COT Pressure: When Observation Becomes a Health Hazard

We need to talk about what happened in Muntinlupa. The passing of Teacher Agnes Buenaflor during a classroom observation has shaken all of us. It brings up a dark reality we often whisper about in the faculty room: COT Anxiety is real.

The Purpose vs. The Reality

The Classroom Observation Tool (COT) under the RPMS is supposed to be developmental. It’s meant to help us improve. But let’s be real—when the Principal and Master Teachers sit at the back with their clipboards, it feels less like mentorship and more like a judgment day for our careers.

Calls for Reform

The Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC) and ACT are right to call for a review. We need:

1. Formative, not Punitive: Observations should focus on helping, not grading us down.
2. Health Breaks: If a teacher is not feeling well, rescheduling should be automatic, without penalty.
3. Simplified Rubrics: The 2025 COT rubric is comprehensive, but sometimes it feels like we are performing for a show rather than teaching the kids.

To My Fellow Teachers

Your health is more important than an "Outstanding" rating. If you feel dizzy, if your chest tightens, stop. The lesson can wait. The observation can be rescheduled. You are irreplaceable to your family, even if the system treats us like robots sometimes.

Let’s look out for each other this RPMS season. A rating of 5 is useless if you aren't around to enjoy it.