Teaching in itself is a difficult task. It takes a lot from a teacher, not just in terms of time and skills, but also emotions. This is all the more true if a teacher is handling special children.
Elsa Grafilo Duran of Cotabato City Central Pilot School has been teaching Orientation and Mobility and Writing in Braille to children with special needs for thirteen years.
In 1996, she was awarded as most outstanding SPED teacher by the Department of Education in the national, regional and division level. She is also president of SPED Division Association and Member of the Teachers Community Association.
Her dedication is unquestionable. Teacher Elsa works Saturdays, Sundays and even holidays aside from performing other activities such as daily living chores. She also acts as foster parent to homeless kids enrolled in her class and houses them in her modest home for temporary shelter. Further, she refuses to be hindered by anything, even a lack of funds.
According to school principal Norma Sinsuat, “With or without any budget, all activities are implemented due to her initiative, resourcefulness and good public relations with stakeholders, LGUs, NGOs and religious groups…[Also as a result of her efforts] she was able to solicit the budget for school year 2005–2006 from Congresswoman Bai Zandig G. Dilangalen.”
Her efforts have helped build a new classroom and has encouraged parents to enroll their children in the program. From five students when she first took over the program in 1995, the school now has twenty-six children with special needs such as autism, visual impairment, hearing impairment and learning disability.
The Bato Balani Foundation and Diwa Learning Systems are delighted to recognize Teacher Elsa Grafilo Duran as truly deserving honoree of The Many Faces of the Teacher 2007.
