SPECIAL SCHOOL FOR SPECIAL CHILDREN :
An Innovative Baramati Experience
DR Anil Mokashi
M.D, D.C.H, F.I.A.P, Ph. D (Pediatrics)
Chairman.
Institute of Rural Pediatrics
Sardar Patel road,
Baramati, Dist Pune,
Maharashtra, 413102.
Phone (02112) 224288 .
Many children do not develop or learn like Others.
They are different.
They are special.
There are many special children around.
Special children need special education in special schools.
SPECIAL CHILDREN
1. Mentaly handicapped
2. Hearing handicapped
3. Visually handicapped
4. Physically handicapped
5. Slow learners
6. Dyslexia & learning disabilities.
7. Attention deficit hyperactive disorders
8. Autism.
9. Psychiatric problems.
10. Street children.
11. Broken family.
12. Death of father/mother.
13. Orphans.
14. Juvenile delinquent.
15. Remand home inmates
16. Children of convicts.
17. Wandering families.
18. Children of prostitutes.
19. Disaster hit children.
20. Others.
SPECIAL PROBLEMS.
Formal education is designed for normal children, in normal families, in normal community.
Special children in formal school get the label of 'Scholastic backwardness'.
"If he can not learn the way we teach, we should teach the way he can learn ".
That is our guiding principle of special school.
Our duty is to diagnose the cause of "Red Lines in School Progress Card" and institute
remedial measures.
Special education in essence is a remedial education.
It is the individualized education.
Because of difficulties faced by special children ,a formal school can not cope up with their
needs.
They need a special school.
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It is not enough to identify the branch as 'special education', or to call the teachers as 'special
education graduates'.
Special facilities with special syllabus and special curriculum has to be evolved.
SPECIAL SCHOOL.
There are few schools for MR & HI. Still few for the blind.
There are hardly any facilities for slow learners, dyslexics, autistics.
In many places these special children are clubbed with MR.
The flaw is in government rules.
Government wants to report all special children as mild MRs.
Special school needs special teachers, smaller classes, capacity building curriculum,
developmental atmosphere (not academic), audio visual aids, do it yourself mode of learning,
multisensory teaching program (our specialty).
Our school has 4 hours academic & 2 hours developmental syllabus.
In our school extracurricular activities are considered as curricular activities.
What he can do is more important than what he knows.
We teach them doing things.
Our developmental syllabus promotes action.
1. Study habits training: Reading, writing, memorizing, understanding, abstracting, notes
taking etc .
2. Social skill training : Behavior in family, peer group, school, community etc.
3. Competitive examinations : Drawing, painting, Math's, English, Marathi, Hindi, G.K. test,
Intelligence tests, talent search, scholarship etc.
4. Children's competitions : Essay, handwriting, story telling, jokes telling, reciting, poetry,
drama, music, singing, sports, games, elocution, debate etc.
5. Science projects : science exhibition projects,
6. Library, souvenir, annual magazine, notice board, magazine etc.
7. Theme trips : Trips based on curricular topics.
8. Performing arts : Drama, one act plays, street plays, solaces.
9. Art, craft, hobby.
10. celebrating designated days like Health, entirenment, teacher's women, children etc.
11. Celebrating religious festivals.
12. Typing, shorthand, computer operating.
13. Operating taperecorder, radio, T.V., V.C.R., C.D. player interactive CDS. camera, overhead
projector, slide projector for learning purposes.
14. Internet, on line education, on line examinations.
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15. Using directory, dictionery, atlas, maps, yellow pages, encyclopedia.
16. Sports and games.
OPEN EDUCATION AND NIOS :
Open education is adjustable to the needs of an individual special child. It is non competitive
Rat race for marks is eliminated. So are extra tutions, extra homework, frustration and
resulting humiliation. With the help of open education special child can 'enjoy learning'.
National institute of open schooling has given us this opportunity to bring smiles on the faces
of special children and their parents. NIOS is a statutory body established by Human Resource
ministry of Government of India It is like CBSE or SSC board. It is established for children who
can not attend formal school.
Our special children also can not attend formal school. They do not like 'this school', school
does not like 'this child' Both hate each other. Best of the schools wait for second time failure
and hand over the school leaving certificate. What happens to child is none of their business.
It is not their fault. They are not equipped to handle the child.
NIOS open basic education offers 3 rd ,5 th ,8 th standard courses. Examination is conducted
locally by our school. The 10 th and 12 th examinations conducted by NIOS at national level.
NIOS has special schemes for handicapped and disadvantaged. They have vocational subjects
in academic curriculum. That is the revolution. Student has freedom to choose his subjects. He
can pass 10 th & 12 th without Math's, science and English. 60 percent children fail in S.S.C.
H.S.C. All of them fail in these three subjects only. A small businessman, trader, service
provider, electrical, plumbing, building contractor, hotel owner, farmer, sportsman, singer,
photographer needs to pass 12 th , need not get stuck up with mathematics, physics,
chemistry and english. But he needs to be a graduate. Open education has opened the gates
for him. Home science teaches adequate science. Subjects like typing, word processing,
business studies are useful for life. Five subjects option, credit accumulation facility, direct
registration facility all are novel, extremely useful concepts. The disability sector needs to
revise it's orientation and fit their curricula in NIOS format. At Baramati we have done just
that.
What do we have
We are a registered society and trust. We have 3 acreas of privately donated land. (It is easy
to get private land donations. Ring me on 02112,224288 for tricks) We got buildings through
M.P. fund. We have 80 G concession, F.C.R.A. licence; up to date audit. We have 300 donor
who give Rs 100/ year, and 100 donors who give Rs 100/ month. We are running a Govt.
recognized school for MR(60 children), school for HI (60 Children). We have many other
projects in the field of child development, education, health and welfare. We have 20 fully
qualified staff.
What we do not have.
No government grant, aid, support.
No benches, tables, chairs, fans etc.
No arrangements for recurring expenses like commercial light bill, commercial water bill,
commercial local taxes.
What we expect.
A good will, helping hand, a good future, encouragement, money.
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