Andrea De Leon, CITTI Project Coordinator and 1st grade teacher of an inclusion classroom, describes how our challenges change to successes with the right kind of care .
San Jose de Huambalo . An endearing community that embraced us with open arms as we arrived at their ``Fundacion San Jose de Huambalo``, a special education school started by Monica, a mother with two special children of her own . It was our second day, our first ``workshop`` day . I sat down with Mimi, a speech language pathologist, and fellow CITTI member at our designated ``communication table`` . As we began to ask the families and teachers at our table to think about and write down some things that they thought their child would want to communicate to them, it became clear that this was not going to go as we had originally thought . Our question was met with blank stares and blank paper . One of the therapists finally asked what she could do to help her students be able to talk, what massages or techniques could she use to help them be able to talk one day . Other parents had similar requests . I turned to look at Mimi, and we realized that we had sort of started out in a place they were not quite ready for . So we started over . We had to share ideas about what communication was… in all its forms . And thus the planting of ideas regarding communication began . (picture: Andrea working with a family of Huambalo)
We began to ask what their children are already doing to communicate, and attempted to validate those means of communication . For example, one mother shared that she and her son had a sort of sign language, in which she understood what he wanted, such as a hand to the mouth meant that he was hungry . From there we discussed what things maybe their children could not quite get across or were harder to understand . And aha…our same therapist shared a story about when that same child was upset about something and she was not quite sure what it was . Mimi explained that this was an instance in which something like a communication board would come in handy . That same therapist was soon making a communication board entitled . ``It hurts…`` and included several body parts in which a child could express a specific pain or discomfort . From there ideas were discussed and turned into reality, with parents, teachers, and therapists alike creating communication boards so children could communicate everything from their basic needs such as going to the restroom, to what fruit they wanted to eat or what activity in the classroom or therapy they wanted to do . Before I knew it was time for lunch .
We had come a long way from the initial questions about how to help children talk, and the community had truly taken ownership of their ideas to help their children communicate, in every sense of the word . The seed not only had been planted, but it seemed to grow rather easily on its own once it was given room to thrive . This culminated with the parents, teachers, and therapists sharing what they had made with the rest of us . One of the mothers actually brought us all to tears as she explained that she was so happy that now she would be able to communicate and understand her son .
The morning was truly amazing and I for one walked away with a new respect and level of appreciation for the whole process . They had a planted a seed in me too . The idea that every community is different and that ``you have to meet them where they are``, as a fellow CITTI Project member so appropriately stated . As the words left her mouth, I realized this was a gift the community in Huambalo had taught me .
