Farewell Families!
We are always sad to see our friends go, but we are thankful for the memories they leave behind and the knowledge that their time with us was beneficial for them and our staff. Before they left, many parents expressed to us their gratitude that we were there for their children while they lived in Shanghai. “There aren’t many choices in China for special needs kids,” says Peiyi Wang, “so we are glad that ELG is able to accommodate Lianne’s needs.”
At our Innovative Learning Center (ILC) daily program, “Andrew was always happy to attend…I loved that while he was there he received so much one on one time and really learned so much,” his parent says. But teaching children is only part of what ILC does. Developing parenting skills is another element of what we do: “Alexander was loved, cared for, and felt safe and secure at ELG,“ says Lucy Jones. “The staff at ELG made me realize how important it is to understand where Alexander is coming from and that he was at a school that really could help him.”
We’re here for families during life’s challenging times. An anonymous parent expressed their gratitude, “My entire family and I can never thank ELG enough for the support and care they have given us. It has been an enormous comfort to us in a very bad time.”
Individual therapists touch families, as well. Sharon says, “We have seen Amelie develop strongly in her attitude after working with Reyhaneh on the critical life skills of overcoming adversity, persistence and personal organization. There are so many ‘firsts’ in working with children in Early Intervention, and it never gets old to celebrate the daily victories and triumphs of the children.” We couldn’t agree more.
Finally, “ELG is the best school in Shanghai where children with special needs can thrive and achieve good results,” says Anita. We can’t ask for a better review from our families! We hope they can continue to find excellent resources wherever in the world they head next.
Want more information about how your family can benefit from our services? Send us an email at [email protected] or call +86 4006 129 423 or +86 21 5206 6273.
So Long, Staff!
We are sad to see them go, but so grateful they could be part of our ELG story and the stories of ELG families.
When asked to reflect on their ELG experience, multiculturalism was emphasized by several leaving staff. Robin spoke about the benefits of an international team, “It was really interesting to witness how people with other cultures and backgrounds approach working with children with special needs,” she said.
“It’s incredibly helpful and interesting because it shows you new perspectives and techniques.” Julieta agreed, “Working with people (coworkers and clients) from various cultures and backgrounds is a continuous learning process that enriches our professional practices every day.” Natalie commented about how this will benefit her in her future life and career, “Working at ELG has also helped me to understand how to support people from different cultural and language backgrounds.”
ILC staff were proud of their work. “When I first joined the ILC,” reflected Chin, “I was skeptical if the programs really worked, but I was quite wrong! I saw the kids making progress and the teachers celebrating every bit of progress and success each individual child made.” Han also enjoyed her experience, saying, “ILC is really a unique place to work. You not only learn skills and gain knowledge about children with special needs, but you also become a part of such a diverse and supportive community.”
Overall, we hope that Nanda speaks for all staff, past and present, when she says, “This experience changed me quite a lot. Personally and professionally, I feel that working here has made me stronger and more confident in making decisions on my own.”
Interested in joining this multicultural, supportive team? Check out our job openings for information about how you can develop and contribute at ELG.