Alternative Learning Resource School, Philippines, Inc.

26^th of August 2009...........

        Germi, BJ, My, Jana and Elia

 

     We are the members of the group who went to the Alternative Learning Resource School (ALRES) in Quezon City. Our task is to observe a PT at work in a special education class. Mr. Marius Bautista, PTRP, is the one to whom we are assigned to go. Like any other profession, being a physical therapist entails different responsibilities. It will allow you to play a role based on what setting you are in. Mr. Marius Bautista, a registered physical therapist, works in ALRES, Inc. He conducts physical education classes to children with different cases of disability. He handles two sessions during Wednesdays. 
 

ALRES is a special school for children with disabilities. Its facilities can be seen like in other preschools. The entire building is not really that big. Its hallway and rooms are colorful and attracting to the eyes of the children. The classroom has enough space to conduct different activities.Equipments were properly organized at the side of the classroom.

Equipments provided and used by ALRES varies regarding the activity that they will do in their physical education classes. There are activities in balancing in which they use foot mats and blocks with textures used as balance beams. They also have balls for throwing and catching, blocks used for stairclimbing exercise and rackets, bats and many other tools for teaching motor skills.

Children handled in ALRES ranges from 4- 9 years of age. Most of the conditions of the children in the school are Autism, Global Development Delay (GDD) and Down syndrome. Though, their conditions are only mild. From 2pm to 4pm, Sir Marius handles a total of 18 students.

Before the class started, Sir Marius prepared the equipments that will be used for the exercises. Then, the class set in motion. They did warm-up exercise through stretching and dancing. During the class proper, he provided activities that will improve the children’s balance and response to tactile sensation. The kids perform the activities one by one. Two to three teacher aides were taking care of the other students sitting on a mat while one was doing the task. He made sure that every student was doing the proper way to do every activity by assisting them and making them repeat the exercise until they got it right. The class lasted for one hour. After the activities, he asked the kids to help him putting the equipments back to their proper places. He gave every kid a prize for behaving well that day.

PE room and equipments

Being in this kind of setting, requires a lot of patience because dealing with children requires patience. As physical therapist

someday, we do not only interact with our patients but we also work with other professionals and other therapists. As professionals we need to excel or perform well in our work but we also need to work with our colleagues to produce better results.

        No man is an island, so we need the presence of other people especially when we need help. We have observed that a physical therapist in a special education class should be professional in his work and have established a good relationship with other healthcare professionals that would help him teach the students. The physical therapist that we interviewed mentioned that he aside from having other physical therapists in the clinic, he also works with other professionals such as SpEd teachers, teacher aides, occupational therapists, speech pathologists and child psychologists that help him in facilitating the class. To have a good working relationship with them, a physical therapist respects his colleagues especially their opinions, suggestions, how they work with the students, and how they perform their own tasks. A physical therapist should also observe and encourage ethics in his working environment. 
 

In school, the teachers are the second parents. They guide the students while they are away from home. This guidance may take form in instilling good values in the kids and by making sure that that the children are safe all the time.

Mission and Vision

Sir Marius is a perfect example. He has this authoritative attitude which makes the children listen to and obey him. The good thing is, he does this in a very kind and amiable manner—just like how a father should be to his son.  

During the games and activities, it is unavoidable that the kids be naughty. Also, I noticed that there are some children who find it hard to follow the instructions. There was this “hop only with one foot”, and the child can’t get it at first. However, Sir Marius is patient, he never gave up, and after a few tries, the kid finally got it. Patience is indeed something to be possessed by somebody who works in a SPED setting.

While watching them play, I know they are happy. The children are enjoying the activities and it can be seen from the bright smiles in their faces. Actually, one will not be able to think that these children have some incapabilities in them. And I think it also helps that there is a good teacher guiding these children.

All the while, I was thinking about how Sir Marius was able to do this all—to smile despite of a very tiring work. 
 

So after the class, I grabbed the chance to ask him, 
“Why did you choose to work here with the special children?”

He said with a smile, “Eh eto talaga yung gusto ko.”

“Kahit “po mahirap?”, I followed up.

And his answer to that was enough to seal it all.

He said that it is not about the physical efforts. Even though that the work is a bit hard, it pays off to see the children at their best.  

“Basta gusto mo ung ginagawa mo, ok lang kahit mahirap.”
 

I think what he is trying to say is that the reward is more of a feeling of satisfaction, knowing that you gave your all in doing what you do best—in doing what you love.

                                                             My, Sir Marius, Germi, BJ, Elia and Jana

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Germilyn D. Ramboyong

The Red chair. Phrase feared by Sir Marius' students in Alternative Learning Resource School (ALRES). Sir Marius Bautista, PTRP works as a P.E teacher in ALRES. During Wednesdays, he's conducting two classes from 2- 4 pm. They separated the 18 youngsters in two different classes depending on their ages. The first class are like 7- 9 years old and the other sre most likely 4- 6 years old. Sir Marius strats the class with a warm- up which is very important in P.E classes to ready the students for their activity of the day. When we went there, the activity prepared by Sir Marius is about balancing. The room is conducive for that class and since they're only a few, Sir Marius and his co- teachers and assistants can handle them very well.

Sir Marius didn't allow us to take pictures with the kids. This is fine with us. We know that they're only protecting the kids and their parents may not allow us as well.

Kids are so fun.

The first time I saw the children were in the lobby. At that moment, I'm thinking what conditions do these kids have because looking at them is not considered as a criterion for them to think that they have diseases/ disabilities/ illness. Upon entering their room, they greet their teachers and their classmates. Almost all of them speaks in English which made me proud about the children because though they have conditions, they can be better than others kids. As the class go on, you can now observe the behaviors of the children. Some are really hyperactive. Running. Shouting. Moreover, there is this kid who is a “door- addict.” You can see him running around the room trying to open the doors and cabinets during the class. Though, there are also other kids that do not speak and are “emo” (nasa gilid lang, nakaupo) in the class.

Teaching these kids needs a lot of patience and determination. Three to five teachers are needed to handle the kids. And I can see how patient and determined Sir Marius is to improve the physical fitness of the kids. I then realized that there are thousand of kids, including my cousin, who needs to undergo therapy classes. To sum it up, I WANT TO BE A PT!

Brianne Jane J. Castillo

We observed how physical therapy is practiced in a SPED setting. Even though the observation lasted for only 2 hours, we were able to have a good outlook on how we, as future physical therapist, will be possibly doing after graduating. I can say that it has become a very fruitful and inspiring experience.

Even before this observation was made, I am already drawn in the idea of working in a pediatric section when I become a professional physical therapist. When we observed them, it is the day allotted for their PE class. They do warm up exercise by singing and dancing, then do the activity for that day. As observers, we also participated somehow by singing and dancing with the kids. I think working in a pediatric setting is really fun. Helping children with disabilities have better physical and mental capacity is really nice so I realized that it is really the work that I would love to be in the future.

When observing the professionals, we also saw how hard it can also be to handle the patients or kids. I have realized how passion in the profession really matters. Patience is also one important quality a physical therapist must possess. Even though the number of kids in one class is only few, it can still be hard to disciple and make them follow orders. I observed that sometimes, the teachers can lose temper, but still they managed to keep their patience. It is also their responsibility to make sure that everyone participated in every activity they provide.

I say that being a physical therapist, whatever setting we may want to work, not only needs to be knowledgeable, but also has to know the right qualities that we need to possess to do good in our work.

Janelle Mia San Miguel

The PE class for the SPED children is like any other PE classes. Warm- up exercises were done before the activity proper. In the room are toys such as blocks of different colors, tiny balls and colorful hoops.

However, knowing that the clients are special children, the work of a physical therapist here is undeniably hard. Some kids are naughty and very hyperactive. Well, it is a good thing that there are other persons who help Sir Marius in handling the kids. I really admire them for being patient in dealing with the children. And what is more admirable is that Sir Marius always sees to it that the kids are happy and are learning from each activity.

Myzelle Anne Infantado
 

Indeed, a profession requires not only skills and education but also your passion, your love for what you’re doing. Having the opportunity to observe in ALRES makes me feel like I want to work there someday. I saw that Mr. Bautista is happy and satisfied working there, treating the children with fun activities. Kahit na nakakapagod kasi, mararamdaman mo na masaya ka sa ginagawa mo. Ang nakakapagod lang naman ay yung paulit-ulit na pagbubuhat niya sa mga bata kapag umaalis sa tayo nya at kapag hindi tama yung pineperform nyang activities pero masaya pa rin naman.

When you see the children, you will think that they’re just like other kids without impairment because that’s the way the physical therapist and the teacher aides treat them. At young age and with their condition, they show independence and obedience. The physical therapist and teacher aides teach them to be disciplined. There’s one kid who’s fond of opening every door and cabinet he saw and when he’s really getting out of control, the teachers made him get out of the room. Akala ko nung una, dapat you take care of them like a fragile thing yung tipong sasabihan mo lang na stop doing this and that tapos malumanay pa dapat, pero hindi pala, the kid was almost get kicked out of the classroom by the teacher. Pero ung bata, nagbehave naman din after he got out of the classroom.

I love kids although they’re not easy to handle but sometimes those who are older are harder to manage than kids. Perhaps, that’s what made me think that I want to work there when I become a physical therapist. Being in this kind of setting, really requires patience and love and energy, I guess. 
 

Ellia Dominique Baguio

ALRES is a clinic and school for children with special needs. They provide education for children who are not able to study in a regular school because of their special case. ALRES also have a clinic for their students or patients who have physical disability. It is nice to know that there are facilities and establishments that are available for sustaining the need for education and health or well-being of people especially the young ones and there are physical therapists and other professionals who work in these kinds of institutions. Persons with disabilities in our country need our help but we don’t seem to notice them because we lack awareness and understanding regarding their situation. The formation of these kinds of institution will not only help PWD’s need for education but it also raise awareness that there is a growing number of PWDs in our country and they continuously need not only help from healthcare professionals but also from ordinary people. I have observed that being a physical therapist in a special education class is also a tough work because you have to deal with behavioural fluctuations of special children. A physical therapist must take note that they are not just regular students but they are children with special needs who need a different kind of attention and interaction.

Observing how a physical therapist work helped me understand more about my future profession and being a PT is not an easy job. It also made me realize that there are a lot of people who need the help of a therapist to improve their mobility and way of living.

..to be a PT...

is a privilege.....