"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, 'thank you,' that would suffice." Meister Eckhart
V-Excel News
ASHA for Education has been V-Excel’s partner in ensuring appropriate education and therapy to children with special needs, especially those
who needed some financial backing to avail of the services. We and the parents are extremely thankful to ASHA’s Seattle chapter for their generous support.
We now have a professional association with a Preventive Health Care Center, Doc Plus, a dedicated group actively involved in various health programs
for corporates across Chennai. In conjunction with them, we recently held a talk on Health and Stress Management at AIG Infotech for about 100 new
recruits. The objective was to sensitize the young engineers on how to remain stress-free in a ‘pressure’ environment as well as to identify and
manage tensions.
Kaleisdoscope Learning Centre
March moods in KLC were a bit somber and academic. For once the activity was restricted to field trips that various classes took for understanding
the different eco-systems. Classes Prep J and Prep C went to the Equestrian Training Centre to see horses and understand what they need to live. Classes
Prep B, A and BI, went to Guindy National Park while Prep S and M and V went to a farm in Kelapakkam. The Early Childhood groups have been studying life
of a mango tree and going for many nature walks, sitting under the mango tree and understanding the types of creatures it holds.
The teachers have been receiving regular workshops from John Miller, our Occupational Therapy Head, on various important topics like diet and rhythm.
They also received a talk on cranio-sacral massage by an expert, Cameron Walker. The final month in the school has also been one of consolidation and
getting the reports ready for every class and hence there is a flurry of activity in that zone!
Academy for Teacher Excellence
The numerous sessions of working with case study children on an individual basis and in groups came to an end by mid–March. On the one hand, there was a
sense of relief over the lesson plans, while on the other hand there was a feeling of sadness because the children had gradually become an integral part of one’s life.
Lesson plans finally gave way to studying for the II Internal Examinations, conducted from the 16th to the 25th of the month. After the exams, the month
culminated with the External Practical examinations which spilled over into the first two days of April.
Early Intervention Unit
Annual evaluation has been in progress this month. Children are prepared towards admission to various schools for the next academic year. For the
children between the age 6months to one year, an intense home facilitation program by the mother, with a follow-up and review every month has been
launched. The mother is trained on various aspect of facilitation and this mode has been received very well with the parents. The program includes
various aspects of facilitation like motor skills, feeding techniques, and language stimulation. The following months will see children getting
admitted to various play and primary schools.
Bridges Learning Academy
The month of March has been rather hectic as all of us are working at top speed to complete the work assigned for the current academic year.
Annual exams are scheduled for the first week of April and every effort is being made to provide support and guidance to our children.
It gives us great pleasure to share with you that three of our students - Siddharth, Shyam and Meenu - will be joining regular schools in the
forthcoming year. Our ultimate aim is to mainstream the children after a brief pull-out, and with these children moving out we are left with mixed
feelings! We will surely miss them all, but our heartfelt blessings will always be with them.
A field trip to Valluvar Kottam was organised this month. This was combined with a visit to Meenu's house. Her family overwhelmed us with their
hospitality and treated us to an array of mouth-watering dishes.
V-Excel Remedial Centre
This was a month of high stress and heightened anxiety for children and parents, resulting from preparation and writing of the exams by the VRC
children going to inclusive schools. The teachers’ task was really to walk them through these stressful situations. Foot massage, wet-on-wet, and bean bag
activities were god-sent in easing the pressure for all.
Aashik was most relieved and relaxed of all our children. His anxiety and fear was considerably reduced due to the presence of a scribe to help him with
writing his exams. Thank you Sridevi (Principal of KRMM School) for gracefully supporting the child with sensitivity that is rare to find.
Rural Outreach Program
Our Managing Trustee, Mrs. Sundari, went on a visit to eight Resource Rooms in Villipuram district this month. She reviewed the activities conducted
by them as well as assessed the quality of work, both of which were done to her satisfaction.
Britannia Industries Limited has once again given biscuits for over 3,000 special children under our rural program. Our sincere thanks to them for
offering their support and helping us motivate the children to come into the Resource Rooms for therapy and other specialized services.
Naidu Hall and London Stores have donated over 600 readymade dresses for children in Villipuram. The immense joy on their faces was a scene to watch!
Vocational Training Unit
The more the special child looks ‘normal’, the harder it is for parents to accept the limitations of the child. They live in denial and have
high expectations, especially in academics. Over the last year, many of our students grew in confidence, improved in communication and learnt many
skills. With the goals for the third year, quite a few would have been ready for placement. Just as we were rejoicing at the way the students were
blossoming – three of them were pulled out by their parents. We are left with mixed emotions – a sense of loss & unfinished work and concern for the
future of those students. If only parents can see what the child can do and not grieve over what he /she CANNOT do!
We realize that the kitchen is the place of learning; it is like an exaggerated feel-good movie watching V.Charanya in the kitchen. Her mother watched
her through a slit and she was moved to tears. The two students in the kitchen, one from a background of physical and verbal abuse and the other, severely
autistic, are coming out of their shell. They talk and laugh more and, of course, learn the many things that no classroom can teach.
The biggest event of the month was our outing – ‘shopping and dining’ experience. Taking the bus to and fro was good especially for the driver
who was thanked by the twelve students. Shopping for Rs.50 and dining for Rs.100 involved but no amount of money can buy the sheer joy of the group.
Counseling and Assessment Unit
This year was full of new developments, realizations and new learning. As usual, the children have shown us new exciting paths to follow.
We hired an additional counselor and this allowed us to reach more people. We also had an opportunity to get training in Play Therapy from an
accredited professional, Radhika, who taught us some technicalities on Play Therapy.
This year we had been able to provide Play Therapy and counseling for more than 20 children. We also helped a few parents of adolescent children from
our Vocational Center start a parent support group that can network with parents from other institutions. We hope to continue our journey
onwards next year as well.
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.
Cranio-Sacral Therapy, or CST, is a gentle, hands-on manipulation of a physiological body system called the cranio-sacral system. This system is
comprised of the soft tissue and bones of the cranium (or head), the spine and the pelvis. Massage therapists that perform cranio-sacral therapy also
target the membranes and cerebrospinal fluids that surround and cushion the brain and spinal cord from injury during a therapy session.
Cranio-sacral therapy is practiced by a plethora of health professionals most commonly physical therapists, massage therapists and chiropractors - who
employ a touch equivalent to the weight of a nickel. As a result of this tender technique, many clients claim that they can fall asleep during
their CST sessions.
The theory behind cranio-sacral therapy is that when blockages occur in spinal fluid, an unharmonious balance in the body can occur, resulting in muscle
and joint strain, emotional disturbances and the improper operation of the bodys organs and central nervous system. Practitioners believe that until
the spinal fluid is naturally allowed to move freely around the body, the central nervous system and the bodys other major organs and muscles will
be put off balance and put at risk of sickness and injury.
During your cranio-sacral therapy session, the massage therapist will lightly manipulate various areas of your body including your bones, skull, spine,
and soft tissues to clear any blockages of cerebrospinal fluid to allow the fluid to flow more smoothly and naturally.
A cranio-sacral therapy session typically lasts, at minimum, 20 minutes, but a session can last up to an hour, depending on the seriousness of your
condition. CST has been known to aid various health problems such as migraine headaches, sinus disorders and immune deficiencies. CST has also been used
as a preventative therapy in cases where a clients immune system is very low.
Minor health ailments such as chronic headaches can typically be treated with a few CST sessions. However more serious health conditions that cause
severe pain or chronic disease should be conducted over a series of weekly CST sessions.
