By Arsiel De Guzman – Vice Governor COED Student Council
CPU COEd’s “Teacher Din Ako” Storytelling Outreach continues its literacy mission with USWAG San Isidro Elementary School from September 2025 to March 2026.
The Central Philippine University (CPU) College of Education (COEd) has embarked on a remarkable literacy mission through its “Teacher Din Ako” Storytelling Outreach Program, a project that began in September 2025 and continues its inspiring journey until March 2026. Conducted in partnership with USWAG San Isidro Elementary School.
What began as a simple initiative to bring stories closer to young learners has grown into a heartfelt movement connecting COEd student-teachers with the pupils of USWAG San Isidro Elementary School. Each month, COEd students visit the College’s adopted school to deliver engaging storytelling sessions that transform ordinary days into moments of imagination, joy, and discovery. Through expressive reading and interactive activities, the program nurtures a love for literature, strengthens reading comprehension, and sparks creativity among children still shaping their understanding of the world.
The initiative officially opened with the endorsement of Community Engagement and Service-Learning Center (CESL) after completing due process and was launched through the leadership of the Province of Education Student Council (PESC). In the months that followed, various COEd academic organizations—MathSciFil Dynasty, ENGLISH Elites, BECED Gems, BPED Aces, SNED Society, and BEED Generals took turns sustaining the project. This shared effort reflects COEd’s culture of collaboration, showing how each organization contributes its strengths to uplift young learners and provide student-teachers with real, meaningful avenues to practice their craft.
During the program’s launch, Dr. Lilibeth T. Ta-ala, Principal of USWAG San Isidro Elementary School, expressed profound gratitude to the College of Education and its aspiring educators for granting her request to bring a storytelling program to the school. The CPU COEd leadership likewise affirmed its full support. Dr. Maredil R. Ambos, OIC Dean of the College of Education, emphasized the enduring power of stories in a child’s development: “Stories are powerful. They open doors to imagination, shape character, and plant seeds of hope. Through a simple story, a child can believe in possibilities, learn values like kindness and perseverance, and discover that their future is bright.”
For Dr. Eden P. Gomez, College Outreach Coordinator, the outreach is anchored in the wisdom of Proverbs 22:6—“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Guided by this principle, the program underscores that reading is not merely an academic task but a foundational experience that builds values, strengthens character, and supports lifelong learning.
As the outreach continues from September through March, “Teacher Din Ako” has become more than a monthly visit. It is a living narrative built on shared smiles, curiosity, and genuine connections between student-teachers and children. For COEd students, it serves as a training ground to understand the heart of teaching; service, empathy, and responsibility. For the pupils, it is a doorway to new worlds and growing dreams.
As it moves steadily toward its culmination in March 2026, the outreach continues to shape young minds and future educators alike—one story, one child, and one meaningful encounter at a time.