Providing lifespan services to individuals with special needs...

Our students from VLC and BLA had participated in the "Des Rangila", an inter-school (For Special needs category) competition held in August this year, by Gharkul Trust, Nashik. Our student Arisha Iyer recited a poem with action and received the third prize. Master Pushkar Kolekar received a special jury award for playing the Tabla and Dhol as accompaniments to a Marathi song. A consolation prize was awarded to Ms. Shreya Kulkari who sang a Patriotic song.

On August 15th, we celebrated Independence Day, virtually. All the staff and students participated in the program enthusiastically. They sang patriotic songs and recited poems and stories related to the Freedom Movement and Women's empowerment. Some students came dressed like Freedom-fighters and stole the show.

A teacher training program and orientation were organized on 16th Aug 2021. All the teachers attended the program. Our Paediatric Physiotherapist Dr. Priyanka Mudaliar presented a seminar on "Coping with challenging behaviors in ASD kids". The seminar was well-received and teachers' difficulties were resolved in the post-seminar Q&A sessions.

During the third week of August, all the students prepared Raakhis and friendship bands. We celebrated Rakshabandan at school when all the girls tied the rakhis to the boys in their class and received some lovely return gifts from them.

On 31st August, Krishna Janmashtami was celebrated at school. Children came dressed like Krishnas and Gopis and participated in the 'Dahi Handi' ritual, in which an earthen pot containing goodies is broken by the little Krishnas/Gopas, who are blind-folded. Children had good fun and danced to peppy numbers.

Greetings from all of us at Erode center!

Every celebration can be made into a learning and joyous experience for our students if we do a proper planning. We had decided that the theme for every month would be the festivals or events that occur during the month. The special educators and the therapists plan their sessions in such a way that every child gets some learning and facts about that festival.

For this Independence day, we prepared our pre vocational children for a small talk on Independence day and Dr. A. P. J. Abdul kalam. Our students, Ahamed suhail sang a national song. Our Early Intervention children were taught craft work like folding and cutting color papers and were actively engaged in coloring the flags and decorating the place.

Sharing some AHA moments:

Child Kavin.P aged 15 yrs. an LD student, is coming from Nov 2017. Initially he was not able to identify basic academic skill like colors, shapes, money concept, time concept and numbers even difficult to readeven simple 3 letter words. We started intensive remedial strategies for him using his learning style. Now he is able to identify colors, shapes, and numbers up to 1000. He is doing 2 digit addition. He knows time accurately. He reads newspaper and is able to write his biodata.

Our Yoga Sessions

In pre vocation yoga session we introduced 4 new asanas this month. Children are doing it very enthusiastically.

Sharing some details about the asanas:

Ekapada Asana:

The Sanskrit word eka means one and pada means foot making this the one-foot, or more commonly, one-legged pose.

Benefits:

• The Ekapada-asana tones and strengthens leg muscles, improves sense of balance and helps sharpen concentration.
• Stretches and strengthens hamstrings
• Stretches and strengthens the thighs
• Stretches the spine and back
• Enhances upper body strength
• Refreshes and rejuvenates the mind
• Tones the thighs and abdomen

Bhujangasana:

In Sanskrit, the word Bhujangasana comes a combination of two words- 'bhujanga' which translates to 'cobra' or and 'asana' meaning 'posture'

Benefits:

• Bhujangasana is very useful to keep your back healthy. Practice this asana individually or through the Surya Namaskar to make your spinal region strong and very agile.
• This posture can tone your body and the spinal nerves.
• Bhujangasana improves your digestion, liver and kidney functions as well.

Yoga Mudrasana:

Yoga Mudrasana or Psychic Union Pose is a seated forward bending yoga posture that belongs to the group of Lotus postures.

Benefits:

• Yoga Mudrasana is very beneficial for the abdominal organs. Practicing this asana helps in getting rid of constipation, heals gastric conditions. And improves the digestion system.
• While doing this yoga, you need to tilt the head down, which brings fresh blood to the head. This blood helps calm the brain and relieves stress, anxiety, and mild depression.
• Mudrasana makes the spine, back, arms shoulder and hips more flexible

Padahastasana

Padahastasana is derived from the Sanskrit names pada which means foot, hasta which means hand and asana meaning pose. Padahastasana, therefore, translates to hand to feet pose in English.

Benefits:

• Stretches and strengthens hamstrings • Stretches and strengthens the thighs
• Stretches the spine and back
• Enhances upper body strength
• Refreshes and rejuvenates the mind
• Tones the thighs and abdomen

Due to pandemic we continued celebration of Independence Day virtually. Prior to Independence Day we took Online class for craft activity of making badges of tricolor to teach them colours of our flag. All children participated and wore that on the day of celebration. On the 15th August children participated for flag hoisting in freedom fighters costume like Lokmanya Tilak, Bhagat Sing , Savitri bai Phule, Dr B R Ambedkar and many more. Their enthusiasm made us very happy.

Raksha bandhan celebration was on 22nd August. For that occasion we took online session for DIY rakhi making with ear buds. It was easy to make but was very beautiful. It included all aspects like cutting,pasting, colouring etc . And also we celebrated virtually by tying it to their brother. Those who didn't have sisters, there mother's only tied them rakhi.

Dahi Handi celebration

Gokulashtami was on 30th August. And next day everywhere Dahi handi celebration will celebrated by Gopalas. Our little Gopalas were also very happy to celebrate this. We took both online and offline as well. For online we took Gopal kala making as kitchen activity which was filled in the handi and later distributed as prasad. After kitchen activity they also dressed traditionally and participated for the celebration wad going on in center. Our center was filled with festive vibes. One kid has dressed as Krishna and another as Radha. They danced together and later our little Krishna cracked the handi. After that they all enjoyed gopal kala as prasad and snacks altogether.

We celebrated 75th Independence day at Abhyasa Kendra, Srirangam on the 15th of August, 2021. Teachers and students cleaned the classrooms and decorated them for the occasion. Before the celebration, teachers and students prepared the Independence day cap for all the students. Teachers made paper flags (Floral Type) for all staff. Before that all of us did a dance rehearsal for Vande Mataram song. On the day, All the teachers and students assembled in one of the classrooms.

The function started with Tamil Thai Valthu.

Ms. Reka. R our Center Coordinator inaugurated with her small speech.

Mr. Balaji one of our trainees recited The Thirukkural ( Ulaga Podhu Marai).

Mr. Sanjai Prasanna. K one of our trainees gave small speech about Independence Day.

All of our students had a dance program for Vande Mataram's song.

We ended the function with National Anthem.

Finally, distributed sweets to all our students and staff

We have made plans for celebrating Vinayaka chaturthi involving the trainees.Shall update all about it in the coming month.

This month was productive and joyful month for trainees with Independence day, festivals and field trip. Trainee Saravana Prabu has been taken as intern officially in SNEH Launch, followed by parent’s meeting with Founder Trustee, preparing for 74th Independence day and ended with first field trip for the academic year.

Week -I

SNEH, Product Hub had launch of their internship program and our trainee Sarvana Prabu was selected has an intern for their sheltered workshop since Feb 2021. He was introduced during the launch and a memento was given.

Our Founder Trustee Dr. Vasudha Prakash and Lakshmi Sudhakar met VTU parents and discussed about the way forward and the feedback about the program.

Week – II

Planning of Independence Day along with YES team were discussed. Teachers were busy practicing patriotic songs with trainees and preparation for Independence day placards and snacks along with the usual schedule of vocational activities.

V-Excel celebrated 74 years of Independence with a limited group of 25. Two vocational training centres of Chennai VTU and YES came together for the celebration.

The National tricolour was hoisted by Sriram and Saravana prabhu alumni of VTU and now special employees of Adyar Departmental Store and Special Needs Employment Hub as this Independence Day it's a true beginning of their independent living.

One group celebrated our Olympic representatives with a neat parade and spoke about all Olympic medal winners of India. Three trainees represented YES and spoke about what Independent India meant to them. The speeches were both in English and Tamil. The program list began with the rendition of Vande mataram by Ms Lalitha Sharma followed by patriotic songs by spl adults, the gathering came to a close with a short dance that enveloped the function in patriotic wave.

WEEK-III

Vocational Training Unit (VTU), trainees got the flowers from home and helped segregate them with the teachers' help. Teachers also helped them with making the outline of Kolam and then all trainees started decorating with flowers with so enthusiasm. The whole ambience became so cheerful and was filled with colours and fragrance. Teachers also narrated the story of Onam.

Charu prepared the vaccination list for 2nd and 1st dose of trainees and sent it to the DDAWO department and to organize camp at Sharada.

WEEK-IV

Charu and Gayathri of YES organized vaccination camp at Sharada in coordination with DDAWO department Collector, Staff, Doctor team of GCC and our admin team. Parent were informed and 40 of our trainees, parents, caregivers, therapists, staff, teachers and support staff took the shot.

Two students Mr. Sriram and Ms. Ameena, students of Department of Social Work, Dr. Ambedkar Government Arts College were doing internship program with ESVI Sarada Foundation where they worked at Sreyes Farm and VTU for two months. On completion of their internship they had organized their Community Program – A session on “Stress Management” by Resource Person Mr. Prabakaran MSW, MPhil, (Social Worker and Managing Trustee, Mail Box Trust) at Sreyes for VTU teachers and staff. Ms. Usha Rajagopal was the Chief Guest for the program.

In-service was conducted by Usha for all our teachers and staff on Children with Difference and 12 senses. Krishna Jayanthi celebration at our vocational centres!!

VTU celebrated Krishna Jayanthi by drawing kolam and footprints of Lord Krishna using each trainees hands. They enjoyed the experience. Trainees and teachers rendered songs on Lord Krishna, taught ably by our consultant Radha Naganathan. Following this, everyone participated in a dance performance. Our admin manager performed the puja and our Director, Usha Rajagopal and teachers rendered the song Kurai Ondrum Illai. The event ended with a meditation session.

The first of our monthly field trips for the vocational training unit commenced on August 31, 2021 with a visit to the Rail Museum, ICF, Perambur. This was the first outing after 1.5 yrs of lockdown.

The visit commenced at the photo gallery which had a pictorial display of the railway system in India. The teachers explained every image and a few trainees were able to relate their personal train travel experiences. We rode on the model train and saw different models of steam engines, inspection engines, electrical engines and sculptures made out of scrap materials. There were also models of different varieties of coaches.

We had lunch on the museum lawns and saw a beautiful miniature model of engines and tracks and the track switching system. We thank the officials of the Rail Museum who were very courteous and gave special discounts for our trainees.

The orientation programs and functional academics have contributed a lot to the comprehensive learning of each trainee. For instance, trainee Pranav suddenly left the group and started walking towards the restroom after seeing the sign board. After using the restroom, he independently walked back to the group. The success of functional academics lies not in just sitting in a class but to be able to use other senses to listen and process.

Similarly, trainee Hariharan saw a swing and said to the lady occupying it, 'Ooonjal'. In response, the lady gave up the swing to him for his enjoyment. We were encouraged that he was able to express his wants to a stranger without hesitation.

These experiences are gained through regular social exposure and academic classes.