In my first major SPED class, we were asked to submit a paper about a profile of a special child. I went to Silahis ng Tagumpay SPED Center at Sta. Ana Elementary School in Sta. Ana, Manila. There I met Aaron, an 18yr old student with autism. Through the help of his teacher, I was able to talk to Aaron. Needless to say, I was deeply moved by our simple conversation because in that brief moment, I was able to peek into his simple world...understand his thoughts, share his feelings, feel his heart.
Below is the Conclusion part of my paper (Aaron's full name withheld)...
As defined by the Autism Society of the Philippines, autism is "a developmental disability that severely hinders the way information is gathered and processed by the brain, causing problems in communication, learning and social behavior". Aaron, at age 18, is diagnosed of this disability since he was young and is now trying to blend and cope up, in his own special way, with the learning and social environment.
Aaron's special education at Sta. Ana Elementary School is definitely creating a very good impact in enhancing his personality. By studying and learning the same regular subjects taught to non-SPED children, Aaron can certainly level up with other kids even with his disability. This curriculum also helps special children in improving their cognitive skills, especially the higher levels of thinking. Moreover, it helps them shape their individuality because they are able to be in tuned with what's happening outside the school community such as knowing the news and current events in the country. Amidst the different disabilities present in the classroom, Aaron is also able to build friendships with other special children without fear of any rejection thus enhancing his confidence in himself and in others. The educational and moral support that his teachers and classmates give him definitely adds up to his well-being and social development.
Aaron is also fortunate to have a family that supports his education. His family's acceptance of his condition was indeed the first step towards helping him grow as an individual – first as a son, a brother, a pupil, a citizen and a whole person. The family might have gone a stage of denial at first, but as long as they were able to overcome it and accept Aaron for what he is, then the help that he needs surely has come out naturally because he takes a special role in the family.
Special children who are able to go to school are indeed privileged. Most often, those who come from below average to average-socio economic family status are not given enough attention that they need especially when it comes to providing them good education. In our society, we are more familiar of the faces of these special children in the streets, unfortunately living on their own and with no means at all to take advantage of a decent living and education. In this situation, the help of the local government through reach-out programs of a SPED school in the community is needed to intervene and support these children. On the other hand, those who are already in school, like Aaron, should also be given more opportunity for livelihood means after their basic education. There have been some SPED schools who offer livelihood education which would definitely benefit the likes of Aaron as they grow older so that they can earn for themselves and be less dependent on their families.
On a personal note, I'd like to share that Aaron is my first real encounter with a special child. My heart was overwhelmed talking to him, listening to his stories about his family, how he enjoys playing with his sibling's baby, his favorite things to do and his seemingly love for studying and learning in school. Aaron showed me a realistic picture of the theories and description of special children that I only read and learn from the books and inside the classroom. As a non-teacher and non-Psychology major, my meeting with Aaron definitely flared the desire in me to learn more about SPED and how I, as a future SPED teacher, can do more for them. I now have a firm grasp of what I want to become in the near future – teaching the minds, touching the hearts and transforming the lives of our special children.
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