We visited a couple of interesting schools in Quito that related to my special education the field. The first was the Fundacion de Enseñanza Indiviualizada Para Niñas y Adolescentes (EINA). This school has been working with Luis Eduardo Burbano and his Rotary Club who are helping fund the school.
The school provides services for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Besides regular academics the school has a vocational program where they provide training for qualified individuals in woodworking, ceramics, sewing and other vocations. The school made has made a great achievement being the only school in Ecuador that provides an accredited certificate to its students that is recognized by the Ministry of Education. The accreditation allows graduates to provide proof of their training in a particular vocation so they may achie ve employment upon graduation.
The visit ended with a 1950s rock dance performance by six of the students. With dance moves like the twist the troupe gave us an excellent show.
The visit ended with a 1950s rock dance performance by six of the students. With dance moves like the twist the troupe gave us an excellent show.
The second visit came about through a series of fortunate events which resulted in what has been my most applicable vocational experience. My search for autism related programs in Quito came up with two possibilities. Following a lovely discussion with Rocio Almedia about autism she went to the phones and started making some calls. From her research , Rocio found a parent group that met about their children with autism
Rocio Almedia at Triangulo
Through a happenstance connection at a Rotary meeting that our team presented at, Rocio discussed autism and found an organization that was started by one of the mothers from this parent group. A few more phone calls from Rocio led to meeting with the Fundacion El Triangulo.
The school is an incredible acheivement built entirely through private funding raised by selling brick by brick to friends , family and community members. The school´s administrative director Sonia Mancheno de Mora led the tour and shared with me her passion for bettering the lives these students. Sonia, a parent of one the students showed me many of the amazing programs and therapies offered at El Triangulo including: Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Dog Therapy, Dance Therapy and Theatre. The school also has a dedicated autism program (the first I´ve seen in Ecuador) and an almost 1 to 1 student teacher ratio with 1 teacher for every five students, numerous teachers aides and other professionals with a total of 40 employees for 70 students.
The school also has a vocational program in which they teach pre-employment and social skills so students can function in the world. The school has a supportive employment program where students manufacture products including woodworking, crafts and an incredible (and delicious!) chocolate line The products are then sold and funds support the school. The students are paid for their work and the money is used to send the students to summer camps. The school is also in the process of raising funds for a second building on an adjacent property to grow the supportive employment program and provide respite services for the community.
The school also has a vocational program in which they teach pre-employment and social skills so students can function in the world. The school has a supportive employment program where students manufacture products including woodworking, crafts and an incredible (and delicious!) chocolate line The products are then sold and funds support the school. The students are paid for their work and the money is used to send the students to summer camps. The school is also in the process of raising funds for a second building on an adjacent property to grow the supportive employment program and provide respite services for the community.
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