In our new December issue, we profile both SENIA-Beijing and it’s Best Buddies program at Harrow Beijing (HBJ) on how it helps bridge the gap between Beijing families and students who have learning differences. We couldn’t fit all of the wonderful interviews into our article, so decided to print them here for your reading pleasure. Many thanks to Janice Bareng-Pineda, teacher and coordinator of the Best Buddies Leadership and Service Activities (LSA) program, for her time in coordinating these interviews.
Christina Wang, Year 10 student at Harrow School Beijing
I’m one of the students who’ve participated in the Best Buddies Leadership and Service Activities (LSA) when I first came to Harrow Beijing. It’s a very meaningful and educational experience for me. In this LSA, I’ve met people who are the same age as me but have in learning and doing activities. It made me feel extremely sympathetic for them but also empathetic. Also, knowing how lucky I was for having a chance of helping them in this LSA. I was able to understand people with intellectual and developmental disabilities more. Zhichao Gao was my buddy. He has intellectual disabilities and didn’t quite understand what we were doing at first.
However, I found him very smart because I knew he was trying very hard to be in the same place as other people. He tried to join in arts and crafts and played games with us. Sometimes he would run off because there were many people in one room, especially when we had our end of year party. He did not want people touching him but one afternoon, when we were sending them off for home, he crossed his arms with me. I thought it was such a kind gesture.
I was also amazed at all the other Rong Ai Rong Le (RARL) students. They all tried hard to get connected. They might not have done something how I expected (like trying to initiate conversations, make eye contact), but they had their own way of doing so. I just had to think deeper and understand clearer to get to know them better. I’m very grateful to Harrow Beijing and RARL for providing me such a precious opportunity.
Jack Zhi, Year 8 student at Harrow School Beijing
When I joined the Best Buddies Leadership and Service Activities (LSA) in my school, I was paired up with a boy called Zhichao. I felt strange and awkward when I first saw a person like him. I did not know how to talk to him… He doesn’t speak the way I speak. He bangs his head many times while we were having activities in the room.
Surprisingly, we got along with each other after meeting a few times. I was curious why he was hitting his head and so I tried to stop him and put my hand on the side of his head. I could then tell that he was not doing it on purpose! There is like an automatic impulse that makes him hit himself. He can’t help it! It must have hurt a lot. I could see that the side of his head was sore. I think he does this when he is excited or nervous. So, I try to calm him down. I would play music on my computer and let him listen. I try to talk to him- I know he can hear me. When he is happy, he hums and dances. He runs around and laughs. I feel happy too when I see him happy.
I know that his humming and dancing was his way to convey a message, or maybe to say thank you. He was doing this a lot when we had a party. He was humming and dancing, laughing and playing games.
But I am more than thankful to meet someone like him. My friends tell me it was kind of me to teach, play, and talk to people with disabilities but I learned more from this experience. I learned that there are several ways to communicate and connect with people.
I would encourage students like me to join activities like Best Buddies! Let us know more about intellectual and developmental disabilities and learn how to include them in our spaces and in our lives.
Zhichao’s Mother Responds
My friends from Harrow School, I’m very sorry. Zhichao, who left you a deep impression, cannot give you the corresponding emotional or textual response. As his mother, I am very grateful and touched by your wholehearted company in the project activities and sincere contribution. Not every time we give is rewarded, but every time we give, we will definitely gain inner growth and make us more mature, tough, and rational. I hope that while you become social elites, you can retain your understanding and care for disadvantaged groups in your heart. The world is diversified. Only by accepting differences can we share. The future is yours, and I hope you all have their own beauty and share the same beauty. Thank you!
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Photos: Best Buddies Leadership and Service Activities (LSA)
