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Was due to start my placement last Thursday but it got cancelled due to bad weather. Started work last Friday instead.
However, my first day at the school was bizarre but very interesting experience! Was introduced to the students,the staff and the building. First thing I've noticed that there is a hearing school next door is in a modern facilities whereas the deaf school is in a poor facilities and the building surroundings was also very poor but it didn't stopped the students from smiling and got on with their day like we would normally do. First High School for the Hearing Impairment is a high school for deaf students aged from 13-30. The quality of education was unfortunately not on same level as us and it was very basic. I got given my timetable from a member of staff and I've noticed there is "vacant" on every single sessions which means practical life skills such as housekeeping, hairdressing, cooking and snack bar, I asked the principle why there is no English subject since it is the most important subject in the education industry, Her respond was "they can't be bother nor can write or read. No matter what I do there is no improvement. They rather to be educated in visual skill." I asked if I could try teach them and she asked me if I could write or read?! What?! Is she thinking that deaf people can't? She even asked me to write a page about myself and show her my writing skills which I felt it was a bit cheeky to ask me for a proof but however I did and handed the page over to her. Her reaction was walking out of room in tears and shown it to others that I can write and told me she have never seen any deaf people write same level as me. She eventually agreed and give me a trail-she chosen two young boys to come with me and read the story to me. I could see they was very smart kids and understood very well what the story is about but it is a shame that they don't get taught what words means or how to write a sentence. I spent an entire morning writing words on the blackboard,explaining what they means,giving them example, write a sentence of each words, and taught them in Filipino sign language which was a rather massive challenge I've took in my life. At the end of session I tested them again to see if they've learnt something- guess what!? They did and there was a massive improvement from the beginning and the end of session! Never felt so proud of myself for be able to contribute something to others.
Result,I've proved the staff wrong and now I've been asked to teAch them English full time during my stay!
Can't wait to see the outcome at the end of my voluntary work
- comments
Mammy bear Amazing Leanne cc
Kev stead This is amazing. To see your confidence growing every day and the amazing things you're doing makes me burst with pride. Keep up the good work xxxx
Alix proud of you :) glad your doing well miss stead xx
nana so proud of you leanne we know you can allways do anything when you put your mide to it you will be the best teavher there hugs and kisses nana and greandad
liz torley the only limitation to what you want to do is you hun. the world is your oyster.keep it up.xxx