The objective of Gnana Deepam is to impart such training so as to make every child self-reliant and reduce the burden for their parents. To achieve this objective the curriculum includes training in toileting, grooming, eating (ADL), vocational skills like weaving, tailoring, block printing, arts & crafts work, greeting cards etc.,
There are around 50 special children belonging to low income families trained by the school. The school provides academic, vocational, medical and psychological support to the children and their parents. Children are assessed on (MDPS) – Madras Development Program skill and practical ability and put in three categories
Mild
Moderate
Severe
Mildly Challenged
The various activities are :
Academic Skills
Vocational Skills
Group Skills
Identifying Numbers, Colours &
Shapes
Identifying Alphabets and
Objects
Reading
Writing
Learning Simple Arithmetic.
Button Sewing
Drawing
Making paper envelopes
Tailoring & Weaving
Block printing, making greeting
cards
Door mats, Jute articles
Teaching vocational skills to other
children
Helping severely challenged in
day to day activities
Helping in keeping their school
clean
Moderately Challenged
Recognition of Letters and Numbers Counting Trained to convey personal informations like names and address, when lost
Severely Challenged
Eye-Hand co-ordination exercise Activities of daily living (ADL) Eating Grooming Dressing Toilet training Communication Skills
The school takes pride in its service to the society as it provides the following service to the children and also to the community at large.
Self help skills and self-hygiene for the children. Need based training for every child. Motor activities and development. Physiotherapy for spastic children. Language skills – speech therapy. Reading and Writing skills. Arithmetic – Time and Money concepts. Psycho-social intervention for parents. Parental Counselling for handling the children. Guidance and Vocational Training. Yoga & Medical care by qualified doctors. Sports and Physical excellence.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy – Gnana Deepam encourages their children to play games and dance to music so as to achieve holistic development of the children.
The first step to greater success in 1995, when there was no ground to play and practice, the School had sent 3 of their children for special Olympics inter-state competition help at Hyderabad and they have won 1 Gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals in the competition.
Winners in Olympics
This school participated in the inter state special Olympics held at Chandigarh in 1999 and won 5 Gold and 3 Silver Medals.
The school works from 10.00 am to 3.30 p.m. except on Sundays and Mondays. The school cannot have a formal timetable with time schedule like the normal school. However the children are trained to follow a fairly organised pattern of activities as given below :
Contact
Mrs.Uma Dhandapani, Managing Trustee
Gnana Deepam
37, Pozhichalur Main Road,
Pammal,
Chennai – 600 075. Tamil Nadu, India
Ph:. +91 44 22482710
+91 44 22482558
E-Mail:gnanadeepams@sify.com
Mild
