Job Discussion Forums

[hesterprynne]

I am taking an online course for which I must observe a special education classroom. Any leads will be greatly appreciated.

[Vicarni]

Hester, I 'm sure many of us could or would like to help you, but you pose an exceptionally unhelpful question. First, we don't know where you are, but assume you would not be wanting to undertake a plane trip to follow up a suggestion, so a general area of this vast country would help. Second, do you wish to observe a special education classroom in a Chinese school, an entire Chinese school devoted to special education, one of the special needs programs offered by some of the real, foreigners only, international schools, or a foreigners only school for children with severe/multiple disabilities? Generally, classrooms or programs within schools tend to be for milder needs, stand-alones for more severe. In which are you interested and, please, what would suit you as a location?

[vikdk]

Easily visited (?) - because they sometimes allow volunteers to take part - special-needs classes may be found in schools for the blind.

In the west this type of teaching is very much centered on the child itself - their special needs and the skills - with a view to developing those skills into those abilities that could premote a better quality of life - with this being ballanced against the hope of a future where that student becomes more integrated into main-stream society (the goal of the good, industrious, independant life). In China there does not seem much room for this kind of thinking - since teaching in these kind of schools often just tries to mirror the teaching done in so-called normal schools - trying to catch up with others - trying to "repair" the students into more "normal" people.

I hope someone on these forums can tell me I'm wrong - and tell me of an enlightened approach to teaching special-need students in china - that would be a nice story.

[hesterprynne]

Thanks for the prompt responses. I was in a panic late last night while taking a sneak peek at the syllabus for a class which begins soon and I thought I had to visit a special ed classroom. Upon closer inspection, there is an alternate assignment available. But if anyone knew of such a place in Zhuhai (where I am in Guangdong Province) or in Hong Kong or Macau or Guangzhou, I would certainly make the trip. It would be better if the special need were mental or emotional rather than physical, but physical would be okay, too. I was actually expecting everyone to tell me that there was no such animal!

[Vicarni]

Hester, now that you've given us a general area and willingness to travel: there is a very impressive set-up in Hong Kong named Jockey Club Sarah Roe School. (The Jockey Club bit sounds out of place, but refers to support/sponsorship, and what better way for a rolling rich outfit to show good will?) The website is <<jcsrs.esf.edu.hk>> (or just Google up Sarah Roe Jockey Club Hong Kong. Make sure you spell Roe right!) You'll find a lot of useful information, and they are very visitor-friendly as long as you make polite and purposeful overtures.