Future Educators to Watch ALYANA at DLSU-Dasma

As part of the activities for the Lasallian Festival, the College of Education of De La Salle University-Dasmariṅas located in Cavite will offer a free showing of “Alyana,” a documentary film on autism, for their students tomorrow, Tuesday afternoon at 1 pm, February 17, 2015.

Through the film, the intended audience will hopefully be enlightened and inspired in accepting and empowering individuals with special needs especially persons with autism. A segment on the experiences of sped teachers handling children with autism will also give them a glimpse of what lies ahead for them, and the challenges they will have to face as future educators. It is an opportunity to encourage these young minds to advocate for the protection and recognition of the rights of children especially those with special needs.

ASP President Bacoor Chapter Pamela Turingan and ASP Vice President Dasmariṅas Chapter Marino Andal will be present to answer questions during the open forum. Also, parents of children enrolled at the Neurodevelopmental Center of De La Salle University Medical Center will come to view the film.

Venue: Felipe Calderon Hall Rooms 106 to 107.

What Sped Teachers Go Through in Alyana_Autism Film

It was raining heavily when I reached Quezon City last Thursday. I was heading for the Autism Society Philippines Office in Kamias – our meeting place, before proceeding to Metro Manila College (MMC) where Alyana’s showing was scheduled to be shown at 5.30 pm. My prayer must have been heard as the sun finally shone again after the heavy rains. But we were already late by the time Alyana was finally projected. Couldn’t explain what happened to the LCD projector of ASP. It was as if a yellow gel or filter has been used. All white colors turned yellow. Luckily, there was an immediate replacement.

Anyway, the buzzy students became quiet in the first part of the film, and many, especially those seated at the back row, as I have expected became busy buzzing again in the latter part of the film. Only probably the Education students required to watch the film were quiet and intently watching the film. What others do not realize is that losing their attention from the film means losing the information being shared to them by the interviewees. Oh well! There were serious viewers anyhow, and they in the end were sure winners I should say. It is because they have gained a lot from watching the film. Seeing the plight of sped teachers shown in the second part of the film definitely gave them an idea as to how it is to be a sped teacher. Their experiences and challenges were clearly delineated. I really salute sped teachers!!! I wish that sped teachers take their inspiration from Teacher Salvacion “Sally” Calabucal, one of the most inspiring teachers I have evet met. Incidentally, Agnes Dizon, my classmate in the study of Filipino Sign Language at CSB has already become a sped teacher. I am very happy for her. I used to go with her when she was applying for a job as a teacher. She attended the showing to watch Alyana again. She texted to tell me that once more the film made her cry. Iyakin naman kasi!!!

After the show, many students fielded questions to the guest speakers, Mrs. Carmel Almendrala, Founding Member of Autism Society Philippines and Dr.Cherry Amor Dizon, Sped teacher of New Era University. Che-che Villafuerte, my grandniece, Alyana’s cousin ably facilitated the event. Dr. Camua, MMC Dean of Education expressed her interest to have sped education introduced or be included in what they are offering right now. Hoping that it materializes… advocating for special people being my ‘mission’ for several years now.

I proceeded to Scenema Concept  after dinner where I continued to work on the editing of KINGPIN by Tikoy. I am targeting to finish editing the film this week.

Sped Barkers

“May gumagawa nga ng dokyu on sped children hindi naman sped!” This is in context what I came to know just recently from a very reliable source. I mused on it and I got “irritatingly” amused.

So? Need one be a farmer or need to study agriculture to make a painting on farmers? Be a slum boy to film “Slumdog Millionaire”? A prostitute to write on prostitution? Atbp…What a stupid line of thought!!! I was sparked by Alyana, my niece with autism to make a film on her, is there a problem there? I am an independent filmmaker so who can stop me from making one? Neither can anyone stop even commercial filmmakers to touch on the topic for as long as they consider truth and the sensibilities of PWAs and their families.

For those who have the same line of thinking, why don’t you admit that films with authorities on sped children in it, or with the sped subject [and their families] telling viewers about themselves and their experiences can very well supplement or are better than boring classroom lectures of non-creative teachers?

I had experiences of being approached by Masteral graduates telling me that Alyana, my film on autism for ex. gave them better understanding of autism more than all their books on autism combined that they read and the lectures that they heard about it. There was also an education student from Cagayan de Oro who after watching it said that learning the experiences and admiring the commitment of sped teachers in the film made her decide to major in sped because of the challenges she’s bound to encounter.

Effective documentaries on sped subjects can touch the hearts and minds even of knowledgeable sped students and open minded sped educators, NOT boring lectures, NOT theories, NOT having full knowledge of all the pedegogical principles on earth, and for that matter NOT having sped units or degrees. Producing Alyana took me two-and-a-half years to finish—more than enough time to spend to earn a Masteral degree. A mother of a child with autism actually asked me if Alyana was my doctoral thesis…

I am no authority on sped, I never claim to be but I have the right and authority as artist and independent filmmaker to focus my subjects on anything and anyone, i.e. sped children and PWDs. My films are confidently authoritative on the matter because of the fact that I do not not make up the contents of my films—the subjects themselves tell us who they are, how they feel and what their needs are.

Filmmaking is just my way to express and to share what I am researching on my own, with no sped units to earn that motivate me to do so. I enter diverse worlds to learn first hand everything in there that interest me… If it happened that the cases of sped children caught my attention and interest, why should that bother sped educators when my films actually help their students understand their subjects better?

To end, let’s do a reversal of role and let me instead say to sped education students, specialists, educators, who for ex. had attempted to make films on sped subjects: “May sped na gumagawa ng dokyu on sped children hindi naman filmmaker!!!” Ever tried making even a 3-minute film by yourself ? A challenge…

In reality of course, I will be more than happy to know if any of them will really embark in producing by themselves because films on sped subjects are undoubtedly needed. I am very willing to help them if they want to...