While in the OT program at Mizzou, we had soooo many how-to-teach-handwriting lectures. It was awful, and I mostly just worked on my Hindi script-writing skills pretending to pay attention. I loved pediatrics but hated the concept of working in schools and focusing so much on handwriting.
Naturally, when I took my first job as an OT, I spent most of 4/5 weekdays between schools, mostly working on handwriting goals. When I took my travel job last January, I easily traded out the option to do regular adult rehab for the pediatric, albeit school-based, position. Over time, I've learned I can tolerate handwriting and really, really like the other aspects of working with schools.
Thursday this week, Liban and I got to visit the local government children's home. It is a very old, very large facility that also includes a vocational center, daycare, and classes for everyone from preschool to high school. There is also a partnering institution that provides early intervention, which I plan to explore later on. The children and young adults who participate in their programs are primarily those from lower income families who live in rural areas and have their children live at the "hostels" (dorms) and/or children who live in the slums beside the school.
A couple months ago, they began offering OT through a volunteer at the elementary school, and I now get to help out!
They are still in the process of screening all the students, which I got to observe, and even without knowing Tamil, it's apparent that the need is huge. Lack of family support, lack of finances (that leads to obligatory minimal parent involvement), lack of nutrition & consistency of meals, lack of intrinsic motivation for education and lack of opportunity/resources/time to play/be a kid have created a huge impact. Then add that the Indian educational system is primarily memorization while the student is seated in one spot throughout the duration of the day, and you have... so many things to work on.
The team of the pediatrician, educators, and OT are working to not only provide daily therapy but also educate the staff and change how the classroom is led. I'm so excited to get to be a part of it and help the kids succeed.
Things you can pray about include:
-This is a very, very Hindu facility. This excites me because there will be so many opportunities to share life and love with the students and staff. It's also probably going to be very intense spiritually. I will need my eyes opened towards these opportunities and also wisdom about when and how to speak when those arise.
-Team dynamics and communication. Language differences, cultural differences, and creativity differences are all present & give the opportunity for various misunderstandings, but to best serve these kiddos, we need smooth sailing initially.
-Creativity with limited supplies. This is a slightly superficial request, but the therapy room is currently 4 walls, a desk, 2 balance boards, ankle weights, 2 jump ropes, chalk, a tennis ball, and a box of rocks. Yes, you read that correctly: a box of rocks. Observed activities today include various versions of jumping/hopping/crawling to pick up a rock, place it in a yogurt container, and then go back for another rock. (They're not even painted, y'all!) I'm a pretty creative individual and thankfully brought several therapy supplies with me, but even I am going to need inspiration to make that box of rocks go a long way!
Naturally, when I took my first job as an OT, I spent most of 4/5 weekdays between schools, mostly working on handwriting goals. When I took my travel job last January, I easily traded out the option to do regular adult rehab for the pediatric, albeit school-based, position. Over time, I've learned I can tolerate handwriting and really, really like the other aspects of working with schools.
Thursday this week, Liban and I got to visit the local government children's home. It is a very old, very large facility that also includes a vocational center, daycare, and classes for everyone from preschool to high school. There is also a partnering institution that provides early intervention, which I plan to explore later on. The children and young adults who participate in their programs are primarily those from lower income families who live in rural areas and have their children live at the "hostels" (dorms) and/or children who live in the slums beside the school.
A couple months ago, they began offering OT through a volunteer at the elementary school, and I now get to help out!
They are still in the process of screening all the students, which I got to observe, and even without knowing Tamil, it's apparent that the need is huge. Lack of family support, lack of finances (that leads to obligatory minimal parent involvement), lack of nutrition & consistency of meals, lack of intrinsic motivation for education and lack of opportunity/resources/time to play/be a kid have created a huge impact. Then add that the Indian educational system is primarily memorization while the student is seated in one spot throughout the duration of the day, and you have... so many things to work on.
The team of the pediatrician, educators, and OT are working to not only provide daily therapy but also educate the staff and change how the classroom is led. I'm so excited to get to be a part of it and help the kids succeed.
Things you can pray about include:
-This is a very, very Hindu facility. This excites me because there will be so many opportunities to share life and love with the students and staff. It's also probably going to be very intense spiritually. I will need my eyes opened towards these opportunities and also wisdom about when and how to speak when those arise.
-Team dynamics and communication. Language differences, cultural differences, and creativity differences are all present & give the opportunity for various misunderstandings, but to best serve these kiddos, we need smooth sailing initially.
-Creativity with limited supplies. This is a slightly superficial request, but the therapy room is currently 4 walls, a desk, 2 balance boards, ankle weights, 2 jump ropes, chalk, a tennis ball, and a box of rocks. Yes, you read that correctly: a box of rocks. Observed activities today include various versions of jumping/hopping/crawling to pick up a rock, place it in a yogurt container, and then go back for another rock. (They're not even painted, y'all!) I'm a pretty creative individual and thankfully brought several therapy supplies with me, but even I am going to need inspiration to make that box of rocks go a long way!
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