"Can you hold a red-hot iron rod in your hand merely because some one wants you to do so? Then, will it be right on your part to ask others to do the same thing just to satisfy your desires? If you cannot tolerate infliction of pain on your body or mind by others' words and actions, what right have you to do the same to others through your words and deeds?.."
Lord Mahavira
V-Excel News
All our teachers, therapists and counsellors attended two enriching workshops this month, one that worked their hands and the other that stirred their thinking process. The workshop by Hemangi, a trainer from Mumbai, explored working with wood and making paper lanterns, while Katherine, a US-based trainer, demonstrated creatively an entire circle time session and main lesson in math. Both these were enlightening experiences in their own unique ways!
We conducted a three-day workshop for regular school teachers in association with Kuruvilla Jacob Initiative. This program was in continuation of the earlier modules of the training - 'A Class Apart', aimed at enhancing teaching effectiveness across the primary grades.
This month was dotted with many events such as Water Day, Fathers' Day, Mothers' Art Therapy, Overnight trip, Grandparents' Day, and was topped with a music concert on the renowned Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi, daughter and disciple of the great maestro has been a worthy torch bearer of this great parampara. A mature artiste and a violinist in her own right, she created an atmosphere of reverberating, rich music. Our staff and children felt really blessed to hear such melodious music!
Kaleidoscope Learning Centre
KLC has been abuzz with activity this month. Going backwards, as we often do in our reviews, Grade 4 has just completed a very successful overnight trip with teachers as part of their life skills program. The highlight of the trip was the universal excitement and joy!
A new concept was conceived and proved to be very heartwarming and enjoyable. This was celebrating the fathers, the parent "less seen" in our school since the mothers take on the more pivotal role. Father's Day was celebrated with icebreakers, physical games with the children and a sharing of ideas and comments. We were thrilled to see an unprecedented attendance and the spirit that shone forth the entire day from the dads who spent a wonderful day with their children.
Open day was conducted in the last week of the month and parents were invited to spend a few hours in observing the school children and having a dialogue with the teachers.
A remedial program in reading was kick-started with our Principal, Gita, during her visit. Ajay from Grade 4 A and Divya from Junior Pre-voc were students whose reading skills are being initiated with special educators Shashi and Janaki respectively. A model reading group session was also conducted in Grade 4.
Many interesting movement exercises are being performed by grade 4 as part of their understanding of Norse mythology. In the mean time, grade 5 who are studying the Greek civilization had one visit to the beach. The kindergarten has been exploring the nearby parks and we find the children showing much improvement in sitting together and attention skills.
All in all, the month has been busy, agog with trips and events, and school work has been interesting and participative.
Academy for Teacher Excellence
We are getting regular enquiries from many parents and professionals expressing their interest in joining courses in Special Education ASD, LD, and Counseling. We are hence in the process of applying for courses offered by both IGNOU and RCI. All these courses will present a good future for many who would like to work in this field.
The present course on Early Childhood on Special Education is continuing well and our students are busy with practicals and assignments. Students from Solapur are also very engrossed in assessing children and pursuing the practical work.
Dates had been announced for the Volunteer Training in September 2013 and Parents Awareness Training Program. Look for the detailed announcements on www.v-excel.org
Since V-Excel offers Special Training Program on request, one of the leading residential schools has requested us to conduct ongoing Training Programs for Teachers, Wardens and Parents. Based on the need, we may set up a special counselling desk there and also have one-on-one student counseling sessions. This work is expected to start soon and will go on throughout this academic year.
Early Intervention Unit
Early Intervention has been one of our very successful programs. We are hence identifying measurability of success factors and evaluating various processes involved through staff interviews, observations of children during therapy sessions, and parent interviews. While this formal evaluation project involves significant amount of work, it is a step towards streamlining our systems for higher efficacy and standardizing it across all programs.
Children who require intervention for intense sensory integration underwent structured sensory profiling. Based on the profiling, a modulated sensory integration therapy plan is designed and implemented. Parents are trained to conduct sensory play at home as an extension of sensory integration therapy.
Developing the expressive aspect of communication has been the goal for every child. It is one of the most critical areas of work where we help children make a connect with his/her environment and caregivers, help them increase communication in general, and help reduce associated behaviour issues. This is achieved through therapy, play drawing, group intervention parent interaction and story-telling sessions.
V-Excel Satellite Centres
Our Nashik Special school has crossed the one month milestone. We have 18 children in the school, nine of which are in the Autism Spectrum. Others include slow learners, ADHD, or CP. The team includes special educators, psychologists and volunteers. All the children have settled down well and IEPs (Individualized Education Plans) are being drafted and educational aids prepared with the help of Ms. Sudha, our Special Educator. Ms. Prednya Apte, our experienced psychologist, has started classroom observations and is giving inputs to teachers with respect to curriculum planning and behaviour management.
The Nashik Remedial and Therapy center has 36 children with special needs who are on programs planned by their respective therapists and trained teachers.
The Tirunelveli Center has shifted to the new premises, about a kilometer away from the old premises. The staff has done a commendable job of organizing the move as planned and directed, with least inconvenience to the children and their parents.
We have many students in Tirunelveli who are young adolescents. Considering their needs, we are contemplating group sessions for these older boys above 16 years of age.
At present around 35-40 children are getting intervention at our Erode Center, while ten more children need to be given sessions. Given the current space and staff, we are in a slight crunch and unable to take in more children for therapy. However the children with us are showing good improvement and parents are happy with the program.
Erode Centre has now got equipped with a computer, printer, water purifier and an inverter, thanks to the support from one of our donors.
V-Excel Remedial Centre
Eight new children have joined VRC in the last few weeks and their assessments are going on. Their conditions are varied and range across Learning Disabilities (LD), Austism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders, and Down Syndrome.
We have had meetings with all our teachers to plan long term and short term goals which will help us design programs for all our children.
We have started group sessions on Saturdays and the children have responded very well to this initiative. Our weekend activities include movement, songs, perception and memory related activities, word games , story-telling, enactment and vocabulary building.
Vocational Training Unit
The vocational unit has a new jewel to its credit. This month VTU has opened a new wing 'Samarth'. Five of our trainees have now been graduated as interns at Samarth, a workplace where they recreate what they learnt during their training period. It is a pleasure to watch them work with full enthusiasm, extreme confidence and independence.
We had received an order for sticking 4500 paper postal envelops for a Tamil magazine. Students in the classroom and interns at Samarth worked really hard to complete this order in time. The other order that the interns are now working on is 100 candle bags with bead work and 100 key bags.
ESVI Sarada Foundation has generously donated a machine to the VTU to make eco-friendly leaf cups. Training of students has already begun.
Group counseling and individual sessions with the Counselor is helping teachers resolve personal as well as professional issues. The students are also getting group and individual sessions, as per their need, and they are responding well. We have also started Art therapy for selected set of students which is very therapeutic and has a calming effect on them.
Trainees now work two Saturdays a month. Our emphasis on these additional days is physical activity, games and therapy related activities sessions. We have seen a steady increase in children's interest and a positive feedback from parents.
Counseling and Assessment Unit
The third batch of parent art therapy program was conducted by two of our counselors. This time we took mothers of single class as a group. The mothers really felt refreshed and found a space where they could be themselves; for many this was a freeing, first time experience.
We have a new counsellor joining us who is trained in Expressive Art Therapy using psychodrama, movement, and art clay. We are planning workshops on these topics for different target segments such as executives and teachers.
Our corporate counselling is full most of the days and many referrals are coming through them. Every week we have been able to see five to six external clients apart from the ongoing work at the two Chennai Centers.
This year teacher counseling has been extended to our Vocational Unit and it seems to be well-received by them.
Contact Information
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
V-Excel Center for Research and Rehabilitation
(In assocation with S.V. Sarada Foundation)
50 Sreyes, M.G. Road
Shastri Nagar, Chennai 600 041
Tel: 91 - 44 - 24522061
91 - 44 - 24521986 E-mail us
Academic Concepts, Inc.
33 Pine Street
East Brunswick New Jersey 08818
Tel: (732) 619-7944
Tax ID: 22-3632715 E-mail us
