Self-Reflection:

Volunteering

After volunteering with my Colleagues in the future center, we had decided to set together and discuss what happened on that period of time.

First of all, I think we have benefited from this volunteering project a lot; we have learned how to deal with disabled people in a good way. I went to a deep level with the students, they started to love me and they always wanted me to work with them during their Arabic, IT, and Math classes. I have learned how to be patient, it is a must to be patient there because disable people might think in a deferent way or they might also take so much time to think about something or to learn it, but each of those students have a special gift that a normal person doesn’t have.

Once we know what we most fear, we know what we most care about. I have always feared Disabled people, but after working with them, I learned that they are normal people, just like us. I have also learned that serving the community is not a bad thing at all, people might say that there is no salary for volunteering, I personally do not agree with them because the real salary is what you learn there.

I cannot say that there were no negative thing there, one of the negative things I have seen there is that most of the parents over care on their disabled kids, which is definitely a bad thing because it reflects badly on kids themselves and community.


In summary,This experience has reflected on me positively, it changed my way of thinking. I used to hate and fear disabled people for no reason, but after one month of volunteering, I learned that those people are a gift from god; we have to care about them just like our brothers. I became a better person; I learned so many new things; Respect, Patience, Dependability.

Interview with Mr Atif

1) Why did you chose to be a special need teacher?
I have always wanted a job that I can help the community with.
2) Is it a hard job?
Sometimes its a challenge to to manage the students with different  behaviors, but I'm happy with my job and i like my students.

3) When did your carrier start as a special needs teacher?

I have been teaching in The Futures Center from 15 years, and it feels like the students are my children.

4) What is the best way to help special needs students with?

You can help them in many ways, just by chatting and talking with them, you make them happy and more active with the community. 
Making the special needs students happy helps them spiritually to study and become a part of the community.

5) What is the best feeling you had as a teacher? 

 Seeing my students grow and become better with the time is the best thing i have ever seen in my life, The most beautiful thing that i have ever seen in my life is when the first group graduated and started working. 

Volunteer Day 5

In my last day of volunteering, i went to the futer center at 8 am,talked to the special needs students before the classes start, and had some fun with them.

Once the first class started we began studying about countries and nations, in that class i showed the students a presentation about the UAE. 

they were so smart, they knew even more than what i know. and then they had some math and it classes as usual until 12pm.

once they finished their classes i started interviewing students and asking them about their experience in The Future center. 

They all liked the place and learned a lot of things from it.

At last, I had to leave because it was my last day, but I am sure that i will be back again sometime,

because volunteering was a good experience.

Volunteer Day 4

In the 4th week, special needs students had some IT and Language classes to make them able to read and work with the community as a normal people.

I started that day by teaching one of the guys how to write arabic litters :

And after looking around and watching what students are doing i found out that a blind student was practicing reading with touching the papers and then typing them in a laptop :

Volunteer Day 3

In my Third week, Special needs students had Some Sport, Music, and Art classes.
They had some special physical Exercises to help them move easily.
The music class was to make them happy so they work more.
In Art classes I only looked at them doing what they like to do and i was amazed by the work they did.

Volunteer Day 2

I was so excited to start my second week in the future center, I already made plans to teach the students good things that would help them in their lives.

I started by teaching them math and how to count in a easy ways:

once i started teaching them new things I discovered that those students can do great things, some of them can do things that a normal person cant do, one of the students had a good talent in math.

if you give him any date, he will tell you at what day will it be, i tested it with him and it was amazing                           

                                                    

volunteer day 1 27-April

1-Describe your duties /tasks/responsibilities:

I had to Encourage the kids, help them with their Studies, and organize and monitor  them.

2-Describe the relationship and communication with others , supervisors ,instructors ,students ,other volunteers,. Success or failure ?

Once we arrived and started Volunteering, the staff and the supervisors started helping us with everything, and showing us the classes and introduce us to the students.
Students liked us and started to communicate and study better than before.
I had another Volunteer in the class am volunteering in from Newyork Univercity, we split the work and started focusing more in every special need student to make them learn better.
So, Yes it was a success.

3- Explain your challenges and successes.

From the first day, Students liked us and we had to take care of each one of them equally and help them with everything.
The challenge was to be patient with them because they learn things hardly.

6-How do you feel about your efforts and results as a volunteer ?

I feel great because i was helping to make those students a part of the community and let them be equal with the others.