More and more people are jumping into the bandwagon of Special Education (SpEd) because of the doors of opportunities it opens here and abroad. But despite the tempting offers, there are those who choose to stay – for the love of SpEd.

Staying is a decision for Evelyn Caja, a SpEd teacher at the Ramon Magsaysay High School and principal of the Center for Developmental Intervention Foundation, Inc. at the Philippine Children Medical Center, notwithstanding opportunities she had allowed to pass.

For 35 years now, Caja has been dedicating her life to help children with special needs — especially those who are visually impaired or blind — to maximize their full potentials. “Naging sobrang devoted ako sa pagtuturo sa children with special needs so I think this is my chosen life and I think na eto yung purpose ni God sa akin,’’ she shares.

Caja was a regular Mathematics teacher for six years before she accepted a scholarship program in SpEd teaching the blind. She graduated with the degree Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Master of Arts in Education Teaching the Visually-impaired from the Philippine Normal University.
When she shifted to SpEd, her perception of people with disabilities, especially the blind, totally changed. “Ang una kasi kapag nakakita ka ng blind, awa eh. Pero nung napunta ako sa SpEd, na-realize ko na madami silang pwede at kayang gawin only if you train them and teach them to be independent.”

From then on, she decided to focus on teaching Math to blind students. “Math is the number one difficulty for the visually-impaired since it is highly visual, with numbers and symbols.”
She patiently made materials for the blind students to use. “Kapag naging tactile na yung materials and na-emboss na, mas madali para sa kanila kasi kahit papaano, na vi-visualize na nila at kaya na nilang i-solve.”

Staying behind

Staying true to her commitment, Caja — despite offers for promotion and opportunities to work abroad — decided to stay in the country. ‘’I  declined offers. Nakokonsiyensya ako sa mga students na iiwanan ko,” she admits.

Yet she does not judge SpEd teachers who join the growing brain drain platoon. When teachers come to her for advise, she tells them to know what their hearts really want. “I tell them I cannot stop them from leaving the Philippines because it’s but natural to look for greener pastures. Pero dalawa lang yan eh — kung priority mo is to earn, you can go there, makaka-survive ka. Pero kung ang priority mo ay personal satisfaction and happiness , being with your family, hindi mo kaya mag-survive doon.”

Caja points out that being a SpEd teacher is not about academic credentials but unconditional love. She never fails to acknowledge God’s help and guidance in her career in SpEd. “Kay Lord nakukuha yung strength kasi hindi ko naman ginagawa  ito para sa sarili ko kundi para matulungan talaga yung mga special children.”

Love for children should also be innate because that is where it all starts, she says. “Doon nag-uumpisa yun kapag mahal mo ang trabaho mo, lahat yan natural na lalabas sa iyo — magiging patient ka, magiging resourceful ka, magiging dedicated ka, magiging priority mo yung trabaho mo.’’

The teacher should also have the utmost patience and the innate gift of laughter. “Kapag hindi makuha, dadaanin mo na lang sa tawa, matutuwa ka kasi the moment magalit ka, mafi-feel nila yung galit mo kaya mas magiging mahirap ang pagtuturo.”

SpEd teachers must also have resourcefulness and understanding of the children’s condition. “Kasi, the moment you understand the situation you’ll be able to give them what they need eh. You have to understand the needs first so that you’ll be able to give them what they really need.”

Biggest contribution

Because of her dedication and commitment to the teaching profession, she has been a recipient of numerous awards such as the 2001 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Teacher, Outstanding SPED Teacher of NCR in 1995, Outstanding Teacher in the Division of Manila in 1996, 2002 Lingkod Bayan Awardee, 2002 Thomasite Centennial International Visitor Awardee, Finalist for the 2003 Gawad Geny Lopez Bayaning Pilipino Award and in 2004, the Outstanding Manilan Award.

But these, she says, are not her biggest pride or contribution in SpEd. “I think yung pag-train ko ng teachers hanggang sa ngayon at yung involvement ko sa curriculum for the blind ang maipagmamalaki ko.” Because of her expertise in teaching blind students, she finds time to be involved in curriculum revision and development of modules. “I try to influence other SpEd teachers in handling special children especially those who are mainstreamed para mas maging madali sa kanila to interact and live a normal school life despite their disability,” she shares.

Aside from those, she also considers her students as her biggest contributions to SpEd such as Roselle Ambubuyog, who graduated as valedictorian in high school and eventually finished her Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics degree from the Ateneo de Manila University, as summa cum laude. “Siyempre yung makapag-produce ka ng successful blind students di ba greatest satisfaction na masasabi ko yun?” she says.

Dreams

Caja dreams for her students to be successful in life, in their own capacities. She also hopes for them not to be a liability to their families and in the societies that they belong to.

“I pray for a sense of independence for all of them because their parents and teachers will not be around forever. If it is not too much to ask, I dream for my students to earn a living so they can live a modest life on their own. Mahirap naman kasi i-ask kay God na lahat sila makarating kamukha ng narating ni Roselle kasi mahirap yun eh. Pero yung maging successful na lang sila in their own way, they can earn a living, they can live a modest life, happy na ako dun,” she shares.

With a heightened public awareness now about people with disabilities, Caja hopes that there will come a day when regular people would not hesitate to accept and assist the blind. “Sana mas maging friendly yung society sa kanila so they will have a fair chance of living a normal life.”
Next on Caja’s sight - her ultimate dream: To make every visually impaired student literate in information technology.