The first week of classes went relatively well, and we managed to admit 3 more students from the waiting list that interested parents filled in. We held a brief orientation for parents to introduce the 'homework' that their children will be doing, and gave them a small booklet on how they can best support their child's learning journey at home, as well as establishing contact between our programme coordinators, staff, and each family. Our primary focus this week was to monitor progress and note down anything of concern.

1) What went well?

Classes started well, and we were very lucky to have a batch of enthusiastic students who are ready to dive into the content. We have a diverse group of special needs students, ranging from ADHD to autism spectrum to Tourette's. Our teachers and coordinators got to know the new kids and bonded very well. The first day of class was mostly dedicated to getting to know each other, playing logic-based, puzzle-solving games to activate and stimulate their senses. Bingo, Twister, and some other folk games were played. The second day, we introduced the class syllabus and used visual learning aids to help the kids understand their journey for the next few weeks. Many even stayed behind after hours to ask our teachers extra questions about some of the content on the syllabus, like computer-based skills. We always encourage this type of proactive learning, and made sure to let their parents know their child is very studious. 

2) What could have been done differently?

We had some logistical issues with getting lunch and breaktime snacks punctually delivered due to some miscommunications with the supplier on quantity, dietary restrictions, and menu preferences. A lot of time was wasted going back and forth with the delivery truck and security to ensure we got the food. This meant breaks had to be extended, and class time impacted as a result. We are working hard to sort this issue out, though we do anticipate some minor hiccups next week regarding this problem. 

Naturally, there will be a recurring issue with getting the students' attention when teaching a class for children with special needs. We are always actively researching novel learning aids and methods to maintain class attention and participation, since a lot of students appear to 'zone out' in the middle of lessons or be somewhat distractive to others. We do recognise that this is a general problem for running any school, and we are extremely lucky to have a wealth of resources and support at our disposal from other teachers in Malaysia. Though we do hope to adopt solutions as soon as possible, we have to go through all the possible options before deciding on what works best, then trial it on the class and see which experiment works, and which does not. For this week, we hope to see some better results. 

3) What did I learn about myself when working with others? 

This week, the ability to communicate and remain adaptive in a team during moments of chaos is my most valuable takeaway from working with others. I witnessed the school coordinator staff beautifully manage a team of volunteers, eager children, and impatient suppliers at once, only by using their voice and clearly communicating expectations. Though they can quickly assess the most important objective and prioritise getting that done first, they also malleably adapt to the situation at hand. For instance, last Wednesday, the catering van did not arrive at all.

Turns out, there was a new driver on the job, and he did not use GPS to get to our school, only relying on his knowledge of the roads. He missed a turn and ended up elsewhere. Our catering coordinator was swarmed by dozens of eager kids asking for the food after the lunchtime bell rang. She nicely spoke to the children, got them to calm down, and then got on the phone with the driver for the right instructions. Coordinating with security staff, she managed to get the van to arrive at the gates, and then coordinated with our volunteers to deliver the food to the dining hall. I was so impressed by how she managed to balance all of this, still prioritising getting the food here, but dealing with dozens of children at once. She exemplified the values of leadership at that time, and I could see how everyone worked so efficiently and quickly under her direction. 

4) What did I learn about leadership? 

I mentioned last week about adaptability being an important trait, but this week, I saw it shine through one of our coordinators. I learned that being a leader also means actively learning from others, because I am so lucky to have an extremely talented and experienced team working besides me, who can teach me more about good leadership than any other means. Seeing the best in others, not being afraid to learn from each other, and encouraging that form of learning is what a good leader should do. I also think that a good leader brings out the best in their teams - witnessing how our volunteers employed their skills to speed up a process, and then hearing that they are doing a great job and are being innovative, definitely helps improve team dynamics. 

5) What do I want to develop/focus on next? 

This week, we will continue to monitor the teaching progress, and get ready for the first set of mid-term reviews and conversations happening next week. Since we are 1 week behind schedule, we need to meet together with the board to find ways to effectively deliver the syllabus content. Personally, I hope to develop my communication skills and proactive working/leading, since as the programme director, I am in charge of managing the content, reporting to the Board and making suggestions or improvements wherever necessary. It will be a challenge, since I have to carefully look at all aspects before making a proposal to the Board, but I hope it will go smoothly.