Hi Teachers!

Do you remember our speaker, Mr. Pocholo, from UnlockED 2016?

We held it at the Marikina Convention Center last March 4, 2016?

Below is an article about who they are and what they do. Enjoy reading!

VOICE CARE FOR TEACHERS

Save your VOICE, Save your CAREER!

Rationale

Our voice is our most powerful communication tool. It reflects pretty much everything about us – from our true feelings all the way to our educational and social backgrounds. We make assumptions about people’s personalities and characters based on the way they sound.

The main problem is, even “professional voice users” – those whose professions rely mainly on their voice – usually have not been taught the fundamentals of how voice is produced. Because of this, they do not give much thought on the manner in which they speak, much less take precautions to prevent vocal strain and injuries. Once hoarseness, throat pain, loss of voice, or vocal fatigue occurs, individuals find themselves scrambling to learn the behaviors to rehabilitate and salvage what’s left of their voice.

Our voice is very much like any musical instrument. We can study how to use it, but at the same time, we need to learn how to TAKE CARE of it.

Who We Are

Voice Care Philippines is a non-profit organization that specializes on the human voice. We focus on the prevention of voice problems by providing voice care workshops which help participants reach their full potential while maintaining healthy vocal practices.

Voice Care Philippines provides evaluation and treatment of voice disorders by a certified practicing speech pathologist. Therapy programs are individually designed to meet the client’s vocal demands and to ensure successful, effective and sustainable voice use.

VISION: To make the Philippines the center of vocal health and wellness in Asia.

MISSION: Equip all professional voice users with the knowledge, tools and techniques to save their voice and save their career.

The VoiceMaster

Voice Care Philippines is founded by Pocholo “The VoiceMaster” Gonzales – veteran voice artist and broadcaster, multi-awarded youth advocate and most sought-after motivational speaker. For the past 20 years, Pocholo has been utilizing his voice not only for the purpose of entertaining people, but more importantly for inspiring, motivating and empowering particularly the Filipino youth. (http://www.pochologonzales.com)

Pocholo aced his education as a BA Speech Communication graduate from the University of the Philippines, Diliman. He then took his MA in Broadcast Communication in the same school, all while he is making his name in the voice acting industry.

Pocholo is the CEO and Managing Director of Creativoices Productions, a Philippine-based voice-over production company that provides professional voice artists for various clients here and abroad. It has an international network that provides a choice of 500 voices in more than 40 languages, accents and dialects. Creativoices is also the home of Voiceworx, the first and only voice acting and dubbing workshop being offered in the country today. (http://voiceworx.me/)

Pocholo has been honored locally and internationally for being the founder of Voice of the Youth (VOTY) Network, a volunteer youth organization that aims to inform, inspire, involve and empower the Filipino youth through media and ICT. VOTY’s ever-growing family has over 25 radio programs around the country, all powered by young volunteer broadcasters. They also cover events for media partners and publish press releases for them on the website http://votyonline.com.

Pocholo is one of the most – if not THE most – inspirational and sought-after motivational speakers in the Philippines. He has been invited to take on the podium in more than 1000 schools and universities, as well as in various organizations and events here and abroad. He shares his knowledge and expertise in Voice Acting, Communication, Personal Branding, Guerilla Marketing, and Youth Empowerment and Development.

The Truth About the Teacher’s Voice

The voice is a teacher’s most important teaching tool. Although they have other tools like lesson plan, textbooks, pens, classroom and even a positive mental attitude, voice is the one thing they use above anything else and they cannot teach without.

Sadly, despite the importance of voice in teaching, its care remains to be overlooked and taken for granted. Even though teachers recognize the first signs of voice problems – hoarseness, itchy throat, an extra effort in speaking – they only scramble to find a cure when it’s almost impossible to speak in class.While teachers make up the largest population of professional voice users, sadly, unlike actors or singers, they get very little to no VOICE TRAINING.

Did you know that as much as 20% of teachers miss work due to voice problems, and that 1 in 10 teachers has been forced to leave the profession because of voice disorders?

Speaking 4-6 hours a day in front of 40 to as much as 70 students in class, in an environment that has poor acoustics, poor ventilation and is exposed to irritants such as dust and students with cough and colds put teachers at high risk of developing voice problems. Furthermore, teachers speak more intensely, more frequently and at a greater length than others, with little to no recovery time in between the day or week. Above all, teachers LACK TRAINING on healthy ways of speaking!

As if that’s not enough, medical intervention for voice disorders is extremely costly. Laryngeal Video Endostroboscopy, the procedure used just to check on the vocal tract for possible nodules or polyps cost Php 5,000, and surgery on vocal folds cost at least Php 100,000!

Despite all this, though, the GOOD NEWS is that voice disorders are most commonly caused by vocal abuse and misuse, making them manageable and preventable if given the proper knowledge and tools.

Voice Care for Teachers Workshop

In this 2-day workshop, teachers get their turn to be students to learn how to take care of their most valuable asset. Voice Care for Teachers aims to:

• Educate the teachers about the science of the voice, its common illnesses/sickness, and how to take steps to care for their voice and minimize the risk of voice problems
• Provide teachers with strategies to make classroom learning more relevant, engaging and meaningful for the 21st century students through the use of storytelling, voice acting and kinesthetic activities

Since its founding in March 2013, the Voice Care Philippines team has travelled to various parts of the country to conduct the workshop. From Luzon (Baguio, Pampanga, Tarlac, Bulacan, Bataan, Cavite), Visayas (Iloilo) and Mindanao (Bukidnon, Zamboanga), thousands of teachers have learned the science and art of voice, and how it can be applied to their vocation. (http://www.voicecarephilippines.com/workshop-archives)

The Voice Care for Teachers workshop covers the following important topics:

• Understanding the Generation Z. This module is essential as teachers need to understand how today’s generation of students live, act and behave inside and outside the classroom. Strategies on classroom engagement are also presented to help teachers create a more inviting learning environment in the classroom.
• Science of the Voice. Participants will learn how voice is produced, the risk factors that make teachers more prone to voice disorders, and various exercises to improve the way voice is produced. This module also includes a vocal workout that teachers can apply in between classes.
• Voice Acting for Effective Teaching. Teachers will learn the science as well as the ART of voice. You will learn how to play with the different elements of your voice to not only capture, but more importantly, sustain your students’ attention in class.
• Public Speaking. Teachers are the number one public speakers, and we believe that just as it is important for them to know their subject matter like the back of their hand, it is equally important that they know how to convey their expertise through the use of their voice. Teachers will learn how to employ their WHOLE BODY to efficiently project their voice without straining their vocal folds.
• Action Planning. Teachers will be asked to commit to no more than 3 new behaviors that will improve the quality of their voice, and reduce the risk of voice problems.

Voice Care for Teachers Book

The Voice Care for Teachers workshop also comes in written form, as we have published a book with the same title. The book includes the same set of topics, exercises and assessments as in the workshop. The book functions more like a workbook, enabling the teacher to interact with each chapter and do a practical application of the topics covered.

“Voice Care for Teachers” is written by Voice Care Philippines’ Founder, Pocholo “The VoiceMaster” Gonzales. It is available for purchase online, or at a discounted price during the workhop.

Contact Voice Care Philippines

For further inquiries, please contact Ada Cuaresma, Voice Care Philippines Executive Director, at 0939-9228563 or ada@creativoices.com.

You may also visit our online profiles at:

http://www.voicecarephilippines.com/

https://www.facebook.com/VoiceCareForTeachers

https://www.facebook.com/VoiceCarePhilippines