This time with reinforcements!

The blog is back!

The time it took for me to remember the log in details reminds me how long it's been since I was last at SCH. I miss those wonderful kids and am so excited to announce that I will be going back to SCH this summer with an amazing team of people!

I have always said that as much as i miss the kids, the staff and the place, i would never go back unless I could be helpful. It's not fair on the children to go simply for myself. Thinking about my skills and the skills of people around me, I realised one thing I have experience with is running amazing camps!

So that is what we're doing. We will go and spend 2 weeks running a fun, exciting and educational day camp for a group of the SCH kids. We will focus on communication skills and developing independence as well as giving the children a fun summer camp experience.

I am so excited to get going with organising this! 

So why shake the dust off the blog today? Well it's black friday. I know we don't do thanksgiving and it's all a corporate money making scheme but may as well make the most of it. As part of their black Friday deals amazon are currently selling the Fire tablets for under £30. These can be used with a range of apps to turn them into communication devices. Anyone whose been following my blog for a while will know that i am passionate about communication for all. I would love to be able to take some of these devices out to India to get the kids that need them set up with communication devices. So many of these kids are non-verbal but that definitely doesn't mean they have nothing to say!

So, please, consider purchasing an amazon fire tablet from this wish-list
https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/3LA3O2X7G5VXP

 If you are not able to buy one but would like to send money towards one please let me know.

I promise to keep you updated with photos! 

Dear Molly

Leaving SCH was hard. I miss the kids, staff and volunteers so much. I don't know yet when I'll next be able to go back. I am reminded of a song that I heard for the first time last time I got back from India and the words are so true. https://m.soundcloud.com/rsytunes/hanach-lraglai-llechet

Dear Molly,

I said goodbye to you for the second time 10 days ago. It has taken me a while to put my thoughts together but now I'm ready. I want to tell you how much I love you and how proud of you I am. You have achieved so much in the few weeks I spent with you. But more importantly than that, I am proud of you for working so hard. I know how difficult it was for you. And you could have given up. But you never did. Every day you worked as hard as you could and never gave up. Your determination inspires me every day.

I miss you every day. I think of you when I see children playing on a playground or clothes I think you'd like. I think of you when I eat food I think you'd like or see a book you'd love. I know you're doing well but it hurts that I can't be with you to see continue to learn and do amazing things.

I have never met anyone as amazing as you and I miss you every day. I feel so lucky to know you and you have taught me so much.

I hope you always no how much you are loved. I want you to know how many people are following your story and are supporting you the whole way. You are so special and I hope you know that.

Love Louise akka 

4o'clock is chai time

Those of you who have been following my blog for a while will remember that last year I helped to make Molly a communication book. She grasped the concept quickly and one of the first things she said spontaneously was asking for chai. Well, she didn't really ask for chai, she said 'i want your drink' because I didn't think to put the word chai in the book. This time when I was preparing the computer I made sure I put the word chai in. This week has seen Mol begin to use the computer independently to make requests and talk about things. What did she ask for? You guessed it, she wanted chai! She now knows where chai is and will ask for chai at all times of day and doesn't care what question you ask her, the response is always 'chai' until she's had her afternoon cup. Can't really blame her to be honest!

Mol is also using her computer to communicate other things. One of her most used phrases (unsuprisingly for anyone who knows her) is 'when will good be ready?' She drives me mad by asking that every couple of minutes towards the end of the day but I'm so glad she has the opportunity to ask questions rather than just responding to other people.

Each day Mol is getting better at using eye gaze and is really understanding it's potential. Today she used it to really have a conversation with me for the first time. She was looking through the different pages and said 'auto' then looked at me and smiled. I then asked her where she wanted to go. She told me she wanted to go shopping. When I asked why she needed to go shopping she responded with 'chocolate'! She was very happy that she managed to tell me that but not so pleased when I said no... She thinks that she will get anything she asks for with the computer!

As my time here is coming to an end I am so glad I have been able to start her on her way to fluent and independent communication.

When I grow up

A conversation with my dad last night for me thinking. We'd been talking about Stephen Hawking and what Mol might be able to do with her computer in the future. So today I decided to talk to Mol about these questions.

We started the afternoon by watching a video about space. Mol was captivated by it. She is normally very easily distracted by things going on around her but she was totally focused on this. I then told her that there was a very clever man called Stephen who had taught us lots about space and that he was one of the cleverest people alive. Then I showed her a picture of him. She was excited that he was in a wheelchair like her but screamed when we saw him talking because he uses a computer to talk too!

I then asked her what job she wanted to do when she grew up. I put some options on her computer and we talked about what each person does. I was pretty sure she'd choose teacher but she suprised me when she said 'when I grow up I want to be a scientist'. That's right everyone, Mol is going to be the next Stephen Hawking.

The rest of the afternoon was spent being a scientist. She decided she was going to be a chemist so we made the clothes (white coat and goggles) and collected items to use to make a new medicine.

When our concoction was made we spent some time talking about what it does, how to take it and who to give it to. It was such a great afternoon and I really saw Mol understand the full potential of the computer for the first time.

Mol, please continue to dream and explore and discover. I know you will do great things in your life. I hope you know that too. 

Fun with eyegaze

This week has overall been great. It's had its ups and downs but Molly is doing so weel with her eye gaze and is really enjoying it.

At the beginning of the week Mol was very frustrated with the whole thing. She got upset when she found something difficult and would close her eyes or look away to avoid doing it (she learly understands how it works!). I wanted to work on it with her but I was torn between pushing through it in the hope it would get better or leaving it a few days to see if we could recapture the excitement from the first couple of days.

In the end I decided to keep going, and I'm so glad I did! I made a few grids of activities I knew she liked for her and Lilly and allowed her to choose what we did. This week we have played snakes and ladders, played babies, dressed up, made things and spent lots of time on the bike. During all these activities I had Mol (and often Lilly) make choices or explain what to do using their communication devices. Mol particularly loves being able to say what her doll wants or needs!

This coming week I am hoping to use this enthusiasm and skill on the computer to begin working on academics with her. It will be a lot of trial and error (aka making it up as I go along) but I'm hoping to find a method that will work as she continues to learn both computer and academic skills. She is so clever, we just need to find the best way to teach her.

Yesterday afternoon we took a break from the computer and went with about half of Molly's foster home to the park down the road. Mol cycles all the way there! (I may have helped push in the uphill bits....). She loved being able to cycle to the park and it was great exercise for her. The park itself was great exercise for me! Having carried her down about 50 steps I then took her on the slide, the swings and up and down the grassy hill! It was quite the workout! I'm just sorry I forgot to take a camera.

Ongole

8 years ago SCH started with a handful of kids in a small village by the sea called ongole. Today SCH is home to over 150 children and almost 30 have been adopted. Most of the kids now love in Hyderabad where there is better access to schools and medical care. However some still live in ongole. On Monday I was able to meet there kids and see the beautiful village for myself.

After a 7 hour overnight bus ride (not nearly as bad as it sounds!) We arrived in ongole, just a a the village was waking up. We ate some dosa, got some chai then headed to faith home to meet the younger group of kids living in ongole. The children there, like the rest of the village, live a simple life. They do not have access to the same things as our children living in Hyderabad however they are doing so well. They all receive education, either at a local school of with teachers who come into their homes and are clearly very loved by their ayahs. The school boys live going to the park and the beach and were keen to show us photos of them when we arrived. It is so easy to think that buying things for these kids will make problems disapear. Seeing the ongole kids reminded me that is not always true. They showed me that a little can go a long way and reminded me to use what we have wisely, rather than getting new things.

After lunch we visited victory home. This is now home to the older boys but was once the only SCH home. It is amazing to see where the organisation I love so much started and to be able to see how much it has changed and grown. The boys are working on starting a vocational program in the village focused on agriculture and were keen to tell us how they had been learning to ride a bike!

After spending some more time with the younger kids we spent the evening exploring ongole. It is physically a very small city but I'm typical Indian fashion they cram a lot in to a small space. We headed to one of the main shopping streets where I got some new ankle chains (I was told they were super by selah this afternoon!) And then out to dinner before getting the bus back to Hyderabad.

It was a crazy day! Still can't quite believe it all actually happened but it was wonderful to see where SCH started and have some time to acknowledge how much it has developed over the last 8 years. I hope it continues to develop and improve over the coming years ad there is always work to be fine.

India- season 2 episode 1

I've been in India a couple of days and already so much has happened! I've had a wonderful couple of days spending time with Mol and the other kids and catching up with friends.

I've wasted no time getting Mol using the computer! She already understands how it works and gets very excited by it! Today we used it to colour a picture and write a letter to her foster sister, teagan, who is recovering from an opperation. She also used the comunication section to tell me that she was worried about Teagan! Still not entirely sure if it was intentional or not but it's a great step either way in being able to communicate independently. 

Molly and Lilly have both been loving the adapted bike! It was such a struggle getting it here but seeing them smile as they do some really amazing exercise and PT makes that all worth it.

It's quite strange being back really. I'm some ways, so much has changed. Some kids have been adopted and new kids have arrived. Volunteers have come and gone and Molly has been potty trained. In other ways it feels like I never left. I settled straight back into working with the kids and still remember everything as if it was yesterday.

This weekend I will be making a plan of what to do with Mol to make the most of my time here. I am very aware that my time is limited but I know that if I do things right Mol will make amazing progress I  that time. I am so excited to see what Mol will tell us and learn more about what goes on in her head.

Back to India

Tomorrow afternoon I get on a plane back to India. I can't wait to see my friends, meet new people and most importantly see the kids I've been thinking about since I left over a year ago. So many exciting things have been happening at SCH since I was last there. Several kids have been adopted, new kids have come, volunteers have been and gone and of course all the kids have grown and learnt new skills. Sometimes it is easy to forget that it will not all be the same when I get there. I still imagine walking into my old room and seeing my friends there. I still remember my exact schedule and part of me still expects to be following it, despite knowing I have a very different role this time.

Then I remember why I'm going back. I am going to help give Molly a voice. My plan is to spend 3 weeks working intensively with Molly to teach her how to use the eye-gaze computer. My hope is that she will learn the basics and her teacher can then continue working with her. She is so intelligent and I know that she will grasp the concept so quickly. I know it will be difficult. Having had a go controlling the computer with my eyes I know how hard and sometimes frustrating it can be. I am praying that she will enjoy it and work hard to achieve what I know she is capable of, and that I will have the patience to teach her even in those difficult moments.

Over the next three weeks I will be writing about her progress. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who donated to make this possible for Molly. You have helped give her the most incredible gift in the world. I hope that one day soon she will be able to say thank you herself.

Dear Molly

Dear Molly,

Happy birthday! I can't quite believe you're turning 9. It's not because I can't believe how old you are, in fact I often forget how young you are and think you are much older. It's more that it reminds me that time is passing. You are changing. I am sad that I'm not there to see that. Nikki and Tori keep me up to date with your progress. I know about the big things you achieve and get to see photos of you sometimes. What I miss is sharing the little things with you. I miss talking with you. I miss those conversations about completely ridiculous things which ended with us both laughing until our sides hurt. I miss seeing your smile when I walked through the door. I miss you telling me about school that day and hugging you goodbye in the evening. I know I am incredibly lucky to still be in contact with you. I get to skype you and hear about how you're doing but it's not the same. 

This year on your birthday I want you to know how many people care about you. People have donated to give you a voice, to hear your story. These people have seen you as a person before your disability. They understand how amazing you are. Most of these people have never met you and never will but they believe in you anyway. You are so special Mol, and so many people know that. I hope you know it too. 

Happy birthday Mol, I hope it was as amazing as you are.

Love Louise akka 

Giving Molly a voice

The other night I dreamt, as I often do, that I was back in India. I walked along the road that became so familiar to me, through the large metal gates of courage home, said hello to Charlie (the rather scruffy spaniel) and up two flights of stairs. I walked through the doors and could hear laughing. Molly spotted me from across the room and smiled her trademark smile. As I got closer she stood up from her wheelchair and took a few shaking steps towards me and said my name. I woke up after that. It was one of those dreams that was so amazing I never wanted it to end and when it did I came crashing back to reality with an unpleasant jolt. I know that Molly will never be able to walk, her body will not let her. I know will never be able to talk the way we think of talking. But that does not mean she will never talk at all. Molly could talk, tell stories, write, play games, make pictures and countless other things all with the help of a specialised piece of technology. This technology is a small camera that fits onto a laptop. The camera follows Molly's eye movements and makes her eyes the mouse. She could do so much! I would like to raise the money to purchase an eye-gaze strip and a laptop which I can take out to India with me this summer to work intensively with Molly on using the computer for a few weeks. I know how much Molly want to learn and how much she wants to communicate. She can communicate so much in her own unique way this technology would give her the freedom to say anything she wants. It would give her the power to make complex decisions and to entertain herself with a book, film or game. I am hoping to raise £2000 to pay for the laptop and eye gaze technology. I know this sounds like a lot but if each of my Facebook friends donated just £3, the money would be raised. Please consider giving whatever you can afford by clicking on the link below and share this post  so we can give Molly the power to speak. 

https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/louise-baker

http://loalecha.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/all-about-molly.html

29 things I learnt in India

1) Don't EVER underestimate a person based on their appearance, how they talk or what it says on a piece of paper. 

2) 4pm is chai time. Everything else can wait.

3) Modern, non-denominational church is a massive culture shock.

4) Let the little things slide. There are bigger things to worry about.

5) Sometimes it's okay to just read a book, listen to music or play a game. It's okay to take a break.

6) I REALLY cannot learn languages.

7) Quick reactions prevent little fingernails breaking skin.

8) Don't wait until later, time flies when you're having fun.

9) Flour and water makes a surprisingly effective glue.

10) Just because something is done differently, doesn't mean either way is wrong.

11) Google does not have all the answers. Most, but not all.

12) Doctors get things wrong.

13) Eating is very challenging if you're blind.

14) Foreigners get charged 3x as much for autos.

15) Foreigners get charged 20x as much for tourist attractions.

16) Patience.

17) Perseverance.

18) Doing what's best for a child can be the opposite of what you want to do to help them.

19) Keep smiling, even when things don't go your way. 

20) Food is a wonderful motivator.

21) Going home is much harder than leaving home.

22) You don't need to talk to be funny.

23) Change your expectations based on what you see around you.

24) Prioritise. Different people need different things.

25) Playing, talking and napping are important parts of life.

26) There is nothing that cannot be done with a cardboard box and some paint.

27) Beauty can be found in the most unexpected places

28) Friends do not have to solve each other's problems, listening is enough.

29) You cannot solve all the worlds problems.  There will always be more work to be done. 

'Lo alecha hamlacha ligmor, v’lo atah ben chorin l’hivatel mimena'

'You are not expected to complete the task, but neither are you free to avoid it' (Rabbi Tarfon, Pirkei Avot 2:21) 

What can you do?

Many of you who read my blog tell me you love what I'm doing and wish you could help. With my time in India coming to a close I thought I'd give you a list of ways you can help.

1) sponsor a child's general needs. This money is used for paying for food, their ayah's wages, doctors appointments and other necessities. There are many children, particularly the older kids, without sponsors. Please contact me for more information.

2) sponsor a child's education. At SCH they aim to give the children the best education possible. You can help by paying a child's school fees. There are many children in need of school sponsors and I'll be happy to give you more information.

3) Make a one time donation to the general fund, for when unexpected fees come up

4) Make a one time donation to the urgent medical fund. Often a child will be rushed to hospital with no warning. We need to be able to pay for medical care in instances where there is no time to fundraise. 

5) Purchase an item off my wishlist for jubilee home. I may not be able to use it but the next volunteer who comes will. I'd love to get the bean bags ordered for the children with CP. Most have wheelchairs but cannot sit in them for long periods due to having spent many years lying on the floor. The bean bags would be more comfortable for them when they cannot stand being in their chairs. 

The link is http://www.amazon.in/gp/registry/wishlist/399YMJ4QVV2U1/ref=topnav_lists_1

6) Purchase something off baby Cadens wishlist. Caden is a very special baby with epidermolysis bullosa, or Butterfly syndrome. It means that any friction on his skin causes huge painful blisters. As you can imagine, he needs a lot of specialised care. 

The link is http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/17DB1JQVEB23V/ref=cm_wl_rlist_go_o? 

These things are not available in India so please send them to 567 Siloam Rod. Magee, MS 39111. A future volunteer will bring them when they come. The most important thing is the tubifast but everything on there is really important for his health and to improve his quality of life.

7) Share! I know many of you cannot afford to do these things but you can share it with people who can. The more people who know, the better it is for the kids.

How can you say no to these kids? 

My first day of school

Ok, so not my first day at school ever, but my first day in an Indian school. Last Wednesday I had the opportunity to visit the special needs school where some of the SCH kids go, including Molly and Lilly. It was a really fascinating day and I enjoyed the opportunity to see what some of our children are learning and how they are taught. Some aspects of the school were fantastic. The verbal children are recieving a good education, the therapists seem to be excellent and the teachers were kind and really try their best with the kids. I wasn't happy with the quality of the education for the handful of very bright but non verbal children but that's a post for another day. 

During my visit to the school was the first time I have really been hit with the unfairness of what these children are living with. In the UK or America these children would all get an education. They would be in mainstream school, a special needs school where, most likely, there educational needs would be met,  or they would be homeschooled. I know that parents of special needs kids at home can spend long hours advocating for their child, fighting for what they deserve. The children here don't have that. They have amazing foster parents but they do not have the time to spend many hours advocating for their children to have access to things that may not even exist in India. It's just not fair.

I know that what they receive at SCH is a million times better than what they would get at the government orphanage. I am reminded of that every day when Tricia, who didn't talk, hug or make eye contact when she arrived a few months ago, yells 'good morning sister!' And throws her arms round my waist. I am reminded when Molly uses her communication book to tell me she feels sick or when we take the children to the park to play. It is a massive improvement but it's far from a perfect situation. 

I have seen the fantastic work of special needs schools in the UK. Children who here are deemed 'unteachable' here learn to read and write at home. My hope, for all these children, is that somehow they can receive the education they deserve.

All about Molly

I've been struggling to know what to write recently. The novelty has worn off and the heat means I have been totally lacking creativity. I have decided to introduce you to one very special young lady. 

Something about Mol had me immediately. I don't know if it was her joyful smile or her beautiful eyes but i knew she was a child I wanted to work with. So much has changed since those first weeks.

At the beginning, it was all about playing with her. We read fairy tales I wasn't sure she understood, made various princess related crafts and attempted to play board games. I knew she was bright but I didn't realise until much later just how clever she is. In a way, I regret not beginning to work with her properly earlier but I realise that the time we spent together just playing was important. I learnt how she communicates, I started to see how much she could understand and it gave me the chance to think about what I wanted her to learn. I can safely say she has supassed my highest expectations. 

At some point I realised just how bright Mol is. I started working on reading with her using matching puzzles. She could do them all instantly. I was concerned she was only reading the first letter so I gave her options starting with the same letter and she still did it with ease. I googled how to teach non-verbal children to read. I followed the instructions anticipating it would take at least a week for her to be able to tell me a word on a flashcard independently. Boy was I wrong. I showed her once and she was off. Of course she made a few mistakes now and again but she was reading 90% of them correctly. I continue to work on reading with Molly every day, now working on sentences and grammar. I am slowly learning to abandon any expectations I have of her and just see what she can do. I have been doing an activity this week wich involves choosing a word to complete a sentence. Initially I was reading the sentence to her and just getting her to read the options for the missing word. Yesterday I decided not to read the sentence to her. She completed the sentences with the same accuracy as when I was reading them to her. This girl will go on to achieve so much, I can't wait to see what.

Molly brightens my day every time I see her. Her whole face lights up and she grins from ear to ear. She has the best laugh and cracks up when I pull faces at her or pretend to do something stupid (or actually do....). She's a very sensetive child. She cries when something happens she doesn't like and she starts tearing up if I make a joke about going somewhere without her. It's in those moments I can see the scars from her childhood and I realise yet again just how amazing this young lady is. 

Her communication skills have just exploded recently. Every day she says something that makes me laugh. Today she used her communication book to say 'me, drink, you, please'..... She was asking/telling me to get her chai wich is normally just gives to the adults! I got her some and she was thrilled! She has also learnt to trick me. I was looking for he book we were reading together and had just given up when she said 'book, behind' then looked at the door. 'Is it behind the door Mol?' With a very serious face she nodded yes. As soon as I pulled back the door, she burst out laughing! She thourght it would be a great way to get out of school work. This girl has such a big personality. 

I like to think that I am making a difference to her life. I hope she can continue to communicate so effectively once I leave and that she will have many more words at her disposal. I hope that she can read well enough that she can occupy herself with a book and learn about all the things I would like to teach her but don't have the time to. But overall she is having a bigger impact on me. She has taught me so much about expectations. She has taught me about determination. She forces me every day to be more creative. She highlights how what we say does not always come from our mouths, that so much can come from the way we look at something or a gesture or a facial expression. She reminds me that people can do so much more if you give them the chance. I think back to that first month when I hadn't realised just how incredible Molly is. It makes me wonder how many people I don't give a real chance to. It is so easy to discredit people. To say that because they can't or don't do something the same way as other people they can't do it at all. I love Molly so much and wish I could bring her home with me. Instead, I will bring the things she has taught me home as these are thourghts that will be with me forever. 

Bumblebee cafe on Saturday. Lovely to relax and just let Molly, Lilly and Nolan play together with other children.

She's getting so good at counting! All I needed to do was help her move her finger!

The first book she read by herself. Can't be sure she read every word correctly but certainly enough to answer my questions.

Play time

Saturday's are my favourite time with the kids. That is the time when I can hang out and have fun with the children without having to think about what they're learning or what new skills they're learning. Don't get me wrong, I love teaching both in a group and one-to-one but the fun activities we run on Saturdays are when you really get to know the kids. 

The first Saturday doing something other than my normal schedule we spent the morning at Jubilee home painting nails. The girls LOVED it! They showed me their nails every time I saw them for the next 3 days! The best part of the morning was painting the ayah's (India caregivers) nails. They do such a difficult job, some of them 24/7 and rarely get enough recognition. It felt great to do something for them to show them how much they are appreciated by everyone here. We also took the children in wheelchairs for a walk. I have been working wih Bells on moving herself in her chair so the walk was a great opportunity for her to practice. She did so well but was exhausted but he time we got home.

Another Saturday highlight was spending time with the girls at Joy home. They have so much energy and are great fun to hang out with. We painted their nails, then they painted mine! Such a mess but they were so proud of themselves. We also had fun playing in the park opposite their house then relaxing with a film.

Saturday's always make me think about the amount of time spent doing school/therapy with kids. In other places they would not get any of this and I am so pleased that SCH recognises how important education of some sort is for all these children. But sometimes I forget that they need time to play and have fun. I appreciate that they are not all working all the time but many of the children do not know how to play. Many have been institutionalised prior to coming into our care and need to be shown what you do with a toy. They have lost so much already that as volunteers we have to make an effort to give them their childhood back. So this week I will spend more time listening to the children, more time holding and feeding baby dolls and playing with toy cars because play is important too.

Here are some of my favourite photos from the last couple of weeks:

Sunrise on the roof

Finished castle

Going to church- a bigger culture shock than coming to India

Hungry caterpillar lessons

Spelling/building a tower, depending of your point of view

Finally, on Monday I took Bella into the classroom to see what she could do. She is very strong but doesn't do much physically. I decided to try standing her up. I put her on a chair near the window, put her feet in the right position, put her hands on the bars then pulled her into a standing position. I was expecting to have to hold her up but I didn't need to! I did this every day last week and on Thursday she didn't even wait for my help, she pulled herself up! I am so proud of her! Can't wait to see how else she will surprise me.

1st week of school

As I mentioned a week ago, jubilee house have just started lessons for the children who are unable to attend mainstream school. I have now been teaching four classes for one week so I thourght you should know how it was going.

My first class is probably my most challenging class in terms of knowing what to do with them. 4 out of the 5 are immobile due to cerebral palsy and there is a huge range of abilities. 2 are bright, alert and keen to learn new things. I've been working on colour sorting with them. The other 3 do not respond to much I do with them. When they do respond they only do it in a one-to-one setting, never when I'm doing something with them as a class. We sing some songs and I read Dr seus books to them wich they seem to enjoy. I've been trying to remember how the children with profound learning difficulties were taught when I did work experience in a special needs school but I can't remember much about it.

My next class is my phonics class. They are doing really well. Hey could already recognise all the letters but have no idea what sounds they make or what words start with wich letters. So far we've done A, B and C and they can all tell me things starting with those letters. I have also been getting them to point to letters/words when I read them stories which they're getting the hang of. 

My next class is my most challenging in terms of behaviour. They all have autism and a lot have very difficult behaviour such as hitting and spitting. Their behaviour in class is actually very good compared to usual but it is a constant battle getting some of them to stay in their chair. They can all now sort two colours and I plan to move on to more next week. I only realised on Friday that one of the children can sign all her colours. All the children have been learning ASL for some time but I didn't realise she could do it because she has her own version of all the signs. Now I can recognise them, I realise what she is saying to me more. I also want to find out if she is trying to sign other things to me. 

My final class is doing really well. I started teaching them colour sorting on Monday and by Thursday they could all do it perfectly with 4 colours. I have now moved on to shapes and am planning on playing shape and colour dominos with them next week. I always read to them at the end of the lesson. Their favourite book is 'mr brown can moo' by Dr seus and they all do the sounds with me!

I'm really enjoying teaching. There are still issues that need to be resolved with regards to the school but it's great that the kids are learning. They have all achieved so much in a week, I can't wait to see what they do by the time I leave.

In other news, the princess castle is coming along nicely. I work on it every day with Molly and she loves it. She can also now spell the colours blue, yellow, green, red and orange! Here are some pictures of the castle so far, wih Molly's choice of colours!

Religion and prayer

So a lot of people have been wondering what it's like for a Jew volunteering in a christian organisation and this weekend seemed like the perfect time to write about it. 

I want to start by writing about Passover. On Friday night I hosted my first Seder meal. It was a wonderful experience and probably my most memorable Seder. We had to make our own matza, try to cook in someone else's kitchen with unusual ingredients and figure out what to do for some of the more unusual items on the Seder plate. 

Yes, that is a carrot for the lamb bown and chillis for the bitter herb :)

We had a wonderful evening. I found a great Haggadah online written by an American rabbi. It's all in English with only the blessings in Hebrew. It was the perfect compromise between tradition and making it accessible for those who had never experienced it before. Instead of traditional hallel (the songs of praise) one of the other volunteers lead worship. This included the two Christian songs I know from RSY-netzer. We all had a lovely evening and I am so greatful that I was able to share my tradition with my friends.

I have also had the chance to watch a volunteers worship session organised by some of the world race team. It really made me think about how I do prayer, particularly in the context of a youth movement. The worship night was, in many ways, quite similar to an RSY service. We all sat in a circle with acoustic guitars (and a ukulele) to sing. There were also some noticeable differences. There was no obligation to join in with the singing. It struck me when we first sat down that one of the people leading said 'please feel free to join in, read your bible, write in your journal or do whatever worship is to you.' Many people chose to do one of these things or just sat quietly. People were also free to get up, move about and find there own space. There was no standing or sitting for certain parts and no set prayers. People behaved however felt right for them. I love tefillah (prayer) on RSY but it was interesting to see how other people did it. I look forward to continuing to learn about other people beliefs and I hope that I can continue to teach people about my own.

Mega update

Sorry I haven't blogged for ages, I've just been so busy here! Unfortunately, due to government regulations we can no longer post pictures of the children online. I know it's a shame you won't be able to see their beautiful faces. 

We've just said goodbye to the wonderful world race team that was with us. The world race is a Christian organisation wich organise gap years around the world. This team were travelling to 11 countries in 11 months doing volunteering projects in each one. The extra pairs of hands meant we took the opportunity to take the children on trips. I went on a trip to the children's museum with some of the children in courage home. I had great fun playing with Molly and doing lots of silly things. Molly loved wearing the different coloured wigs and painting on the walls. I have to admit, the wigs were great fun! I really adore working with Molly and am getting better at understanding exactly what she is trying to say to me. In the afternoons I do school work with her. She is currently working on reading the names of colours and matching them to the correct colour picture. She has learnt this so quickly that I plan to move on to spelling them soon! With Molly I have been reading some fairy tales wich prompted us to make a princess crown for her to wear. She loved this activity and wanted to wear the crown all the time! When we finished the crown we decided to build a princess castle. I have collected cardboard boxes and we started it on Saturday. Whenever she has to choose a colour I give her the words only so she has to read them and choose which one she wants. It's a great way of doing school without her realising it. I'm also going to introduce the idea of mixing colours when we start the painting. I'll keep you updated on the progress of the castle. This project is also helping her develop her functional communication. For school we use a large board wih Velcro strips on it. She can use her hand to choose from 4 options although this takes a lot of physical effort for her. I would love for her to be able to use a communication book like I have seen used with other children with CP but we don't know how to start teaching her to use it. If anyone has any advice, please let me know. 

Dinah has finally mastered the ring stacker. Her foster mum has been workin on it wih her for 9 months and it suddenly just clicked. It fills me with confidence that she will get the things I'm trying to teach her if we continue to repeat them and don't give up on her. It's very easy to give up when a child simply doesn't seem to get it but this shows that she can learn it, but she needs time.

I am no longer doing 1:1 work with Brianna, although I still love to hold her when she's in a good mood! I now work with selah instead, a sweet toddler in the same house. She has recently started preschool but is quite far behind so we're trying to help her catch up. She can now colour sort and we're working on recognising the names of colours. Her fine motor skills are also very poor so we work on puzzles and 'writing'. When working with her the other day, I was trying to get her to draw straight lines. I know she can do this when she wants to. We're working on lines first, then circles. I drew a line, then did a hand-over-hand line with her, then she drew a circle. Then another circle. Then another. She was ready to move on from straight lines I think! The can be quite stubborn when she wants to be. 

On Monday I went to the park with 2 other volunteers and 7 of the jubilee house girls. The girls were so excited when we told them to get their shoes on! (Finding shoes is a different story) The girls had a great time uhaving henna done on their hands and climbing up onto the big boulders. At the top of the park. All the girls did great, no meltdowns, arguments or injuries! My slightly less exciting trip with a jubilee child was to get an X-Ray of her foot. She had fallen down the stairs a few days earlier but on Tuesday she was in a lot of pain and her whole foot looked very swollen. In India you can just turn up and get an X-Ray at the diagnostics centre so that's what we were recommended to do. She has only been and SCH a couple of weeks so we weren't sure how she'd do but she was great. We took her to Starbucks afterwards as a treat. (The first Starbucks in southern India opened a few months ago and just so happens to be in our neighbourhood!) She wasn't sure about the milkshake at first but soon decided she liked it. After all that, the foot wasn't actually broken and looks much better now but we were all glad we checked. 

Tomorrow I start teaching. At jubilee house, 4 of the girls will be going to maintream school. The rest will be taught at the on site school organised by the Rippees. Eventually they hope to have qualified teachers but for now all the teachers are going to be volunteers/foster mums. I will be teaching a phonics class and some preschool classes, working on shapes, colours, animals ect. The children understand some English, some better than others. I love teaching and am really looking forward to it but I've never had to teach phonics before. If anyone has any advice, let me know. It will be great for the girls to have some structure in their day.

When I'm not working, I have great fun with the other volunteers. The other night a group of us did laser tag. It was so much fun, even if I did come 7th out of 8.... 

The other week we also went to a blind resteraunt. All of us who work with blind children were invited to go. It is run by an organisation which aims to decrease stigma surrounding disabilities in India. The resteraunt is totally dark. You actually feel like you are blind. All the waiters were blind and the food was delicious. It was a great experience and I totally understand why many of the blind children have sensory issues and struggle with food. 

I know that was a really long blog and I'm sure there are other things I wanted to write about but I can't remember them now. I'll try not to leave it so long next time! 

Meet the kids

The I've now been working according to my schedule for nearly a week so I thourght it was time to introduce you to some of the kids I work with in particular. Please note, the names used are not the children's real names. 

In the mornings I work at jubilee house. Jubilee is the newest house in Hyderabad-they moved here from a small village called Ongole where SCH stared on Saturday. Currently there are 12 girls but another 16 are coming up tomorrow! The girls range in age from about 10 to 24 years old with a range of difficulties. Fortunately some speak great English and are able to translate. I've also learnt some American Sign Language as many of the kids have little formal language skills so signing is a great way for some of them to communicate. Tomorrow I will be moving from my room in rescue home to one in jubilee, two doors down. There's much more space there so I'm looking forward to it. 

In the afternoons I work in courage home. I work with 3 different children for 40 minutes each then go downstairs to play with a group of little boys. 

First, I work with Dinah. Dinah is a sweet little girl who is always smiling. She has learning difficulties and has trouble focusing her eyes. At the moment we're working on sorting colours, learning parts of the body and giving herself a drink. She's a very sociable child and loves to listen to music and play games. I'm so excited to get to know her better.

The next child I work with is Brianna. Brianna is the baby of the house and is just so cute. She was born without eyes and hates touching anything. I spend my time doing sensory activities and reading to her. She screams for most of the session but music always calms her down. She also loves to be held and carried and will give go a lovely smile! Brianna is still in need of sponsors. If you would like to help, here's the link you need http://schindia.com/children/brianna/

The last child I work with is Molly. Molly has spastic cerebral palsy and has very little control over her body. She is a very bright and understands everything you say to her-or to other people, no such thing as a private conversation! She's a very funny young lady and loves playing with the toy kitchen. Today she pretended to cut off my fingers! We also read stories together. I downloaded a Paddington bear book wich she loves, much to my delight. She communicates her wishes very clearly once you get to know her but cannot speak. It would be great to get her using some sort of communication device so she can have more complex conversations. This picture is of Molly, covered in paint at the birthday party of one of the boys downstairs. His birthday happens to be just after holi so the party involved throwing lots of paint and water balloons, and cake of course. 

Finally, I go downstairs to play with some of the boys downstairs. They are typical little boys and when I'm not breaking up arguments about who gets to go on the bike next, I'm teaching them how to make paper planes. One of the boys, Andrew, also loves puzzles. He was so proud when we finished this one.

Andrew still needs sponsorship to cover his school fees. 

http://schindia.com/children/andrew/

I'm in India

I've now been in India for 3 days. They've mainly been spent getting to know the place, the kids and the volunteers. It felt a bit surreal at first. I've been planning this for so long, I couldn't believe I was finally here! Yesterday I went with the other volunteers to a big indoor bazaar to buy clothes- the auto rickshaw was quite an experience.

All the short term volunteers live in rescue home, the house with all the babies and toddlers, so lots of cuddles! I've been getting to know the kids and thinking about what I want to work on with them. Some are doing great and are happy and sociable however some have spent a long time in government orphanages and are lacking even basic play skills.

Starting on Monday, I will be following my schedule so I'll get to work with children in the other homes. I'll write more about that next week!

It's currently pouring with rain!!! Despite it supposedly being the dry season! Must be because I'm here.... Rain always