Sometimes, children develop cognitively, physically, language and other areas below the level expected for their age. As early childhood experts who know what those developmental skills are and education/therapy methods, we plan the process and plan the sessions. While working with children with special needs. It is often believed that, as a specialist, you will teach the child some developmental skills that are thought to be "deficient". So, when you evaluate it from the perspective of the child and the educator/therapist, a learning process begins, yes. So what kind of learning process is it? Or how can we frame this learning process?
It is now inevitable for me to describe a liberating learning process that frames a successful rehabilitation process beyond the known developmental milestones and applied methods. Because only then, the child's learning process will not be a track marked by developmental checklists, but will actually be the "real self".
*Can the child count from 1 to 5?
*Can he tie his shoelaces?
*Can he distinguish colors?
*Can he classify objects?
These questions can extend into hundreds of items depending on the child's situation. Children with special needs, just like normally developing children, are actually in a process of self-development while gaining knowledge about the world. They are not passive recipients of information, but active explorers given the opportunity and time. However, in their own way... According to their own temperament...
So, in addition to the expertise and education/therapy techniques, are there some concepts that reflect the understanding of the relationship with the child? Is it possible to have a perspective that can enable the learning process to be experienced as a LIBERATING process in which the child can stay in touch with his or her SELF, rather than a process in which the child depends on some instructions and stimuli?
D.W. Based on the teachings of a groundbreaking theorist named Winnicott, we can safely say yes. Winnicott stated that there are common points and parallels between the mother-infant relationship and the therapist-patient relationship. Because in the relationship of these two, the learning processes that enable the person to be himself are liberating. It has a lot to do with the ici (inhibitory when the mother-environment fails to adapt to the child's needs) nature.
The child can only test, explore, and learn the outside world through play. The child makes spontaneous attempts and experiments against the outside world through his first playmate/mother and objects. For a healthy self-development, an adult who accompanies the child while he is making his discoveries, accepts him, anticipates his needs, is willing to read the clues, and provides the necessary safe environment is required. This relationship is of critical importance to the rehabilitation process. Because it is only through this solid and good enough relationship that one acquires the inner strength necessary to cope with the fractures, difficulties, failures or disappointments that will occur in the future.
In a process carried out for rehabilitation purposes/ We are talking about a framework in which the child's needs are predicted and recognized according to the areas of expertise in the session, service is provided as much as possible when the child is ready, and emotional cues are also read and responded to. We sense and predict the time and amount when the child is ready through the child's spontaneous discoveries. In this way, the child is neither completely abandoned to his own fate, nor exposed to a learning environment and environment that imposes on him/her more than he needs and is ready for (even with good intentions)/violates the limits.
The other important thing conceptualized by Winnicott is The thing is the concepts of real and false self. In short, the real self is formed when the environment can adapt to the child's needs, approve his temperament and individual differences, and show warmth and closeness that does not violate his boundaries. While remaining himself, he also establishes relationships with the outside world, discovers and learns. However, when the child is exposed to a teaching pace, skill topics, and rehabilitation process beyond what he is ready for, he develops a false self in which he submits to external reality but loses contact with his true self.
None of us are perfect. We can never achieve perfection. However, the goal of a good enough rehabilitation program is to make the child as independent as possible. For the child to become independent It must first hold on to an object outside. We, early childhood experts, can also present ourselves as an object, depending on the developmental level of the child who comes to us for support. We read his clues in various developmental areas and provide as much service as he needs when he needs it. Thus, the child goes through a developmental education/therapy process in which he can be his true self in a good enough education/therapy environment - in a relationship with a good enough specialist.
It is impossible to be with the child and monitor him at all times and in all situations. However, over time, our solid-strong-safe-accepting stance is internalized by the child. Over time, the child internalizes our desire to learn. He becomes an active learner of the outside world and his developmental journey. In addition to all the skills acquired, this is exactly what a good enough rehabilitation program should be essential for: THE CHILD'S HAVING A FEELING OF DOMINANCE OVER KNOWLEDGE AND OBJECTS.
However, a good enough rehabilitation program and A process in which the child can establish contact with his/her inner reality and at the same time learn about the outside world within a framework where the child's environment is created. In an environment that adapts to the child's feelings, sensations, emotions and cognition, and offers a program and environment that includes activities that the child can tolerate emotionally when he is ready, the child LEARNS and becomes himself while learning. ABSTRACT happens, becomes FREE.
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