Another Great Day Ahead

To start the day with a great thought about Our Creator's love, I would like to share this ASL interpretation of such an emotional song that speaks of His Love for us and how amazing He is above everything and everyone else. Have a great day everyone!

PS. I wish I can become very skilled at signing and be able to interpret a song like this (with or without the audience)

Special Education In Cebu - Update

I was searching for recent news, updates or anything new about Special Education in our local area. Unfortunately, and not quite unexpected, there are no news pertaining to the improvement of the Special Education system in our local scene at the present. I know. It is sad.

What made my day better though is when I accidently stumbled on the page Special Education Support Group Cebu Chapter. I have yet to research about the group, but their presence is enough to restore my enthusiasm about making Cebu a better place for children and people with special needs.

Sign Language: On Halt

Yes, I have decided to take a break from upgrading my skills in sign language communication. This does not mean though that I am stopping or even simply because I am tired. It is just that a more urgent task needs my attention. I am working on my SPED practicum with my friend, and classmate-since-college, Belle. She actually just got back from China, where she taught English in faraway towns in the said country.

Now that she is back, there is no stopping me from getting it on with the practicum. A huge thank goes to my boss for being very understanding about it all.

I know this is not going to be an easy feat. However, I am going to make it through. Hopefully, I would be able to touch a life or two along the way. That would definitely make the entire task more fulfilling. Aja!

Banning Sign Language

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=93532&page=1

One word: WEIRD

Sign Language Level 3: Here I Come!

It's that time of the year again!In a week or so, I will be busy during Sundays as I learn more about sign language and how to communicate with the Hearing Impaired using it. I would have to wake up earlier even on a weekend. It means not staying up too late on Saturday evenings, not being able to watch as much movies or TV shows, not being able to meet with friends for consecutive Saturday nights. However, it's definitely going to be worth it as I get to know more ways to sign and express myself nonverbally and more importantly, be able to understand more those who are unable to communicate using the spoken word.

Aja!

Paravicini: An Inspiration

http://www.sonustech.com/paravicini/index.html

Born extremely premature at 25 weeks, Derek Paravicini is a blind autistic savant who is presently a musical prodigy. He has a severe case of learning disability due to the effect of oxygen therapy on his developing bran. Despite all this, he has developed an absolute pitch and is able to play any music pieces after simply hearing it for a single time. At the age of two, his nanny gave him an old keyboard, which is when he started to play the piano.

At the age of seven, he had his first concert at the Tooting Leisure Centre in South London and his first major public concert when he was nine at the Barbican Hall in London. At 10, the Princess of Wales, Princess Diana, presented Derek with the Barnardo's Children's Champion Award. He also got to play at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club and, at the present, a resident at the Royal National Institute of the Blind.

Paravicini's disabilities set some limitations in some aspects of his life, but it did not keep him from completely living the life he wants and deserves.

It's Fun To Sign

I've been trying to learn sign language for almost a year now and am working on my second level certificate. At first, it was nothing more than mere curiosity and adding up something to my special education degree. Eventually though, it has unfolded a whole new world for me. Although I still have a long way to go, what with my memory not being as sharp as it used to be, there are still some simple words that I forget especially when I am absent from my once-a-week class.So now, I take the effort to wake up early even on a Sunday just to avoid missing out on a lot of words. It is also great that I am able to understand HI people when I randomly see them around signing. Probably the only unfortunate thing is that I do not have an HI friend whom I can practice this new set of skills with. However, it is really a great feeling for me to be able to grasp a bit about what they have to say.

Another thing about learning sign language is how cool it is to sign a song. Watch this for a sample (not from me though, but this can be a great inspiration to probably make my own on youtube..in about 50 years LOL)

SPED Schools And Centers In Cebu City

One of the big issues when it comes to Special Education in Cebu City is how a large chunk of the overall population of children with special needs in the city remains undiagnosed, if not misdiagnosed. As a result, they are not given the necessary intervention and are made to succumb to the idea of living as helpless as they think they are meant to be.

Compared to a couple of years ago, the general population today is becoming a little more aware about the plight of children with special needs. However, not everyone is actively participating in the attempt to make things better for these children. Sometimes, even those who have a special child within their own homes fail to do what they are supposed to do for their own family member with special needs.

Everyone is responsible for the plight of a special child whether the said child is a family member, a neighbor, a classmate or a simple acquaintance. The largest amount of responsibility, however, lies on the parents of these special ones. After all, no one can ever provide for them than their own parents who brought them into this world. Every individual who desires to be a parent should know this. Hence, I think a basic education program about children with special needs should be incorporated in one of the requirements for a marriage license or something like that.

Since such is not available at the present time, here is a good alternative. The following is the list of local SPED schools and centers randomly located across the Queen City of the South.

1. Bulacao Community School
Bulacao, Pardo

2. Catholic Mission for the Deaf
5 Emerald St., St. Michael Village,
Banilad, Cebu City 6000
Tel. No. 231-2601

3. Cebu Braille Center, Inc.
Cebu Normal University, Osmeña Blvd., Cebu City 6000
Telephone & Fax: 272-0198/253-4634

4. Cebu Quota Club
347 C. Padilla St., Cebu City 6000
Telefax: 253-1034/340-2313

5 Cebu Sikatuna Lions SPED Center
Labangon Elementary School, Labangon, Cebu City 6000
Telephone & Fax: 272-2888

6. Cebu State College of Science and Technology (CSCST)
MJ Cuenco Ave., Cebu City 6000
Telephone & Fax: 416-6747/416-6570/416-6760

7. Consolacion SPED Center
Consolacion Central School, Consolacion, Cebu
Telephone & Fax: 344-1508/423-9358

8. Department of Education, Culture & Sports (DECS)
Sudlon, Lahug, Cebu City
Telephone & Fax: 254-7065

9. First High School for the Hearing-Impaired
Macopa St., Basak, Cebu City 6000
Telephone & Fax: 232-2599/412-2484/261-8181

10. Handicapped’s Anchor is Christ, Inc. (HACI)
61 Carlock St., Cebu City 6000
Tel. Nos. 261-1967/422-9318
Telefax: 253-5737/422-9319

11. Mandaue SPED Center
Mandaue Elementary School, Mandaue City
Telephone & Fax: 345-3970 telefax: 346-6837

12. Norfil Foundation
Sangi, Lapulapu City
Telephone & Fax: 340-1169/340-9342

13. San Nicolas Elementary School SPED Center
Carlock St., Cebu City 6000
Telephone & Fax: 255-4158/418-5070

14. St. Martin de Porres School
722 Tres de Abril St., Labangon, Cebu City 6000
Telephone & Fax: 254-0231/261-2954

15. STAGES Center, Inc.
190-D, F. Ramos St., Cebu City
Telephone & Fax: 254-0722/416-0843/345-8849

16. Sunshine Center for Special Children
Providence St., Peace Valley, Capitol Hills, Cebu City 6000
Telephone & Fax: 253-6331/273-2289

17. Tabunok SPED Center
Tabunok Elementary School, Tabunok, Talisay, Cebu
Telephone & Fax: 273-0997/272-4159

18. USC-SPED Teacher Training Program
Graduate Education Dept., P. del Rosario St., Cebu City
Telephone & Fax: 253-100 local 195/254-8990

19. Zapatera SPED Center
Zapatera Elementary School
Sikatuna St., Cebu City 6000
Telephone & Fax: 231-4794