Taarana Special Needs Centre, Petaling Jaya

My name is Nurul Aini and I'm the mother of Muhammad Eshan Ghazi. Eshan is my only child and he was first diagnosed with Autism back in 2015. After quite a while searching for a suitable school for him, we finally found Taarana and quickly decided it's the best place for Eshan. He started his first day at Taarana on January the 15th, 2016 at the age of 7. Eshan has been with Taarana for 8 years now.

When Eshan started Taarana, he was still nonverbal but he was already able to read and write because he is also hyperlexic. However, due to his severe sensory processing disorder and separation anxiety, it was difficult for him to get used to a new environment. He was crying non-stop for a long time. However, with the help, dedication and perseverance of the teachers, half a year later he finally stopped crying and enjoyed going to school. Best of all, he even started talking. Eshan progressed from being nonverbal to semi-verbal and now fully verbal.

Eshan experienced so many firsts at Taarana. They may seem inconsequential to most, but they are huge achievements for Eshan. His first time drinking from a cup and using a straw was at Taarana. He had his first French toasts, pancakes and omelettes at Taarana. He progressed from just eating one type of food (gardenia butterscotch) and plain water to trying other foods and now eating quite a variety. He also progressed from using diapers to being fully toilet trained and diaper free. He learned basic maths, how to read the time and use the calculator at Taarana.

I believe the programs given by Taarana helped Eshan a lot especially the therapies and life skill lessons in which are taught and conducted practically. This approach is the best way for students like Eshan to learn as they understand better when they do it rather than read the theories. Overall, I am very satisfied with all the achievements that Eshan gained at Taarana whether it's basic life skills or academics. They exceeded all my expectations.

What sets Taarana apart from other schools is human connection. Taarana is not just a school, it's a family. They say it takes a village to raise a special needs child. Well, Taarana is part of my village. With my husband being countries away for work most of the time, the family at Taarana made the years more bearable. Eshan and I have a place where we belong. The dedicated teachers at Taarana helped raise Eshan to be the person he is now.

Jivitha arrived at Shelter when she was only 3 and half years. She came to the home with severe trauma with the inability to communicate verbally and with zilch social interaction skills. For in due course, she has been transformed into this confident, exuberant, talkative and intelligent child.

During the 4 years in the custody of Shelter Home and having been put on numerous intervention programs such as counselling, therapy and her enrolment in a kindergarten and later on enrolling her in Taarana January 2024, she has been able to unpack some of her negative emotions and psyche and had learnt to cope with her some of her emotions - learning to respect others, being courteous, building trust and learning to interact with others. She is still classified as "work in progress" as God is not finished with her yet.

Being a hyper-active and strong-willed child, she is still learning about boundaries and demonstrating the appropriate behaviour towards others - her peers and her seniors. Sometimes, it can be very challenging for he caregivers when dealing with Jivitha's emotional baggage during her stay at Shelter Home.

Taarana has given her a safe space to further develop, grow and mature in her emotional stability and behaviour. Here, she is given the opportunity to interact with fellow-students and teachers alike to build rapport and to improve communication skills. With the various awareness campaigns on special needs children Taarana has embarked on, has also provided the exposure and also enhance the experience of our team of caregivers. Taarana not only benefits the child we have entrusted to their care, but also by their association with Shelter, our management and staff have also benefited from the numerous programs that were extended to their participation.

The daily progress reports furnished by Taarana also helps to track the degree of progress and improvements show by the child in their daily interaction in class. These reports assisted Shelter and their associate counsellors in accurately identify the child's behaviour and helps the counsellors to understand their needs and prescribe the necessary mitigation.

Shelter is very glad to have Taarana as a partner and sponsor for three of our children who are placed under their scholarship program. Shelter home having to pay only a fraction of the school fees helps lighten the financial load. Together we accompany Jivitha on her road to education and betterment, so that, she will grow up to be a responsible and independent young lady.

Thanks, Taarana, keep up the good work.

My name is Mohd Hidayatullah, and my son, Muhammad Emiir Hafiy, is 6 years old. This is his first year attending Taarana, starting in March 2024. Emiir has been diagnosed with mild autism, and we learned about Taarana through a friend's recommendation.

Before enrolling, the teachers at Taarana provided a free diagnosis and consultation, helping us identify Emiir's specific challenges and how the school could assist in his improvement. Their approach aligned perfectly with our objective of preparing Emiir for a regular primary school next year. The staff clearly explained the syllabus and activity calendar, and we were pleasantly surprised to learn they offer one-on-one teaching, which has made a significant difference in Emiir's progress.

From the very first day, we felt welcomed and supported by the dedicated staff at Taarana. They took the time to understand Emiir's unique needs and crafted a personalized learning plan for him. This individualized attention has been crucial in addressing his specific areas of difficulty.

After just the second week, we noticed remarkable changes in Emiir. He became more focused, his sitting time improved, and he was able to study for longer periods. He started completing tasks in steps, talking more about things he wanted to do, and showing increased patience and tolerance. Emiir learned to wait for his turn and became less upset when he didn't get what he wanted. These improvements have not only helped him academically but have also enhanced his social interactions and daily life skills.

We are incredibly grateful to have Emiir at Taarana School. He is happy to attend every day, and we appreciate the strong sense of community among the parents and teachers. The school organizes many activities to strengthen the connection between the school and families. These events foster a collaborative environment where parents feel involved and supported in their child's education journey.

Taarana truly deserves recognition as a top special need's education centre due to the dedication, care, and love they extend to each student, ensuring every child improves and progresses. The staff's commitment to creating a nurturing and effective learning environment has made a profound difference in Emiir's development.

Our experience with Taarana School has been overwhelmingly positive. The impact on Emiir's life has been profound, and we are excited about his continued growth and development thanks to the wonderful team at Taarana. The school's dedication to each child's success is evident in every aspect of their work, and we feel fortunate to be part of the Taarana community.

My name is Sarah Yusof, mother of Rayyan Haris who is now 7 years old. Rayyan has been attending Taarana since early 2022. We found out about Taarana from a recommendation of my sister's friend who had enrolled her child before.

We came at the juncture where both Rayyan and I is in a very bad stage of our life, and we need to find a comprehensive school that have good ratio of educators vs child.

Over the last 2 years, Rayyan has shown tremendous progress in terms of his socializing and life-help skill is now fully toilet train and he knows all the basic steps to maintain his hygiene. He can bath himself with minimal supervision and can put on his clothes on his own.

Rayyan social skills has improved under Taarana. At Taarana, He enjoys going to school to mingle with his friends with multi-racial background and age during activities. As a parent, I'm also happy that Taarana has a lot of activities in place from cultural celebrations, annual day celebration and even special days like Autism Day. I'm more than happy that we also get to participate and contribute in this event.

All these achievements and milestones can never be achieved by us alone. Taarana has the dedicated support of experience and attentive educators that are passionate about our child. Parents collaborate with the educator to come up with the best education plan & tailored it to my child's need. By having speech, OT, and academics all under one roof, my mind is at ease knowing that my son is having the best education and at and to that, I can never thank them all enough for bringing their best, every day to care & educate our child.

My name is Leong Yuen Pheng, and my child, Tey Khai Sheng, has been attending Taarana for 3 years. Since joining, we have seen improvements in Khai Sheng's ability to do daily activities that were previously challenging for him. For example, he can now independently wear and button his clothes. The staff's dedication and care provided by the staff at Taarana have been instrumental in Khai Sheng's progress.

Our experience with Taarana has been great. From the moment we enrolled Khai Sheng, we noticed a supportive environment that catered to the well-being and development of each child in Taarana. One specific example of Taarana's support is Khai Sheng's progress in communication skills. Before joining Taarana, he struggled significantly with expressing needs and emotions. However, with the consistent guidance and specialized speech and occupational therapies provided, Khai Sheng can now communicate more effectively, which has greatly improved his confidence and independence.

The programs and services offered by Taarana are comprehensive and well-tailored to meet the unique needs of each child. The variety of therapies, including speech therapy, occupational therapy, and sensory integration, have been instrumental in Khai Sheng's development. The educational approach at Taarana is personalized, ensuring that every child receives the attention and resources they need to improve. The dedication of the staff is evident in everything they do. They are not only knowledgeable and skilled but also genuinely caring and passionate about their work. This level of commitment has made a significant difference in Khai Sheng's progress.

The center has created a nurturing and inclusive environment that fosters growth and learning for children with special needs. We believe Taarana truly deserves recognition as the Best Special Needs Education Center because of its outstanding programs, dedicated staff and the positive impact it has on families like ours.

In conclusion, our experience with Taarana has been positive. The support and education provided have had a transformative impact on Khai Sheng's life, helping him reach milestones we once thought were out of reach. We are grateful to be a part of the Taarana community and look forward to continuing this journey of growth and development.

The year was 2018 when we enrolled our daughter, Ayra Hannah, at Taarana School. She barely made it through the admission stage as there was an interview, you see. Our jaws dropped when she accurately answered the killer question with a smile. That was the start.

Ayra still had diapers on, and we feared she would be such a trouble to manage and would probably never read, write, or count as she was approaching eight. We were fearful, so as you could imagine, the enrolment was mixed with hopes and uncertainties.

The school didn't look like a well-resourced, first-rate establishment, the kind you'd read about on the internet when you Google "down syndrome school."

Within the first 30 days, she was already off diapers and was able to communicate to us when she felt she needed to go (to the bathroom).

They say the days are long and the years are short. Over the next seven years, through Covid, she showed remarkable progress. Not only could she understand numerical sequences and tidy up living areas, but she was also able to read, write, and count. She would leave us paper notes under our door to say "Sorry" and was always eager to put her thoughts down on paper, even with words that are new to her. She would write out the syllables based on her mental projection of what sound would be produced when letters were cobbled together. And she can navigate TV menus, YouTube, and Netflix.

To date, I personally consider these four changes to be miracles. Taarana played a direct role in three of these achievements:

1. Able to drink with a straw
2. Transition out of diapers
3. Independently clean herself, take a bath, and brush her teeth with proper technique
4. Able to speak her mind

In addition, Ayra can make her own sandwich and Milo drink, clean dishes after meals, reset the room after playtime, manage herself during her period, and engage in conversations with her friends.

The people of Taarana are what make the school a special place for Ayra and special-needs children. I have seen the dedication of some of these teachers first-hand, especially during the Covid years, and I always (read: Always) catch myself asking, "Where did she (the teacher) find the energy to do that?" "How'd she come up with that?" and saying, "My god, look at that," "look at that [try, try, try again tenacity]," or telling myself: "Wow."

Ayra could be so difficult and non-cooperative, and instead of just closing the session and saying, "Let's try again tomorrow," the teacher would tell us, "It's okay." Then she would ask, "Is she in the room?" (Ayra was hiding and outside of the camera frame), and then she would do one thing after another to bring Ayra back to the seat in front of the camera and ready to learn. Just wow. This happened many, many times. My wish is for all special-needs children to have a place like Taarana to go to.

Taarana offers academic lessons, vocational skills lessons, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. Lessons are from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. We as parents feel unbelievably lucky to have access to Taarana, the teachers, the leadership and admin/back-office team, and the community (the school, students, parents, founders, and sponsors).

We are immensely grateful for the Taarana experience.

This place is more than just a school. It is a beacon of hope, a second home for Ayra and her friends, and a model for public-funded schools. We can never thank you enough. God bless.

Hence, we wholeheartedly support Taarana's nomination for "Best Special Needs Education Center" at the PEEAM EduAwards 2024.

Sincerely,
Ayra's Dad

My name is Sivanesvari, my child Lakshman Elavarasan has been attending Taarana for the past 8 years. My son was diagnosed with mild Autism, speech issue, difficulties in focusing and motor skills issues. He also had problem with chewing and would only swallow the food. He is very selective on food and only eats Nestum, Tosai and rice with gravy.

Lakshman was in Early Intervention Program (EIP), and he was on diapers. Two weeks after joining Taarana, Lakshman was Diaper free at school. He also started to try foods provided by the school like Nasi Lemak, Noodles, Fried rice, and other food as well which I will get updates from the Teachers. Now Lakshman can eat varieties of food and always have special request during weekends like Mc Donalds Breakfast, Nasi Kandar, Nasi Paprik, KFC, and Pineapple Fried Rice. Later when he moved to Academic Level under Teacher Ita, Lakshman started to learn alphabets, numbers, colors, and clock. Gradually he was able to recognize alphabets, numbers, colors, and clock. He also able to do basic calculations like addition, substraction and money management. Lakshman also able to write his own name, age, date of birth, gender and parent's telephone numbers. This is considered as a big milestone.

The class teachers, speech therapist and occupational therapist really embraced the distance learning during the Covid Pandemic. They were quick to start a Google Classroom and provide us with activities and resources/worksheet to continue learning at home. They have been incredibly supportive of the students and had excellent communications with parents to make sure they were fitting our needs during this time. Lakshman had enjoyed the video's made by the teachers and many of the activities provided by the therapists. We also love to see the teachers, therapists, and classmates face to face connection even though we have been apart. They have made it feel like we have not left their classroom while we have been home.

Lakshman is currently in the Pre-Vocational Program. Under this program, the teachers are focusing on his daily Living Skills like gardening, sweeping, cleaning, laundry, personal care, money management, office management, culinary and shopping skills. His class teachers (Teacher Dickson & Teacher Ita) together with Teacher Naomi (Speech Therapist) and Teacher Nida (Occupational Therapist) are doing a wonderful job for Lakshman to improve all the above skills.

For personal care, I am happy and thankful to Teacher Dickson who guiding my son on brushing teeth, showering and grooming. Now my son is learning to shower, brush his teeth and gargle with minimum guidance from parents. The Occupational and Speech Therapist prepare the student to purchase Grocery where they help him make a shopping list of items and make them to understand where the items are in the store and how much to pay for it.

Overall, I am happy with Lakshman's progress. His understanding level is improving, and he is able to do any task given at home and complete the worksheets/homework given by the teachers independently. Lakshman from not knowing anything when he joined Taarana and now with all the progress that he is showing is good enough for me to tell and believe that Taarana deserve the recognition for being the best special needs education center.

I as a parent, highly recommend other parents to consider Taarana as your partner in addressing child development issues. With the help of class teachers, occupational therapist and speech therapist, I'm confident enough to tell that my son is on the right track to be independence in the future. It was such a wonderful experience for me as parent, seeing Lakshman bloom with many progresses. All the teachers are really committed in what they are doing as the learning didn't just happen at school, but they also provide feedback on weekly basis. They also guide parents how to assist the child at home after school.

I would like to thank all the teachers who are clearly dedicated, for the love, patience, guidance and efforts given to my son. We are so blessed, grateful and appreciate for everything you have done, and we celebrate every small development together.

Thank You.

My name is Annapurny and my son Siddarth has been attending Taarana for the past two years. Prior to this he was attending the special needs programme at a government school but he was having multiple behavioural issues which required attention and intervention. He was enrolled in the EIP programme where the teachers and therapist worked as a team to help him with behaviour, speech and learning.

Along the way, it was noted that Siddarth has several behavioural issues and after discussion with us, he was put in the TIP programme to help him integrate into a bigger classroom with other students. He started his ETP programme early this year and has shown great improvement in terms of behaviour and communication. Although he may not be able to verbalise it, I know that he looks forward to going to school every morning. In fact, I am left to deal with a disgruntled child during the school holidays as he misses school. Not to forget, my son loves the food served at Taarana, so much so he has leaned to ask for second and third helpings!

We have seen notable improvement in Siddarth's behaviour, speech and ability to perform daily tasks. The school also actively organises training sessions for parents and this is really important as we also need support in managing our children at home. I am also grateful to Taarana as they organise many activities such as sports day, school concert, festival celebrations and field trips. The teaching staff's dedication and effort are truly remarkable, consistently orchestrating flawless, enjoyable and beneficial events that highlight our children's abilities.

I am grateful to have found Taarana as my son now has home away from home where he has a safe, loving and conducive environment to learn and grow. I look forward to continuing this partnership we have with Taarana for many years to come.

My name in Mohd Amin bin Mohd Shariffudin and my child is Muhammad Kamil Muizz. Muizz is diagnosed with a rare syndrome known as CHARGE syndrome. Because of his rare syndrome (which required multiple catheter suctions before feeding and milky button tube feeding three hourly) whenever I when to any government special needs school he was not allowed to go to any EiP program/school. After a few years I met Taarana School, they did an assessment, thank full they accepted him to be part of their family. So that is how the journey began.

Being in formal school has made a lot of significant life changing lessons for him. He learns and improve to blend into the society.In Taarana everything is clear from the first day they already give a specific unique individual plan for each student, and as parent we also came up with our plan and had a discussion with teacher to achieve it.

For 1 year and half in Taarana, I observed a lot of development from him, from potty training, drawing, sign language, behaviours etc. The notable thing that impresses me is that how teachers at Taarana have disciplined him to receive and follow orders. It is really a big thing and big excitement for my family when we are invited to see him perform on stage.

As the time goes by, teachers, therapists and parents have sat down together to discuss, changing the achievements and learning modules which are significant to his development.

I am personally impressed with the dedication and commitment from Taarana staff to teach, to give, to raise him to be as normal as he can. I am hoping Taarana continue with this strive.

Thanks.

My name is George Matius, a single father with 2 children "a daughter and a son". My son Josiah Varghis diagnosed with autism and speech delay will turn 7 this September. Josiah has been attending (Targeted Intervention Program) TIP at Taarana since August 2023.

Prior to joining Taarana, Josiah was with the government PRA PPKI school for only 3 months. The teacher suggested to look for other option because he was having behaviour issues and tantrum.

My first experience with Taarana gave me hope because Dr Sunitha was very compassionate, empathetic and her willingness to help me as a single father and Josiah. Few other centres rejected Josiah after seeing his tantrum.

Since joining Taarana and till now, I do see significant improvement:

· Especially his behaviour because he is more controllable.
· He is able to response short and longer instruction with minimal support.
. He is less dependent while doing certain task like taking a mug of water from the Coway water dispenser to drink.
. He can take or show food he wants to eat. He does takes food from fridge and give it to my mom to cook for him.
· He likes books and goes through books without tearing it.
. He can arrange and keep things clean. He can put back the shoes at the shoe rack. If things drop and he will take and put them back.
. He plays with us a lot.

The TIP training given by teacher Vanitha did help because teacher was able to focus and understand Josiah's needs. After every class teacher will provide feedback and at the end of 12 sessions teacher provides in-depth feedback and discussion.

Taarana also provide training and practical activities for parents to help them to manage their children. Taarana also provides exposure to kids with outdoor activities like sports day, walk for Autism.

Taarana deserves to be best centre for special needs education to recognise the tireless contribution from teachers and staff to help parents and special needs children. My relatives and friends did approach me and say that they notice a lot of improvement in Josiah which makes
them and myself very happy.

I used to be very stressful with Josiah and the situation that I'm in but now I can feel a positive vibe with him. The dedication and care provided by his teacher and other staff at Taarana have been instrumental in Josiah's progress.

My name is Baljit Kumar and We are an Indian expat family that has been residing in Malaysia for the past 11 years. My daughter, Anaya, who is non-verbal, autistic and currently in the ETP programme, has been attending Taarana for over three years.

As a parent, I have witnessed firsthand the incredible impact Taarana has had on Anaya's growth and development. One specific example that stands out is how the team at Taarana worked tirelessly to develop Anaya's communication skills. Through the use of alternative communication methods and consistent encouragement, Anaya has made remarkable strides in expressing herself more confidently and effectively. This improvement has positively affected our family interactions and her interactions with peers.

The dedication and expertise of the staff have created an environment where Anaya feels supported, understood, and encouraged to reach her full potential. The individualized attention and customized learning plans have made a significant difference in her academic and social progress. Anaya's notable achievements since attending Taarana include enhanced social skills, better emotional regulation, and significant progress in her academic subjects.

Taarana offers a comprehensive range of programs and services, including the EPT (Early Program Training), ETP (Educational Training Program), and speech therapy, all of which have been pivotal in Anaya's development. The team's use of innovative teaching methods and therapeutic approaches has been highly effective. Their commitment to each child's unique needs is evident in every aspect of their educational approach.

Overall, our experience with Taarana has been exceptional. The commitment, compassion, and professionalism of the entire team have made a profound difference in our lives. The safe and nurturing environment provided by Taarana has fostered not only academic growth but also significant emotional and social development. I am confident that Taarana is an exemplary model of special needs education and am proud to provide this testimonial in support of their nomination.

In conclusion, I wholeheartedly believe that Taarana deserves the recognition for being the best special needs education centre. The positive impact on Anaya's life and our family's overall satisfaction with their services speak volumes about their dedication and effectiveness.

Thank you for all that you do.