𝗕𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗗 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗱. 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆.

In September 2013, right after passing the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET), I started working as a SPED teacher at Second Home for Hope Learning Center in Bacolod City. The faculty included occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, a physical therapist, a psychologist, SPED Teachers, and a developmental pediatrician.

My two years of handling children with special needs and collaborating with other therapists molded me into an effective and efficient SPED teacher. It also made me a better person, and I thank God for it. Yet, I felt God had other plans that I must pursue.

In January 2016, I got a SPED item in Dinagat Islands Division. The language barrier was indeed a challenge as I could not avoid using Hiligaynon words even in our ordinary conversations. It was difficult for them to understand what I said at times, although I somehow managed to translate some words into the vernacular because I speak a little Cebuano. (𝘔𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘊𝘦𝘣𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘵 𝘐𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨.)

Five years on, I vowed to serve as a SPED Teacher because I have a heart for handling learners with special needs. Guiding them and allowing myself to become a part of their lives is more than just a job. It is my mission, my vocation.

In Dinagat, I felt honored and humbled to have the privilege to undertake the following endeavors:

1. Providing Technical Assistance to the teachers from other islands;

2. Giving hands-on support to parents;

3. Showing my skills to my colleagues at the school and the district;

4. Sharing learned experiences and theories about SPED to our Schools Division;

5. Attending seminars and workshops for professional development.

I give credit to everyone who made it possible for me.

I enjoyed my stay in Dinagat, yet I still longed to be home with my family and friends in Bacolod, especially during semestral breaks, which paved the way to an incident that changed my life forever.

On one fateful day in August 2016, at the port of Surigao City, while I was waiting for my departure to Bacolod City, I met a special someone – my future husband. The saying, “Love knows no boundaries, and love conquers all,” touched me deeply at that moment.

After some years of having a “rainbow relationship,” I applied for a transfer to Agusan Del Norte Division to be near him. After I was accepted, we got married.

Although I still handle children with special needs in my new workplace, I needed to adjust again to the new environment while trying to go with the flow. Then, an opportunity for ERF promotion came. After two weeks of discernment, I applied. But I did not have my certificates since I left them in Dinagat, also worried that Odette might have ruined them all.

Eventually, I got my CAV (Certification, Authentication, and Verification) from the Visayas, and when I received my certificates from Dinagat, I immediately complied with all the other requirements. It did not stop some people from questioning my ability and performance, but I ignored them.

After a month of suspenseful anticipation, the result from the Division Office was positive. I thank God for this blessing; and my husband, too, for he inspired me to make the decision.

Eleven weeks after the approval of the Division, the same result came from the Regional Office. I prayed, “Lord, whatever is your plan, I know you have your purpose. The beautiful things in my life happened because of your will.”

Being a SPED teacher, I now understand that I must continue giving my big heart to my learners. I am now more motivated to love my work. God has given me more than I gave Him, including all the beautiful things of being a SPED teacher.

Love SPED.