"Don't be in a hurry to condemn because he doesn't do what you do or think as you think or as fast. There was a time when you didn't know what you know today" Malcolm X
V-Excel News
Our Founder-Director, Dr. Vasudha Prakash, was awarded the Mother Teresa Award for Outstanding Contribution to Society by the US-Asis Business Forum, in
a ceremony held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on September 12.
We are happy to share with you that we have won the Lifebuoy Children Health National Award. We see this as an acknowledgement of our work in the
area of Early Intervention (EI) for children with special needs (0-7 years). Our project focuses on reducing physical limitations of a special child
through sensory integration therapy and offering a comprehensive sensory diet for the child’s holistic development. Parental involvement and training
are integral to our approach. Ms. Lalitha Sridhar, our Unit Head, received the award on behalf of V-Excel.
V-Excel has become a registered member of National Trust - a statutory body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India,
set up for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities. As a partner NGO, we are happy that we
can now extend additional support to our students in the form of Health Insurance or ‘NIRAMAYA’ scheme and a marketing platform ‘ARUNIM’ for products
made by our special children.
5th September was celebrated as Teachers day and all staff, old and new, were invited to a gala lunch. Dr. Vasudha spoke to all the teachers and
reiterated the crucial role of a teacher in a child’s life. She also applauded the teachers for their sincerity and commitment towards children,
and more importantly the love and care which they showered on the special children. A few enthusiasts performed songs and dances on the occasion.
It was indeed an enjoyable and emotional day.
Kaleisdoscope Learning Centre
In our constant attempt to involve the whole family in the education of our children, we celebrated grandparents’ day on 3 September. A traditional
welcome was given to them. The elders told stories and played games and the children sang for them. It was really touching to see the unconditional
love shining from the eyes of the grandparents and the obvious attachment of the children towards them. The organizers were left with a feeling of a
job well done and a deep satisfaction for both the parties involved with the day.
The festive season in school began with the ‘dandiya’ dance performed by the teachers and enjoyed by the children. Kejal Bakshi from VRC was the coordinator of
the event and it served as an occasion for all the teachers to bond and build team spirit. Some of the boys were taught a simple folk dance and they performed
it with great excitement.
The first term reviews were compiled and sent to the parents. A review meeting was held on the 17th September with all the staff and was one of the most
productive sessions where the new methods, curriculum and the responses of the children were recorded and compiled. We concluded the term with an introduction
by John Miller on a topic to all staff………‘Walking, talking and thinking’.
Academy for Teacher Excellence
The exam fever set in this month and the students gave in their presentations, assignments and projects as a part of their internal assessment.
The students getting into more and more detailed course work. Recently, they were exposed to a new topic - Introduction to Therapeutics. This is
an important section and was well received by them.
Keeping up with the tempo of the festive season, ATE students sang a few spiritual songs in front of the ‘Golu’ (a systematic arrangement of a few
idols and decorative items made for the Navaratri occasion) and also demonstrated some dance postures.
Early Intervention Unit
The focus of Early Intervention program has been on:
Home Program review
Review of goals with the multidisciplinary team
Formulating new goals
Intense work has been carried out providing facilitation to different sensory system. Integration of one on two sensory systems to promote
learning has been adapted. Gross motor work, fine motor work and coordinated pattern of movement has been carried out. Independence in various
functional skills has been incorporated as an integral part of Early Intervention program.
We are extremely happy that few of our children have got admission in different play schools despite it being middle of the term.
Bridges Learning Academy
The month of September went by very rapidly with the children learning many new concepts and preparing for their tests.
The quarterly exams were held in mid-September. All the children have done fairly well and this has given us an impetus to work harder in the months to come.
The ten day vacation at the end of September was welcome after the hectic exams and the usual schedule and the children were ready with their holiday plans.
V-Excel Remedial Centre
This month there was colorful Navaratiri celebration and the students were happy wearing traditional dresses and enjoyed their teachers ‘Dandiya’ performance.
To enhance the knowledge of the staff members, John and Parimal conducted an in-service program for a day on diet and anthroposophy.
A specific diet plan was implemented from the beginning of the first term. During the Red group parents’ meeting, John explained the importance of
diet and answered all the queries of the parents in this regard.
This month we are glad to introduce our new staff Ms.Veronica who will primarily support us in administrative activities of the Unit.
Our multidisciplinary team gathered to discuss the challenging behavior of two of our students and a suitable rehabilitation program was developed for them.
Rural Outreach Program
Routine special education and home visit work as well as regular follow-ups are in progress in all our ten blocks in Villipuram district.
The resource rooms, now equipped for children with physical impairments and those with mental or developmental disabilities, saw some slack in
attendance with the Navaratri and Dassera festivals this month.
We are trying to organize festival goodies for nearly 3,800 underprivileged children in villages and are seeking support to the extent of Rs. 75,000 to
Rs. 100,000 (USD 1500 - 2000) in this regard.
Vocational Training Unit
The highlight of the month was the Carnival for which we have been preparing the last two months. The aim of the Carnival was to create awareness
about capabilities of persons with special needs, have fun and to sell the products made by our children. The Carnival was a huge success on all these fronts.
As for as the sales go, it was a clean sweep!
ARUNIM (Association for Rehabilitation under National Trust Initiative for Marketing) invited us for their AGM. We put together the items made by our
children for the Carnival and showed the samples to them for selection. We are thrilled that they shortlisted 12 of the 16 products as suitable for marketing.
ARUNIM’s AGM took place in Delhi. Dorothy Joseph, our Unit Head attended the event and discussed our products. They emphasized that marketing is different
from selling where you make some things and sell in an exhibition or a Carnival. Where people may buy it for charity/for a cause. But marketing necessitates
supply continuity, consistent quality and affordability. As regards our program, we got some good ideas from other attendees and may consider integrating
some of them.
On the 19th September, we celebrtated Golu (Navaratri) at Sreyes premises. The families of our trainees joined us and later V. Charanya’s (trainee)
family generously invited the whole group to their house. We all had a good time there.
Counseling and Assessment Unit
The first term is over and it was really exciting to hear the reviews from various Service Units. Play has become a main lesson activity for
VRC group and is facilitated by counselors. Having play therapy mode incorporated in the educational syllabus is a very important development
which we shall closely monitor for results
We welcome yet another counselor in our midst. This year, our counselors will meet most of the parents of KLC, to really make the counseling services
available to all the parents. Once it is made a part of routine, we hope it will take away the stigma attached to seeking help. We have already received
some positive feedback from parents seen earlier this year.
We are also reaching out to the regular schools with the help of few volunteers to create an awareness regarding special services and to extend our
support in terms of play therapy, assessment and remedial intervention for children with academic issues, behavioural disorders and/or emotional
disturbances.
Contact Info :: India:
V-Excel Educational Trust
#1 Norton 2nd Street
Mandaveli Chennai 600 028
Tel: 91 - 44 - 24620243
91 - 44 – 24956373 E-mail us or visit us at www.v-excel.org
Contact Info :: USA:
Academic Concepts, Inc.
1403 Merrywood Drive
Edison, NJ 08817
Tel: (732) 572-3748
Tax ID: 22-3632715 E-mail us
Volunteer Info:
Volunteers are an integral part of our success. Our most pressing needs are in the areas of occupational and speech therapies, and
as teacher aides. We also require assistance in library management.
If you have any of these and are interested in volunteering at V-Excel, please contact us.
India Autism: Trying Tradition
In India, old ideas are giving new options to treating autism. Liz Neisloss reports on that country's approach.
No man can reveal to you aught but that which already lies half asleep in the dawning of our knowledge.
The teacher who walks in the shadow of the temple, among his followers, gives not of his wisdom but rather of his faith and his lovingness.
If he is indeed wise he does not bid you enter the house of wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind.
The astronomer may speak to you of his understanding of space, but he cannot give you his understanding.
The musician may sing to you of the rhythm which is in all space, but he cannot give you the ear which arrests the rhythm nor the voice that echoes it.
And he who is versed in the science of numbers can tell of the regions of weight and measure, but he cannot conduct you thither.
For the vision of one man lends not its wings to another man.
And even as each one of you stands alone in God's knowledge, so must each one of you be alone in his knowledge of God and in his understanding of the earth.
Kahlil Gibran
Chilren
And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, 'Speak to us of Children.'
And he said:
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.
