10th P.S. of Kalamata celebrates World Day for Disability

Today we celebrated the world day for disability by doing something different. We explored our neighborhood, in different terms. We were blind for one day. This is collaborative way of learning at its best. Our students were divided into small groups of 5 or 6 with specific roles. One acted as the disabled person. He/She was blindfolded and used a broom stick to provide him/her with the needed guidance along with oral instructions by a classmate who acted as the friend. The other three or four students, depending on the team, monitored and recorded the experience while at the same time they wrote down all botchery, errors and ill-practices by our fellow citizens and municipal authorities  in our neighbourhood towards short-sighted or blind people.

The fifth graders undertook to walk along the main streets of our neighbourhood and finish in front of the main harbor of our city while the sixth graders walked a different route to meet the them at the same spot. How is our city organized? Can someone visually impaired be autonomous and walk around our neighbourhood without being in danger? At the same time, what other things do our co-citizens do wrong when they roam the city or what kind of obstacles do they place along  the pavements and/or the disabled lanes, such as bicycles, flower pots, etc.?

 And yet, by doing small things such as this, our mentality can easily change and our empathy towards people in need can be enhanced. We were so happy to see people coming out of their shops, asking us questions, removing objects from the pavements or replacing them correctly. All that is needed is just simple thinking. Students got in touch with the way it feels not to be able to orientate yourself or be in constant need of someone else because the city lacks the appropriate facilities.
At the end of the day we discussed various ways in which we can offer our help to people that may need it, we pondered on why it so important not to rush them and which is the best way to offer assistance. What we took back was valuable enough experience and this we are going to put in good use on making some small changes as well. Respect, love and acceptance is the message of the day for us!!!