Welcome to our second featured interview! This time we are honoured to invite Asst Prof Xie Huichao, our co-PI for Tran-SEN study to share her experiences with us. She has 16 years of experience in the field of early intervention. She has also taught in inclusive preschools and disability-specific intervention programs in China and the United States prior to obtaining her PhD in Special Education. As an assistant professor, she is currently teaching undergraduate, graduate and professional development courses at NIE focusing on assessment in special education.
Asst Prof Xie has recently relocated to Singapore from the U.S and one of the reasons was because of the amazing foods from all over the world. During her free time, she loves to explore neighbourhoods that she has never been to, wandering around the wet market and hawker centres, and joining the uncles and aunties for a cup of kopi. Exploring local neighbourhoods is also a theme when she travels to other countries. To her, it is particularly fun to observe young children and their interactions with caregivers in different countries and cultures.
In this interview, Asst Prof Xie will share with us her personal experiences and some tips that parents can learn and practice.
Let's being!
What made you decide to enter the field of special needs?
Because this is the only thing I know that gets me out of bed every morning, to make school a happy place for all children to learn and grow. As a college student, I once felt disappointed in humanity after reading many criminal cases during my internship in a law firm. One day I walked into a preschool classroom and realized a 4-year-old boy was neither being engaged in anything nor being happy. I said to myself, “maybe I can help him if I can’t do anything to ‘fix’ the adult offenders.”
How do you think this study can benefit children with SEN and their families?
The Tran-SEN study is important in that it is the first study on how children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) develop and adjust in the first three years in primary/SPED school in the local context. We definitely need Tran-SEN and more studies in the future in order to understand the experiences of children in SEN and their families in our educational system so that we are able to provide the supports they need. I definitely hope the voices of children with SEN and their families can be heard, with delicately designed, scientific inquiries, to inform innovations to the schools in Singapore and make them a more welcoming and nurturing environment for all learners.
Why do you think it is important for parents to take care of themselves?
A parent is first an individual who has their own needs and life. Being a parent can certainly a very important and rewarding part of one’s life, but the best outcomes of parenting are more likely to occur when the parent is living a healthy and balanced life.
How can parents remain positive when their child is faced with challenging situations in school?
From my personal and professional experiences, I found it helpful to ask for help so the parent can take a break and deal with own feelings, needs, and be ready to problem solve. It is always helpful to take the time needed for self-care before taking care of others.
What can parents do together with their child to create a positive environment in the family?
I am always happy to see parents put away their digital gadgets, cell phones, tablets, kindle, laptops, and devote as much as possible their full attention to the ongoing interactions with their child at the moment. Appreciate your child’s smiles, respond to your child’s eye gaze, babbling, and body touch, and just enjoy the previous parent-child bond.
Do you have any messages for the parents?
I just to want to express my gratefulness for all the parents who participate in Tran-SEN. You made a choice that would benefit your child’s learning and development. You also made a choice beneficial to many other children and families by contributing valuable information to scientific research. Thank you!
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Thank you for your continual support! Stay tuned at our website as we bring you more exciting activities that you can engage your child with and updates from our study!
For any enquiries, please contact us at tran-sen@nie.edu.sg.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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