PROGRESS REPORT
Period – NOV 2014 TO FEB 2015.
The mission of the Osmosis Centre is to bridge the gap between the child’s level
of learning and the demands of their school curriculum. The key strategy is to
provide early intervention to children with learning issues, recognize the
strengths of the child and motivate them to overcome their difficulties. The task
is huge as almost one in ten children are impacted by learning issues in school.
With the right instructions and guidance, there is no limit to what a child can
do. The Centre is run by qualified staff who work along with the School
authorities and Parents to identify and promote the areas in which the child is
most proficient and in a play way method, reach out to the students so that
they gain confidence and shine in the area in which they have an inborn
talent.
The Osmosis centre has been working in this area for the last 14 years and was
formally registered as a Public Trust in 2010 (Registration Number
E/7504/Vadodara). Regular assessments are carried out and appropriate
modifications are made in the teaching methods in the child’s best interest.
Ideally Remedial Educational Therapy is beneficial when the student–teacher
ratio is ONE: ONE. We carefully select teachers with the right attitude and
training them is a continuous process.
During the period under report the Trust has made significant progress in the
following areas:
Remedial Teaching : Today we are successfully imparting remedial help at 4
locations. The number of children taking advantage of Osmosis Centre is stated
below:
Name of Locations
Bharuch
Gattu Vidyalaya
Ankleshwar City
Sarvanaman School
Sponsored by G.A.C.L.*
Library Students
Total
Students
27
20
5
1
5
10
68
* We have received a budget for 20 children from Lower Socio economic
background from GACL.
Today we have a group of 8 teachers and the search for additional teachers is
an ongoing process as we need to maintain the ideal student teacher ratio.
Workshop for teachers, parents & schools: - Parent’s meetings are held at
regular intervals. Parent’s counseling at an individual level is a part of therapy.
We believe, “Mothers are the Best Teachers.” Many parents follow our home
based program. On the other hand, some due to their own limitations can’t. We
have successfully had workshops in 2 schools, Queen of Angel’s Convent
Higher Secondary School, Vadadla and Atmiya School, Zadeshwar for the
teachers. This is mainly to spread awareness on Dyslexia and how one can
identify them at an early stage. A Parents workshop at Calorx Pre-School,
Zadeshwar was held for the same.
In schools, our role is to identify children with Learning Difficulties. This is
done through a short screening test in each class. In consultation with class
teachers, they are identified as children at risk. After this process their parents
are called to the centre. With the Parent’s consent, their further assessment
and therapy is planned.
This screening test was successfully conducted in 3 schools:
1) Amity School, Bharuch – Std. 1-4th.
2) Gattu School, Ankleshwar – Std. 1-4th.
3) GNFC School, Bharuch – Gujarati medium – Std. 1-4th.
4) GNFC School, Bharuch - English medium – Std. 1-4th.
Public awareness and sensitization programs: - Working with children with
special needs is a sensitive field and creating awareness amongst in Society is a
prime need. Integrating students with special needs into the main stream
school curriculum is a major issue. Parents of these children are unaware or
often confused about the therapy process. A major event was organized at the
G.N.F.C. Open-Air Auditorium/Theatre on 3rd January. Our target audience
included Doctors, Government Officials, School Principals, Trustees, Teachers
and Parents. The Chief Guest was the Deputy Collector of Bharuch Shri N.R.
Dhandal and the program comprised of a few dance shows by the children and
a play directed by Dr. Murtuza Railwaywala- Ajab Bacho ki Gazab Kahani,
followed by a panel discussion on issues related with children with Special
Needs. The play brought out the problems in children with Learning Difficulties
face and how one should handle them in the best possible way. It also
highlighted the dictum- “Let’s not see the Disability, but celebrate the ability”
More than 500 people attended this program and the feedback was positive.
The Main sponsor of the program was Dr Bharat Champaneria from Kakaba
hospital, Ankleshwar. The open air auditorium was provided by GNFC without
any charges.
Visits by Eminent Personalities:- Mrs. Avantika Singh has visited our centre
in Bharuch. Mrs. Trupti Almora & Mrs. Archana Patel, Trustees of Dhwani – a
School for Hearing Impaired have also visited our centre.
Outdoor Visitations:- To explore different methods to upgrade our centre and
adopt proven techniques a visit was organized to Bai Awabai Petit School and
the Child Reach Centre in Mumbai. The school has a remedial centre within
the school premises which ideally each school should have.
Earlier a visit was also made along with Educational Officials from
Gandhinagar to visit the Maharashtra Dyslexia Association & Sion Hospital.
This was mainly to know the concessions available for Dyslexic Students.
Advertisements: A poster was designed and put up near the corner of
Zadeshwar Chowk to advertise that this important facility for children with
special needs is available in Bharuch area. A brochure regarding our activities
was also designed.
Occupational Therapy:- As mentioned earlier working with children with
special needs is a team effort. The team comprises of Clinical Psychologist,
Occupational Therapist, Speech Therapist and Special Educators. Considering
that a large number of children need to visit cities like Baroda and Surat for
Occupational and Speech Therapy, the Osmosis Centre will be starting a
section on Occupational Therapy in April 2015. Dr Mishra, Head of the
Department– Occupational Therapy, S.P. University, Anand was consulted and
under his advice the necessary equipments have been procured. Dr Megha,
who has recently completed a course in Occupational Therapy under him, will
take over this section.
Personnel recruited:- A full-time Administrator and a Computer Teacher has
been appointed.
Future Plans:- The efforts to reach out to all the children that need special
education are immense and the Centre has recognized that the challenge is to
grow to a self sustaining stage. This will require careful financial planning as
well as a steady but continuous increase in the students attending the
remedial sessions. Towards that the plans for the immediate future are:
1) Separate workshops for Parents, School Authorities and Special
Educators to spread awareness that learning issues can be satisfactorily
resolved and all children can be trained to cope with the normal school
curriculum.
2) Increase the enrollment at each of the Centres by approximately ~30 per
cent and proportionately also increase the teaching staff.
3) Increase the learning aids at the Centre including the items in the Games
Library.
4) Speech Therapy Unit
5) A Vocational Training Centre
6) Developing a website.
The Osmosis Centre gratefully acknowledges the support of NARDES, the CSR
wing of GNFC, GACL, ZEE ENTERPRISES LTD. & the Individual Donors for
their sponsorship without which it would not have been possible to carry out
the above activities.
Annexures:
a) Remedial Sessions.
b) Workshops with the Teachers & Parents.
c) Brochure of the Center.
d) Collector’s Visit to the Bharuch Centre.
e) Awareness Program on 3rd Jan. 2015 at G.N.F.C. Auditorium.
Remedial Session at the Bharuch Centre
Remedial Session at the Bharuch Centre
Remedial Session at Gattu Vidyalaya, Ankleshwar
Remedial Session at Gattu Vidyalaya, Ankleshwar
Parent’s Workshop – “Importance & Myths about I.Q. Testing
Parent’s meeting at the Bharuch Centre
Parent’s Awareness at Sanskar Bungalows
Teacher’s Workshop at Queen of Angel’s Convent School
At Teacher’s Workshop in Queen of Angel’s Convent School
Mrs. Avantika Singh (I.A.S.) the then COLLECTOR of Bharuch at our Centre
The Chief Guest of the Awareness Program – Shri . N. R. Dhandal, Dy. Collector Bharuch
Dance program by students of Osmosis on 3rd Jan 2015
Play directed by Dr. Murtuza Railwaywala – “Ajab Bachchon ki Gajab Kahani.”
Acknowledging achievements of Ms. Sachi Shah, a former student of OSMOSIS
Audience at the Awareness Program