A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH ON ABSENTEEISM AND TARDINESS: STEPS TO

IMPROVE ATTENDANCE AND OVERALL LEARNING AMONG SENIOR HIGH

SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH BEHAVIORAL ATTENDANCE ISSUES

An Action Research Proposal

by

NIELUZ MAY GARDOSE

Context and Rationale

With the adaption of the K-12 Basic Education Program, students are expected

to graduate at an age generally two years older than the graduates of the past

curriculum. This is an advantage since they are considered to be more equipped to deal

with a higher level of learning during their college years. Aside from preparing students

for tertiary education, this curriculum also empowers students to start their own

businesses or start working even without college education as they are equipped with

skills (through electives) in their chosen fields through the Senior High School Program

K-12 system aims to improve Filipino students’ mathematical, scientific, and

linguistic competence. With the new curriculum, DepEd promised to offer higher quality

education through tracks. Each track will give students enough time to master a field and

enhance their skills. In the end, K-12 graduates will become globally competitive and are

set to obtain spot in the stiff labor market (Three Practical Benefits of the Philippines’ K

to 12 Curriculum, K12Philippines.com)

This curriculum, which released its first Senior High School Graduate in 2017,

aims to place its graduate at par with the rest of the world.

In Physics, Grade 7 learners initially learn the basic physics concepts and then

proceed to learning complex physics concepts in the succeeding grade levels (Grades

8, 9, and 10). Specifically, under the Force, Motion, and Energy learning area on

electromagnetic waves, students are first taught about the basic concept of waves in
Grade 7 and when they are in Grade 10, students are taught about the complex concept

of the electromagnetic spectrum.

One ground for this “basic-to-complex” way of learning (i.e. spiral progression

approach) is that learning of the topics and skills is tailored to the appropriate

developmental and cognitive skills of the learners (Department of Education, 2017;

Snider, 2004). Thus, Grade 10 students are expected to have mastered the basic

Action Research Questions

Generally, this action research aims to determine the effect of a systematic

approach on Senior High School students to minimize absenteeism and tardiness.

Consequently, this action research will seek to answer the following specific

research questions:

1) What are the most common reasons why Senior High School students

incur behavioral absenteeism?

2) What are the most common reasons why Senior High School students

incur behavioral tardiness?

3) Will take-home tasks help students who cannot avoid absences cope with

their lessons?

4) Would students be able to avoid absences and tardiness if they were not

block sectioned?