Lukad: An Online Journal of Pedagogy

Volume 2 Issue 1 (June 2022) 5 - 20

Awareness of the existential predicament in children’s

stories and value clarification teaching practices
Richard M. Bañez
Batangas State University JPLPC-Malvar, Batangas, Philippines
[email protected]

Florentina Buño
Batangas State University JPLPC-Malvar, Batangas, Philippines
[email protected]

Abstract

Insights gained by children in reading stories are essential in formulating their ideas
about social norms, personal etiquette, and social relations relative to conflicts
involving race, class, and gender issues. The question of how these conflicts or
presented predicaments in children’s stories and the values found in these narratives
should be taught is still central to any educational debate on teaching children’s
literature. Awareness and understanding of existential predicament in children’s
stories and value clarification teaching practices remain of great importance to pre-
service and in-service elementary teachers as they are expected to positively mold
pupils’ personalities through the teaching of children’s literature. Using the
descriptive method, this study examined pre-service elementary teachers’ awareness
of existential predicament and consideration of value clarification teaching practices
in dealing with children’s stories. The results of the study reveal that the pre-service
elementary teachers’ consideration of valuing processes in teaching children’s stories
can help pupils decide on the values to exhibit or possess as members of a community.
This consideration of value clarification teaching practices was likely influenced by
the pre-service elementary teachers’ awareness of existential predicament, as affirmed
by the Pearson r value obtained when the two variables were correlated. This study
proposes a course of action to revitalize pre-service elementary teachers’ value
clarification teaching practices while sustaining their awareness of existential
predicaments in children’s stories.

Keywords: children’s stories, existential predicament, literary pedagogy,

value clarification

Introduction

For children to grow maturely, they are expected to overcome challenges involving
disappointments, dilemmas, rivalries, and the like in order for them to adapt and adjust to

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ISSN 2799-0435
Lukad: An Online Journal of Pedagogy
Volume 2 Issue 1 (June 2022) 5 - 20

difficult life situations. These adaptation and adjustment in responding to life adversities
necessitate consciousness and recognition of problematic situations causing anxieties and
violent tendencies among children. Bettelheim (2010) reiterates the importance of children’s
familiarity and understanding of existential predicament or inevitable crises and
circumstances that can expose them into trouble. These commonly existing predicaments in
children’s lives are important in the development of their psychological maturity and self-
worth. Comprehending troublesome encounters and experiences in children’s lives will
enable them to appropriately respond to these challenges, making them realize that
exposure to these adversities is beneficial in shaping value, character, and conduct that are
essential to the development of children’s personalities and are considered the core of value
education.

In school education, the term "value education" refers to the study of the formation of
vital values in students and the promotion of these values through suggested actions. In its
broadest sense, value education encompasses the development of moral, cultural, and
spiritual virtues, as well as the ability to form and internalize appropriate value judgments.
It is an education for "becoming" that encompasses the complete personality of the
individual. The essence of value education is "Man Making" and "Character Building."
According to Dewey (2001), "value means basically to appreciate, esteem, appraise, and
estimate." It refers to the act of cherishing something, holding it dear, as well as the act of
evaluating nature and amounts of value in comparison to another (p. 246)."

On June 25, 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte signed legislation making Good
Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) and Values Education key courses in public and
private schools. GMRC and Values education replaced the Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao
(EsP) topic under Republic Act (RA) 11476. GMRC will be taught as a separate subject in
Grades 1–6 and integrated into kindergarten pupils' everyday learning activities. According
to the law:

The Department of Education (DepEd) shall introduce GMRC through clear,

distinct, specific, and concrete character-building activities such as role
playing in the classroom, community immersion activities, teacher-parent
collaborative learning activities, school-initiated values formation activities,
simulated activities, and other forms of experiential learning...

The revival of GMRC in Philippine basic education through RA 11476 can be viewed
as the country’s initiative in reorienting Filipino children about responsible citizenship for
social transformation. This also aims to minimize the egocentric tendencies among children
brought by the influence of social and popular media (Cingel & Krcmar, 2014). This

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Lukad: An Online Journal of Pedagogy
Volume 2 Issue 1 (June 2022) 5 - 20

curricular initiative is expected to reform Filipino children value orientation, encouraging

them to be responsible to themselves and other people within their community. Children
can be inculcated with good values and the ability to withstand life's difficulties through the
use of well crafted value formation activities and other experiential learning methods.
Consequently, the new law stipulates that DepEd conduct proper training for teachers and
educators on GMRC and Values Education and equip them with suitable and relevant
instructional resources to enhance their ability to teach the topic.

In addition to direct experiences gained through experiential learning, children's

value formation and personality can also be molded by reading stories. Stories that are
consistently read in the classroom have the potential to serve as a vehicle for young
children's value education. Children learn their own and others' religious, social, and
cultural values. They question it, consider it, and decide how to proceed. They learn how to
be morally responsible individuals who not only adhere to rational activities, but also
understand why and how to behave. Story patterns are seen as an additional layer of
language. A type of meta-grammar influenced by and influencing the predominant
character types, narratives, and social-rule issues. Through reading stories, children can
learn to speak effectively and build their interpersonal ties, according to Rana et al. (2014).
By listening to and reading about outstanding personalities, kids engage in role-taking
behavior, which involves imagining how another person thinks, feels, and acts. Thus, the
teaching of children's stories plays a crucial role in molding the value formation and
personality of young people. Through the simulation of experiences provided by these
stories, youngsters grow aware of the numerous challenges that they may confront in their
own lives. They are also given examples of how to fix these issues, which are revealed
towards the conclusion of each story.

Through story-based instruction, children have the opportunity to be mentally

present with the material. They may relate to it and be influenced by it, allowing them to
establish their own opinions. This engaging and interpretive method of instruction engages
and engages students. It encourages students to seek their own answers rather than being
forced to regurgitate a list of emotionless facts. The stories penetrate more deeply and linger
longer, creating "implicit memories" (Gottschall, 2013). Stories aid in the formation of
implicit memory in children. The stories remain in the minds of children, allowing them to
become adaptable concepts that may be applied to numerous elements of daily life.

Many children lack admirable and relatable role models. By reading or listening to
narratives, individuals discover identity sources that meet their requirements and inspire
them to shape their selves. In these stories with positive role models, the protagonist shares
characteristics with the child and demonstrates realistic thinking and problem-solving,

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taking into account thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. This helps children develop insight
into their challenges and provides them with practical solutions. An individual consistently
pursues the values he or she deems essential; these values, in turn, shape the individual's
attitude, influence their way of thinking, and serve as their fundamental guiding principles.

To encourage learning and instill values in students, a teacher may employ several
strategies and methods. Today, educators attempt to educate children academically,
physically, and morally, with a growing emphasis on moral education (Sommerville, 2010).
To be a good educator, one must understand the power of the 'story form' so that it can
facilitate classroom learning. Teachers play a crucial role in helping youngsters comprehend
stories and grasp their meaning. Teachers should be encouraged to investigate the content of
stories and assist children in making connections to their own experiences and lives.

According to Mary and Suganya (2016), a person's worth is what he or she considers
to be correct or good. Through value clarification, a person will have the opportunity to
reflect on personal moral difficulties and have his or her values investigated and explained.
Value clarification states that behavior is neither morally good nor evil, but rather consists of
behaviors that are either wise or dumb, depending on the time and location. A child's moral
growth is an essential component of value clarification in education. Typically, children in
schools with value confusion underachieve in all areas of schooling. Teachers have a crucial
role in shaping students into productive members of society. To ensure that value-confused
students improve, value explanation in education becomes vital. Clarification of values in
education facilitates decision-making, self-exploration, freedom of thought and behavior,
and tolerance and self-assurance in children.

The pictures and concepts formed in the children’s minds result from reading stories
found in textbooks. The “readers” contributed to formulating their ideas about social norms,
personal etiquette, and the social relations and conflicts involving race, class, and gender
issues. The question is how the presented predicaments and values found in the children’s
stories should be taught. Awareness and understanding of the existential predicament in
children’s stories and value clarification teaching practices will help pre-service elementary
teachers be good facilitators of learning. As the respondents will be one to introduce
Children’s literature to their pupils and find possible ways to enhance their understanding
regarding the predicament in children’s stories and value clarification teaching practices.

Purpose of the research

The study determined the awareness of the existential predicament in children’s

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Volume 2 Issue 1 (June 2022) 5 - 20

stories and value clarification teaching practices of the pre-service elementary teachers in
Batangas State University JPLPC-Malvar at Malvar, Batangas, Philippines. Specifically, the
study described the respondents’ level of awareness of existential predicament in children’s
stories; their value clarification teaching practices guiding learners’ beliefs and behavior in
terms of choosing, prizing, and acting anchored on the processes of values by Williams
(1972); the relationship between the respondents’ awareness of predicament on children’s
stories and their value clarification teaching practices; and course of action proposed to
sustain the respondents’ awareness of predicament on children’s stories and their value
clarification teaching practices.

Conceptual/Theoretical Framework of the Study

Clarification of values (VC) builds upon character education. Instead of drilling

students in specific actions, Easterbrooks and Scheetz (2004) argue that learners must engage
in "deep, critical inquiry about certain modes of being" (p. 255) When addressing values
clarification in the classroom, teachers must be cognizant of four important factors: (1)
value-laden topics; (2) the central question associated with the inherent value; (3) the context
or strategy for clarifying the value; and (4) the skills or processes for clarifying the value.

When conducting a VC lesson, the teacher may select a topic or moral concern linked
to friendship, family, health, job, love, sex, drugs, leisure time, personal time, politics, or
leisure time. The teacher next presents a question linked with the value, followed by an
appropriate activity, also referred to as a VC approach, to encourage participants to think,
read, write, and discuss the topic. During the exercise and conversation, the instructor
ensures that all perspectives on the topic are handled with respect and that a psychologically
secure environment permeates the classroom. Finally, the instructor encourages students to
integrate value clarifying approaches into their responses to a variety of troublesome life
situations. This strategy for establishing value contains three primary steps: (1) selecting, (2)
valuing, and (3) acting (Bariyyah et al., 2019; Witteman et al., 2016). Considering the
repercussions of their decisions allows youngsters to select an appropriate response to a
challenging circumstance from a variety of options. Rewarding entails accepting their
decisions and creating an appreciation for their worth and value. Acting, meanwhile, is
incorporating the gratifying decisions they have made into their daily routines. These stages
of value clarification influence children's critical thinking and decision-making abilities,
transforming them into accountable individuals.

Methodology

The study employed descriptive research methodology, namely correlational study.

This is to establish the degree of association between two characteristics, behaviors, or

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Volume 2 Issue 1 (June 2022) 5 - 20

occurrences. Changes in one are connected with changes in the other when they are
determined to be correlated (Stangor & Walinga, 2014). The purpose of this research is to
examine if there is a correlation between the respondents' knowledge of predicament in
children's stories and their value clarification teaching approaches.

Participants of the Study

The respondents of the study consisted of 25 first year, 21 second year, and 19 third
year pre-service elementary teachers at the Batangas State University JPLPC-Malvar,
Philippines. This teacher education institution served as the locale of the study as it trained
pre-service elementary teachers to be agents of social transformation through designing
lessons that can develop pupils’ character and conduct through vicarious experiences
obtained from teaching children’s stories. The number of respondents was obtained with
the help of Raosoft sample size calculator to specify the sufficient number needed for the
study relative to the entire population. Moreover, the lottery method was used in
determining the respondents from each year level to provide equal and independent chance
of inclusion in the sample. The respondents were chosen for they were trained in
incorporating children’s stories for value formation in one of their major courses in their
academic program. As prospective elementary school teachers, they were also expected to
design age-appropriate interdisciplinary learning activities in the promotion of good
manners and right conduct in the basic education. Hence, they provided reliable data
needed in the study.

Table 1. Distribution of the Respondents

Pre-service Elementary Education Teachers
Year Level
Population Sample

1st Year 30 25

2nd Year 25 21

3rd Year 23 19

Total 78 65

Research Instruments

The researchers gathered relevant information about the study and a formulated
questionnaire which served as the main instrument. This researcher-made questionnaire
measures the awareness of pre-service elementary teachers on existing predicaments in

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Volume 2 Issue 1 (June 2022) 5 - 20

children’s stories and their value clarification teaching practices. In constructing items for
determining pre-service elementary teachers’ awareness of existing predicaments in
children’s stories, the researchers considered Bettelheim’s (2010) argument on the
importance of conflicts presented in stories in helping children master psychological
problems of growing up. Meanwhile, they based the construction of items about value
clarification teaching practices on the main stages of value clarification expounded by
Witteman et al., (2016). The questionnaire is divided into two parts. The first part describes
the respondents’ level of awareness of the existential predicament in children’s stories. The
second part is composed of 15 items or statements that show how the respondents’ practice
value clarification teaching along the main stages of values such as choosing, prizing, and
acting in guiding learners’ beliefs and behaviors. Every category consists of five items or
statements.

Consultation with the adviser for the revisions and corrections of the formulated
questionnaire was taken into consideration. Comments and suggestions of one early
childhood education practitioner, one doctorate degree holder in educational management,
and one master’s degree holder in teaching the English language became a great help in
assuring its validity. Pilot testing of the questionnaire to a group of 30 pre-service teachers
who were not part of the respondents was also conducted to test the internal consistency of
its item statements covering the first and the second part. The computed Cronbach’s alpha
coefficient values of 0.92 and 0.91 respective to the parts of the questionnaire were found
greater than 0.70 affirming that the constructed item statements for both parts were
sufficiently reliable.

Data analysis

To be able to interpret the computed mean and the overall mean, the following mean
ranges with their corresponding descriptive interpretations were used: 3.50-4.00 Highly
Aware/Highly Practice; 2.50-3.49 Aware/Practice; 1.50-2.49 Slightly Aware/Slightly Practice;
and 1.00-1.49 Not Aware/ Not Practice.

Ethical consideration

After the research title was approved, the researchers acquired material that helped
them conceptualize, analyze, and establish their own opinions about the study. Before
performing the study, permission from the Dean of the College of Teacher Education was
requested to use pre-service primary teachers as respondents. In this context, a letter
requesting permission to distribute the questionnaire to the intended respondents was
drafted. Google forms were used to disperse the questions. The researcher briefed
respondents on the goal of the study and instructions for completing the questionnaire,

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Volume 2 Issue 1 (June 2022) 5 - 20

assuring them that their responses would be kept confidentially.

Results and Discussion

Awareness of Existential Predicaments in Children’s Stories

This portion presents the respondents’ level of awareness of existential predicaments

in children’s stories. It reveals the computed mean and standard deviation for each indicator
with its corresponding interpretation.

The table shows that the respondents were aware of the existential predicaments
present in children’s stories, further obtained by the overall mean of 3.45. With the highest
mean of 3.66, the respondents were highly aware that children’s stories contain characters
whose flaws can lead to realization of their worth. Obtaining the lowest mean of 3.22, the
respondents were aware that children’s stories introduce children to difficult and awkward
situations they may encounter.

Table 2. Level of Awareness of Existential Predicaments in Children’s Stories

Standard Descriptive
Indicators Mean
Deviation Interpretation

1. Children’s stories contain characters

whose flaws can lead to realization of 3.66 0.51 Highly Aware
their worth.
2. Children’s stories discuss the 3.43 0.59 Aware
problematic nature of life and living.
3. Children’s stories introduce children to
difficult and awkward situations they 3.22 0.62 Aware
may encounter.
4. Children’s stories present opposite
polarity in characters such as good and 3.45 0.69 Aware
evil.
5. Children’s stories contain numerous
moments of crisis, characters make 3.48 0.56 Aware
moral decisions and contemplate the
reasons for their decisions.
Overall 3.45 0.59 Aware

The result implies that the pre-service elementary teachers were aware of the
existential predicament in children’s stories. This awareness of existing predicaments in
children’s stories can be attributed to the pre-service elementary teachers’ exposure to this
literary genre as instructive resources in honing children’s decision making in responding to

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Volume 2 Issue 1 (June 2022) 5 - 20

life adversities. With conflicts as the core of these stories, teachers may present how the
protagonists of the different stories dealt with their respective conflicts which can be the
basis of children’s decision and actions when exposed to similar problems. Likewise, Colon-
Aguirre (2012), reiterates that conflicts, predicaments, trials, coincidences and crises in
fiction can stimulate readers’ decision making.

Value Clarification Teaching Practices

This part of the study determined the respondents’ value clarification teaching
practices in terms of choosing, prizing and acting. These three main stages of value
clarification anchored on the notion of Witteman et al., (2016) were considered as they
provide techniques in which teachers can integrate value clarification for learners’ value
formation and character development which are the primary aims of value education in the
Philippine elementary schools. Hence, these three stages of value constitute the ideal value
clarification teaching practices by pre-service elementary teachers. These are found on the
succeeding tables.

Choosing

Table 3 presents the respondents’ value clarification teaching practices in terms of

choosing. It reveals the computed mean and standard deviation for each indicator with its
corresponding interpretation.

The respondents highly practiced each item obtaining the overall mean of 3.63. The
respondents highly practiced helping children in choosing values to exhibit or possess in
their lives through children’s stories, they provide activities that require pupil to indicate
their position on an issue in an overt and explicit manner and they accept responses without
judgment or evaluation and discourages any attempts by learners to challenge or mock each
other’s position with the highest mean of 3.68. Garnering the lowest mean of 3.52, the pre-
service elementary teachers highly practiced helping children in choosing values to exhibit
or possess in their lives through children’s stories, they begin the lesson with “opening up”
activities which focus on low-risk issues.

The respondents allow their pupils to reflect upon their own thinking and the views
given by others. It is essential that whatever the children choose should be based only upon
their own choices and not under any kind of pressure from elders or their peers.

Table 3. Value Clarification Teaching Practices in terms of Choosing

Standard Descriptive
Indicators Mean
Deviation Interpretation

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Lukad: An Online Journal of Pedagogy
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1. Begin the lesson with “opening

up” activities which focus on low- 3.52 0.53 Highly practiced
risk issues.
2. Give freedom to select to which 3.65 0.51 Highly practiced
perspective to adhere.
3. Provide activities that require
pupils to indicate their position on 3.68 0.56 Highly practiced
an issue in an overt and explicit
manner.
4. Accept responses without
judgment or evaluation and
discourage any attempt by 3.68 0.53 Highly practiced
learners to challenge or mock each
other’s position.
5. Explain or provide reasons for 3.63 0.52 Highly practiced
holding a specific value position.
Overall 3.63 0.53 Highly practiced

According to Gautam (2015), students must be able to choose their own ideals
without external pressure. The facilitator must create an environment conducive to
participants freely expressing and choosing their values, free from peer pressure and
ridicule.

Prizing

Table 4 presents the respondents’ value clarification teaching practices in terms of

prizing. It reveals the computed mean and standard deviation for each indicator with its
corresponding interpretation.

In helping children in prizing values to exhibit or possess in their lives through

children’s stories, the respondents highly practiced letting pupils to express their views
freely with the highest mean of 3.88. With the lowest mean of 3.68, the pre-service
elementary teachers strongly practiced in helping children in prizing values to exhibit or
possess in their lives through children’s stories, they asked pupils to clarify why they gave
some values more significance than others and also why they accepted some values and
rejected others.

Table 4. Value Clarification Teaching Practices in terms of Prizing

Indicators Mean Standard Descriptive

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Deviation Interpretation

1. Let pupils express their views 3.88 0.33 Highly practiced

freely.
2. Refrain from giving comments on 3.71 0.49 Highly practiced
what the pupils say.
3. Ensure that no pupil makes fun of 3.83 0.38 Highly practiced
other pupils’ comments.
4. Ask pupils to clarify the reason
when accepting or rejecting some 3.68 0.47 Highly practiced
values.
5. Act as facilitators that provide
suitable conditions and situations
in which children themselves 3.69 0.50 Highly practiced
become aware of the values which
they consider valid and worth
being followed.
Overall 3.76 0.43 Highly practiced

It is crucial for individuals to reflect on themselves and become aware of the ideals
they deem important. This can begin with a session in which youngsters engage in a variety
of activities so that they become acquainted with one another and are willing to express their
opinions. Then, they may be presented with some moral difficulties and asked to describe
their perspectives on the subjects.

The teachers serve as facilitators who provide the appropriate settings and scenarios
for students to recognize their own ideals as acceptable and worthy of emulation (Gautam
2015).

Acting

Table 5 presents the respondents’ value clarification teaching practices in terms of

acting. It reveals the computed mean and standard deviation for each indicator with its
corresponding interpretation.

With the highest mean of 3.85, the respondents highly practiced motivating pupils to
behave in a way to reflect the values that they choose to cherish in helping them in prizing
values to exhibit or possess in their lives through children’s stories. Meanwhile, they highly
practiced helping pupils communicate openly and honestly with others about their values
garnering the lowest mean of 3.75.

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Table 5. Value Clarification Teaching Practices in terms of Acting

Standard Descriptive
Indicators Mean
Deviation Interpretation

1. Motivate pupils to reflect the

values that they ‘choose’ to 3.85 0.36 Highly practiced
‘cherish’.
2. Observe how pupils integrate
their choices into the pattern of 3.77 0.49 Highly practiced
their own lives.
3. Help pupils use both rational
thinking and emotional awareness 3.77 0.42 Highly practiced
to examine their personal feelings,
values, and behavior patterns.
4. Assist pupils to communicate
openly and honestly with others 3.75 0.47 Highly practiced
about their values.
5. Act based on the beliefs to become 3.77 0.42 Highly practiced
a role model to other pupils.
Overall 3.78 0.43 Highly practiced

Students are encouraged to represent the principles they choose to cherish in their
behavior. They are encouraged to explain and compare their own values with those of
others, as well as to uphold the values they find significant and valuable.

For the values clarification approach to be successful, it is crucial that children have
an environment in which they can freely and fearlessly share their opinions on the various
subjects presented. Here, the teacher's job becomes extremely vital and crucial. He/she must
maintain decorum and guarantee that each student freely expresses his/her opinions and
listens without prejudice to what others have to say (Gautam, 2015).

Relationship between the Respondents’ Awareness of Existential Predicaments in

Children’s Stories and their Value Clarification Teaching Practices

Table 6 presents the relationship between the respondents’ awareness of existential

predicaments in children’s stories and their value clarification teaching practices. The
correlation of the variables was tested using the Pearson r formula.

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Table 6. Relationship between the Respondents’ Awareness of Existential Predicaments in

Children’s Stories and their Value Clarification Teaching Practices
Computed Verbal p Decision
Variables Interpretation
r Interpretation value Ho

Awareness of Existential
Predicament in
Moderate
Children’s Stories and 0.513 0.000 Reject Significant
Correlation
Value Clarification
Teaching Practices

The table above disclosed the test of significant relationship between the
respondents’ awareness of existential predicament in children’s stories and their value
clarification teaching practices guiding learners’ beliefs and behavior. It can be seen that
when the respondents’ awareness of existential predicament in children’s stories was
correlated with their value clarification teaching practices, the computed r value of 0.513
with respect to its p value of 0.000 yields a moderate correlation.

The result made the researchers reject the null hypothesis signifying that there is a
significant relationship between the respondents’ level of awareness of existential
predicament in children’s stories and their value clarification teaching practices. This implies
that the respondents’ awareness of existential predicament in children’s stories affect their
value clarification teaching practices guiding learners’ beliefs and behavior. As the pre-
service elementary teachers become aware of the existing predicaments in children’s stories,
they are able to design learning opportunities that can hone children’s character and
conduct through a wide array of value clarification techniques and practices. Existing
predicaments in children’s stories can function as a vehicle of moral education for young
children as they challenge themselves to question, think, and choose what to act whenever
they are exposed to similar conflicts or problematic situations. With appropriate guidance of
teachers in dealing with existential predicaments in stories, children learn how to be
responsible moral persons who not only do good things but know why and how to act
(Rahim & Rahiem, 2012).

Course of Action to sustain the awareness of pre-service elementary teachers to the

existential predicament on children’s stories and their value clarification teaching
practices

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The researchers prepared a course of action that is illustrated in Table 7. This aims to
sustain the pre-service elementary teachers’ awareness of the existential predicament in
children’s stories and their value clarification teaching practices. This course of action
specifies the objectives to be met in sustaining and promoting pre-service elementary
teachers’ value clarification teaching practices through awareness of predicament in
children’s stories, strategies to be employed in the realization of each objective, person/s
involved who will materialize and implement each objective and strategies, target date in
which activities will be implemented, and the expected output or outcome.

Table 7. Course of Action to Sustain the Respondents’ Awareness of Existential

Predicament on Children’s Stories and their Value Clarification Teaching
Practices
Persons Expected
Objectives Strategies Target Date
Involved Output/Outcome

To enhance the Conducting seminar ● Pre-service Entire school Enhanced knowledge

knowledge of pre- on the art of elementary year of pre-service
service elementary storytelling teachers elementary teachers
teachers on on introducing
introducing children children to difficult
to difficult and and awkward
awkward situations situations they may
they may encounter in encounter in certain
certain stories. stories.

To strengthen the Conducting seminars ● Pre-service Entire school Strengthened

awareness of pre- on the art of elementary year awareness of pre-
service elementary storytelling and the teachers service elementary
teachers in beginning role of vicarious ● Guidance teachers in
the lesson with experience in reading counselor beginning the lesson
“opening up” children’s stories in ● Elementar with “opening up”
y teacher
activities that focus on helping children to activities that
low-risk issues in overcome challenges in focuses on low-risk
helping children in their lives. issues in helping
choosing values to children in choosing
exhibit or possess in values to exhibit or
their lives through possess in their lives
children’s stories. through children’s
stories.

To enhance the skills of Lesson planning ● Pre-service Entire school Detailed lesson plan
pre-service elementary elementary year with clear value
teachers in helping teachers integration and
their pupils become enhanced art of

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ISSN 2799-0435
Lukad: An Online Journal of Pedagogy
Volume 2 Issue 1 (June 2022) 5 - 20

aware of their own and questioning.

others’ values.

To increase the pre- Incorporating and ● Pre-service Entire school Detailed lesson plan
service elementary presenting contrived elementary year incorporating
teachers’ awareness in or real value laden teachers reflective teaching
helping pupils to situations in the lesson and learning
communicate openly planning.
and honestly with
others about their
values.

Conclusion

Based on the findings of the study, the following conclusions were drawn. The
respondents are aware of the predicaments that exist in the children’s stories. The pre-
service elementary teachers are aware of the valuing processes namely choosing, prizing,
and acting. There is a significant relationship between the respondents’ level of awareness of
existential predicament in children’s stories and their value clarification teaching practices.
The course of action made by the researchers can be used to enhance and strengthen the
respondents’ level of awareness of existential predicament and value clarification teaching
practices.

Recommendations

In the light of the study’s findings and conclusions, the researchers were able to
construct the following recommendations. (1) The pre-service elementary teachers are
encouraged to enhance their knowledge of introducing children to complex and awkward
situations that they may encounter in certain stories by attending a seminar about the art of
storytelling. (2) The respondents of the study may continuously implement a value
clarification approach in helping children identify what values to exhibit or possess in their
lives through children’s stories. (3) The course of actions proposed by the researchers may
be implemented, monitored, and evaluated to ensure its effectiveness in enhancing pre-
service elementary teachers’ awareness of existential predicaments in children’s stories and
value clarification teaching practices.

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© 2022 Bañez, R., & Buño, F.
ISSN 2799-0435
Lukad: An Online Journal of Pedagogy
Volume 2 Issue 1 (June 2022) 5 - 20

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© 2022 Bañez, R., & Buño, F.
ISSN 2799-0435