Greetings from the PLD Department.
The focus of the PLD department is on promoting a more positive awareness of inclusive education practices across the whole school. Our goal is to make ARIS students show more empathy and support to their peers who receive learning support.
Our first event for the semester was the Dyslexia and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder week from 23rd to 27th October 2023. It was celebrated with a few videos being shared during homeroom that week and wearing red and orange ribbons but we hope to celebrate it more elaborately next year.
The next event we have planned is the International Day for Persons Living with Disabilities which is on Sunday 3rd December but will be celebrated in school with a short assembly on Wednesday 6th December.
PLD COLLABORATIONS WITH THE HOME, SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY
Self advocacy is the ability to communicate what your needs are. Most students that require learning support are not always able to practice self-advocacy which can be frustrating for them, their peers and their teachers. Some tips to help students practice self advocacy so they get the best out of every learning experience are below.
For parents/teachers:
- Have ongoing conversations with the child about their strengths and challenges and inform their teachers.
- Let the child know that asking for help and receiving help are not a sign of weakness or inadequacy.
- Praise children when they speak up to express themselves.
- Talk openly to them about thinking and learning differently.
For students
- Know that your teachers care for you and want you to succeed so when you ask them for help believe they will help you.
- Talk to the counselling team when you feel overwhelmed and cannot self advocate. Middle School can be challenging so it is expected that you will need some emotional support apart from academic support.
- Discover your strengths and work on improving on them. If you are good at the non-traditional subjects like PHE, Drama,Visual Arts etc hone your skills in this area to build your confidence. Self-confidence makes it easier for you to self-advocate.
- Take your time to think through tasks carefully so you know the areas you face challenges with and this will help you explain yourself better to the teacher when asking for help.