RETA Stories
Jiarou, a seasoned Educational Therapist, champions inclusive education and prioritises treating all students with dignity and respect.
‘To Make An Immediate Impact On Children With Special Needs’ is her tagline. As an Educational Therapist, Early Interventionist, and Handwriting specialist, Jiarou is extremely passionate about working with children with special needs and their families. Demonstrating a patient and friendly approach throughout the sessions, her work enables children with learning disabilities and their families to receive much-needed support in navigating any specific challenges the child may face.
Jiarou is an experienced Early Interventionist/Educational Therapist/Handwriting Specialist with over 9 years of experience working with children with special needs and more than 5 years of mentoring professionals in the SpLD field. She has been a member of the Register of Educational Therapists, Asia (RETA) since 2018 and is currently a ‘Fellow.’ She shares that she must maintain good teaching practices and pedagogical knowledge in the field of special education as an Educational Therapist who works with students who have dyslexia and/or special needs. RETA is an excellent platform for not only sharing resources/articles and training/short courses but also allows members to connect with practitioners from different countries.
She believes that all countries should ensure inclusive quality education for children with special needs so they can learn in the mainstream school system and fully participate as equal members and active participants in their communities and society. As a result, it is critical to create an inclusive society. As an individual, she can create public awareness in the hope that the public will understand people with disabilities.
When asked, ‘What do you think is the most important quality/value/belief a person must have when working in the field of Special Education?’ – Dignity. The educator working in the field of Special Education must treat all students with dignity and respect, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, gender diversity, disorder, appearance, age, religion, origin, abilities, or achievements.
Her words of wisdom,
Dear parents, it is not your responsibility to ‘fix’ your child’s impairment but rather to provide them with the social and emotional skills they need to overcome obstacles. Over time, your child can become stronger and more resilient by facing and overcoming challenges. Never forget that your actions and reactions to challenges significantly impact your child. While a positive attitude will not solve the problems associated with a learning disability, it can give your child hope and assurance that things will get better and that they will eventually succeed.