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 month of January was a time for settling down post Christmas holidays and also a bit of disruption due to the happening in Chennai. We had 12 consultations and one assessment. We had two new counselling clients and multiple repeat sessions. One of our consultants who was on maternity leave is back partially and she had follow up sessions with some of her old clients. She has also started her M. Phil. and the research topic is based on the parent co counselling. The data for that she will collect from V-Excel.
We had two Counselling desks for two of of our corporate companies and two emergency counselling. We had play therapy for two outside children for their aggression and other behavioral issues. One child for assessment and healing therapy.
We had one sibling forum session in January.
KLC - We had quite a few emergency children for art and communication therapy. We had three children for emergency therapy with our Art Therapist. The regular sessions continued with 10 other for art and play therapy. We have five TISS students interning with us and two of them are having individual sessions with two of the children from KLC. We had our weekly curriculum meetings and counselling sessions with the teachers. Had a few parent meetings as well.
YES - Our psychologist had her weekly group sessions 4 individual children were seen for art and music. one parent was met.
VRC - two children from VRC were seen for play therapy. We are trying to get a counsellor for the post lunch slots for the school going children play therapy. play therapy for the Neev project continued.
The practice for annual day has started and our psychologist is busy with the practice for KLC and YES students. There was a curative and art workshop by curative teacher and art teacher. One psychologist attended it and we all attended the two workshop conducted by the art teacher in V-Excel. Puja conducted an inservice on play therapy for the TISS interns and a new counsellor who will be joining us.
Early Intervention
Helping your child to talk
A. Beginning:
1. Get your child's attention: Remove distractions
* Sit on the floor with him/her
* Call him/her name
* Get him/her to look at you
2. Keep his/her attention: by doing things together
* Play with him/her do things he finds fun and interesting.
* Involve him/her in things you do at home (cooking, washing…)
3. Take turns: in a conversation we take turns to talk
* Take turns in games: e.g. throwing a ball or pushing a car to each other
* Take turns with talking
* Copy what your child odes and add simple words (e.g. If he waves, you wave and say "Bye-Bye")
* Copy what your child says and add 1 or 2 more words. (E.g. If he says, "car" you say "big car" or "car go"!
4. Keep your talking simple:
* Speak slowly in short sentences – this will help him/her understand and give him/her a model to copy.
* Use the same words when doing the same activities everyday
* Children learn from repetition
5. Expert your child to communicate:
* Give him/her choices and wait for him to respond by pointing or talking
6. Talking should be fun and motivating: Take time to listen to him when he tries to talk and give him lots of praise.
B. First words:
1. Children need to learn to understand what a word means, and to be able to use it properly
2. What do children talk about first?
3. Names of people: everyday objects, food, clothes, body parts, animals, transport.
* Action words: e.g. Go! Up! More! All Gone! Bye bye!
* Place names: where things are: on table: in locker
* Describing words: hot! Pretty!
Helping your child to talk, should be part of everyday activities:
* Talk about the name of objects, toys, clothes etc., when you are dressing, feeding washing your child
* Talk about what you are doing and what he is doing while you are doing it
* Comment when things disappear (toes gone!) or come back (here they are!)
* Ask questions: where's your nose? "What's this?"
* Involve your child: stand up! And give him choices "banana or orange"?
* Spend time playing with your child
* Sing songs and action rhyme
* Play action games-get him to copy your actions(e.g. jumping, clapping) or to follow
* Play hiding games with toys-cover a toy while he is watching and let him uncover it
* Look at picture books and read simple stories
* Play with dolls - toy care or animals - encourage him to pretend (E.g. "now let's wash the baby")
C.Joining words to together
When your child can say single words encourage him to join 2 words together
* Model 2 word sentences for him to copy when you are doing things together
* If he says a word, repeat that word, and add another one: e.g.: If he says 'drink' when pointing to your drink, say "mummy's drink". If he says drink and gives you his cup say "more drink"!
* Talk about who owns things e.g.: "Daddy's car", when dressing your child - "Esther's shoes!" "Esther's chess!"
* Talk about where things are "on the table", "on food" "in and on" are two early place words to practice. When playing ask him to put things "in_____ or "on"_____" hide toys and see if he can find them and tell you where they are.
* Talk about how we use everyday objects e.g.: brush hair (brush): drink milk (glass): sweep floor (broom): play "let's pretend" games with dolls. Tell him to "wash baby". Then let him tell you what to do.
* Look at books. Talk about what people are doing. Ask questions "where's the boy?"
* Talk about colours and sizes e.g.: give me the blue cup "where's your big ball"
* In games, encourage him to tell you what to do or to say somethings in order to have a turn E.g.: "Kick ball": ball me!
* Sing songs – encourage him to join in.
"Talking should be fun and useful! Expect him to talk before you give him something".
Kaleidoscope Learning Center
From Gita Bhalla's Desk
January has been a rich month of the arts and visitors!
Liz Blomkamp, from Australia, held a two day felting workshop with teachers across all departments and taught us how to make beautiful felting products such as cloth, balls and little gnomes.
The curative education workshop focussing on eurythmy, medical lectures, art and drama was held on 20-22nd Jan. Chinmay, a student of Grade Six attended the workshop as a guest speaker to talk about himself. It was indeed a brave moment for the student himself and a first step in self advocacy. He could hold a conversation without quitting for about ten minutes.
David Newbatt, an artist and teacher who works at Camphill, Scotland visited our school on the 25th of January and held a blackboard drawing workshop for the teachers and had a special painting demonstration with a few children from KLC on the 25th of January.
Some of our teachers also attended his deeply insightful two day art workshop on drawing, blackboard drawing and wet on wet painting as well as practical advice to work with our children through David's personal experiences in Curative Education.
The new blocks started. Grade Seven has been thoroughly enjoying their block on the Renaissance art- perspective drawing, sculpting, choir singing and have shown great progress in each of these new areas. Grade Six have been enjoying their first experience of working and sketching with charcoal.
Grade Six wrote and posted letters to their parents and teachers with the correct home address as part of their practice of their functional academics. A few have made independent calls home.
V-Excel Educational Trust
EI Partnership with Hexaware
Our partnership with Hexaware Technologies has now extended beyond vocational training to early intervention. As part of their CSR program, they conferred upon us a grant to enhance and transition our early intervention programs in Chennai.
Wipro Marathon
We had a stronger presence and greater participation at the Chennai Wipro Marathon held yesterday (Jan 8). Our special thanks to Prof. Suresh Govindarajan at the Department of Physics, IIT Madras, for having run for us this year. We are also deeply grateful for all the runners who ran for us and for our staff and students who came out to cheer!
Corporate Gifts
The trainees and staff at our Youth Empowerment Services Center in Mylapore, Chennai, delivered their first corporate order of 200 personalized mugs to Valeo Service India Auto Parts Private Limited
Soap-making Workshop
A three-day workshop (Jan. 11-13) in organic soap making, counducted by Ms. Shalini Sunil Kumar, was held at our R.A. Puram center. Pure Organic Coconut Oil Soaps and Organic Besan (Gramflour) Soaps were made by the staff and trainees who attended.
Pongal
Pongal, the Tamil harvest festival, was celebrated at all our centers in Chennai on Saturday, January 14.
Tarang in Chennai
This month's Tarang in Chennai featured Ranjana Sethuprasad who sang popular songs and also played the ukulele. She performs regularly at 5-star hotels like ITC, Hilton, Taj Cormandal, Taj Clubhouse, Raintree and Leela Palace and has recently sung for A.R Rahman as a backing vocalist for the MTV Unplugged episode that will be released towards the end of January 2017.
Disha Parent Forum
The Disha Parents Forum organized a trekking trip at Nagalapuram, Andhra Pradesh, on 21st January 2017. The trip was coordinated by Mr. Meyappan. Sincere thanks to Mr. Meyappan, Vasudha, Siva, Abhi and Charu for the logistics and coordination. We are also grateful to Vaira Chellappa, Venkaji, Elango and Dhanalakshmi.
Feedback: The trip was fantastic, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. All the children cooperated so well, everyone reached the falls on their own, exploring the nature. Food was awesome and the support of Arul and team, the local guys was top class. The courtesy by Arul's mother is the highlight of the trip. Like Vaira mentioned, our children felt very much comfortable at their house. Full marks to the team leader Vaira, who meticulously planned every activity and managed very well too.
Occupational Therapy
Happenings
The therapy room floor tiles were broken and repairing work has been done for few days. For that work, the furniture and other arrangements was fully collapsed. One of the KLC student who is obsessed for perfection helped a lot in putting them in order and got the work done within half an hour. The credit of today's look of the therapy department goes to him.
V-Excel Remedial Center
From Kejal Bakshi's Desk
Brain gym, study skills have helped Ram Santosh in his studies, who is appearing for his tenth standard board exam. The mother also received the training and is able to help her son very well. Meeting with all the special educators with our director Ms. Ajita was very fruitful and boosted our confidence in work.
At Velachery Primary school, individual and group sessions are going on very well. Constant conversation with parents, class teachers has helped us to work with children and see small improvements. The pictures attached are of 10 year and 8 years old boy; both studying in grade 4.In the first picture they are trying cross walk and in the 2nd one they are playing a memory game.
Anush Kavin's motor skills are little weak. Cross walking helps in crossing the midline which inturn helps in academic areas. Santosh has very poor memory retention. Memory games is one of the activity they both enjoy and also helps in developing the skill. They both are showing steady progress in their work.
It was our pleasure to meet Mr. Praveen from Wipro Cares. His visit to all our schools under neev project motivated and encouraged the teachers to work harder.
At Olcott Memorial School, one of the child who is coming to resource room, secured first rank in her class. The parents gave a very good feedback about our remedial classes to the class teachers. Tamil remedial sessions have been started and activities that bridge the gap between their academics and remedial have been focused.
At Malathi School, there was an improvement in child named Dhanush after addressing his emotional issue and boosting his self-esteem. He is very regular to school now.
Satellite Centers
From Jayanthi Vishwanath's Desk
The reports of the term-end evaluation of the school children were handed out to the parents. Most of the children show marked progress in learning and behavior.
Two new children have joined the school this month. Sohail is a ten-year old child having apraxia and shows some autistic features. Prasad is a ten- year old boy who is intellectually-challenged and has speech and language disability. Prasad's family have moved from another town called Sangamner, to Nashik to avail special school and therapy facilities for him.
Two of our teachers, Ms. Pallavi Sonar(Special Educator) and Ms. Aditi Panchabai(Clinical Psychologist) attended a highly informative seminar on "Holistic approach in dealing with behavioural issues in children with ADHD and ASD" at St. Andrews college, Bandra(West) in Mumbai.
One new teacher Mrs. Jyothi Kshatriya, a special educator has joined the special school from this month.
Ms.Tanmay More, who holds a Masters in Audiology and Speech Language Pathology (MASLP), joined us as a part-time speech and language therapist. She imparts speech and communication therapy to children having speech and communication difficulties in the school.
From Gopal Jahagirdar in Solapur
This month two children joined our center for therapy and remedial services. Dr.Sri. Damodar (Speech therapist ) joined us. He works in the Government Civil Hospital and comes to our center between 3.00 p.m. and 5.00 p.m.
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On January 7, at a gathering of Jivhal Special School Solapur Sri. Gopal Jahagirdar was invited to be the Chief Guest for this event. Our center's students to perform two dance program in their gathering program. Students enjoyed the program.
Republic Day was celebrated on January 26 and the Chief Guest was Dr. Mohalkar (Psychiatrist) and Sri. Choudhari, (President of Maharastra Hotel Association).
From Srirangam
On 11th January 2017, closing ceremony of Millet food workshop took part. During that day, all the participants especially parents and volunteers displayed what they learnt namely millet adai, millet ediyappam, millet Halwa, millet vadai, millet bisuit etc. Three prizes were given for the best dishes namely millet adai, millet vadai and millet biscuit. Certificates were distributed to all the participants and receipe book was given.
Mrs. Sudha, one of our staff members, attended a workshop on hand-made soaps and detergents in V-Excel Chennai from 11th to 13th January 2017. Two varieties of soap making namely coconut oil soap, besan soap and detergent powder making was taught by Ms. Shalini Sunilkumar. The training programme was very useful.
On 12th January 2017, Pongal was celebrated in our Centre. All the student trainees were in traditional costume. Pongal was kept and pooja done. Games such as balloon breaking, pot breaking, murukku eating, running, frog race, filling water in the bottle were conducted. All the participants were given prizes. Staff were also given gifts.
Vocational Training / Youth Empowerment Services
From Usha Rajagopal's Desk
The highlight of January month was the Pongal celebration and Kolattam dance at Sreyes. We practiced dance past couple of months. The trainees and staff participated in the celebrations. The dance training given by our consultant Mrs. Radha Naganathan. Vaidy sang devotional songs.
We went to Wipro Marathon with our Trainees and to cheer our runners. We took an order of thambulam bag, bhoomi-mitra bags, spectacle chains, quilling frames and bags.
Loom training continues under Mrs. Uma Swaminathan and our trainees are completed 1 scarf with the help of Mrs Shanthi. Mrs Shanthi attended a 3-day workshop on curative education.
Our teachers, Mrs. Nirmala & Mrs. Jayanthi attended a workshop on hand-made soaps and detergents. Ms. Amberin Memon, CPO of Hexaware Technologies, visited VTU and placed an order for dupattas and CD coasters.
Sanitary napkin training continues. The trainees are now handling the sealing machine with help of Mrs. Santhi and Ms. Sathya.
From Youth Empowerment Services:
YES trainees welcomed 2017 by cutting a cake and singing songs. Our founder Director Dr.Vasudha Prakash sang a song followed by a veena recital by our trainee Arjun. Our teacher Divya attended a felting workshop organised by V-Excel where particpants were taught to make designs using cotton felt.
On January 11-12, our teacher John Bosco with our trainees Balambiga, Gokulakrishnan, Vasudevan, Naveen and Karthik attended a soap making workshop. They learnt to make coconut oil soap, besan flour soap and washing powder.
On January 12, we celebrated Pongal festival in the traditional way. All our trainees came in traditional attire and worshipped Lord Surya and prepared sweet pongal.
We delivered an order for 200 printed mugs to Valeo Auto Services.
AIMS Media (P) Ltd., is an education focussed research and advisory organisation, successfully working with all types of disabilities in India, with a mission to build an inclusive and accessible society. They assessed our trainees and have chosen ten of them to train in their Ability Enhancement Multimedia Programme. The first session of this programme started on January 21.
On January 25, our teacher Divya has attended a workshop on curative education and Art therapy.