Hopeful Pilot
Playpen
emphasis on their students training with actual special needs students, so that they can have practical experience as well as theoretical. In either case, whether the student has more knowledge regarding plan making or academics, in presenting the programs, or whether she has more experience in handling the kids, we need both types.
Science evolves rapidly and with it new methods of teaching usually springs up. How do you manage to keep up with the changes? We have a number of contracts with specialists abroad, and we managed to entice a number of trainers from the States to train our teachers for two years and then supervise them afterwards for a month to provide an evaluation on the teachers and the children after application. We find the evaluation to be the most important part, and it’s very important for anyone working in special 62 DESTINATION RIYADH AUGUST 2015
needs to never stop developing themselves and to keep up with current methods and researches to help the children transition into active members of society.
How do you balance your personal life with the nature of your job as a principal and co-owner of the school? Of course, as a principal, I have to separate between being Mansour and Haya’s mother and being their headmaster during school hours. When I go to school I act and feel as the administrator to run it, but when I go home I’m their mother again. I think it’s impertinent for special needs workers to separate between their jobs and their personal lives so that a decent balance between the two is achieved.
World Health Day 4
What’s the most important change you’d like to see in Saudi society in regards to people with disabilities? The attitude. We’ve placed the first stepping-stone to change the attitude of society towards children with disabilities; the rest must be set by the members themselves. Raising awareness has become more popular recently, and I have hope in the innate goodness of the people in this country. Email: oyoonalfaras@hotmail.com ainalfaras