International day for people with disabilities: What is our take on this?

The word disability has 'Ability' in it. International day for people with disabilities is observed on 3rd December every year since 1992.

This day marks a great significance in order to emphasize on rights of people with disabilities and their right of living a dignified life. This day is observed to sensitize the society on empathizing, understanding and also to provide assistance that could make them live a dignified life.

At this time of the year it is quite saddening that government policies on disability issues and their implementations are very slow and it hardly reaches people. On the other hand, it is a happy state that there are several self help organisations that have come up in supporting such people by providing medical assistance, education, physical support systems and several job opportunities, not by sympathy but with their qualification.

Throughout the World this day there are several exhibitions, workshops, rallies that are being organised to impart disability issues to the mainstream society emphasizing on inclusion of such people. With 15% of the total population constitute people with disabilities, we can make a step in and do things that are at our reach from helping them cross roads, help them get inside a bus, give them space to sit in public places and so on.

Remember always "DISABILITY IS NATURAL".

But we never must develop an attitude that we are superior to them. Before we think of assisting them, lets educate ourselves.  Read more and know your etiquette's>>>>>>>>> 

Children's day: Time for us to be more responsible

'My parents let him tear into me. They sent a doctor to stitch it tight. Then, they sent another person to tear into me.' Said a girl who was rescued from forced prostitution. She was just 12 years old. She was given steroids to make her look elderly so that their business will be more happening. If the quote of this news item surprises you, let me tell you that this is nothing new and the torture our kids face day to day doesn't stop with this.

Initially, they killed girls as infants. The rest who survived this death threat and managed to live a few years were compelled into child marriage. It wasn't a problem just for the girl, was it? Both the girl and the boy were deprived of their innocence, childhood and choice of living. If this took decades for this to diminish, it is taking us forever to eradicate child labour. At least, are these kids healthy enough to labour? No, most of them don't get proper food, even basic hygiene becomes a fantasy for them. They suffer from various deficiencies and health issues. They are also deprived of education which is every child's right. Are the children, who, fortunately, escape labouring, eat decent food and go to school, happy and safe? How can they be happy when people, right from bus driver to their school teacher, abuse them taking advantage of their incapability of understanding what's happening to them. Above all, it is disheartening to read children being raped and traded. This is the pathetic state of children in India. If they say children are the building blocks of the future, they have to be taken care of. If this is the state of children then we can well imagine the way our future is getting shaped. 

Let us stand up for our future. Let us take care of the children around. 

On this day, let's be sensible and be sensitized towards problems faced by children. Lets give enough empowerment to our children. That would be a real essence of observing Children's day. 

Happy Children's day! :)

Child helpline (1098) <<read more>>

Art, The Savior

Art has a great impact on every individual. Art is not just for personal enjoyment but gives you enriching experiences and connects you with others. It makes you explore upon yourself. You might be interested in any kind of art. At least one. No exceptions and you cannot deny this fact. We take art in varied forms - hobby, profession, or just a way of life. Art is important for development. Intellectually too. Art can be overwhelming. Art can make you forget things / make you realize /understand /calm you down /give you positive vibes or all at once.

Art is a doctor, a friend, like someone close that we never tend to leave away. We tend to ease off tension, depression through art. All praise for art as it is a great therapist for a child who has special needs.

Here is a doodling art (in picture above) made by a child in our centre. The child, for no reason that we could spot, was angry and aggressive. We tried many techniques to calm him down but all in vain. We felt very helpless just like him. We could not believe ourselves when we tried to make him do a doodling. The way his art came out beautifully even in such an aggressive mood and also the after effect - he turned so calm and felt comfy. Art was his savior and ours too (wink).

Fall seven times, stand up eight - A woman of Perseverance

Born in a village in Tamil Nadu, Sita was an enthusiastic girl in her childhood. Sita was her parent's first and the most favourite child among her siblings. Sita's family had to work tirelessly each day to fill their stomach. Her family condition did not allow her to attend school after her 4th grade. Her parents made sure of taking good care for her and the other kids with whatever money they had. Sita, understanding the pathetic condition of her family, chose to work rather sitting at home. She would do jobs at shops, houses and earn as much as she could.

Years passed by when Sita turned 18 and was prepared to get married with her family status being the same with not even a slightest improvement. Sita's fiancee belonged to a nearby village but was working in Chennai. Quite an educated fellow he was working for Indian railways. Her fiancee's family insisted on taking charge of all marriage works by themselves. Sita's family could not ask for more as the boy's family took good care of her even before marriage.

Sita's wedding is still an unforgettable event for her as she never expected such a thing to happen considering her family's condition. Post wedding the couple started off well. They had two kids, named Raju and Chandhran. They made a beautiful family and they could afford a decent life with her husband's earnings.

But all this came to a sudden stop when something really tragic happened, shattering Sita's life and her dreams. Sita's husband and her younger son Raju was hit in a tragic accident and died on spot. The accident happened in front of Sita and her elder son Chandhran. They were traumatized seeing this.

Sita's life turned miserable after that incident. She had a tough time rising her son. She felt her husband's presence even after his death and assured her elder son too that his father is still alive and is still with them. Chandhran could no longer continue in a mainstream school due to the effect the incident had on him.

He was then enrolled in D.K.'s learning centre, a centre for special education in East Tambaram, Chennai. Sita turned breadwinner. She was given a job in Indian railways after her husband's death. But considering her educational status she was given a job of sweeper. Being abused and turned down by her family members, she, as a widow, still lives an unsafe and an unpredictable life fighting all odds in the society.

Teachers at D.K.'s made Chandhran feel comfortable and gave time and support for him to cope. Sita was advised to visit the centre on regular basis and was counselled over and over. Teachers at D.K.'s oriented Sita on writing her 10th std exams that would promote her to office works in Railways. She was given necessary information on writing her 10 std exams via National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS). NIOS is the Board of Education for Distance education, under the Union Government of India. Sita could see light at the end of the tunnel. She optimistically enrolled in NIOS for her 10th exams.

She now attends classes at D.K.'s whenever she gets permission from her workplace. D.K.'s has given her a flexible timetable motivating her to study.

To her luck the railway authorities have been behind her supporting her to attend her 10th std exams. They have done their job well by motivating their employee reach a better standard of living. She is very much optimistic and hopes to reach the light at the end of the tunnel and gives full credit to D.K.'s and her supporting authorities at railways.

This woman had inspired me with her perseverance. And it was a motivation for me to work hard personally since I had the chance of interacting with her when I was a part of the activities of D.K.’s for quite some time. I wish her all success in life.

- Sahana Dhanabalan,   

               

(Student, Dept of Social Work,    

Madras Christian College)      

Ganesh Chathurthi Celebrations

A Festival is an important tool which brings happiness and enthusiasm to us. In D.K.'s we do not miss out celebrating any festival and share our joy. We, as educators, try to impart such a culture in our school in building experience that will go a long way for our children, learning about religious festivals, special foods, songs and many such information. Teachers take up different activities, right from food preparation, art and crafts, imparting knowledge about a practice based on a festive theme to our children.

The general atmosphere in the school also becomes festive when students are allowed on special days to come in appropriate clothes. We assemble to have a small play of some aspect of the festival. Students become much interested when they are encouraged to bring a sample of special food or sweets and share it with each other. 

All this can make a child learn and understand ways in which religious belief and practices followed. This makes them understand and evaluate the relationship between religious beliefs and practice 
in society today. This is a major step towards understanding our country, its culture and tradition.

Lord Ganesha is considered as the God of power and wisdom. And celebrating Ganesh Chathurthi felt important for us because many cartoon channels have made him a likable one. With his very different looks and his really cool activities, it is no wonder that kids are attracted to him. 

(Art work by children)

The atmosphere at D.K.'s during Ganesh Chathurthi celebration was splendid. It was a wonder to see kids with hyperactivity and autism, sitting in a place with absolute silence and watch the pooja. We also did a 'mass thopukkaranam' or the brain gym exercise which is a special way to pray Lord Ganesha. 

(At the pooja site: A 12th std student performing pooja)

Children preparing The Modhak, special food for Chathurthi

                                        

As part of our vocational training, our children were also involved in making Ganesh Chathurthi umbrellas. Adding to the festive mood, student-trainees from Social Work department, Madras Christian College spent time with our children and also helped in making umbrellas. The art work made them learn the concept of space management and aesthetic sense. 

(In picture: Students from MCC and children of D.K.'s designing Ganesh Chathurthi Umbrellas.)

The final look of Ganesh Chathurthi Umbrellas:

We, students and teachers of D.K.'s, wish our readers a Happy Ganesh Chathurthi.

Yay! This is simple..

Spellings are not easy for a child with Learning difficulty to understand, learn and reproduce. Well! That is not an excuse anymore! This is how we teach spellings. We use a variety of creative techniques to reinforce them.

Teaching the spelling of mouth:

m o u t h 

We always see teaching as an art. We came to a realization that evolving in the ways of teaching is very important for a teacher. Story telling is one such method which is very handy. It is the best way to teach and reinforce spellings (Read more >>>>). 
We use story telling for teaching concepts too that are difficult for a child to remember (Read more >>>>). 
Now these spellings are really a child's play. Try out these with your child too. 

Learning Disabilities: It is not what you really think it is!

For someone diagnosed with a learning disability, it can seem scary at first. But a learning disability doesn't have anything to do with a person's intelligence — after all, successful people such as Walt Disney, Alexander Graham Bell, and Winston Churchill all had learning disabilities.

Learning disabilities are not the same as intellectual disabilities (formerly known as mental retardation), sensory impairments (vision or hearing loss) or autism spectrum disorders. People with LD are of average or above-average intelligence but still struggle to acquire skills that impact their performance in school, at home, in the community and in the workplace. 

LDs affect the brain's ability to receive, process, store, respond to and communicate information. 

The way our brains process information is extremely complex — it's no wonder things can get messed up sometimes. Take the simple act of looking at a picture, for example: Our brains not only have to form the lines into an image, they also have to recognize what the image stands for, relate that image to other facts stored in our memories, and then store this new information.  

What are Learning Disabilities

Learning disabilities (LD) are a group of varying disorders, not a single disorder, that have a negative impact on learning. They may affect one’s ability to speak, listen, think, read, write, spell or compute. The most prevalent LD is in the area of reading, known as dyslexia. 

Certain kinds of learning disabilities also can interfere with a person's ability to concentrate or focus and can cause someone's mind to wander too much. Children who are often called naughty, troublesome or lazy actually have needs to be addressed.

Learning disabilities can affect a person’s ability in the areas of

• Listening
• Speaking
• Reading
• Writing
• Spelling
• Reasoning
• Mathematics

Learning disabilities are lifelong, and the sooner they are recognized and identified, the sooner steps can be taken to circumvent or overcome the challenges they present.

Prevalence of Learning Disability

In India, around 13 to 14 per cent of all school children suffer from learning disorders. Unfortunately, most schools fail to lend a sympathetic ear to their problems. As a result, these children are branded as failures.

 The LD movement in India is of a recent origin and is today comparable with that of its Western counterpart.

(A still from movie: "Taare zameen par") 

Bollywood movie "Taare zameen par" first in time introduced learning disability (dyslexia) to most of us. But even now incidences of LD seems to be less and this is seen as the general lack of awareness and sensitivity among educationists to the specific difficulties faced by children learning to read in overcrowded classrooms. 

Teachers and parents either ignore the deficiency or blame it on the child's personality branding it as laziness, attitude or aggression. The child continues to graduate from one class to the other totally inept at handling the pressure of the higher classes. This leads to behavioural problems. 

How Can You Tell If Someone Has a Learning Disability?

The hallmark sign of a learning disability is a distinct and unexplained gap between a person's level of expected achievement and their performance. Learning disabilities affect every person differently and they present differently at various stages of development. LDs can range from mild to severe and it is not uncommon for people to have more than one learning disability. In addition, about one-third of individuals with LD also have Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). While LD and ADHD can share common features, such as difficulties with concentration, memory, and organizational skills, they are not the same types of disorder. Unfortunately, LD is often confused with ADHD and is frequently mistaken as laziness or associated with disorders of emotion and behavior. A careful and thorough review of concerns, with input from multiple sources (including parents, educators, physicians, psychologists, speech-language providers and, of course, the person themselves) is the only way to rule in or rule out a learning disability.

Is there any cure for Learning Disability?

There's no cure for a learning disability. And you don't outgrow it. But it's never too late to get help. Most people with these disabilities adapt to their learning differences and find strategies that help them accomplish their goals and dreams.

How to cope with Learning Disability?

• Although a diagnosis of a learning disability can feel upsetting, it's actually the first step in resolving the condition. Many professionals are involved in the diagnosis of LD. They include psychologists, educational specialists, and other professionals who work in specialized fields such as speech and language.
• Some students who have been diagnosed with a learning disability work with a special teacher or tutor for a few hours a week to learn certain study skills, note-taking strategies, or organizational techniques that can help them compensate for their learning disability. General and special educators working creatively, sharing ideas and strategies, tapping related services providers and others including speech-language therapists, psychologists and occupational therapists, implementing progress-monitoring activities and sharing responsibility for needed adjustment in teaching.
• If you've been diagnosed with a learning disability, you may need support just for the subjects that give you the most trouble. Your school might have a special classroom with a teacher who is trained to help students overcome learning problems.
• Some schools develop what is called an Individualized Education Program (or IEP), which helps define a person's learning strengths and weaknesses and make a plan for the learning activities that will help the student do his or her best in school. A student's IEP might include sessions with a tutor or time in a specialized classroom for a certain subject, or the use of special equipment to help with learning, such as books on tape or laptop computers for students who have dyslexia.
• Medication is often prescribed to help students with ADHD which help improve a student's attention span and ability to focus.
• Once a person starts following  these strategies or take medicines to help cope with the disability, it can often help restore a student's self-esteem and confidence.

Does your parenting style fetch good?

One young man went to apply for a managerial position in a big company. He passed the initial interview, and now would meet the director for the final interview.

The director discovered from his CV that the youth's academic achievements were excellent. He asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school?" the youth answered "no".

" Was it your father who paid for your school fees?"

"My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees.” he replied.

" Where did your mother work?"

"My mother worked as clothes cleaner.”

The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect.

" Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?"

"Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Besides, my mother can wash clothes faster than me.

The director said, "I have a request. When you go home today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning.

The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back home, he asked his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to her son.

The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. His tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother winced when he touched it.

This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school fees. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his education, his school activities and his future.

After cleaning his mother hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother.

That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.

Next morning, the youth went to the director's office.

The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, when he asked: "Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?"

The youth answered," I cleaned my mother's hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes'

“I know now what appreciation is. Without my mother, I would not be who I am today. By helping my mother, only now do I realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done on your own. And I have come to appreciate the importance and value of helping one’s family.

The director said, "This is what I am looking for in a manager. I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life.”

“You are hired.”

This young person worked very hard, and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and worked as a team. The company's performance improved tremendously.

A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wanted, would develop an "entitlement mentality" and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant of his parent's efforts. When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings of his employees and would always blame others. For this kind of people, who may be good academically, they may be successful for a while, but eventually they would not feel a sense of achievement. They will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more. If we are this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we destroying our children instead?

                                       
You can let your child live in a big house, eat a good meal, learn piano, watch on a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plates and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow gray, same as the mother of that young person. The most important thing is your child learns how to appreciate the effort and experience the difficulty and learns the ability to work with others to get things done.

We have been talking it all wrong!

Words are so powerful. Words make a person to go on top of the world or dig deep down. 
Using proper language is not simply being "politically correct." There are reasons to avoid using certain terms.

Let's learn our language.

Etiquettes of disability language:

What is people's first language?

People's first language describes what the person "HAS" and not what the person "IS". People's first language puts the person before disability. We should always say a person with disability rather than a disabled person. It is better to avoid using words and phrases that evoke pity or fear, or that have negative connotation. For eg., words like abnormal, burden, deformed, invalid and so on.

SAY	INSTEAD OF
People with disabilities	Handicapped person
Cognitive disability	Mental retardation
She has Autism	She is autistic
She has learning disability	She is learning disabled
He has physical disability	She is crippled
He/ she receives special education services	He/ she is in special education class
Congenital disability	Birth defect
She needs or uses wheel chair	She is in wheel chair

An individual with disability is a human being. It’s as simple as that.

Treat adults as adults: Treat everyone the way you’d want people to treat you.

Don't assume that person with disability in public place needs your help. Offer assistance but wait until it is accepted. Listen to the instructions given by that person. Here are some tips:

• Always ask first.
•  Understand the clarified assistance.
•  Realize that different people have different preferences.
• Some people don’t want or need help… accept “no” to your offer. 

Some Common Courtesies:

• If the disability is not even Germane to the conversation, don't even mention it.
• Remember, person with disability is not sick or unhealthy.
• A wheel chair is a part of one's personal body space. Laughing or leaning on it is rude and annoying.
• When speaking to a person who uses wheel chair for more than few minutes, place yourself at eye level with that person. (It also applies to people with visual impairment)

• When speaking to a person with disability, speak to  that  person and not to the companion. Similarly for people who use sign language, speak to them rather than the interpreter.
• Share the same social courtesy with everyone.
• Don't ask a person using wheel chair to hold things for you. Respect their personal space.
• If a person with visual impairment needs to be guided, offer your arm and don't take his/ her arm.
• Do not cover your face when communicating with a person who is hard of hearing.
• If you find trouble understanding a person with speech impairment, ask him/ her to repeat.
• Be aware of the language used like stupid, moron, lazy when working with students/ adults with learning disability.
• Acknowledge the difficulty of social distance and clumsiness when working with students/ adults with learning disability.                                                                                                                            

Remember always "DISABILITY IS NATURAL".

Make a mistake? Apologize, correct the error, learn, and move on.

RELAX! It is okay to say to a person who is blind, “I’ll see you later,” or ask a person in a wheelchair to go for a walk. It’s part of our everyday language and not always taken literally.