Passion, patience are pillars

Dubai — Love, passion, patience and understanding are the pillars that special educators lean on to give the extra care for the children with special needs.

It was evident when outstanding special needs teachers, therapists, psychologists and others working in and supporting the special education sector were honoured with the Princess Haya Award for Special Education (Phase) on Thursday evening.

The winners were chosen from 189 applications from the region and elsewhere, said Dr. Ibtesam Al Bastaki, Head of the Jury Committee of the Award.

Some of them like Olga Tretyakova, who won the Phase Award for Movement Therapist, obviously won the great recognition after fighting against all the odds.

She got the job with the Dubai Centre for Special Needs at a time when she was emotionally devastated after her former husband had disappeared, taking her child away from her in her country.

“When I got this job I had no experience in special education. I am a physical education teacher and professional swimming coach,” Tretyakova told Khaleej Times.

“In my country, we never used to see people like this and nobody talked about it. So, in my first week, I was in a state of shock. But in a short period I realised what I can do.”

Tretyakova found there was absolutely nothing for the physical education programme for the special kids. Over the past 12 years, she developed a comprehensive physical education programme for the children, and got the equipment for gym, all kinds of ball games and swimming for them.

Now Tretyakova has a swimming team which has been winning competitions with even the normal children. “When my boys won all the gold medals, the principal of one of the schools told me he was shocked that they did better than the normal kids in his school.”

Kids are also benefitting from the other sports physically and mentally. “I make my kids love my subject through fun ways,” said Tretyakova who also designs and stitches the costumes for all the children performing in the centre’s annual concert.

“When you sit with them, you will forget everything. You will be just one among them and make them laugh. Even after 12 years, I cannot hold back my tears when I see them perform in the concert,” she said.

For people like her, who gives the special touch to the lives of the special needs children, she said, the award is a big morale boost.

sajila@khaleejtimes.com