What if money didn't matter?...

This is an incredibly motivational clip about a father who came to the realisation that it is his role to assist his son in discovering who he is! This clip carries a profound message in that there are so many parents out there that try to shape their kids into something that they never got to be instead of humbling themselves and giving them the adequate support and love that they need in order to build their own identity....

Day Care Centre – Wilcock’s model

One of our main projects that we focused on in the community block was the day care centre. Have a look at how well it falls under the different areas that Wilcock labelled as 'essential' for living a healthy life.

Doing

Wilcock stated that, “People spend their lives almost constantly engaged in purposeful ‘doing’ even when free of obligation or necessity. They ‘do’ daily tasks including things they feel they must do, and others that they want to.” (Wilcock, A., 1998). The disabled individuals that attend the centre feel a sense of doing something purposeful when they are engaging in the programme that the centre has to offer. The intervention planned by the students for this component of the model is to take ownership of their own garden which they have begun. Another aspect of intervention will be based on a craft programme that will make use of recycled material and that will focus on performing activities that will improve the individual’s fine, gross and verbal skills.  

Being

“To ‘be’ in this sense requires that people have time to discover themselves, to think, to reflect and to simply exist.” (Wilcock, A., 1998) The day care centre was donated some learning material and books from the Down Syndrome Association. We made use of the centres and the communities resources in order to construct a shelf that was installed to store the books on. This results in material for leisure activities such as listening to stories being read out by the teachers or for the higher functioning individuals to read by themselves.

Becoming

 

“Occupational therapists are in the business of helping people transform their lives by facilitating talents and abilities not yet in full use through enabling them to do and to be.” (Wilcock, A., 1998) Our profession plays a huge role in an individual’s process of becoming which is why it is important to take the process of individuals very important. At the day care centre, six different conditions are found. The severity of the cognitive impairment varies greatly which is why it is so important to group the individuals into severity of their impairments. This was done by a previous student group. For further intervention on structuring we have decided to structure the physical environment by employing room dividers which are in the process of coming. The infrastructure of the facility is a real hazard as it puts the individuals at great risk of harm. This is the reason why we assisted the process through teaching the principle how to correctly address the issue with the relevant services that are available.

Belonging

This term was first used by Reibeiro et al. (2001) to describe the state an individual finds himself in when he is included in taking part in certain occupations that other individuals also benefit from. (Hammell, 2004)The Augmentative and alternative communication which the speech therapists have started to employ in the Day Care Centre , creates the opportunity for assisting the carers of a disabled individual to interpret  ‘non verbal communication signals’ such as touch, gestures and objects to help with ‘language and communication within an environment’. (Bloom, L., 1993) The speech therapy students have drawn up an ACC programme that consists of a morning ring, absent/present chart, placemats and name labels. All of these contribute towards the feeling of belonging. The individuals give back to the community and to the centre by making crafts that are sold on pension day. Another contribution will be the vegetables that will be growing in the garden.

 

Reference

Bloom, L. (1993) The Transition to Language: Acquiring the Power of Expression. Cambridge, UK: CUP.

Hammell, 2004, Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 71(5), Canada, CAOT Publications Ace

 

Wilcock, A. (1998). Doing, being, becoming. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 65, 248–257.

 



Human Rights Day...not just a public holiday

Andrea Firth put the historical occurrence that brought about the public holiday into perfect words which is why I will be quoting her directly from the blog called "My Jet Online: Celebrating Human Rights Day" that she posted on the 20th of March 2014. This is what she wrote;

"Human Rights Day commemorates the 'Sharpeville Massacre' on 21 March 1960, when a large group of protesters took part in a campaign to resist unjust Apartheid laws which forced all black people to carry pass books. After a day of demonstrations the South African police then opened fire on the crowd, killing 69 people and wounding 180.
Human Rights Day is a reminder of how undemocratic systems of government and abuse of authority can lead to injustice, oppression and violence. After 1994, 21 March was declared a public holiday, Human Rights Day, by the democratically elected government.
In 1996, then President Nelson Mandela said: "21 March is a day which, more than many others, captures the essence of the struggle of the South African people and the soul of our non-racial democracy. 21 March is the day on which we remember and sing praises to those who perished in the name of democracy and human dignity. It is also a day on which we reflect and assess the progress we are making in enshrining basic human rights and values."
As citizens of a democratic country, we must ensure that basic human rights are protected and respected. Everyone is entitled to human rights without discrimination of any kind. The South African Constitution states that one of our basic human rights is a right to life, equality and human dignity. We need to ensure that these rights are respected by finding ways, no matter how small, to improve people's lives every day."

(Firth, A., 2014) 

Today emphasises the importance of the rights of people, especially with the history of our country that involved mainly injustice and marginalisation of people of colour. OT should be well aware of the human rights and should make them part of the foundation of their intervention.


Reference

Firth, A., 2014. My Jet Online: Celebrating Human Rights Day. Retrieved on 21 March 2014, from http://www.myjetonline.co.za/Why-we-celebrate-Human-Rights-Day.aspx

Places of safety

“Woe to the man who offends a small child!”
― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

Lately we have been focusing on supporting a place of safety in the community. It breaks my  heart to see in what a psychology and physical state some of the children are due to neglect, psychological, emotional or physical abuse. The problems the occupational Therapy students have been facing over the years is that the carers are burnt out and do not want to learn which defeats the purpose of sustainability that we need to employ. The root of the problem does not seem to be addressed successfully which causes a vicious cycle that the place seems to be stuck in. We have discovered that this issue becomes a real ethical issue that we are in the process of solving. What makes the problem soling process challenging in that every therapist has a different rational of going about the problem.  I have learnt that every therapist has a different approach and rationale when it comes to intervention which can cause quite an obstacle.

On Thursday in our community TUT, we discussed and reflected on the experiences we have had so far. My friend that is working in the same community that I am working in presented on child abuse which I found really interesting.

Did you know that 3-8 min someone is being rapped in South Africa!!! 45% of which are kids, of which 50% are under the age of 18 years old!

According to research, if a developing child is abuse in any kind of way, the body experiences an increase in cortisol levels resulting in brain death and shrinkage.

Many of the affected children "freeze" and have the ability to separate the pain from their consciousness. A template of fear is therefore being fixed in their brains.

Many children experience difficulty with memory which goes hand in hand with learning.  

Our role in all of this is to work on the individuals deeper psychological needs such as self esteem, self image and their emotional insight.

(Sobey, K., 2014) 

References

Sobey, K. (2014) Child Abuse. OCTH413W0. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban. Unpublished presentation



 



One of the very first 'kiddies laws' my parents taught me was the 'pinky promise law'. I had to learn very quickly that when you promise something, it should be in your best interest, to keep that promise. Today, I understand the importance of keeping ones promises. It builds trust which is the cornerstone of every relationship...may it be between two people or between a ruling party and it's people!

 

We have had some very pleasant experiences in the community up to today when we got to experience the frustration of poor service delivery in the community. We got caught between a cross fire of the agitation of a totally disappointed community  member and our government which is when I realised that I was confronted with the reality of the frustrations some people are living with, in the communities.

 

 

The frustrations of poor service delivery can be felt all over the country through mainly the action of protests and strikes. This we can relate to as we get to witness it every year at our university! Koelble and LiPuma (2009) in 'Unfulfilled promises and their consequences' stated that individuals express their frustrations through violent and angry acts. (Managa, A., 2012)

 

 What is the cause of these protests and the unhappiness I ask myself? ' Population growth and urbanisation are argued to be determining factors which are linked to protests.' (Managa, A., 2012) The elections are coming up soon which means that many promises are being made to the people in order to 'win' people over. this results in parties making promises and not following through with them. The government is wrestling with things like 'institutional capacity, high levels of corruption, mismanagement of funds and a lack of public participation.' (Managa, A., 2012) One of the main problems is that many important managerial positions in the relevant field are inadequately equipped for the positions that they are filling. This causes an 'overwhelming service delivery backlog'. Staff with skills such as 'financial expertise' which should allocate the funds accordingly to the different needs are lacking, meaning that the service delivery finances are not being met. Then there are the 'political elites' that tend to enrich themselves with 'state resources'. A good example at the moment is the case about the presidents home that is under investigation due to 'over spending'. (Managa, A., 2012) 

 

OT's pry on finding solutions which the 'Unfulfilled promises and their consequences' article lays out very well. Take a look;

 

 

●● Strengthen human and resource capacity,

which will enable local government to deliver

its constitutional mandate to the public,

●● Recognise and address the fact that the ‘one

size fits all’ approach does not work for all

municipalities, as communities have different

needs according to their geographical areas.

●● Strengthen national and provincial oversight

and supervision of local government affairs,

which will enable prompt intervention to take

place.

●● Make and honour commitments to root out

nepotism and corruption in areas such as

recruitment for municipal positions and the

awarding of tenders for services.

●● Hold senior officials accountable when they

fail to disclose their business or pecuniary

interests.

●● Strengthen government procurement procedures

and policies and accountability mechanisms; and act on recommendations resulting from audits. Punitive action should be taken against transgressors,

●● Use public-private partnerships to extend

efficient and affordable services to all citizens.

(Managa, A., 2012)

References

 

 Managa, A. (2012) Unfulfilled promises and their consequences: A reflection on local government performance and the critical issue of poor service delivery in South Africa. Africa Institute of South Africa, 76, 1-9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

  



AFRICA INSTITUTE OF SOUTH AFRICA

 

 



Life’s just not fair...

"Whether we are physicians, chaplains, nurses, social workers, psychologists, physical therapists or occupational therapists, we have certain values and ethics, socio-cultural influences, personal life histories and memories, preconceived notions and assumptions which we in escapable bring to our work." (Katz, R.S. & Johnson, T.A., 2006)

 

 

On the weekend something terrible happened...burglars broke into our home and unfortunately my cousin was around which they were not aware of! They handled my cousin with little dignity and even threatened to kill him.  My cousin is currently suffering from PTSD and I am furious because here I am working in the community, trying to make the world a better place and then something like this happens!...IT’S JUST NOT FAIR!

 In times like these it is important to turn back to the ethics of the profession that I am pursuing as there was honestly not one cell in my body that wanted to work with the community if this was the way someone would threaten my family members. I understand that one can not and should not blame the entire community for an inconsidered decision that four people decided to make.

 How was I going to ‘not allow prejudice, or discrimination towards my clients on the basis of race, culture, language, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability socio – economic status’ ??? (OTASA, 2005)

 

Katz and Johnson suggest that the problem may be due to countertransference. This may indicate that the analysts holds onto unresolved personal problems or conflict. To me this terrible event struck up some intense conflict. They go on further by stating that examining and exploring the conflict will mean becoming honest about ones feelings. One should not shy away from becoming honest with oneself or with someone that one trusts. (Katz, R.S. & Johnson, T.A., 2006) This is good as we need to be careful and aware of the personal history that we bring into the therapist-client relationship. This I consider great insight and think that it is so so important to understand ones own issues so that one can offer the service the client deserves.

Reference

Katz, R.S. & Johnson, T.A. (2006) When the Personal and Professional Collide: Unspoken Influence of our Selves in End-of-Life Care. Routledge: New York 

Occupational Therapy Association of South Africa (OTASA). (2005). Code of ethics and professional conduct. Retrieved on March 16, 2014 from http://www.otasa.org.za/documents/code_of_ethics_2005.pdf

 

Couple of beers & a banana muffin!  - Brene Brown

So today was crunch time! It was D-day for our case presentations as well as my presentation on special needs education J I have the tendency to really lose myself in things that I am passionate about. My case study client was one of them. During the transdiciplinary presentation about our case client, I noticed how many goals we were able to meet! For the first time in my OT carrier, we did not have to ‘estimate’ aims but we could actually witness the aims unfolding which resulted in change of the client! I had a great group that I worked together!  They were so determined to find out more about what we do which made it an absolute pleasure to work together with them J

In the OT tutorial, which was run after the case presentations, our supervisor showed us a TED talk which was all about what ‘being vulnerable’ means and entails. When we reflected on the clip together, we came to the conclusion that many are under the impression that vulnerability or being vulnerable is a sign of weakness, which it is absolutely not. When we want to cover up our vulnerability, all we do is try to run away from our emotions which might be a quick fix but it will never last. Covering up our vulnerability, robs us of our joy and happiness and can therefore make us pretty miserable.  We need to understand that we are living in a vulnerable world. Every move we make is a vulnerable one but  we need to make them in order to move forward and start embracing life with all our being...easier said than done, I know! Being vulnerable is showing your true colours which I dare you to try! :)    



Licence to have a child

Yesterday we were called to a home within walking distance from the clinic to observe a seven year old child that presented with definite ASD signs. The mother has not been compliant with taking the child to the clinic which has caused more harm. Once we were done assessing the child, one of our fellow OT students let us know how he felt about the case we had just seen. I have never witnessed my fellow OT student so frustrated and disappointed at the same time, He is of isiZulu upbringing and culture which he said was the reason for his disappointing state. The isiZulu culture lays an immense importance in family which was why he could not understand why the other did not look after her child’s needs by taking him to the clinic. This morning I heard on East Coast Radio, how Darren Maule (The morning DJ) feels about the responsibility we should have for our children.   

 12 March 2014 at 05:15 by Darren Maule - One needs a licence for a car, a dog – even a television set. BUT one does not need a licence to have a child! Lucky, because Darren doesn't think he would have qualified for a child license. He shares his story.

 Sometimes when you look around and observe how some children are brought up – or not, or how some children are brought into a world of suffering and pain, you would really think that perhaps just a little bit of social engineering would not go amiss.

Maybe put some structures in place that would make it just a little harder for any old Tom, Dick or Harry to have children.

The statement “Some people should not be allowed to have children” has been uttered by many an unwilling attendee at a children’s party, but if we were to take this statement really seriously – just how would one go about implementing this type of social engineering?

Would you profile a human being or the couple?

What specific attributes would be considered undesirable?

What kind of list would you make, with what type of questions in order to establish eligibility?

Would you both have to be employed, not have a criminal record, no history of violence, no history of substance abuse and so on?

Then, would you have to go through some sort of legal process to actually apply for the licence and then hope to be granted said a licence?

Social engineering is a slippery slope which the human race has gone down before - lest we forget the Nazi’s and how they tried to eliminate the “undesirable” gene.

We think of Uganda today and how they are trying to criminalize homosexuality. Even the USA, in its sordid past, has tried to whittle out children who were either born Mongoloid or with physical deformities or even considered mentally defective.

The decision back then in America was taken by the State to sterilize “those” children so that they could not breed.

 The concept of social engineering is not a new one. In our relatively modern age, cleansing of undesirables still happens whether it’s Muslim and Christian, Protestant and Catholic, Hutu and Tutsi, Serbs and Croats.

What I find remarkably confusing is that the human race - in its never ending quest to rid itself of those they either don’t like or agree with (and will find a multitude of reasons to motivate the destruction thereof) –  has not thought to rather go to the source instead of waiting for the offending party to grow into the perceived fully fledged antagonist.

I am not saying that it is the right approach.  What I am saying is that I am continually surprised that this species – which has found innumerable, and creative, means of destroying each other - haven’t seriously bandied around the idea of managing our species at the very beginning...when we breed.

I think about this really seriously occasionally and it is a harsh realisation that if I had personally  been put under this type of scrutiny, if I had needed to pass an exam on a “Breeding Eligibility” check list before my daughter was conceived – I really don’t think I would have passed.  I don’t believe I would have qualified to have a child. By no stretch of the imagination was I your model citizen!

The one thing you can’t engineer however is the future.

I suppose one overwhelming and uncontrollable factor is that the person we are before we have a child and the person we become once we have had one is seldom the same person. What we don’t, and can’t, factor in is how one’s life changes when one has a child.

My life changed when I had a child.  I don’t believe anybody who isn’t a parent can even begin to understand the kind of feeling, the emotion, and the sense of responsibility which is almost overwhelming when you bring a life into this world.

I always thought prior to my daughters arrival that I had an understanding of what love – unconditional love – was.  Only when she arrived did I truly understand that I was not even in the ballpark.  I honestly had no idea what true, unmitigated and unconditional love really was.

This realisation was one of the greatest catalysts for change in my own life.  Change within myself to ensure I became a better Father, to make myself a better person and to better myself so I could give my daughter all that she needs in life – such as education, safety, warmth, clothing, food, insurance and medical aid to ensure her future.

 With the arrival of a child – your very own child – and the massive responsibility that comes with this very special privilege, do you actually take these “looking forward to the future” decisions a lot more seriously

 So, in a very roundabout way, what I am trying to say is this: The next time you are in the company of anybody’s unruly children and you think to yourself; “Oh my word, some people really should not be allowed to breed.”

Think again: just imagine how bad they were before they became parents!

We want to know from you - if you need a licence to drive a car, do you think people should get licenses to have kids?

 

Read more on: http://www.ecr.co.za/post/licence-to-have-a-child/

 

there is far more to it than what you think...

“I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.” - Maya Angelou

I have never seen the health professional department as full as today! It was buzzing with people coming and leaving at the same time! It was a special moment somehow as there was a positive atmosphere which filled the entire department. Was quite a moving experience. If I had to describe it I would use this YouTube clip to do so... 

 

 

 

Whilst running the Down's Syndrome group which was heading into the direction of a support group towards the end of it, I asked myself what exactly it is that the parents expect from a support group. In  the research called'Outcomes for Parents with Disabled Children' written by Beresford et al. (2007) a couple of aspects were mentioned that have given me great insight into working with carers and disabled individuals.

 

Carers very often feel that they have lost their identity as they are so preoccupied with their disabled child's needs. It is important to look at their own needs in order to maintain their identity.(Beresford et al.2007)

It is important for the carers to be emotionally and physically well in order to tend to their child's needs. Many however do not lead balanced lives which is important for the OT to examine, explore and then to intervene.

Possessing the relevant skills to look after their child is of utmost importance which is why it is so important for the OT to educate and teach the carers the needed skills as well as updating them about recent developments in the particular field of interest.

Many carers have reported in the study that not enough quality time is spent with the child as too much time is invested in caring for the child. The OT should look into finding a balance between these two.  
Family time is neglected on many an occasion. Father & mother time should be preserved as well as other crucial relationship as these form the support network which should be carefully cared for.
The siblings of the disabled child often feel the need to get involved in the well-being of their disabled sibling which the OT should take into consideration when drawing up a treatment plan.
The financial side of caring for a disabled child can become worrisome fro many which is why the OT should be aware of the grant system.
Lastly, it is important to the carers to not feel inferior but rather to feel apart of the transdisciplinary team that is working together with the disabled child.

(Beresford et al.2007)

 

These points have made me realize how 'fragile' this relationship between the carers/families of a disabled individual and the health professionals really is! Will definitely consider these in the next group session.  

 

 Resource

 

Beresford, B., Rabiee, P., and Sloper, P.(2007) Outcomes for Parents with Disabled Children, Research Works, 2007-03, Social Policy Research Unit, University of York: York.

 

 

 

 

 

 



Load shedding

Load shedding has kicked in again. We were told that the coal resorts got wet from the buckets amounts of rain. This resulted in us having an interrupted day as we are in dire need of electricity for whatever we do nowadays...

Whilst I was sitting there, waiting for the electricity to come back, I all of a sudden realised how much time I spent sitting in front of my laptop working. In the past couple of weeks we have been going at it non stop. This can surely not be healthy as a fundamental concept of OT clearly states that a BALANCED lifestyle leads to wellbeing.

I stumbled across this amazing piece of literature called ‘A proposed model of lifestyle balance’ which was written by K.M. Matuska and C.H. Christiansen and talks about wellness being routines of existence which are ‘sustainable, healthy and meaningful’ to individuals. These ‘routines of existence’ should lead to providing the individual with basic needs, have meaningful relationships with others that are self satisfactory, feeling that one possesses the ability or capacity to successfully complete tasks, having the opportunity to develop ones unique identity as well as being able to arrange ones time in such a way as to achieve personal and purposeful goals. (K.M. Matuska & C.H. Christamsen 2008, pg 11)

This made me think about how important our personal ‘out time’ or ‘quiet time’ is! A more scientifically correct term would be leisure time. Some leisure time should be build into our ‘routine of existence' to create a more balanced life. My friend would call it ‘having a cup of tea’ or ‘stopping along the way to smell the flowers’. In doing so we should be grateful for a new day and the little things in life that we so often take for granted or overlook. Today with no electricity I could spend some time marvelling at the nature around me and it was amazing what a calming effect this 'moment of silence' had on me.

Take a look at this clip....

 

Reference

 Kathleen M. Matuska & Charles H. Christiansen (2008) A proposed model of lifestyle balance, Journal

of Occupational Science, 15:1, 9-19, DOI: 10.1080/14427591.2008.9686602 

Just one of those days....

“It's often just enough to be with someone. I don't need to touch them. Not even talk. A feeling passes between you both. You're not alone.”
― Marilyn Monroe

We started off our Wednesday morning at the clinic by waiting for the rain to subside as we wanted to start with our exciting garden project. The rain took its sweet time as Mother Nature works in her own time so we decided to brainstorm our garden project with the older boys from the day care centre that are going to take on the garden project. This project, we are hoping will become a more functional activity which the disabled children can engage in and hopefully gain important skills.

We had a truly profound encounter today that really moved me as I can not seem to get it out of my head. My friend’s home visit client had a stroke eighteen years and has suffered from global aphasia and increased tone ever since. His wife has been by his side supporting and helping him in every way possible. Talk about real love and true commitment...this relationship has however spun a little out of control as today she is burnt out and depressed. She doesn’t socialize with her neighbours or fellow community members nor does she conduct some of her most valued occupations such as knitting. She comes across as a very intelligent, strong and staunch lady that is in full control of her life...but today when we interrogated the matter more, she broke down on us and poured her heart out to us. I am so glad that my friend is closely working on the case as I think that the wife needs more intervention than the stroke affected man. This is a classic example of the burden the family has to bear due to the repercussions of a family member falling ill.

This experience also made me realize how much our thoughts control our actions and that we can become ‘enslaved’ by them. It is so important to keep a level head with regards to our thoughts especially when it comes to the negative and unrealistic ones, which is why I try to discuss my thoughts and feelings with people that I respect, love and that I know that have my best interests in mind. The clients wife needs to be plugged back into the community because she has admittedly reported that she has isolated herself from society. This results her in sitting at home ‘enslaved’ by her own negative thoughts and a husband that can not voice his opinion on the matter.  

 

  

  

Transport!

Vision for 2020

 So I just came back from filling up my car as the petrol price is going up by 35c tonight which will push the price per litre closer to R15!! It is INSANE what we are paying per litre nowadays. Somehow transport has been the topic of discussion throughout the entire day.

Our supervisor did her masters about the transport system in the eThekwini district. She made use of some of the community members experiences and opinions which will hopefully assist with the subjective perspective of the ‘special needs passengers’. eThekwini is hoping to move towards universal access with regards to its transport. This is referred to a ‘universal design’, which Ron Mace defines as, “...the design of products and environments to be usable by all people to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialised design.” The aim of this design is to make it of “flexible, equitable, simple & intuitive use” as well as accommodating “tolerance for error, low physical effort, perceptible info and size & space for approach and use.” (Koch, H. 2014)

Through this wonderful change that the transport department has got in mind, many people will be given jobs and people will be able to access transport more easily. I can not help to think about all of the current jobs i.e. taxi drivers that are going to be ‘replaced’ by this fantastic transport system which may create trouble! We do not have to look far ie. our campus strikes to see what happens when people are unhappy about certain ‘change’ that is being implemented by our authorities. I hope for the sake of the ‘special needs passengers’, (and I have to think of Daniel who has to pay R200 in order to get to the nearest town) that this system will be put into place in a PEACEFUL manner J

The highlight of my day however, was being given three hugs from three little school girls that I have never seen before!....just like that, for doing absolutely nothing for them. J How I miss being so young and care free!

 

Reference

Koch, H. (2014) Transport in the eThikwini Municipality. OCTH413W0. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban. Unpublished lecture notes

 

 

 

CP time!

 

Today a CP group was scheduled for us to run! We chose the activity of making ‘instrumental’ toys with recycable material such as toilet rolls and paper in order to show the mothers that they can make their own toys at home (with what is lying around) in order to stimulate their children. We were a little bit nervous when the first three mothers came to the clinic together with their children because we had never before seen the children nor did we know their levels of functioning. Another goal of the group was to establish a support network amongst the mothers. I was given the role of running the group which caught me a little off guard but I did it and enjoyed it nonetheless J Sometimes having to do something ‘unexpected’ is more fun than having had the time to ‘over’ thinking and preparing it....I know!!...there is not such a thing as being over prepared in OT J What immediately struck me was the meaningful engagement that could be seen between the mothers and their children! We were working with ladies that were much older than what we were which was the moment I realized the importance of the different general principles that we learnt in class and that we need to take into consideration when working with adults.  

·         Adults autonomy

·         Adults accumulated foundation

·         Adults are goal directed

·         Adults relevancy orientated

·         Adults are practical

·         Adults want to be shown respect

(Christopher, C. 2014)

It was such a pleasure running the group as the mothers were all willing to learn and most willingly involved their children in everything that they did.  The critical levels of learning are motivation, reinforcement, retention and transference. All the ladies that came were motivated by their accountability toward to their children. We reinforced and assessed their level of retention of their knowledge of the crucial passive stretches by asking them to demonstrate these on their children.  In order for transference to take place we asked the mothers that knew the passive stretches well to teach the ones that did not know.  One mother knew exactly what kind of passive stretches she needed to do with her child whereas another came for the first time which is when we asked the ‘knowing’ mother if she didn’t want to brief the ‘new’ mother about the different warm up techniques. (Christopher, C. 2014) This resulted in a sense of altruism which is very important when it comes to support groups!

"One person caring about another, represents life's greatest value."     - Jim Rohn 

 Referencing

 Christopher, C. (2014) Principles of adult learning. OCTH413W0. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban. Unpublished lecture notes

 

Education = Freedom

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.  – Nelson Mandela

I am somehow stuck on the topic of education this week...we have a combined tutorial every Thursday together with all of the other community group members and our supervisors, where we discuss our experiences, relevant topics and issues that we have come across out in the community. Whilst I was sitting there, listening to everyone’s personal opinion on different matters concerning the community, I thought to myself how absolutely ‘freeing’ education really is. It gives us the ability to interrogate different topics and themes on a whole different level in a highly conducive environment. It strikes me every single time how much my fellow student friends have grown (in all aspects) during these past years that we have been together!  

hen hearing the word ‘education’ most of us immediately think about the ‘main stream’ education that the schools or tertiary institutions provide. This may be true to a certain degree. Visiting Brown’s school and RP Moodley school (which are both schools for children with special needs) however, has opened my eyes up to a whole different type of education! It was so refreshing to see how a schools curriculum was structured according to the needs of its pupils!

When I think of my own school days, I remember being given a choice of certain subjects that our school had to offer that did not interest me a bit or where totally out of my league. I battled on because school is what defined everyone according to their intellectual standing. Sam Chaltain on the TED x Sin City talk that I have attached, calls this system an assembly line. I love his talk as it highlights three very important questions that we really need to think about.

 1. How do people learn best

2. What are the skills of free people

3. What does it really mean to be free people

The old schooling system might have worked for our forefathers but as the world is changing and gaining a more democratic focus, so our education needs to also keep up with the constant change.

 

Take a look at what Sam Chaltain has to say!!