Sekolah Luar Biasa

Everyday I ride my bicycle past Sekolah Luar Biasa on my way to teach at SMK 1. Often some of the students are outside in front of the school and we exchange excited waves as I pass by. This is not an elementary school, nor a middle or high school; rather, Sekolah Luar Biasa or SLB is for students who are, as the name suggests, "outside the ordinary" (sekolah-school, luar-outside, biasa-normal/ordinary).

As a Special Educator I was quite interested to see how students with disabilities would be treated in Indonesia. My interest was further piqued when I noticed that there were no exceptional students in my placement school, nor had I seen any during my interactions around the city. Where were the Indonesians with disabilities? Sitting with two of my fellow teachers one day I asked this question and was met with a less than satisfactory "I don't know, why?" When I answered that I taught those students in America and that my Masters degree was in Special Education I was met with a look of shock and a "why?" as in "why would you want to do that?." After bewildering them by saying that working with those children was my passion, I was told that "o yes, we have a special school for people like that." Aha! I knew it! There were people with disabilities in Indonesia, they were just being hidden. I immediately pictured 1800's style asylums full of dark rooms crowded with stagnating children of different disabilities lumped together under the umbrella of "defective". I immediately asked if I could visit and possibly volunteer there, only to be given a very vague answer. After months of advocating for my right to visit the special school I was finally granted permission and arranged a visit this past Saturday.

We were ushered into the cluttered office of the headmaster, a round, spectacled Ibu with a kind smile who cleared some space for us to sit down and chat. I knew I was in the right place when I told her that I was a Special Educator in America and her face lit up as she eagerly asked "why?"- although this time it was not an accusatory why. When I answered her question with "I love it" she smiled broadly and emphatically agreed. She took us on a tour of the school herself, holding my hand as we went through the building. She showed us the various rooms where students learn practical skills like sewing, woodworking, cooking, and salon skills. The first classroom we visited contained three students and one teacher, and to my amazement the students were reading and writing in braille! After talking with those students we were taken to the next room where eight deaf students sat in two neat rows learning sign language. As soon as my face appeared in the doorway one the the girls in the back row gasped and started making a pedaling sign with her hands- she knew me from riding past each day on my bicycle. We practiced the alphabet together in sign and they sang a song for us using sign. Before we knew it we were surrounded by other students and teachers who had been drawn by the commotion, and subjected to the photos customary of Indonesia.

Needless to say I was thrilled that my vision of Indonesia's asylums was far from the truth, but I was even more thrilled that, for the first time since teaching in Indonesia, I saw teachers who were truly passionate about their job and loved their students. Never have I had such an affirming and impassioning experience- I was reminded of all of the reasons why I had become a Special Educator. The headmaster invited me to come back as often as possible and I promised to take her up on her offer. I regret that I waited so long to venture into SLB; but, I hope in the months to come that I can keep my promise to this school that is truly outside of the ordinary.