To help children integrate and not stay behind

ENSURING EQUITY IN EDUCATION

Ms. Lam Hong Lam Thuy, Head of the Primary Education Department, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, said that Ho Chi Minh City is one of the most populous cities in the country with a higher rate of people with learning and living disabilities than other areas. The number of children studying in integrated primary schools is currently 5,071, distributed across 467 educational facilities. Of these, 224 are autistic children of school age.

A “shadow teacher” with students during activities at a school in Ho Chi Minh City.

Along with the development of education and training is the guarantee of fairness in education so that no one is left behind, especially students with disabilities. According to Ms. Thuy, currently, there are a number of kindergartens and primary schools in Ho Chi Minh City coordinating with centers supporting the development of inclusive education to increase support for students.

Shadow teachers from these centers are given the opportunity by schools in Ho Chi Minh City to enter the classroom, study with students, and have individual intervention hours in inclusive classrooms... However, these cases are not many, and the implementation is based on the consensus of parents and teachers in charge of inclusive classrooms.

Mr. Ta Minh Duc, Director of the SWAN program supporting special students, Albert Einstein Primary, Secondary and High School - AES (HCMC), said that with the philosophy of education for all and each child having a special talent, what society needs is to create favorable conditions for children to open up and maximize their abilities, becoming the best version of themselves. The "shadow teacher" accompanying children to integrate is an example.

According to Mr. Ta Minh Duc, "shadow teachers" entering the classroom with children have many positive impacts on children's integration. Teachers monitor and accurately grasp children's learning abilities in each subject, thereby providing special teaching methods to support children to help them understand the lesson better, as well as adjusting lesson objectives to suit their abilities. Teachers also help limit negative behaviors in the classroom, avoiding affecting other students.

"Shadow teacher" also helps connect children with their classmates, giving them more opportunities to play and learn together, helping them develop language and social behavior. Children also get to learn intervention from teachers during certain hours at school, helping them develop more positively every day.

"Shadow teacher" always works with stakeholders for the best interests of children, in addition to professional work such as intervention, teaching skills, and compensating for knowledge," said Mr. Ta Minh Duc.

A shadow teacher is playing with a special child.

HIGH DEMAND, HIGH SALARY BUT PRESSURE

Mr. Hoang Ha, Director of Hanamiki Integration Support and Counseling Center, said that recently the demand for "shadow teachers" to support children's integration has been very high. However, the number of teachers who meet the recruitment criteria for this job position and are ready for the job is not much.

According to Mr. Hoang Ha, "shadow teachers" need to graduate with a major in psychology, or special education, social work, or a bachelor's degree in elementary education but have taken professional courses on inclusive education, and have experience in 1-1 support for integrated children. In many schools, knowing English is necessary to be able to communicate with colleagues, international school administrators - if students are studying at these schools.

Although according to Mr. Hoang Ha, the salary for each full-time "shadow teacher"/student can be up to 15 million VND/month, it is very difficult to recruit. Many teachers confided that the work is repetitive every day, revolving around one student, pressure from many sides, very stressful and they cannot develop many of the professional strengths they have been trained for.

Mr. Ha said that parents are also very diverse. There are parents who understand, accompany their children and coordinate effectively with "shadow teachers". Others think that they are paying someone to do all the work that is normally done by elementary school teachers and school nannies; they also hide information about their children's medical examinations and assessments...

Some parents always think negatively that teachers and "shadow teachers" will "bully" their children. Parents do not trust anyone and sometimes behave disrespectfully towards "shadow teachers" whenever something happens to their children.

Every child has equal access to education.

Sharing with Thanh Nien reporter, Ms. Lam Hong Lam Thuy, Head of Primary Education Department, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, said that all children have the opportunity to access equal education and are supported to develop their personal abilities to the fullest in a friendly and fair educational environment.

In recent times, the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City has implemented many solutions such as developing and directing the implementation of policies to raise public awareness and understanding of autism; building specialized training courses to train teachers with the goal of providing the best techniques and methods in working with autistic children...

The Department of Education and Training has issued and organized the implementation of legal documents on education, especially the issuance of school regulations, including regulations related to the assessment of integrated students...

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/nhung-thay-co-giao-shadow-de-tre-hoa-nhap-khong-o-lai-phia-sau-185240102231908079.htm