Strides Newsletter Archives
- Counseling & Assessments
- Early Intervention
- Kaleidoscope Learning Center
- V-Excel Educational Trust
- Occupational Therapy
- V-Excel Remedial Center
- Satellite Centers
- Vocational Training / Youth Empowerment Services
Counseling & Assessments
From Parimal Pandit's Desk
The Counselling Department finally completed the large scale community intervention project on behalf of Nalanda Way, in the month of March. What began as an idea about us counsellors reaching out to a small number of children traumatised by the floods of December, through play therapy in our school took shape into a massive programme covering over 2,000 children experiencing therapy, joy, engagement and interpersonal interaction. The team visited several Corporation and Government schools in and around Maraimalai Nagar and Tharamani. While we have shared in the last issue about the interventions themselves, in this issue we share a few instances of the impact our intervention made on other people including teachers and onlookers.
For several of the teachers, it was a new experience. To see the children handle joy and cheer along with attentiveness to instructions being given was a surprise for several. Some requested the counsellors to consider such programmes for them as they felt they needed the benefit themselves or requested for training in such intervention to engage with the children even more effectively.
Some teachers were surprised that they actually enjoyed joining the children in singing and dancing. They continued talking about their experience even after the intervention ended in their school and were joyfully giggling among themselves. Several teachers have requested for a C.D. of the songs, indicating the value the felt in our interventions.
In one school construction of a new building was happening in one corner near the gate and the counsellors were on their way out of the premises, after the interventions. The kids had stepped out of their classrooms to wave goodbye till the counsellors were out of sight. Most likely inspired by this interaction, one lady among the team of construction workers put her hand out to a counsellor to shake hands. This gesture was experienced by the counsellor as a sign of trust and appreciation.
Even the drivers of the taxis we went in seemed inspired by the interventions. They supported us in taking us to schools located in these areas cheerfully and expressed their eagerness to come again if we needed their assistance any other time.
Apart from the above, regular interventions in school, consultations and counselling sessions continued as usual. There was a considerable number of consultations for admissions at our various Centers.
Early Intervention
Counseling Sessions
The month of March has seen increase in number of counselling session for the parents and care givers of children from Early Intervention unit. The aim of the counselling session has been to help the parents to understand the functional level of the child and observe certain behavior pattern and how to address the same. Parents have been counselled also to improve their emotional and physical well being. This is an integral part of the Early Intervention programme as it helps the parents to understand the goals set for the child and improve their participation in the programme. Parents have also been guided on school admission and many children are in the process of getting admission in different schools.
Early Intervention unit supports integrated training of young adults. In this process an young adult is trained as teacher assistant. She has done the following teaching aids under guidance.
A young child attending Early Intervention programme has written Tamil New Year wishes on the back of his receipt and pinned it on the notice board. This he has done it on his own, observing the happenings around him.
Kaleidoscope Learning Center
From Gita Bhalla's Desk
March has been a month of great beginnings. In a true destiny encounter with the renowned singer Sowmya and her group of young musicians, a long awaited dream of bringing Carnatic music as a healing, teaching, therapeutic tool to the children in KLC was realised. After the first few detailed meetings with Shashi and Neha the school coordinators, where discussions were held, groups and timings allocated and a few observation sessions, we have the Sukrtam trust completely holding our hands and marching forward with the musical interlude as a regular feature in the weekly program. The results have been heartwarming. We discovered many new budding singers, musicians and those who gave a definite ear for music. What stands out in the entire collaboration is the sincerity, interest and the total involvement from the group of teachers. As a blessing, they find our students responsive, enigmatic but fascinating. For people not exposed to disability before their entire initiative is that of true interest and wanting to make a difference. We acknowledge the great contribution of the Sukrtam Trust, singers Sowmya, Ashwath, Bharat and Subashree.
Another significant beginning was that of planning meetings held with Vasudha and the teachers of the senior classes 5A, 5B and 7. It was a kind of looking ahead, planning transitions, suggesting possible vocations based on the students abilities, interests and opportunities. Very useful and a blue print before we talk to parents next month at the year end meetings.
Many meetings were held between Vasudha and the parents of KLC Students with the plans of Cafe Samarth being a training ground were discussed. Vasanthi, has been busy planning and teaching and demonstrating a few signature dishes which will be part of the menu at Samarth Cafe.
There was a rock concert by Vedanth and Ananth two well known singers for the classes 5 and 7 as part of their understanding the journey of a human being. As the two singers were young, their talk about their journey into the world of music was motivating and interesting for the students.
Grade 4 children and teachers had gone on a trip to one of their student's - Akshay Sundar's home, upto Chithlapakkam, on Tuesday last, on a socialisation and a friendly trip. The children were specially attended by Akshay's parents and they all had a good time and were on their best behaviour.
On Tuesday 22nd, Grades 5A, 5B and 7 children and teachers visited Theosophical Society (TS), Adyar as a possible venue for some prevocational tasks to be undertaken. 27 children and 6 teachers went and we got to know the Gardening department in TS, the people to approach, the work to be done and the place of work. Our children gathered dead leaves with rakes, collected it in gunny bags and dumped them in the leaf dump as indicated by the gardener there. The place is calm, spread out, with nature all around us. The children worked hard and enjoyed doing it. On a regular basis there will be only 8-9 children going at a time with 2 teachers, and this will happen from June 2016 once school re-opens.
Wednesday was Holi celebrations in school and like always the children enjoyed playing with natural coloured (beetroot and trumeric) water for more than an hour. It was lovely to watch the kindergarten children enjoying their water play under the watchful eye of their teachers.
Grade 1 and Kindergarten went for a morning outing to Semmozhi Poonga and spent a happy time amongst nature and the verdant green. Grade 7 went to the Birla planetarium on the 15 of March for a visit as part of their astronomy block.
On 10 of March , in a reciprocative gesture from the Ganapathy Girls High School in Gopalapuram, about 45 girls from Grade 8 visited the children of KLC and spent an hour with them. They performed few dances and sang many songs for them, interacted with them, made friends with them, played with the smaller children and had a great time. Both our children and the visiting girls enjoyed this trip. They requested for 2 songs from Neha, danced and sang and left the school reluctantly. They promised to come back for a longer duration to be with the children. It was a fulfilling experience. This has been the outcome of the Blue Blue Sky choir and can be regarded as one of the best examples of true inclusion coming right from the hearts of young children , in accepting diversity and understanding and embracing differences.
V-Excel Educational Trust
Wassup OnDemand
V-Excel Educational Trust and Wassup Ondemand joined hands today to under a Public-Private partnership program where V-Excel will use its understanding of Children with Special needs and Wassup will engage and train them with skills in the vocational space related to laundry and dry-cleaning. The program was formally launched by Mr. S.S. Rajsekar (Board of Advisors, V-Excel) and Mr. R. Balachandar, Co-founder of Wassup at our premises in Mylapore.
Press coverage of the event
Tarang in Chennai
This month's Tarang concert featured Carnatic vocalist Sri Viswanath Parasuram. He was accompanied on the violin by Sri M.A.Sundaresan and on the mridangam by Sri Mannarkoil Balaji.
Viswanath Parasuram is a Carnatic classical vocalist and mridangist and has been performing since the age of 10. He has learnt vocal under his mother Smt. Parvathy Parasuram, Pudukottai Sri Krishnamurthy Bhagavathar, Sangeetha Bhooshanam Sri P. Vaidyanathan, Sangeeta Kalanidhi Sri K.S.Narayanaswamy and his brother Sri Sriram Parasuram. He has studied mridangam under Sri V.U.Subramaniam and Yella Sri Venkateswara Rao. He has given over 1000 public performances across India, USA, Canada and the Middle East. He has been the recipient of the President's award at the age of 15 among several others. Part of the group 3 Brothers & A Violin, he is also the co-founder of Karadi Tales and Karadi Path Education Company.
Occupational Therapy
Observations
Everybody knows that the parachute drill came out well after a long practice and was a good visual treat on the sports day event. The therapeutical benefits they received in addition to appreciation came to lime light in the year end assessment.
To mention a few-
- One of the girls, who took almost 20 minutes to put on her shirt button due to her sensitivity to touch, is now doing the same functional task with ease. She found it difficult to hold the loop of parachute in the beginning and as days went by, she managed to hold it continuously without losing contact along with her friends.
- Another boy who used to have bilateral coordination deficit keep his left hand at his back and used only his right hand mostly for doing any task. He is now able to use both hands at a time whenever necessary and comfortably reaching for over head activities as well.
- One more boy who avoids being in group activities is now made to coordinate with others and he also gained tolerance necessary for task completion and his imitation skills has helped him as well.
Year end therapy report
The academic year 2015-2016 holds all KLC children within therapy sessions either in individual or group. Excluding the late admissions that didn't avail the services there are 55 children. Their therapy reports formatting work was the major work of therapists towards later half of the month.
V-Excel Remedial Center
From Kejal Bakshi's Desk
During the past few months, informal assessments, setting goals, greeting new children, following up with parents have kept us busy and engrossed in our work. Many children from regular mainstream school came for assessments and parents were happy and content with the recommendations provided to them.
A student from 11th grade attended brain gym classes with us. He says, "I do these exercises regularly and have helped me in my studies. It has reduced my stress level during exams and I feel very confident now." The mother says, his performance in exams have also shown improvement.
In the month of March a parent was allowed to attend a session along with her daughter to know, feel, understand and follow-up few activities at home. After the session she was very thrilled to learn few concepts in an interesting manner, how to guide the child so she listens rather than shouting and much more.
A boy studying in ninth grade refused to write exams. With the help of Counselling and remedial sessions the boy is now ready to write exams.
A nineteen year old girl had several operations and has damaged her brain due to fall from a height. She is attending remedial sessions for the past two months now. Along with remediation, she now receives art therapy, occupational therapy, movement therapy for her holistic development. She has shown considerable improvement in the areas of attention, sitting tolerance, attending to a task in a meaningful way.
A boy aged 11 came to remedial centre with very low motivation and not interested in studies. It was difficult for us to involve him in sessions as he would not like coming to the centre. But now with lots of fun and interesting activities, he looks forward for the sessions.
Satellite Centers
From Jayanthi Vishwanath's Desk
On 6th march, a NGO called Hausla conducted a marathon for students with special needs in Nashik. About 15 students from our school participated in the marathon along with their teachers.All the children wore the caps the given to them and walked with the participants braving the heat. They seemed to have enjoyed this novel experience.
On 9th March, a seminar was conducted in our school for parents by Mrs. Rohini Achwal, a social worker from Prabodhini special school. The aim of the seminar was to enlighten them on the various provisions available for their children under the National Trust welfare schemes for children with disabilities. Many parents attended the seminar, which was interactive and they have decided to enroll their child in one or more of the welfare and insurance schemes.
Water-crisis has been looming large in the city and our school has been facing severe water-shortage. A water-less or dry Holi was celebrated in the school on 23rrd March.
Kavya child is a 5 year old autistic child studying in our school. He is non-verbal but has very good cognitive abilities. Of late he has been showing remarkable progress in academics, In fact, Kavya has achieved all the goals set in his IEP for three months(Feb to April), in just one month itself. In the beginning of March, a fresh IEP was prepared and is being implemented now.
Dr. Vasudha, our founder-director visited our center during the last week of this month. She had a meeting with the parents of students who were interested in enrolling their children for vocational training at our center.
Report from Solapur
March Report
1. 3rd March - an article was published in the local Marathi Daily, Tarun Bharat. The reporter interviewed parents of children in V-Excel and published their opinions.
2. 7th March was Mahashivratri - Teachers narrated the story of Mahashivratri to all children
3. 18th March - the birthday of Sri Dattatray Patil and this was celebrated by Bsc students of Sri Sangameshwar College, Solapur
4. 23rd March we Celebrated Holi Poornima in the Center. Sri Gopal explained about Holika Dahan and children played Holi and danced
5. 25th March was Good Friday - Our Student, Adesh Wagmare, expained Good Friday and Easter Sunday to the school
Vocational Training / Youth Empowerment Services
From Usha Rajagopal's Desk
March has been a month of music and celebrations in addition to work at Sreyes.
Ability Foundation invited our students to Sound Unbound, a musical presentation by A.R.Rahman's K.M.Music Conservatory . The whole group enjoyed it very much. They were able to identify the musical instrument played during the concert and make an observation of the absence of some of those they regularly see. They were able to relate to the source of the songs since it was popular music.
"TARANG" the monthly musical concert Is a great opportunity provided regularly. This month, the group went to Bharathi Vidya Bhavan to listen to a carnatic vocal concert by Sri Viswanath Parasuram, accompanied by Sri M.A.Sundaresan on Violin and Sri Mannarkoil Balaji on Mridangam. It was a pleasure to listen to his mellifluous strong deep voice and our trainees enjoyed the concert thoroughly.It was a special experience.
A consultation with a special person Pushkala, an artist, who looks forward to work with us, may provide wider opportunities in product designing.
Vaithyanathan, an adult who has learnt to live independently, has joined our interns this month of March. He and his family were looking for a place where he could find friends as well as get work to do. Vaithee , as his new found friends call him, is happy assisting in the screen printing unit as well as make paper covers, which will be supplied to a medical store. He was an active participant in the training for cafe Samarth.
The annual festivities at the local temples of Mylapore and Thiruvanmiyur had the trainees talk of their experience and exchange notes .
They enjoy their weekly puppet making activity with Jagadeesan. The bicycle riding and the skipping activities, with other indoor games on alternate Saturday's, refreshes them for the fortnight ahead.
Cafe Samarth caters to clientele on Fridays. They did experiment for two days at our main school 'Sharada' and this was met great excitement and success.
Other than these , the regular work of production is going on. The unit is working towards orders for bags and coasters. The unit in charge is planning to take stock of production activity to plan a 'no work in progress' stock when the unit breaks for summer.
Do stay tuned to get some exciting news about our Cafe Samarth.
Youth Empowerment Services News
This month’s activity geared up with the inauguration of WASSUP launderer’s tie up programme. On 14th march 2016. Mr. Rajasekar inaugurated the programme and Mr. Bala, Mr. Kumaragura from wassup were present Mr Depak Guptha from ensemble honoured us with his presence.
It is decided that two trainers will be here to train our teachers for one month. Training will be given in the collection point, in the washing and ironing process. It is agreed that their Academy will prepare the curriculum and the first step in the curriculum is identifying garments, sorting and segregation.
On 18th March we organised an overnight stay propramme at our place itself. Since there are many new admissions in YES, we have decided to organise the overnight stay here and after observation an outstation visit can be organised.
We took the trainees to lighthouse at Marina Beach. They enjoyed the aerial view on the whole it was an eventful month.