Brother Dominic Jacob is the headmaster of St George’s School in Mussoorie. But before that, he had the same job at St Joseph’s Academy here in Dehradun. It was at his request that we started the Early Intervention Centre there and with he has been an invaluable advocate and friend ever since. Concerned about some of the children at St George’s who were consistently having difficulties with their studies, he asked us to come up and do a two-day seminar on special needs and learning disabilities.

Tara, Sreedevi and I went up this morning and spent several hours with a marvelous group of teachers from St George’s and several other schools in Mussoorie. We found them to be committed professionals who are genuinely concerned about how to best serve their students, particularly those who are struggling to keep up with the class. They brought up many of the questions we also ask ourselves: How to help parents accept their child’s limitations, and to understand that academic achievement is not the only measure of success? What to do with the child who is simply not able to cope with the burdens of the syllabus? What about the child who is not particularly good in anything?

Our session was philosophical in nature, exploring the basis for inclusion and analysing the education system as a system of exclusion.  Tara ended the day on a passionate and inspiring note when she challenged the school to make its buildings and campus more accessible to children with physical disabilities.  The seminar continues tomorrow with Manju and Savita adding the practical bits: giving teachers the concrete, real-life strategies they are looking for to make inclusion work. Hats off to St George’s for being willing to confront such a vital and important issue.