Banning Sign Language

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

One word: WEIRD

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

Finger Talk

Let your fingers do the talking!

This is not about the middle finger or the likes. It is all about being able to effectively communicate with those who cannot speak by understanding sign language and learning how to make use of it as well. Sign language has been around for quite some time. At the present, there are variations developed to capture the locality's dialect. However, American Sign Language and Filipino Sign Language do not have a lot of differences between each other.

It is an interesting field to get into. Although I have not been able to fully communicate with people who have hearing disabilities and are completely communicating through sign language, I get to grasp a certain amount of information from what they say using their hands. It is interesting and exciting to be able to understand what they have to say and how they say it. Personally, I am looking forward to learning more signs and gaining a greater amount of understanding about these individuals' world.

For those who wish to learn sign language, a Sunday class is available at Basak Elementary School, Basak, Cebu City.

Of Mixed Emotions

When one of the speakers for the recent pre-practicum seminar that I attended asked each one of the participants about the right-now feelings, all I could think about is the halo-halo of feelings that I have been and am still experiencing.

The challenge with teaching special education is humongous. This is true for those who are trained as well as for those who are experienced in teaching. It is made even greater if one has no idea about lesson plans and the basic teaching strategies.

We did have some lessons focused on lesson plan making, but this is something I cannot just learn about in a couple of months. As one of my classmates in the course said, it takes real experience to determine the most effective lesson planning for each individual educator. More so, I am constantly hounded by the standard ethics guiding each teacher everyday within the classroom setting. What are the things a teacher can do to implement discipline in kids? What are the things a teacher should steer clear off when it comes to practicing with an iron hand? What is the teacher's limitations?

All these confusion are not clearly defined in any laws (that I have come across with), and no single teacher can tell me about the specifics about these concerns that bother me every single waking moment for the past few weeks up to the present.

These are the reasons behind the mixed emotions that I am feeling right now. I am completely overflowing with excitement about this new field that I am going to venture into. There is the butterflies in the stomach and all that giddiness, but they come with a good amount of fear as well.

I am scared of many things. I am scared of not being able to do what is expected of me in this area of work. I am scared of falling short of what they might expect of me. I am scared of not being able to do something, or anything, for these kids. I am scared that I might make the wrong moves and end up hurting them instead of helping them. I am scared. On the other hand, I am excited. I am scared and excited (and I hope both emotions are going to serve me well with this endeavor).

Understanding Special Education

What is Special Education?
~ It is an education system designed specifically to provide children with special needs the necessary and functional knowledge and skills they need in order to fully maximize their potentials as individuals.
~ It understands and takes into consideration the limitations of these children with disabilities without actually stopping their possible growth in all aspects of their lives.

For me, special education is all these and more. Special education entails a great amount of patience and an overflowing compassion for these children. They are not as capable as the regular kids and are not able to achieve what is expected at their age, but they are as human as the rest of us. This is something everyone should learn to understand and live by.

Special education is a great start to getting the public informed about the fact that these children need help. This is really a hard task especially in a country which is drowning in the depths of poverty. However, this is doable. This is achievable. It is highly possible to promote complete understanding, acceptance and respect for these individuals.

It might take some time, but I am one of the hopeful beings who strive to work toward making a difference for the betterment of the special ones.