Photo by Elsa Pabustan
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Elsa Pabustan has dedicated more than half of her life to teaching.
For her, it is not just a profession.
It is a life-long devotion.
She believes she is being used by God as an instrument to change the lives of many children, especially those who need special attention and care.
Teacher Elsa, like what her students call her, has been practicing her profession for almost 30 years.
From years of teaching basic education curriculum to elementary students, she answered one of her life鈥檚 biggest callings 鈥� to teach under the Special Needs Education (SNED) program.
In an interview with 黑料社, she recalled how she became the pioneer teacher of the SNED program in Lawa Elementary School in Meycauayan City, Bulacan.
She said the school principal told her that she has the 鈥渉eart, patience and dedication鈥� as a teacher.
Elsa Pabustan has been a teacher of the Special Needs Education program at Lawa Elementary School in Meycauayan City, Bulacan for almost eight years. (Photo by Dianne Sampang/黑料社)
鈥淚 accepted the challenge kasi kung aayaw ako, if I would reject 鈥榶ung request sa akin, sino ang kukuha and paano 鈥榶ung mga batang nangangailangan ng tulong ko?鈥� she recalled her her questions to herself.
(I accepted the challenge because if I refuse and reject it, who will take it and what will happen to the children who need my help?)
READ:
Photo by Elsa Pabustan
The 55-year-old teacher said she may not be not have been equipped with adequate preparation at first, but she wanted to touch the children鈥檚 lives.
She finished her Master鈥檚 Degree specializing in special education in December 2022.
She also attended seminars and training for the special education program.
READ: Teachers give kids with special needs 鈥榮pecial attention鈥�
鈥淸Ang mga magulang], hindi rin nila tanggap, unang-una, 鈥榶ung mga anak nila na ganun. So, ang hirap ding magpaliwanag sa kanila kung paano ma-a-accept yung ganu鈥檔g klaseng behavior ng anak nila,鈥� Pabustan said.
([The parents] did not accept their children鈥檚 condition, first and foremost, that their children were like that. So it was difficult to explain how they could accept the types of behavior of their children.)
鈥淜asi nasa in denial stage lagi ang mga magulang natin noon. Ngayon, at least, may awareness na 鈥榶ung mga magulang about doon sa mga batang may special needs,鈥� she recalled.
(They were in the denial stage before. Now, at least, the parents already have awareness about children with special needs.)
Further, through the years, she said teaching under the SNED program has become 鈥渞ewarding and fulfilling.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 not the material things but 鈥榶ung inside talaga [ng puso mo],聽 yung joy na hindi ko nako-contain when I see my students or learners grow and learn,鈥� teacher Elsa beamed.
Photo by Elsa Pabustan
(It鈥檚 not the material things but really what鈥檚 inside [your heart], that joy that I can鈥檛 contain when I see my students or learners grow and learn.)
鈥淓ven in small things lang, it is a big win for me. Maliliit na bagay pero sa mga batang tinuturuan ko, big na 鈥榶un,鈥� she said with pride.
(Small things but for the kids that I am teaching, those are already big accomplishments.)
鈥淭hose moments are considered as a victory that should be celebrated,鈥� she emphasized.
Teacher Elsa admits there were times she wanted to quit teaching the program in the beginning.
鈥淣oong first day of class, talagang windang. Hindi ko alam [kung] paano iha-handle sila kasi first time ko. Wala pa akong gaanong seminar na na-attend-an,鈥� she remembered.
(On the first day of class, I was really confused. I did not know how to handle them because it was my first time. I had not attended a lot of seminars.)
鈥淧ero sabi ko, by the grace of God, talagang niyakap ko kung anong mayroon na dapat kong maranasan sa paghawak, pag-handle ng mga batang kagaya nila,鈥� she said.
(But like I said, by the grace of God, I embraced all that I would experience in handling children like them.)
For her, treating the children with special needs like any other children is important, not just in teaching, but in everyday living.
鈥淚-embrace mo talaga kung anu鈥檔g mayroon ang mga batang ito and i-treat mo sila na they are just normal children or learner na mayroon ka rin,鈥� she said.
(Really embrace what these children have and treat them like they are just normal children or learners like the typical ones that you have. )
鈥淲e should not concentrate sa mga disability nila, but on their abilities,鈥� she pointed out.
(We should not concentrate on their disabilities, but on their abilities.)
For starters, Teacher Elsa thinks that the children鈥檚 behavior must first be modified and so are their fine motor skills.
Self-help and gross motor skills must be enhanced before introducing academics to them, according to her.
Teacher Elsa observed that the children are equipped with their own talents and skills; and unleashing their full potential is crucial for their growth.
She also bared the struggles of the parents in accepting and adjusting to the difficult and complex conditions of their children.
READ: Teachers, parents share burden of educating special needs students
She said that her silent victories include witnessing moments when the children improve, learn how to follow instructions, and start interacting with other kids.
The fulfillment of teaching and motherhood
Teachers are regarded as the students鈥� second parents.
Since the school is an extension of a home to nourish and teach the kids valuable lessons in life, Teacher Elsa finds herself learning from her profession as well.
READ:
She shared that teaching children with special needs highly increases her level of empathy.
Teacher Elsa herself is a mother of two.
She said her kids are already grown up but she is looking forward to more things to learn from the special kids.
These pieces of education will prepare her for the role of a grandmother someday.
鈥淢as lalo mong maiintindihan, magagamit as a mother on how to handle yung mga bata, yung apo, yung anak mo sa pagpapalaki sa kanila,鈥� she said.
(You can understand more, and you can use it as a mother what you will learn in handling the children, your grandkids, your own kids on how to handle the little ones.)
鈥淜asi sa pagiging teacher ng special education, kung mayroon kang patience, kailangang ipo-prolong nang mas mahaba yung patience, pang-unawa at pagmamahal sa kanila,鈥� she explained.
(Because being a teacher of special education, you need to prolong patience, understanding and love for them.)
Looking back at her journey as a teacher, she said that her fulfillment with her profession has come a long way.
鈥淎ctually, habang minamahal mo sila, at the same time, you pray for them,鈥� she shared.
(Actually, as you love them, at the same time, you also pray for them.鈥�
鈥淵ung development and improvement, iba yung impact sa life ko. Kasi hindi kayang bayaran ng pera yung nakikita kong pagkatuto, pag-improve, at pag-succeed sa ginagawa nila,鈥� she said.
鈥淢y love for them, and at the same time, I pray for their development and improvement. Their learnings, improvements and successes have a different impact in my life that money cannot buy.)
Carrying advocacy wherever she goes
Teacher Elsa shared that she has become an advocate of special education.
She said she conducts outreach programs for advocacy campaigns on raising awareness for her learners with special needs.
READ: Advocacy for children with special needs
鈥淪inasabi ko na 鈥榶ung mga batang ito鈥� hindi lang dapat batang mga regular. Dapat ma-feel nila na belong sila sa ginagawa natin sa community,鈥� the teacher expressed her sentiment.
(I tell these children, it鈥檚 not just the regular kids鈥� They (the special children) should also feel that they belong in whatever we are doing in the community.)
She also said while she is nearing the retirement age of 60, she is planning to extend her profession abroad.
Photo by Elsa Pabustan
She applied as a SNED teacher in the United States, and is awaiting results of her interview.
鈥淪ana, the Lord will bless me with good health and vision para sa sarili ko鈥� para magamit pa rin ako sa pagtuturo ng mga batang kagaya nila,鈥� she concluded.
(I hope that the Lord will bless me with good health and vision so that God can still use me to teach children like them.)