Along with all the events that the Junior School enthusiastically undertakes, every year we put our ‘thought’ into ‘action’ by celebrating a DISABILITY AWARENESS ACTOBER (OCTOBER).
Inspired by the thought , ‘Be the change you want to see’, the Learning Resource Centre (LRC) at the Junior school, the teachers and students dive into the month of October with our very own motto of the three A’s: AWARENESS, ACCEPTANCE and ACTION.
At the core of this event we introduce the students to a three step approach (AAA- Awareness, Acceptance, Action).
The first Step AWARENESS
comprises of discussions about difference between disability and difficulty, types of disabilities (physically visible and invisible) with the focus on ‘invisible’ or learning, social and behavioural disabilities such as Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia, ADHD, Autism and others.
This step provides insights on the types, nature and manifestation of disabilities in people around us. It also encompassed the possibility of having people in our classroom, family, neighbourhood, etc. managing life with these difficulties. The students become aware of the specific names of the disabilities along with the obstacles they present in the person’s life.
Step 2 ACCEPTANCE,
further guides the students to use their awareness as a tool to develop a sense of empathy, understanding and willingness to provide support in academic, social and any other situations to their peers. The students are exposed to several situations, shown videos, and talks of speakers narrating their experiences where there was a lack of support, resulting in lowered self esteem, a range of negative emotions and lack of confidence overall. The fundamental principle is not about ‘accepting a person’s disability’, but treating everyone as equal in spite of a disability. At this point the difference between sympathy and empathy and the importance of the latter, in every walk of life is elaborated on. We have coined another adoptive motto – ‘FREe mindset’ which entails exercising a mindset or perspective which is guided by F- Fairness, R-respect, E- empathy.
The third A, which is ACTION,
gives the students an opportunity to ‘Do’ something with all their learning, as that is the need of the hour, the emphasis being on ‘disability friendly’, unbiased and non-judgemental as a school and as individuals. It is about bringing about a change in the current scenario and thus having a happy environment for each and every child at school. Here the students get creative and share songs, posters, letters towith their friends, rule books for class, using sensitive language, receptive body language during social situations and understand the importance of either ‘being a friend’ or ‘being kind’. The students remember the three As and connect them to their role as empathetic individuals practising a FREe mindset.
At the end of the DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH, a ‘DISABILITY FRIENDLY ASSEMBLY’ helps conclude, summarise and applaud the success of this event. The school comes together to acknowledge their biases, to acknowledge the need for inclusion and above all to normalise differences.
The event leaves us with two important realisations, that every significant change has to be initiated and reinforced with the children so that the adults they grow up to be are effortlessly humane, and secondly, our own limitations, apprehensions, prejudices, presumptions and biases need to be set aside first before we desire to see any change in our children/students.
The
‘DISABILITY FRIENDLY ACTOBER’
is a key anual event. As it is rightly said, ‘The climb sure is uphill, but the view will be great!’
Evidence
