Visit to the Skolen ved Stadion

Today we – Lilla and me – visited a school – it called Skolen ved Stadion – where handicapped children study. I’m using this expression – handicapped – generally: it means children with learning difficulties, early stage demage, alcohol syndrome (teratogen), down syndrome, autism, disability, hyperactivity (Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD) , super-hyperactivity. Some of the children have different problems in the same time, for instance : physiological disorder – eg. hyperactivity - and other disease – eg. down syndrome or disability and down syndrome...etc.

We went a class, where mostly hyperactiv children - boys - are, between the age of 10-11. The sooner they get to this special institute the easier to cope with them.
The daily rutine is quite important in this institute, mainly for autistic children, because they just can’t exist without it. But it is also important for all of the children here, because it gives a „frame”, a secure atmosphere for them.
The different groups, classes live separately in the institute, depending the age, the problem and the standard what they have. The avarage number of kids in each class is 6 and usually 2 teachers look after them. (It is little bit different in the groups where disapbled children are, because there more, teachers, helpers needed.)
In the morning we started in teacher’s room; there was a meeting with the headmaster and we also was introduced to the teachers, pedagogs and helpers. After that we went to the the „great hall”, where usually the morning singing take place. The headmaster projected the text of two songs to the wall, one of the teacher played at guitar and all of the children, teachers, pedagogs, helpers were singing. One song was an old Danish song, one is the „alphabet” song and the last one was a „welcome” song for us, what the children knew by heart. We had to go to the „stage”, next to the headmaster and the children just were singig. It really impressed me, and it was touching.
Then every groups went their own classroom, and the work has started. In this building, where the hyperactiv children are, the doors of each classrooms have to leave opened, because it makes the children being in silent. This is the way they can show to respect the other groups. There are 8 children suffering in ADHD.
At the beginning one of the teacher – Debby – collected the mobile phones from those children, who couldn’t behave yourselves during the singing and she also had a word with them. It is a kind of punishment.
The work was started with a sort of „recitation” about the name of the months, order of the month (numbers), how the months belong to the seasons. It was hard for them to put all these things together. The children can decide to join to the class and work together or not so. There is an other place, which called: silent room. In this place every children have an own table, chair, notice board…etc. separeted by panels. There is not allowed to speak: if somebody has a question, he needs to stick a little green card to the side of the panel and from this sign the teacher knows somebody has a problem. Children can put their favorite posters, draws onto the notice board, but it is a privilege; if someone can’t behave all stuff from the board being removed. All of children have an individual „note” from the teacher on their boards, such as: „Be yourself. Please do not act.”, „Please do not speak so loud and fast.” It works like a „motto”; when they look up, they can see it all the time.
So this boy has to study here and when he feels better, he can join to the class again.
Each boy has a different rules, what they need to learn.
They also study 6 new Danish word each they, but they also need to repeat the words what they learnt before by word games.
After this lesson they had gymnastics with the other teacher – Lars - , but with Debby assistance. They started with warm-up exercises; one of the guys showed the exercises to the others and after the it has changed. Then they get back to the „starting-point”, the middle of the grounds to discuss the rules of the special ballgame, what was the next task. The two groups had to play against each other and placing the ball with special sticks – soft material in the end – to the goals. During the game they can learn how can they interact and cope with each other. The game also helps to rid of the lots of energy and stress they have. They finished by relaxation; they had to lye ont he ground with closed eyes, without any movements. Lars said this is the hardest part of the activity for these children.
Afterwards they had their breakfast. In this time is not allowed to speak; a little red card usually placed onto the board; after a while the teacher is take it off and a little conversation is allowed from that time.Then they have a break outside, where you can play under the contol of teachers. Most of the groups have breaktime in different time to ignore conflicts between children.
After the breaktime they were watching a cartoon in the theatre room with an another group. The teacher, who after 3-4 minutes stopped the movie, tried to make them understand what’s happening. They watched the cartoon in small parts and they had to summarise what happened the last few minutes. This method also make them focus on one thing.
During this time Lars showed us the whole school, introduced us in the different classes, and explained the methods what they have as well. We visited the cookery school, handcraft activity, technique room, library and all of the other buildings. We have been in other classes, where hyperative children are and we also visited that buildings, where the autistic children are. First we went two extremely autistic children, who are separated from the others by a separated building and playground. Each child has an own teacher. One of the children had her lunch, when we arrived and the other one was watching a cartoon in a separate room. Both of the children became nervous within few seconds, because they noticed something is different, which means danger for them.
Then we visited the other authistic groups, where the silence is one of the most important thing and the other: to keep the daily routine. Small pictograms show what is the schedule for the day, and when one activity is over, one pictogram is taken off. They have group activites to make them „social”. Each child has his/her own colour. This colour – sticker - has to be on his/her chair, on that part of the round table, which belongs him/her, the side of the panel, where each child studies. Those children’s photoes, who are missing have to be placed onto the board, otherwise their classmates would completely forget about them. Most of the authistic children really smart, but they uncapable to use this knowledge.
We also have seen two physiotherapists, who worked with authistic children that time.
After that we visited the group of children with learning difficulties. When we arrived they were painting apples. Before they started to paint them, they tasted and smelt them.
Children with disabilities are the same building, so we went there next. They try to learn to cope with the everyday life, such as using toilet, washing hand, eating with fork and knife, clearing away (table), sweeping the floor…etc. Each child has his/her own tasks and it changes day by day.
After we visited all of the buildings, we get back „our” class. They had already finished watching the cartoon, and they had 15 minutes reading. Lars tries to challenge them all the time. They have an agreement: the members of the class – added together - has to read more pages, than Larsen. Otherwise – if Lars wins – the children have to learn a coreography and dance front of the whole school. They don’t want this latter, that’s way they read a lot, so it works!
Then they had lunch and long(er) break outside – again.
Finally they had a Danish lesson, where they had to read again. Everyone has to read two pages and the teacher write an estimation into the report book. They don’t have grades; this book helps to keep contact with families to report what’s going on in the school during the day, if they have problems with children, if the child forget to bring something…etc.
They don’t have any structure, curriculum; because it could be difficult for these children. But if something goes wrong – e.g. they don’t behave themselves - , they have to learn only math, Danish, and they can’t go for swimming, gymnesium, playing outside – so all of those „subjects”, which fun for them.
One of the theachers – from the other class – showed which games the children usually like to play – special puzzles, LEGO,…etc. He also took out a box full of with fossils from the cupboard to show what he collected with children from seaside. There are lots of them on the shore, but it is hard to find them, so this „exercise” also makes them concentrated.

I was very suprised, when the same teacher told us most of the children have a medication; mostly Ritalin, which is a prescribed phsychostimulant. It is a kind of downer, which makes the child calmer, but it is a drug int he same time! Although it is „only” supplemental treatment - methods are also important - , but I just simply can’t imagine how children manage to learn, when a strong drug effects their bodies. It is hard to separate the staidness of children is the result of the methods or the medication.

The school finishes at 2 o’clock. The smaller children stay in „afterschool”, the older one can go home on their own or special minibuses take them home.
All in all it really seemed to me all of teachers do they best, make a very much effort in their job and they love to work with these children.