Missing for one month!

Hi All,

Its been some time ever seen i posted the last post on Sept.
Its had been a tough time for the past months. As Dear and me were planning to go for Tozan.
Both of us were trying our best to keep our work to the minimum for other people.

Ok..... Let go back to our topic in this blog.

For me, the Cafeteria is running great and all the staff and trainee all were great!
Things sort of going great! My Trainees seems more happy than last time. they seem more hardworking, more lively and more cheerful!

I keep having good comments from my fellow Co-Training Officer! This the kinda result that i really trying very hard to achieve!

I will keep the good running as far as possible and hopefully i can bring them to a higher level!
I want to try to make people from the society to slowly slowly accept them and understand their working abilities! This will have to start for me!

Leonard Pang
0==[===>

More Responsible More Stress

Hi All,

Its been some time again seen my last post!

I had been busy with work as i just took over the cafe project of my center. I enjoy working in this new environment!

But i have to start everything from ZERO as the work is not handed down to me very nicely!
There were alot of place had to be improved but the previous staff didn't do anything about it.
So i have to start setting my own rules and standards. I have to teach the Trainees new things and resume some training which had been stop by the previous staff.

But lucky enough, i got many support from my fellow T.O (Training Officers).
They seems so happy that i took over this project as i only took over about a week, the food quality improve alot!

I can see MORE Trainees smile when they eat! That is one Trainee who like to comment about food which he don't like, he will shout in the cafe "Bo Ho Jia!!!!" * not nice!!!!.
Ever seen i took over, he seldom shout that already!

All this seems very small things, but to me is something that push me!

I have to say a very BIG SORRY to the lady i negated for this past few months.
Dear sorry!! I know i negated you...........
I am sorry...........
I love you!!!

Leonard Pang 0==[===>

Unknow Author

"We all smile in the same language.."

=D

zinc

New Realisation and New Mission

Hi All!


Its been sometime that i have post something. Its been quite a rough time for me for the past few weeks. Its had been very tiring and fulfilling!

For the past few weeks, i been busy with organizing the National Day Cerebration for my Center!

Things had been difficult for this event, because i only been told to take charge 3 weeks before the actual date. So i have to rush all the things to make it happen! At first, i feel very very very tired but only till that day, the other trainers and me were putting up the Singapore Flag to deco the Center. I than got this feeling of the rush to make all things happen for my trainees.

First time in my life, i see so many people look so happy when i was hanging the flags! They dance, they sing, they shout, they jump, with all this emotions that i saw, i was able to push myself to work even harder for them!

Luckily, i was able to pull through and deliver the expectations to my trainees.

Now i have a new mission on hand. I was told to take over the cafe of my center as the trainer there had resigned.

This is a brand new thing to me, although i worked as chef before but i not a purchaser.
I have to challenge myself to see how far i can stretch my abilities.

Wish me luck!
I need it!!!!


Leonard Pang 0==[===>

Never Give Up!!! I Dun Dare To Give Up After This!!!

If you dun cry i got nothing to say!!!

THIS TOO POWERFUL!!!! I CRIED INSTANTLY!!!!

Leonard Pang 0==[===>

Parents' Grief

yo... long time since i update... or rather many entries that nard updated since i update. LOL

Today my module was on impact on parents of children with special needs.
We, teachers, social workers, service provider, can never experience the grief that parents of children with special needs went through.

A parent came and shared her journey with 2 children with Autism. She is now running a parent support group and she went through a lot from the way she explained and shared and all these... we can never imagined.

A parent will be at a loss when the child was diagnosed. Some parents took years and years to accept the child, while some took days. But i can tell you... its really difficult for a parent to accept the fact.

She also shared, after you come to know more about your child, you will have to fight against time. Because, currently in Singapore, there's ONLY integrated program during preschool days. Once your child reaches 7, he/she has to either enter mainstream or a special school. That's why some of the parents are seem as 'demanding'. but the fact is, they have no time, they want and hope and prayed hard that their child will get into mainstream. How they dont matter, they just want the child to get in, because, they will be with the typical kids.

This mother's sharing thought us a lot... on why some parents seem as demanding.. while others seem as 'not caring' for the child. Because on the grief stages, there are also detachment. Detachment is a stage where parents 'gives up' and look at the people around them after doing so many things for the child w special needs, after focusing so much on the child, neglected every other people/thing. Some at this stage, they start to think about ppl around them, they start to give time to them, and of course themselves. but this is seem as 'not caring' for the child with special needs to some service provider who do not understand. I agreed I have that label on some parents. but now, I understood. =)

Don't say you understand them (parents), because they know we don't.

ying~ =)

MDRI Mental Disability Rights International

Guys this is a web full of truth stories of people with Special Needs. The stories there are stories of the society don't have the understanding to the challenge of these people is facing!

The awearness on Mental Disabilities, is really needed to offer these people with better life!

Their needs is just as the same as ours, don't take away their rights just because we lack of understanding!

The web: http://www.mdri.org/video-paraguay.html

Leonard Pang 0==[===>

2007 Shanghai Special Olympics Song by Ho Yeow Sun & Sun Nan

Even China can do it! Let us do it also!




Leonard Pang 0==[===>

Other Country Special Olmypic Ads! Very nice!

Special Olympics is an international nonprofit organization* dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports training and competition. Special Olympics offers children and adults with intellectual disabilities year-round training and competition in 30 Olympic-type summer and winter sports. Today, Special Olympics stands as a leader in the field of intellectual disability. It is a truly global movement, with more than 500,000 athletes in China, more than 210,000 in India, almost 550,000 in the United States, more than 600 in Afghanistan and 4,400 athletes in Rwanda. Special Olympics World Games were held in Ireland in 2003 and Japan in 2005 and, in 2007, China will host the World Summer Games. Most importantly, Special Olympics sharpened the focus on its mission as not just "nice," but critical, not just as a sports organization for people with intellectual disabilities, but also as an effective catalyst for social change. Children and adults with intellectual disabilities who participate in Special Olympics develop improved physical fitness and motor skills, greater self-confidence and a more positive self-image. They grow mentally, socially and spiritually and, through their activities, exhibit boundless courage and enthusiasm, enjoy the rewards of friendship and ultimately discover not only new abilities and talents but "their voices" as well.


Leonard Pang 0==[===>

They can do it! Why cant we GIVE THEM THE CHANCE?

This is a few cases of people with Intellectually Challenge can do.

We always think that we are teaching them always but sometimes they are the one who is teaching us! Teaching us the truth values of life!

Leonard Pang 0==[===>

Down Syndrome Association Singapore theame song!

你還有個我 (DSA 公益主題歌） 詞 ：小寒 曲／編：黃韻仁 製作 ：黃韻仁／林倛玉 要是記憶曾有什麼傷痛 是人心中 不夠體諒與溝通 懷中單純的你與眾不同 我的笑容 就是你整片天空 地球快速轉動 一刻不放鬆 或許在此刻最適合你我相逢 人越奮力掌控 越隕落了夢 別難過聽我說 在這一秒鐘 你還有個我 永遠在左右 陪你用眼淚灌溉出花朵 你還有個我 聽懂你脈搏 同步感受...

你還有個我 (DSA 公益主題歌）
詞 ：小寒
曲／編：黃韻仁
製作 ：黃韻仁／林倛玉




要是記憶曾有什麼傷痛
是人心中 不夠體諒與溝通
懷中單純的你與眾不同
我的笑容 就是你整片天空
地球快速轉動 一刻不放鬆
或許在此刻最適合你我相逢
人越奮力掌控 越隕落了夢
別難過聽我說 在這一秒鐘

你還有個我 永遠在左右
陪你用眼淚灌溉出花朵
你還有個我 聽懂你脈搏
同步感受生命起落
你值得我為了你這麼做




是你讓我明白七色彩虹
一星期中 總有藍色的寒風
不怕世界對著我們嘲弄
緊緊相擁 翅膀就不再沉重

感謝你的愛給我這麼多 你還有我

Leonard Pang 0==[===>

They are people who is so pure living in our ugly world.

Leonard Pang 0==[===>

Let Be Proud Of Them!!!!

Leonard Pang 0==[===>

LETS LEARN FROM THEM!!!

Leonard Pang 0==[===>

Safe Check

Hi,

Its been sometime seen i updated the last time. Recently been busy with training trainees to travel from home to work place.

Its been a tough time for me this week, as i have to train the trainee to travel by the safe route but not the short route.

The trainee started off very well, the trainee don't need much help from me to travel to the train station, as the trainee is very high functioning, trainee tend to follow the route that the family always use. As that route is a short but not the safest route, i taught trainee a different and long route which is more safer to travel.

The trainee has to travel by train than change a bus to reach the work place. Trainee got no problem in taking the train and knowing where to stop. But i have to teach trainee to walk to the bus stop to take the bus. The first day, i teach trainee everything and show trainee how to get to work. As trainee is very clear of what i taught on the first day, i started following her from behind. Trainee got everything right, only for road safety lack of awareness.

So i concentrate on training the road safety area. But on the 4th day, i arrange with the family to let her travel alone to the train station, which i intend to follow her from behind without trainee knowing that i am following.

The first half of the route, trainee done very well in observe the traffic, but trainee reaches the 2nd half of the route, trainee suddenly turn and cut across the road. As i saw it, i quickly ran forward to stop!

I stop the trainee, but trainee was traumatize by the car horn that warn trainee not to cross.

Trainee cried, at that moment, i start to have Qns for myself.

Did I teach wrongly?

I took sometime to clam trainee down, than we continues to travel to work.

This incident teaches me that, i am still very young in this field! I still got a long way to go!

Let me Gambate!!

Leonard Pang 0==[===>

Toilet Training

"As with most skills, toilet training is more likely to succeed if started early, as early intervention prevents the child from developing poor toileting habits and an over reliance on nappies. Therefore is it very important that a parent knows when the child is ready.

Children with Down syndrome can be toilet trained at around the same age as a typically-developing child, however children with certain medical conditions or who have complex physical needs may need assistance from specialists and advice from their medical team prior to commencing a toilet training programme".

Taken from the introduction to a new booklet written by Ann Haig Wheeler and sponsored by Incontinence Promotion Unit of the HSE, we now have copies available. If you are interested in copies, please send a self-addressed envelope to us as follows: Toilet Training Booklet, Down Syndrome Centre, 62-63 Lwr Mounttown Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin.

Got it from : http://www.downsyndromecentre.ie/news/2009/jul/01/guide-toilet-training/

Leonard Pang 0==[===>

Super brain Yoga

Superbrain Yoga® is a simple and effective technique to energize and recharge the brain. It is based on the principles of subtle energy and ear acupuncture. This powerful technique is explained in Master Choa Kok Sui's latest book Superbrain Yoga®.

Pilot studies on the effects of Superbrain Yoga® on school children include children with disabilities such as ADHD/ADD, developmental and cognitive delays, Down syndrome and specific learning disabilities. Children studied showed significant increase in academic and behavioral performance, greater class participation and improved social skills. In one study, the result of an electroencephalograph showed increased amplitude in the parieto-occipital region of the brain following the Superbrain Yoga®. This indicates increased brain electrical activity following the exercise. More studies on the effects of Superbrain Yoga® are being conducted.
www.superbrainyoga.org

interesting..
ying =)


sometimes i wonder..
do I really work with my kids becos I want them to be independent?
or do I just want to see results?

am I losing focus?
or am I just not interested?

=(

Good skills to learn but yet not so useful as what it seems....

Hi,

I went for the Adult First Aid course for the past 2 days and tomorrow is my exam day!

I feel the course is a very good one as it teaches me some very good skills to attend to a person in need, but as the same time you learn the reality of the fact of saving lives.

In it, i learn to attend to injury and giving CPR to people, understanding of Shock of the heart and many more.

After knowing all this, i than realised that life can be so fragile! The skill that i learn from here can only be use to help people with minor injury, but as for the more serouis one....... I DON'T THINK I CAN DO ANYTHING!

Our body is so well design that alot of things happend to us is due to our own body protection system, as this design is so good that if a person were to have major injury. A First Aider with out equipments is just there to see that person die. And i also realised that save a person also sometimes need to pay a price, which is the restrictions of the law. The restriction is a good one as it is to protect First Aider from unresonable charges. But in some way, this also stop a person to help that person in need.

Example;

If you are a First Aider, you see a person meet with a accident, she is a lady and she already fainted and that is no sign of breathing, the heart already stop.

You were a guy, there is a lot of people there to watch but nobody seems to know how to do a CPR. Will you go up to help or join the crowd to watch?

Ok, now let talk about if you go to help. First you have to tell people that you are a First Aider, and you want to do a CPR but you than realised that the person is wearing a Bra which has the buckle in front of the chest! How do you go about it? Ask if there any females able to help you release the buckle so that you can do the CPR without hurting the person more? Or carry on and do it yourself? Or shout at the crowd saying that you are going to loosen the bra to save her? Please note that As a First Aider the Aim is to pervent further injuries to the person.

You see by thinking of this in that moment, you may have miss the golden chance to save that person! As the brain of the be dead in 4 mins if there is no oxygen being send to the brain, and every min is the person's 20% of life! You are racing against the time, but remember if you choose to do the wrong actions by unbuckle yourself, things maybe very ugly for you. And if you didn't handle it well, later even you may have save the person but you somehow get charged in court.

Ok, now lets go in to not helping. I don't blame people who choose not to help, think about this, seeing that person laying on the floor full of blood and smells of blood, people will tend to get scared. I will too if i really see it with my own eye and smell it with my own nose. You will start thinking that you don't have any equipment like gloves which is the most basic equipment, do you think you will go help? Think of this, nowadays there are so many virus going around, virus like SARs, H1N1 flu, AIDS, Diabeties all this can be contacted by blood. Are you so brave to go forward to help? Don't tell me that you will bring a pair of GLOVES everywhere you go right?

In any case, is the First Aider's choice to make, because more skills = more responsible!

GOT TO GIVE ALL MY FULL RESPECT TO ALL THE LIFE SAVER IN THE WORLD THE CREDITS TO SAVE A PERSON LIFE!!!!

And maybe next time if we choose not to help, but choose to be a bystander, please look at the whole incident as a very critical situation that needs help fast! Don't critised other by saying untruthful things, or jump to concusions. These are the only things we can do as a bystander.

Leonard Pang 0==[===>

~Time To Start~

Hi,

I am very excited!!!! I am going to start my first CM training with my trainee!!!

CM training is to train them to travel on their own, from their house to the center to work.

I was very lucky that i didn't have a very hard time to convince the parents to allow the trainee to learn!
Because i always hear other co Training Officer saying the most difficult part is to talk to their parents and convince them.

I really happy for the trainee and the family, they had done a good decision! For a person with Special Needs to learn how to be independent is very important. As this kind of skill will helps them for life, this in some ways also helps the family to lighten the burden also.

I will work very hard to teach the trainee and ensure that the trainee will be able to travel safely, hahaha this also means that i need to put in a lot of effort and extra sacrifices like my SLEEP!

But i still feel very worth doing, because i doing something that will affect a person life and a family standard of living.

I really hope this will be a successful one which i can pass the trainee and allow the trainee to travel on the trainee own.

I really feels that by doing all this, i feel more eager to work harder and feel that everything i doing now is real meaningful. Looking back at my past, i feel i don't really like those day that i have to work for money and feel like i live my life aimlessly and meaninglessly just to earn more money.

In that kind of envoiroment, i only think of money and i even sometime think of stepping on others to achieve *but never done it because i'm too stupid*.

But in here, i really thinking only for the people who needs me and trying very hard to change their lives. I do feel very difficult sometimes, but at the end of the day when you look at it again you will feel so proud of yourself that you actually done that!

How many people can really change others lives?
How many meaningful things can you do in a life time?

Leonard Pang o==[===>

Very Difficult Qns to Ans

Hi,

I been thinking of this, does special needs people need a loving relationship like a normal person do?
Sometimes i wanna be love by the one i really love, wanna spend time with my love one, wanna do things together with my love one.
Will they have the same feeling that i have?

I been thinking........

I am really lucky, i am even more lucky to have GHZN and a soul partner having the same believe.

Things will never fair, life is also never fair.
We are the people living in the Grey area.
Its so easy to fall on any sides, but because of dreams and hope most of us will try to make the thing around us as fair as possible.
Are we wise enough? Maybe but maybe not.
But as long as we all try, our efforts will not go to waste.

Feelings............ Makes me feel alive.......

Leonard Pang o==[===>

Never feel Tried!

Hi,

Have you ever feel very tired to go to work?

Have you ever feel dragging your feet to work?

I do have this feelings, but ever seen i join the work of special ED, i feel so entoo to go for work!

Maybe i feel that the things i do for the trainees is affecting them for life!

Maybe its the nature of the job i like (Teaching)!

Or maybe its the trainee that always makes me laugh everyday that i feel happy!

I am so gratful to get the job that i enjoy doing, not many people can find a job that they are happy with.

Leonard Pang 0==[===>

shun...

=) shun has improved tremendously... his mother said.. =)

He has definitely "opened" up alot. He has started to say many words.. even answering "okay". =D He has started to react to people's demand, questions... He has also started to recognise alphabets.. He has also started to read a little of teacher's facial expression now.. all these are the improvements he had made throughout this 4 months that I became his teacher again.. haha..

He has thought me that most of our children with special needs need to learn through play. They already have a difficulty in learning. If we, as educator wants our children to learn the 'si ban ban' way.. how much do you think they can absorb?

signing off
Ying

Dare to dream, u'll achieve. =)

I would like to share a little of our Mr Leonard Pang's history (not too long ago though) of starting in this line. haha

One day, his best friend (Tai) asked him to join teaching line when he was out of job at that period. So he was wondering what can he (an ah beng) teach ppl. teach ppl how to smoke ah? - 1,2, breath in.... (LOL)

I thought of this field (special ed) and told him about it after that. He thought for a while and we went to find out more details about it. Everything went so fast as I thought about it now, and he's now in this field for about 4 mths le, right? I'm sure he's enjoying it...cos he's neglecting me =X lol

The point is... in this field, we need ppl with passion, compassion, patience. You may think that you dont know how to teach or help them, but who came to know the field with lots knowledge? All of us dont, we learn... in any field, right? =)

signing off
ying

Is it so hard to forgive someone?

Hi,

Something to share. Today 11-06-09, i brought 3 of my trainees out for CLSP ( Community Living Skill Program). I brought them to Vivo City, they were been observe by me about their social skills.
Eg: Taking the train, using the EZ-link, buying things, paying money and ordering food. Everything went well until, When we were going back to MINDS. As we walking from Kovan NEL station to MINDS, one of my trainee accidentally step on a old lady feet.

That lady shouted: " Oie, no eyes see where u going ah!"

I notices it only after i heard the old lady shouted, so i turn back as that trainee is behide me.

My first action is to faster apologize to the lady,: " Sorry Auntie, he (the trainee) don't mean it."

The lady shout back: " My Feet is very painfully already u still step on it!"

I replied: " Sorry he really don't mean it, and its was really an accident." I turn back and asked my trainee to face the lady to apologized. (Please note that my trainee doesn't know how to speck!!!)
My trainee trying so hard to say sorry by his actions, but because of his motor skill got problem his actions may not be like a normal person's body language.

The lady shout: " Go away lah! Step already than say sorry got what use! Stupid Idiot ( Retard )."

The whole conversion was all in Chinese.

I felt so angry, am i over protective toward my trainee or really is that lady no compassion towards a special person? Or maybe i been taking things a little too personal?

Hai~~~~~, life is unfair!

Face it man, Leonard Pang!!!

By Leonard Pang 0==[===>

Special Olympics

Many times my brother has been going for the event but i was unable to attend every time! But on 06/06/09 i attended the event with the role as a coach for my school MINDS IEDC. I didn't expect to feel much about anything because i thought i saw all kinds of sports spirits as i enjoy understanding sports! But at that time i really was amazed by the very first event, the 10M assisted walk event. I saw a very young boy from Rainbow Centre Yishun Park, he is the youngest of the 3 competitors, when the start horn blows, the other 2 competitors already dash forward to the finish line! But you only see that only boy who is really way back be hide far away! Seeing this view, i was so touch by the fighting spirit of that boy! He didn't give up even when he saw all the 2 other participants had already finish the race. As the third party view, i was so move by the spirit, because you will see every small steps he takes, its was so pain, so heavy, so tiring that he really took almost close to 7mins to finish 10M. I honestly will give up if i really see myself still a the starting line as all other participants had already finished! Next i will tell you about a girl from timor leste, she is the only one with intellectual disability and physical disability. She was in the event of 1500M single female. She was limping all the way and you see her performance was not affected by the limping at all! She out ran 2 physically able competitors and was able to maintain a very short distance with the first runner. You will keep enjoying to see her and the first runner trying hard to out run each other, in the end she did her best but still falls in the 2nd place. Sometimes when you look at the events it seems to be boring, meaningless or funny, but have you open your eyes and your heart to see and feel? We may feel putting one foot forward seems nothing at all but for them, they need so much training, so much effort, so much strength! We sometimes compare them to ourselves, are we so strong that we can train and challenge our physical limits? I myself will forget that i have to admit! I forgot that walking is so difficult because i can run and jump. And please i think there will be a group of people who will think that they wouldn't feel anything even if they lost, we are wrong from the face i could see the sadness in their eyes! Intellectual disable people had the abilities to feel emotions! Now looking at myself i feels so shame, as a normal person, i doubt myself to harbour that kind of high standard spirits in me. They teach me alot! And helping me to understand the teaching that i heard from REV in temple! Now i seems to learn to look at things in a very different views! Thank you! Thank you all for enlightening me! And sorry for my lousy english!! Hahahahaha Forgive me (o-_-o)

By Leonard Pang 0==[===>