February 6, 2005
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Recently the Star (Metro) carried an encouraging story about 11-year old Yeak Ping Lian, Malaysia's
own autistic savant. Ping Lian is autistic and ADHD whose artistic
talents have just come to light. He is homeschooled and has recently
been added to the Savant Profiles of the Wisconsin Medical Society
website of University of Wisconsin Medical School. That’s
where internationally recognised expert on savant syndrome Dr
Darold A Treffert is attached to.Visit Ping Lian's website and gallery here. I've been told by Pam of Calvary Life Ministries that the boy and his family attends Calvary Church. Read about Ping Lian and other extraordinary autistic savants at the terrific Wisconsin Medical Society website. More about Dr Treffert who advised on the Dustin Hoffman movie The Rain Man, here.
Ping
Lian only started homeschooling when it became apparent that
conventional schools couldn't handle him. Tragically, authorities still
insist that differently-abled kids stay in school under the new
mandatory education act (compulsory for the first 6 years, since 2003)
even when trained personnel and facilities aren't readily
available. But they're beginning to relent - exemptions are now given
to medically certified children to homeschool on application to the
Ministry of Education. (Guess where that puts 'normal' kids who want to homeschool for no better reason than sheer conviction?)I
appreciate that not all parents may be able to cope with a special
child (even if I believe parents do it better) nor do they want to
homeschool, but present resources certainly do not inspire
confidence. So, what to do?
Comments (5)
Schools are too fond of labelling kids here anyways. They get more money for special services, it's convienient for them to attach labels to children that don't quite fit the norms. I'm going to personally flee on anything of the sort, it boxes in and limits opportunities for children unfortunate enough to be unique.
Thanks for the great links!
I read this post thinking how wonderful that God uses ANYONE for His glory.
Yep, Rikki. Labels, labels, labels. It's the easiest thing to do isn't it - labeling kids?
Ping Lian's blessed... I think it's much harder for the family of autistic children who have nothing outrightly "special" to be proud of about their kid.
I've learnt a bit having followed your posts for a while now. Just thought I'd comment, for once. Thanks for the input! Happy cny.
thanks for visiting markus. i guess ping lian's blessed. but i suppose that begs the question: what about ordinary people like us - average joes - with no remarkable talent or achievement to shout about, who are just about as outstanding as plain wallpaper? do we count?
Comments are closed.