Santo Nino Sped Center
We visited Santo Nino Sped Center in Tacloban. This school was designed for both gifted elementary students, who have to score a certain percentage on a national assessment in order to be admitted, and 33 learning disabled, and autistic kids, who range in age from 6 to 23.
The gifted classes have up to 50 students in them, with one teacher. The 1st graders we visited chanted in unison, and sang a song for us. The teacher was barely able to move around the room between the crowded desks, but the students were all on task, and busy with a writing assignment when we arrived.
The two rooms for the learning disabled students have between 8 to 10 students of mixed ages, with a couple of parent helpers. Students come to these classes in 2 shifts, morning and afternoon. The teachers told us that the students make crafts that they sell to raise money, and that students can stay with them until they are ready to leave for jobs in the community. In one of the rooms, a 15 year old student was singing karaoke with a piece of an old coat hanger as his make-shift microphone.
The gifted classes have up to 50 students in them, with one teacher. The 1st graders we visited chanted in unison, and sang a song for us. The teacher was barely able to move around the room between the crowded desks, but the students were all on task, and busy with a writing assignment when we arrived.
The two rooms for the learning disabled students have between 8 to 10 students of mixed ages, with a couple of parent helpers. Students come to these classes in 2 shifts, morning and afternoon. The teachers told us that the students make crafts that they sell to raise money, and that students can stay with them until they are ready to leave for jobs in the community. In one of the rooms, a 15 year old student was singing karaoke with a piece of an old coat hanger as his make-shift microphone.
Brigada Eskwela and Marasbaras HS
At Marasbaras National High School, (which I termed the garden school), we learned about the brigades. This is a program used by both public and private schools all over the Philippines, through which community members are invited into the schools to help prepare them for the students the week before school starts. There is a committee that comes up with a budget to enlist donations from different organizations, and labor from local people, in order to prepare for the new year. This involvement means that the entire community are truly vested in their schools.
The principal at Marasbaras used to work in an agricultural school, and she sees the value of growing things. Every spare piece of ground at her school is planted with vegetables. After Yolanda, they planted a nursery to grow trees to plant around the school campus for protection against the elements. The parents are in charge of the "Lemon Camp". A grove of lemon trees. All the classes in the school use the garden. The produce grown is used in the school cafeteria, and given away to needy students and their families.
The principal at Marasbaras used to work in an agricultural school, and she sees the value of growing things. Every spare piece of ground at her school is planted with vegetables. After Yolanda, they planted a nursery to grow trees to plant around the school campus for protection against the elements. The parents are in charge of the "Lemon Camp". A grove of lemon trees. All the classes in the school use the garden. The produce grown is used in the school cafeteria, and given away to needy students and their families.