the Introduction. It also has a specific pedagogy to identify each development domain to strengthen the foundation of a whole person, especially students.

The formula we follow to self-check ~

PEMSS +HWWN = Self/ Foundation (physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual, health, wealth, wellness, nature is the foundation of a human being. I created this program when we returned to the US in 2014 because of my Individual Coaching Practice.

HEART-BASED COACHING is an interactive, collaborative, alive, and positive way of teaching, parenting, supporting, facilitation, leadership, and communication strategies. It has all the skills to address each opportunity and learning.

For the LDSNHS community, we break down the targeted skills according to their group. We brought them to the Coaching world, where one was a Coach, and the other was a Coachee (Client). In their Dyad, they experience, explore, and practice the Heart-Based Coaching skills they learned during my Coaching demo.

DYAD Coaching

Coaching is fun, alive, interactive, and easy to use; we practiced all the foundational skills using the ALIMA model and some of the HBC Coaching skills like -

• Accountability

• Acknowledgment

• Agenda

• Asking Powerful Questions (APQ)

• Bottomline

• Curiosity

• Checking In

• Designing and Redesigning

• Feedback

• Homework - Doing and Being

• Intuition

• Listening

• Mindful/ness

• Resonance and Dissonance

• Yearning

The Group Participants:

• The Teachers practiced teaching strategies and other skills to manage their emotions and self-care.

• The Parents learned parenting skills and were mindful of their feelings and what the impact was when they accepted or expected from their children.

• The Leaders, Stakeholders, and Sponsors practiced leadership skills and strategies to listen to their essence as a community servant-leader, parents, and human beings.

• The Students were so shy in the beginning after they declared their dreams, we felt they were ready to fly according to who they would become.

When we read the survey of all groups, we were grateful that their evaluations were off the chart and embraced themselves as HEART-BASED COACHES. Everyone participated and had fun; what a transformation for all the participants.

It was a history, a success because of the collaboration and team effort of the Capagao community in the Philippines and the LCT in the US.

The Students

The Leaders, Stakeholders and Parents

The Teachers

According to our ICF guild, Coaching partners with Coachees (Clients) in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. Coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity, and leadership. Also, our colleague Sue Sussman said the power of Coaching is through skills, support, strategies, and structure. For me, Coaching is not idealistic or romantic in thought. It is simply identifying, clarifying, hearing, listening, or acknowledging what it is really. It's neutral, realistic, and visionary, and it is a transformational journey. Indeed, it is empowerment.

Coaching is a great tool to have as a teacher. I used it when teaching; I found it compelling and effortless. It is a universal language!

I hope schools near and far will get to try the power of Coaching, which is our mission. So, from your Heart-Based Coach, I look forward to connecting with you. Welcome, Mabuhay, Benvingut y Bienvenidos!