Teacher's Day Special Report


<Insights of a Special Education Teacher>



Narrated by sister initiate Li, Taipei, Formosa
Recorded by Chang Xue-yun of the Taipei News Group

Sister Li is a teacher of a resource class for the physically and mentally handicapped in a primary school. She has many years of experience in special education, teaching mentally and physically disabled students. Her class consists of students with an IQ of above 50, but whose learning ability is hindered by symptoms such as autism, physical deformations, visual or hearing disabilities, or schizophrenia. These students usually study in the same classes with normal students, but also attend specially arranged resource classes, where they receive special individual training.

All parents want to have healthy children, and many find themselves unable to cope when their children are born with disabilities. With deep feelings, sister Li said: "Both parents and children must learn to cope with such psychological fear and withdrawal." Unfortunately, many parents fail to overcome their fear; they can only hide it in their hearts and weep secretly. Eventually, they abandon their children, depriving these young souls of a sense of security. On the other hand, Sister Li has also witnessed many great parents, some of whom were single parents who bravely walked with their children out of the shadows to face the challenges of life together. Here is a statement made by a famous disabled warrior in Formosa: "God simply joked with me to let me experience the radiance of life through my own endeavors!" Not every disabled person can live in such a cheerful and unrestrained manner. They need many people to light up their lives, show them the way, and give them timely support and encouragement. These people subsequently win their trust and help them further to open their long-locked hearts."

By practicing the Quan Yin Method, sister Li feels that an inner power is constantly supporting her, giving her greater love and patience to carry on with her arduous work. When teaching this group of children, she accepts and identifies with them, without pampering or over-protecting them. To fulfill her educational responsibility as a light kindler and guide, she finds all kinds of flexible ways to build up the trust of children, and to show them that she wants to help and guide them, and will never abandon them.

In her resource class was one first-grader, who had very young parents. Since the child was born with a hearing deficiency, they felt deeply hurt and locked the child in their home, giving him no sense of security. When the child first came to school, he was autistic and often refused to learn or have any contact with his schoolmates. His teacher, therefore, arranged for him to attend sister Li's resource class. When his classmates from the higher grades were joyfully engaged in speech training for those students who are disabled in hearing, he always sat alone in a corner. Sister Li tried every way that she could think of to guide him, but he always responded by crying.

Even then, sister Li never gave up on him. She loved and cared for him as if he were her own child. Under her persistent loving guidance, the boy finally showed some improvement. He stopped crying, and even talked about the television program that he had watched at home the day before. Every day, he would bring something for sister Li.

When the students from the higher grades encountered unhappy incidents, they would also pour out their grief to sister Li, who patiently exchanged ideas with them and took the opportunity to prepare them psychologically to handle such situations. She let them understand that, when a person makes a greater effort than others and goes through more setbacks and ordeals, his life becomes more meaningful and shines with greater radiance.



Teacher's Day Special Report
* The Quan Yin Method--
the Perfect Educational System
* ~A Happy Career
* ~Unexpected Bonus
* ~Tolerance, Appreciation,
Acceptance, and Concern
* ~Kindling the Light

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News No. 126
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