I have spoken once about the kind of discrimination happening at our center, which has made me finally give up my favorite student in the universe: G. Well, the unfairness is still going on, and on. I don't really understand. How can you be discriminated against in the only place you belong to. In the only place you're supposed to be EQUAL to others. I think its an issue that has never been at any other center. I don't want to believe that it is actually happening elsewhere, coz if thats the case, then we're waaaaaaaaaaaay behind inclusion.
When I first joined the center, I entered my classroom, which was full of spider webs, mosquitos, and dust. I had no tools to use, so I had to either create my own, or beg for some tools in other sections, borrow, or receive donations from my niece. I painted my walls, re-arranged the tables and chairs, and cleaned every corner of the classroom. No one really cared about whether I'm teaching or not. Whether I'm being productive or not. Whether my students are learning or not. The only thing that mattered was hiring a teacher for the poor little pathetic physically challenged section. To act as a babysitter while they leave the classroom for their therapy sessions.
I was actually trying my best to erase the past and start all over again, but I can't shut up while watching the other sections receiving the best reading books, when we get the left overs. I can't shut up when I see visitors going to the other sections, playing with their children, when we are always the hidden ones. The ones who shouldn't really appear except on tv's in order to look pathetic and represent the patheticness of people in the area of special needs. I can't shut up when others get the permission to buy new furniture from the ministry's budget, when we had to use whatever's available and live with it.
What brought up all those memories was the last normal school visit to our center. We were promised 3 times that normal children will be visiting us and playing with our children. Everytime we had to wait, and our children had to wait, until we actually saw them leaving the school's gate. I talked to the psychologist about it, and I didn't really know that she was responsible for those visits. She smiled out of shame, and gave fake excuses. One of the excuses was that a little girl cried and got so scared once she 'passed' by our section and saw one of our students.
Now this brings up another topic. Is it our fault if our children does not understand differences in others? Or is it the schools' fault for not explaining the concept "Individual Differences" to their students?
It was so painful. It hurt me so much that others can't see the beauty of our children.
10 comments:
so sad to hear that discrimination is still something we have to deal with and hardly fight against even within the confines of our schools
discrimination is a reality that exists everywhere; in many forms. it does hurt and will keep on hurting unless we realize that it has to stop.
Very disappointed with the way the school handles things. These young kids you have should be included with other kids, since the only difference they have to other children is that they have differences that are only there by God's will. I salute you for your efforts to improve their status and your continuous efforts to add so much value to their lives. There are rarely people who actually enjoy this type of work, and actually work hard to make a difference, to fight for these little kids that are continually discriminated against.
always and forever wishing u the best tinker bell, i believe in u
S2: sometimes they tend to ignore things that are so important instead of working on it and finding the best solution.
Thanks S2 =)
Hello mon amie!
generally speaking, the government's performance is embarassing in this field. I know how you feel about it. You feel that this place is making giant steps in many other fields except the special needs field, which is being left out.
We lack locals in many fields, just because we are very few.
Don't sit in a corner and wait for change to happen, cuz it won't happen by itself. Become demanding and annoying. Speak up & speak out.
(elnas ilee yrmsoon fe elsh'3l w ydaf3oon 3n 3amarhum akthar merta7een 3n ilee ytem kellh saket).
Don't give up. Whether it takes them 1 year or 5 years to see these children being equal with others.
Be the change you want to see in this world. Maybe allah sent you to save those children from discrimination.
I know you know better than those people.
If you have new ideas make sure you write down a proposal with your name on every page. Send it to every person you know in the ministry. Make sure no body steals your ideas though.
It hurt me so much that others can't see the beauty of our children"
Others don't see the beauty because the family, the school & the society as a whole has not trained them to do so. Our pysche is such that we are normally afraid to interact with anyone or anyhting which looks different from what we are used to.
madness: hey mommy =) yes true, its hard to sit and watch things going the wrong way. But sometimes when u see MANY things going wrong, you just don't really know where to start from. its very confusing to decide what exactly should u focus on. but again, i do agree. speaking out is much easier than being silent.
dubai guy: its hard to decide the reason behind the way some react to children with special needs, and the "not being trained" part is totally true. in the beginning, i always blamed the society for such a treatment. but now, i am certain that things go wrong in the centres for special needs and within families of children with special needs themselves before the society. this is where we really need to start from.
it's a shame that discrimination still exist up2now . i'm a 24 years expat live in Dubai ,pl keep me informed if u need any voluteer in u class , i speak english well and really willing to volunteer my time with the special need . i can play with them even though i'm not speaking arabic but i'm learning on it and maybe i could help with the nanny to do some work4u.by the way , i'm female , pl feel free to e-mail me at seadolphindb@yahoo.com . thanx for sharing the touching blog . great work N good luck !
anonymous: thank you we really need more people like you who would actually dedicate their time and effort for those children. it not only helps them, but helps you as an individual to see the world from a totally diferent angle =)
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