The selfless super developmental educators of the Light House, who tirelessly come and do their work, bringing smiles to everyone's faces.
Gratitude to You 2.
The institution also provides professional support that tries to help in the challenging everyday life, whether it's about a mother or a child. From mental support to developmental pedagogy, to the voluntary work of a loving grandmother, those who are part of the charitable work of the Light House.
Since the Covid pandemic, perhaps this year has been the toughest for us. It can be said that we are constantly working at full capacity, which is good in a way because we help many families, but on the other hand, we wish there were no families in distress. There is no shortage of professional challenges, as family caregivers and professional caregivers strive to provide as much assistance and peace of mind to each resident as possible. Our weekdays are supported by a few outstanding, excellent volunteer professionals, whom we would like to report on because we feel that this is the best way to express our gratitude to them. They just come tirelessly and do their job, bringing smiles to everyone's faces.
We asked them to write a short introductory summary about themselves, who they really are, how they came to the Light House, and what life brought them to us. Our second article is about two great developmental educators: Julianna Kilin and Tamásné Nagy. Please welcome our writing warmly.
Julianna Kilin's report:
"Around 2017, I came to the mother's home. Around the summer holidays, I met the leader, who was looking for a Christian-minded educator to help improve the academic performance of the resident children. As a special education teacher, I was delighted to see a roomful of developmental tools at our disposal, which we could use from time to time. The age group of the children I work with ranges from 5 to 16 years old. Development mostly takes place individually, with occasional group sessions for preschoolers. Each child's session is preceded by a parental consultation. This is followed by the assessment and development of cognitive skills: attention, memory, thinking. In addition, there is supplementation of kindergarten and school knowledge. If these skills severely lag behind their age group, I signal/initiate a learning ability assessment to the Educational Advisory Service.
For preschoolers, the focus is on preparing for school and addressing missing age-specific skills and knowledge. Main topics include spatial-time orientation, communication, independence. For this purpose, I also inform mothers about their children's deficiencies, emphasizing the importance of cooperation, which rarely materializes. I draw attention to the importance of daily routines; we presented materials on this in a lecture and on the notice board together with my volunteer colleague. We strive, together with the home's staff, to utilize every possible means to support education and catch-up. For elementary school students, there is a need for letter recognition, replacement, and practice. Learning the school curriculum without practice is futile. I try to compensate for this deficiency, which is insufficient with only 5 hours a week. Regular, daily practice is needed for proper progress. I try to teach basic learning techniques to the children.
For upper-grade students, my goal is systematic supplementation of subject knowledge. Besides reading comprehension, mathematics, and language/spelling skills, fulfilling the requirements of history, geography, and biology subjects poses difficulties. Sometimes, students fail to meet even the minimal requirements and are required to take re-exams. In this case, during the summer holidays, students receive intensive preparation for re-exams, which are mostly successful. For vocational school students, the task is rather to understand and acquire professional subjects and to obtain a passing grade. The lack of learning techniques in this age group and the difficulty of memorizing professional terminology pose challenges. During school breaks, to the children's delight, I occasionally organize skill development play days with my volunteer colleague, featuring various motor, thinking, and attention-building tasks. My work is mostly a drop in the ocean, firefighting in nature, but I hope that I can help in the intellectual/educational progress of the children."
The seed sower - Tamásné Nagy
"Six years ago, my granddaughter entered upper grades, and she started handling her studies and tasks independently. I found the answer to the question "What now?" in an advertisement: there is an opportunity for voluntary tutoring at the Light House. Having taught mathematics in primary school for 30 years as a special education teacher, I applied. I got the opportunity. Since then, I spend two afternoons a week teaching at the house. The task is quite complex: dyscalculia sessions, dyscalculia prevention, development, catch-up, tutoring, talent development with the children. Emphasizing the role of learning, knowledge, the importance of practice, demonstrating and accepting the joy of thinking to the mothers. I had to adjust to local customs. The practice notebook gets destroyed, the teaching aids I lend get damaged... Initially, it bothered me, but I didn't break down. I don't need to understand everything; my job is to give when I'm working with someone. To give knowledge, a sense of achievement, hope, self-esteem, proper self-evaluation. The joy of work, the resilience to rise from failure, and perseverance to achieve further results. I always try to adjust the "sowing" to the ground. Often, I need to dig deep to understand why the seed doesn't sprout or develop further? In the silence of the nights, I often find solutions to a deadlock. (Thank you gratefully.) There are also "dormant" seeds. Some start from a little warmth, sucking in everything irresistibly. A seed has been dormant for 4 years...(A few years ago, a "seed" went from counting on fingers to understanding two-digit division in one year.) I love those that require a lot of care and attention. The persistent work of a "eureka" moment. The appearance of a "leaf" that started just when the two of us - temporarily met. The work fills me up, failure disappoints me, challenges inspire me, the desire to give, the utilization of talents within me keeps me alive. The received love and the appreciation, acceptance, inclusion I get from the House's staff make me happy. What will the harvest be like? Tenfold, twentyfold? That's not the most important thing! As much as possible in the given situation. The sower's job is to sow. By the roadside, in good soil alike. Salt flower? Sunflower? Both their existence is a miracle.
Respect for it."
Source: The Salvation Army | Light House TFO | Julianna Kilin, Tamásné Nagy, and Ildikó Papp
Date: November 24, 2023
Image source: The Salvation Army | Light House TFO | Communication Department
