I love today as I received my Certificate of achievement from University of Kent for a course in Understanding Autism, Asperger’s, Adhd & sensory processing difficulties. I don’t believe in brands and labels. Both are equally limiting. My college study of early childcare and education has been excellent in Mumbai at ORT where I learnt all the theory that’s needed to understand that children are different and the various stage development of young children. We had a parallel teachers training centre and a primary school for practical purposes too. We assisted the main teachers to learn a typical day in a classroom.
My education in California was thorough with how to organise myself as a teacher and how not to label kids without understanding them and observing their personality and behaviour. They taught us administration and set up of schools in a project based way. The diplomas and degrees we accumulate are useful when we are looking for a job. Yet none of these certifications are anything without empathy and practical experience. I salute those who are working with kids with special needs as they have the true knowledge. An all rounded knowledge is still not enough to know the truth. The truth is still being researched. How does Autism originate ? Nobody knows yet and research is ongoing. So there is no expert in this field yet unfortunately.
Special needs labels are necessary to identify and yet not to call out or place people with one or more under one common umbrella.
So many of my questions are answered in this course. However I still have many more and will study further. I recommend everyone must do the basic course. Even those that don’t work with kids or adults with special needs. This is just to learn the right ways to deal with a friend or a friend’s child who has any of the above. People with Autism shouldn’t feel this world is so ignorant they don’t understand us because we are more different. They are at times hurt at our ignorance & arrogance. Some might be able to express that and some people with Autism feel and cannot express it. There is a genuine problem and a lack of empathy due to a lack of awareness and knowledge amongst most human beings. Since everyone of us has special needs , let’s acknowledge it. Some are controlled by a neurological state in the mind.
A teacher in a classroom needs to understand different styles of teaching if a concept is not understood. She might need more teachers that support her and the children too. The teacher will not feel uncomfortable to tell the parent I have noticed and observed some sensory processing difficulty in the child and hence the school has decided that we are going to provide your child with different tests and study material. This will surely help as the watcher has used empathy while discussing the child and not judgement.
If a friend’s child has Autism or Aspergers or adhd and all of the above…. we will know and understand that each child is different so won’t just club all kids who have these conditions as having one disorder. We will understand how to talk to that child and expect what that child will say back to us and be comfortable with it and not alarmed. Sometimes children with Autism & Adhd, because of an overwhelming scenario for them, react violently or say something abrupt. If it’s your own family member it will be such a gift for u to know exactly how that family member feels being taken to a crowded place. Sometimes the label is not necessary and sometimes it is. After this course I feel more confident to do art with kids and adults with special needs. I am also an art teacher & do art based therapy with children and adults with special needs.
My husband and I started a you tube channel about career journeys, teachers, parents, overcoming obstacles called Edooism. If you have a special needs story that you would like to share do reach out to me at edooism@gmail.com
We help to spread awareness on http://www.edooism.com
‘It is necessary to identify and yet not to call out and place under one common umbrella’
Neeta Bajaj
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