complicated simplicity

Pathlight School is a school where students with special needs (such as Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia mainly) are given a go at Signapore’s mainstream education system. Students here are allowed to undergo the standard PSLE and O-level education systems under the tutelage of specially trained teachers. Of course, there is a much lower student-teacher ratio of 8:1, compared to the standard 40:1 in mainstream schools. Learning is almost much more visual, and much less technical.

I could go on about Pathlight and what I saw there, but I believe anyone can read it here. I think what I saw there really correlates to what they have shown and written on the site, nothing hidden or ugly. What stuck me most when I was talking to Denise Phua was the sudden realisation that most Singaporeans live in denial when it comes to facing up to intellectual disability in the families. I never really thought about it, but what she said did strike me. Most parents will not be able to bear the fact that their children cannot be normal and take the normal education path. They are special kids which need special attention. Living in denial does not help. Early intervention does. A recent report in the United Kingdom stated that 1 in 8 children in the UK are at least mildly autistic. I really doubt the numbers of 1 in 8, but I do believe that many autistic child are hidden within the many normal students and misunderstood as academic under performers.

As parents, I think it is important to face up to the facts that your child might be special. He/she is not disabled, they just need help in a special way. There is no point pushing the child up the normal education ladder, only to have him stumble and fall and not get much out of him. Maybe he is special, and there is nothing to be ashamed of as parents. The world has changed, special needs has now been much better researched and understood with many ways to helping them prevalent. I believe denial is futile and only harms the child.

A popular Singapore blogger mrbrown has an autistic child. I have been following him and his family’s journey for the past year, and this week’s visit puts many things into perspective.

Tags: Personal

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