The past two days we have had a training workshop for the staff (half yesterday half did it today) in PECS and PRT (Picture Exchange Communication System and Pivotal Response Treatment). These procedures are things I learn about and use in special ed, and the staff in GHANA is using these research-based methods to work with children with Autism in their community! The true "help" that the Global Autism Project gives the center is way more than volunteers. They make the training in such a way that the staff are empowered, for example, they receive an official-looking certificate after completing the PECS training, and the STAFF carry on the 'best practices' for the life of the organization, not just for the duration of the volunteers' stay.
The Global Autism Project people are all ABA certified (Applied Behavior Analysis). The center has come such a long way since it first started, and even moreso since the GAP started six years ago. For the rest of my stay, I will be working on.... LESSON PLANS! Thank you, Vanderbilt Special Education, for making me create lesson plans upon lesson plans, of which I can recite the order of an effective lesson with no hesitation. I am working with the teachers on not just having students constantly repeat things and trace letters, the majority of a Ghanaian education, special ed or not, but having them do modeling, guided practice, and independent practice activities for skills that are important for them to learn. It will be great to work with them, and to really know that the skills will be used by these passionate teachers and attendants here in Ghana far after I leave!
The Fun Afternoon Life!
After 'work' today, Diane and I went to Kaneshie. This is a HUGE market, one of the many in Accra. There are three floors of a big building inside the market area, let alone the hundreds of stands outside the building. The entire top floor consists of fabric. We met up with the other Ikando folk on the top floor of Kaneshie market and got fabric with which we will make dresses/skirts/shirts, etc. We had been invited to a BBQ by the Architect crew (many of the Ikando people are Architecture interns at a firm here in Ghana), at their office, which is near Kaneshie. Also, Molly, the director of the Global Autism Project, invited us to their place where her Ghanaian friend was cooking food! So, we went from the Architecture party to the oceanside place with the autism crew and had a wonderful rest of the night by the sea, complete with some awesome drumming, of course!
Tomorrow, we have an "excursion" (the word they use for field trip), and the drummer is going to volunteer and come with us! We are going to the Bottanical Gardens.
How great that you can already apply what you have learned at Peabody. Your professors will be very proud.
ReplyDeleteYour friends are beautiful!!! and they really look fun!