If teaching is likened to ferrying passengers across a river, teachers working in education for children with disabilities are seen as ferrymen on long, special journeys – carrying their “different” passengers through childhood and even further. All the more special because these ferrymen themselves face very difficult, even harsh, family circumstances. Teacher Huynh Ngoc Bang Tuyet is one of those special people…
Such pity for the children
With 26 years in the profession, from her first day in preschool teaching, following her wish to be a mother to the children, and for the past eight years at a special school – where children suffer the greatest misfortune and disadvantage – the motherly love in her has grown ever deeper. “Sharing the children’s joys and sorrows, looking after every little thing for them; the children cling to her sometimes even more than to their own mothers” – the words of many parents – is perhaps the highest reward for her.
Visiting Leaf Class 1 at Niem Tin Special Education School (Phu Nhuan district, Ho Chi Minh City), taught by teacher Huynh Ngoc Bang Tuyet, we could not help feeling sorry for the children with disabilities. Leaf Class 1 has 12 children, aged from 7 to 16, with Down syndrome, autism and intellectual disabilities… At their teacher’s word, the children folded their arms to greet the visitors, with awkward gestures and slurred speech. Only by paying close attention, and with the teacher’s “interpretation”, could we understand what the children wanted to say.
The children recognise their names when the teacher calls them and know how to sit for a photo with her, but with blank expressions that are truly pitiful… This is Nguyen Khang, 16, who has Down syndrome and has been at the school for a decade, yet his awareness is only at the level of a 3 – 4-year-old. The boy was abandoned by his father and lives with his mother and grandmother. Normally he seems vacant, but when he has an episode he scratches his own face and even hits his teacher. Trained at the school since the age of six, his skill age has so far reached only about seven. Over there is Kim Ha, 7, with an intellectual disability and paralysis in both arms. Intellectually, she is only at the level of a 7 – 8-month-old baby and cannot do anything by herself, apart from recently learning to feed herself with a spoon. Showing almost no emotion at all, not speaking, just sitting quietly, is Thien Van, 12. Teacher Bang Tuyet said that baby Van’s family is very unfortunate: she has an older brother who had a softened brain and recently died. Hearing the teacher tell of each child’s illness and family circumstances, we were filled with pity and concern for these small, less fortunate lives.
Teacher Huynh Ngoc Bang Tuyet guides children with developmental delays at Niem Tin Special School, Phu Nhuan district, in building-block play. Photo: Mai Hai
She asks to be their mother
“As teachers raising and teaching children with disabilities of the kinds above, we hold fast to this belief: we must be devoted and patient, helping the children gradually recognise even the simplest things, especially life skills, so that they can look after themselves”, teacher Huynh Ngoc Bang Tuyet shared gently. Watching the teacher and children for almost a morning, we sensed something of the hardship and weariness of her work. All of the children’s activities take place at a “rhythm” that is not easy to grasp. The teacher must “measure and read” each case in order to respond appropriately and promptly. For example, with Xuan Tien, 13, who has epilepsy, she must keep an eye on him every moment of every day, from the classroom to the toilet. If he suddenly has a seizure, the teacher is the one who “revives” him on the spot, and the first thing to do is put a towel in his mouth to stop him biting his tongue. When pupils have not yet learnt to look after even the simplest things themselves, such as going to the toilet, pouring water or scooping rice, the teacher must be an absolute “maid”. Watching the teacher rushing here and there, looking after the children in every little detail in a bright, colourful classroom with exercise books and learning materials in neat order, we came to understand the effort and love for children in this “ferryman”, how beautiful it is.
Teacher Bang Tuyet said that when she first moved from preschool, she was hit by the children because she did not yet understand them when they were upset and flew into a rage. Feeling sorry for the children, she told herself she must patiently hold firm in spirit and improve professionally. Besides learning from colleagues trained in special education, studying materials on “special education” herself and attending advanced training courses, she drew on her experience from nearly 20 years of preschool teaching. Confident in herself, she also strengthened her faith in her pupils: however great their impairments, children can still learn, whether a little or a lot, as long as the teacher is patient and devoted, gives the children all her love and tries to find the best methods to unlock their minds.
Deciding that teaching the children life skills was the most important task, she set a goal for each child, with requirements rising from low to high, suited to each child’s awareness and health. With children with intellectual disabilities who are also very weak physically, like Kim Ha, it took her a whole year to achieve a result: the child could feed herself with a spoon. After persistent effort, many children have learnt to go to the toilet by themselves, wash themselves, under the teacher’s checking and… assistance. For lessons such as peeling an egg, holding a glass to drink water or washing hands, teacher and pupils had to struggle many times before the children could do them. Lessons in awareness placed the teacher in an even more difficult position, forcing her to be creative, because every child is different. To teach high and low, long and short…, she attached them to visual “teaching aids” with colours and animal shapes so the children would be excited and find them easier to tell apart. She also teaches the Kidsmart computer game to some children with autism, such as Tuan Anh, who is now very skilled at it. With perseverance, devotion and boundless love, the “ferrywoman” teacher has helped carry some pupils up to grade 3 and grade 4 at the vocational training centre. Those achievements brighten her faith still further: the future of children with disabilities will be ever better when the community and society care more for the children.
Hearing colleagues tell of teacher Bang Tuyet’s family circumstances, we admired still more her resilience in overcoming hardship and her kind, faithful and dutiful heart. In 2000, disaster struck her family when her husband had a road accident. Since then, he has lost his memory, left home and wandered lost for many days, and has still not recovered. Together with both families, she overcame difficult circumstances, a cramped house, a meagre income and small children, and held on to her class to the end for the sake of the children with disabilities. Her timetable is split in two: by day she fulfils all her professional duties, for the children at school; by night she is for her own family, full of love…
THU NAM – http://sggp.org.vn