#space for spaces

[kartamuneda]

From Roundtable: What is Temperament? Four approaches

Kaya importante yung role na ginagampanan ng early childhood education sa pagshape ng next generation. Kasi crucial kung paano mai-introduce sa mga bata yung iba ibang social contexts while recognizing their invidualities. Ang daming external factors from the environment na pwedeng magalter ng expression ng temperaments ng bata which often receive misinterpretations from adults. Minsan sobrang frustrating na ineexpect ng mga matatanda na magets agad ng bata yung iba’t ibang bagay, ni ha ni ho, walang pagconsider sa learning curve nung bata o kaya pagtingin muna sa learning environment na meron siya. Mahalaga din na maintindhan natin na unang nafo form yung emotional domain kesa sa cognitive. Kaya kung damaged na agad yung bata emotionally, you can expect na at some point madadamay yung cognitive functions niya. 

Lalo na ngayon sa panahon ng pandemic na mas affected yung resources available for education. Idagdag mo pa yung budget cuts. Nariyan din yung problem sa mga teachers at setups na malimit sa traditional schools makikita. Kaya saludo sa mga gurong patuloy nagsusumikap na magturo sa mga bata lalo na yung mga progresibong mag-isip. Saludo din sa mga magulang na progresibo at nag-aaral pa kung mas paano maiimprove yung approach nila sa pagtuturo sa mga anak nila.

[Sa ganitong aspeto talaga, mas dapat maemphasize talaga yung grassroot approach para maging effective yung mga programa ng mga ahensya. Tapos dapat research-based. Makikita naman natin ‘yan sa maraming programa bara-bara na ipinapatupad ng gobyerno. Walang nagaganap na proper consultation. Walang assessment. Walang pangarap for sustainable development.] 

Kaya kung may maliliit kayong kapatid, get to know them better. Don’t pressure them into studying. Don’t force them to like things. Tamang guidance and pace lang. Give them time to play. At the same time, be firm din sa pagestablish ng rules. Sana hindi yung merits nila yung basehan kung paano niyo sila ita trato. May mga batang makulit, and ‘masakit sa ulo’ [labelling is a whole new topic din na dapat pinaguusapan how harmful it is] pero dapat itanong muna natin ano yung naging pag bring up din sa bata sa bahay kasi more or less, malaking part ay manifestation ng environment niya especially sa bahay.

[kartamuneda]

My mother would always pick flowers from our backyard when I was a child. She’d cut the stems perfectly while teaching me the rule of thumb in flower arrangements I’d sometimes think she must be a garden fairy working with the gnomes in hindsight. Subsequently, she’d grab enough for each vase, soak them in fair amount of water then place the newly filled vases back in their respective corners like metaphorical pillars supporting our home. And she would hand me a few stalks right after. I fancied those precious little moments. Whether I’d use the flowers to fill the missing ingredients for the recipe I planned for my imaginary play or they would end up tucked between the pages of the books we had at home, my mother would always pleasurably share her flowers with me.

In one class, my professor once said “repetition” is the key to build a muscle memory so I would replay that memory over and over again in my head sometimes the joy would dissipate eerily. The magic would disappear. Slowly unraveling other versions my adult mind would render haphazardly. Today, I decided to put them together in words in hope i’d be able to preserve them in the same manner i tucked those flowers between pages. 

[kartamuneda]

My cousin insisted that I watch It’s Okay to Not be Okay with her and lo and behold, I finally gave in. Here are a few reflections and a few other things I’d like to add:

-        When Ko Mun-Yeong cut her hair short, Sang-tae would repeatedly comment how Ko Mun-Yeong looks better with a long hair // while it may be perceived as a funny demeanor, people with exceptionalities manage themselves by following patterns, & routines which also help them establish their confidence hence, a disruption in their norm, or changes in their environment esp the very elements they pay attention to, can affect them [in varying degrees] i.e make them feel uneasy, cause their distrust, etc.; and if you can emphatize with the main character then you can imagine why higher levels of stress can be found among the parents/guardians of persons of exceptionalities. so it’s important to always look at both sides of the story.

-        Sang-Tae, despite all his tantrums and meltdowns in the series,  grew up in a loving and supportive home  with people who understand his condition; his routine was not shown in the series [which I hope they’ve given extra thought by apportioning a few scenes] but a pattern can be usually observed where the viewers can tell if Sang-tae’s about to have a meltdown i.e Gang-tae lying to him

-        The show seem to be careful with labels; I understand that labelling is still a contentious matter but if there’s a diagnosis, I believe it is deemed important to be shared instead of constanly trouncing in the thought “there’s something wrong with the person”

-        One of the most notable parts I’ve watched so far is the scene wherein Sang-tae had a meltdown after finding out his brother lied about his whereabouts which also revealed his memories about almost drowning in the icy river. Some may be provoked as that memory was explained in full detail in the earlier episode but it’s also important to take note that for a person with exceptionality [part. with learning disability], higher chance of false recollection can be expected; but for ASD, they can misread situations from their difficulty in using their emotions which in turn could result to a false memory.

-        Caring for people with exceptionalities is a sacrificial act, a lifetime of responsibility not all parents/ guardians will sign up for; it is emotionally & mentally tormenting. Not to mention the financial capacity it requires because of the special needs that must be given so they can cope in their own unique capacities.

-        In the Philippine context, our policies catering to the people with exceptionalities [ categorised under PWDs] remain incompetent and unreliable; the stigma that they’re different, weird, crazy, and completely helpless still persists; poor proliferation of right information about them also adds to the problem.

-        I have yet to mention many other things but my point here is the fact that this also calls for our demand for more competent policies, and rightful programs, that will strengthen our healthcare system and support the needs of the individuals/ families concerned; it’s heartbreaking that to this date, the primary initiatives supporting the calls for PWDs in the country are mainly charity works by NGOs. It is disappointing enough that we have a poor healthcare system in the country and yet the healthcare system still has to be burdened with the budget cut because the government thinks our defense budget is of higher priority until the pandemic slammed our doors and we’re now face flat on the ground waiting for an awakening.

p.s. i stopped at ep 10 so some things i wished for might be in the remaining eps. my apologies. 

[kartamuneda]

My calendar’s brimming with colors. One thing is for sure, September knows how to run in a marathon because i’m already gasping for air when it’s barely halfway through the month.

Anyway, if you are 18 & above, and you are not a registered voter yet, please register. You can visit votepilipinas for more information. Together, we can still make a difference.

I am also urging you guys to sign the petition headed by environmentalists to demand the Duterte Administration to repeal the Terror Law. In 2019, note that the Philippines has become the deadliest country for defenders of the environment and with the passing of the anti-terror bill, it could worsen its already lacerated disposition. Dont worry, it will only take you less than a minute to sign it!

Please do take care of your health as well. The virus is still out there, and while we have yet to achieve an effective course of action as we wait for the availability of a vaccine, the best way is to remain cautious. 

Together, let us all stay aware and educated. 

Good night!