To day I visited one of our dance and exercise classes for learners with learning difficulties and disabilities. It was inspiring, humbling and more than anything fun! Michele Humphreys - Programme Manage - Skills for Life - LLDD/Independent Living, and her assistant, Stephanie Mavrommatis, led the students through various exercise and dance routines that quite frankly would have been challenging for even able-bodied people and students followed their cues to the dot and put on a wonderful performance. Kate Hillman, one of the students, a lively, friendly and outspoken member of the class welcomed me to their session and brighted up the session by her timely and extremely funny interjections throughout the class.
There were around 25 spectators enjoying the open dance session and they all joined me in thanking the students and the tutors for a memorable performance. It was wonderful!
Later in the evening I joint the CUGA (Committeess & User Groups for Adults) group for adults with learning difficulties. This group represents the views of all students with learning difficulties within the College. They presented a well constructed Powerpoint presentation highlighting their role in the college and talked with pride about high profile events that they have attended representing the voice of learners with learning difficulties and disabilities. Their inspirational tutor, Denise Hill, proudly shared some of the work they have done together and explained that the group have been working on personal budgets and how to handle money. I thought there would be no better way to thank them than by offering them support in order for them to plan an end of year event that I will fund. I set the group a budget and left them to come up with a plan for their event. Yet again a fabulous day in the life of the College. I went home buzzing with ideas on how we can capture the voice of our learners and make use of the talent we already have in the College.
Saboohi Famili - Principal
Saboohi - I just want to say thank you so much for visiting the classes both here and at Wallington. It has lifted staff moral enormously and the students are so proud that 'their' new Principal has come to visit them. It is so positive to think that you have taken the time to see some of the student's considerable achievements.
ReplyDeleteThe blog is great and I will show it to them next week.
Thank you again
Michele