Of Therapists, Teachers and Sharing the Love of our Children

Written by Leslie Wan

Our school was recently blessed with a visit from three therapists (occupational and speech) who came via an organization called Therapy Missions. Therapy Missions folks travel across the world and share their knowledge and expertise in teaching schools, orphanages etc., new or expanding methods of reaching and engaging persons with disabilities and challenges. It was wonderful to have them with us, and they spent time working with different children, instructing our staff and also meeting with some of our children's parents to give them pointers and thoughts on how to benefit and propel their children forward.  I might add that each of our visitors financed their visit with their OWN money, on their OWN vacation from their jobs in the states. Thus for them, it becomes a true mission of compassion, instruction, sharing, and, with personal sacrifices for the love of our children.  

  

I enjoyed watching them and listening to them in their discussions with the children and parents and noted the ways they found to engage our children. I spent some time talking to them individually and in a  group about their thoughts on the school and the children we /they serve, and a little about how it compares with the jobs and folks they work with back home. Randy Fedoruk, Lourdes Hawkins, and Stacey Lehrer are bright and dedicated professionals who enjoyed their  time here as much as we enjoyed having them.  They were not phased a bit as they were smeared with cornmeal mush during sensory touch time, and  still worked tirelessly to assess and make connections with students in new and  creative ways.  Their enthusiasm for their occupation and assisting with children was very infectious. God bless them!

Randy

Lourdes

Stacey

Here are some take away thoughts from them on their time with us. In the interest of space, I am combining them into one, but rest assured they added to each other's answers in a way I found quite cooperative, communal minded and delightful. 

About our students and their time at the school.............

They found the children adorable and were surprised at how many strengths the children had despite their challenges.  They were amazed at how in tune each of our teachers were to each of the children and their individual challenges and capabilities, and that teachers individually engaged them at the level they were at and in the manner the child relates best to. While they were here to do some "teaching to the teachers" in new and creative engagement, they felt they had equally learned from our teachers in ways to assist in a less tech savvy and particularly resourceful ways.  All three  really enjoyed meeting with the children's parents and found them  open to suggestions of new ways to make breakthroughs and connections with their children. In some cases they had to be particularly firm with parents on being consistent and forthright with their children, which is hard to do when as a parent your time is limited and your resources even more limited.  But parents agreed, and promised to be more consistent because they know it is in their child's best interest. They felt the school was phenomenal and they saw so much opportunity for it to grow bigger and stronger if given more resources. Welcoming was how they described the school, it's people and the folks they had met in all the other journeys they took across Kingston.  Each volunteer comes from a location with far better resources, tech savvy and otherwise, but  were clearly amazed that our school does so much with so little and have found so many ways to stimulate, engage, amuse and motivate our kids with so much less. Across the board they enjoyed it immensely.  

Important resources lacking

Lamenting by their team that much was needed in basic but important equipment for the kids, they had hopes that this could somehow be accomplished some day. Acknowledging that children grow, children come and go at various sizes and ages, and nothing about education and it's children is static, it was noted that so much was needed at the school to physically position the children into learning postures. Specifically mentioned were more size appropriate chairs with attached lap trays (and safety strapped) chairs that have equipment that would hold a head in an upright and front focused position, as well as size consistent wheel chairs. Many of our children have little personal neck control, and helpful would be the school chair that would hold the head in a position to actually see the story being read, or the task to be focused on.  Ah yes but then there is the reality of finding the extra funding that is hard to get sometimes. I sighed and said that disability ready chairs and tables were on our wish list and we acknowledged that it takes proper positioning of the head and body for children to allow them be able to SEE and participate in what we want to teach. So there we go, outside professionals acknowledging our overriding and long standing wish list items.. Each showed us wonderful new and exciting things that could be done with more technology like Ipad learning, and very specific methods of the order in which you combine methods of communication and teaching between technology and standard communication methods. Yep order of methodology is important as you might imagine.

All I do is approach them and their smiles are rejoicing. Happy Place..

OUR TAKE AWAYS 
Besides the obvious learning and sharing that took place having the folks here, what did we take away from their week here? Our teachers, parents and staff, all got reminded of their important and determined roles in the lives of these children. This visit empowered them to empower our children and re-invigorated our parents and teachers. We learned that we are creative and resourceful despite our limited resources. They reminded us why we care so much and emphasized how our children have so many capabilities despite their limitations. They saw the spark in our students and the devotion that comes from being a teacher and facilitator to our students and any students in schools like ours. It is wonderful to have some fresh faces celebrate our students, and to for them to have brought energy and dynamic learning to us in so many ways. And that is but a fraction.....

Lourdes teaches Hillary new tricks...

Randy and the drum- sound, movement, strength training

                    









THANK YOU to Therapy Missions for organizing the opportunity for them to come here. 

We THANK Randy Fedoruk, Stacey Lehrer, and Lourdes Hawkins for their energy, their commitment, their time and their willingness to share and care with us, and in turn we hope to be able to share it to the wider Jamaican special needs community. As always our mission at the school is to share knowledge with the wider Jamaican community for the benefit of other challenged youngsters and their teachers. 

We welcome these folks back anytime or any Therapy Missions because as we have always said, once you find us, you never leave us. This blog has become so many things, but thanking folks and sharing blessings is certainly two of them. Big clap for these dedicated folks and Mission Therapies. Big clap to our children and staff who made them feel at home and appreciated.

Our Movie Fundraiser - BIG THANK YOU 

Last week we had a fundraiser for the school which was a movie premiere night. We say special thanks to people who supported us. Thanks to everyone who purchased tickets in support of our school and our children. Well attended and even more appreciated by us. Thank you to "Uncorked" (and Debra Valentine) for supplying some lovely wine on the evening as we waited for the movie to begin. If you haven't been to Uncorked in Barbican, try it..........Yummy things there to eat and drink. Thank you to Catherine's Peak who supplied us with bottled water on the evening. Staying hydrated is always important in Jamrock! Both of these companies have been so good to us and we never take it for granted!

Thank you to so many at the movie and last week who told us how much they have enjoyed the blog and that it is making an impact in many ways and giving a voice to the sometimes voiceless ones at our school and beyond. It is about us: it is for you and that makes it about "WE".

OUR
OUR FINAL THOUGHTS ARE FOR YOU!

You are tired of saying the same thing. Are they ever really listening? Why am I never getting through to the folks I need to understand me. SURE YOU WILL!

Change the way you give the message. Be open to what the feedback is. Be confident, but respectful and remember that those getting your message will hear you if you speak their language! 

Be grateful you can use words and remember everyone can learn a lesson if you speak it in a way they can receive it.............

Just saying from a school that "speaks" in many many ways....