The National Conference The Education of Children with Deafblindness: Together Again!, “a marathon of life lessons”
Between March 22nd and March 24th, 2022, Sense International Romania, in partnership with The University of Bucharest, The Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Department of Special Psychopedagogy, The Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, The Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Department of Special Psychopedagogy, and The “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași, The Faculty of Psychology and Science, Department of Educational Sciences, organized The National Conference Education of Children with Deafblindness: Together Again!
The event brought together over 100 participants, special education and mass education teachers working with children with deafblindness/multisensory impairments, psychoeducational teachers, students, psychologists, social workers and other specialists. We spent together three intense days consisting in 12 hours of live presentations and stories full of emotion and hope.
20 guests addressed issues such as disability and resilience in times of war, digital educational resources for children with deafblindness, early intervention models, shared good practices and celebrated important achievements.
“For me, this conference was an opportunity to share my professional activity and celebrate my achievements in this field. Thank you, Sense International Romania, for giving us the chance to share our experiences and to enjoy many examples of good practice from other dedicated specialists involved in the education of children with deafblindness”, Gyöngyike Lakatos, special education teacher at Cristal School Center for Inclusive Education, Oradea
“It was a great opportunity to find out our colleagues’ opinions, interests, initiatives and achievements in their daily work”, Mihaela Adriana Moldovan, dr., psychopedagogy teacher, Cristal School Center for Inclusive Education, Oradea
The second online conference organized by Sense International Romania since the beginning of the pandemic used the advantages of the online environment to bring together participants from all over the country and even from the Republic of Moldova, a vibrant community of specialists who connected to the event „with their soul”.
“We have to be grateful to the pandemic because it forced us to find ways to be together from a distance. Such a conference with specialized content definitely has more advantages than disadvantages online: greater impact through access to a larger audience, distinguished guests, very interesting and useful presentations and materials, and, not to mention, lower costs. Thank you, Sense International Romania, because even now, 20 years after the first course I attended, I am still learning with you!”- Filimon Mihaiela, special education teacher, „Saint Vasile” School Center for Inclusive Education, Craiova
“I was really content to attend an event where I felt that people connected with their soul. The information was simply absorbed by the participants! Clearly, this conference must become a tradition!”- Viorel Micu, special education teacher, High School for the Blind, Cluj-Napoca
Both the speakers and the attendees enjoyed seeing their colleagues again, sharing ideas, and meeting new people even though they were not physically together.
“A long-awaited and highly desired conference! I am so happy for the opportunity to see my collegues spread around the country after this pause. I am extremely glad to see that the two years of the pandemic have taught us a lot: we have adapted and readjusted to all challenges and we have learned new things. I look forward to the next edition! “- Eva Oprea, special education teacher, Cristal School Center for Inclusive Education, Oradea
“Although physically separated, we felt the emotion of seeing our dear colleagues again, who walked along us on the path of early Intervention. During the conference, I learned how wonderful it is to share your own experience and to listen to the experiences of those around you”- Daniela Anton, educator, “Vasile Pavelcu” Special Technical High School, Iași
“For me, the conference was very valuable. I had the opportunity to share ideas, emotions, good practices and to connect and reconnect with teachers and colleagues across the country”- Teodora Neagu, psychopedagogy teacher, The School Center for Inclusive Education No. 2 Sibiu
All presentations had sign language interpretation, provided by a dedicated and talented team: Ioana Tufar and Mihaela Dascăl.
“It was an honor for me to make accessible through LSR interpretation presentations which were very professional, but also life lessons. Three days full of information, well-explained concepts, an useful marathon! May such experiences continue! ”- Assist. Univ. Dr. Ioana Tufar, sign language interpreter
If you want to read more about the conference, including the abstracts, please visit: https://surdocecitate.ro/conferinta-2022/