Morillo,
Mr. Marcelo Argana
Bryan
Karlo
SPED
February 20, 2016
M.
2C
Critic Paper
(Brina Kei Maxinos story of Excellence)
We are not our DISABILITY, we have TALENTS and SKILLS that our condition
cannot diminish - Brina Maxino. The quotation tells us despite of having many
difficulty and challenges you can still have reach your goals and may achieve
things which you cannot expect and it is through faith in GOD that works and their
trust to each and everyone of them.
As we go on there are some questions we may encounter into this story : (1) is it
possible for a child with DOWN SYNDROME be an achiever?, (2)could they pass all of
the requirements a regular student undergoes?, or (3) is it possible also for them to
gain mouthful knowledge than to the desirable knowledge most of all specialist
dictated on them?. Most of us would definitely says NO, because of various
perspective and connotation that we gave to these people. But this 16 years old girl
proved that our connotation to them is quite different of what is expected. Her
name is BRINA KEI MAXINO, a child who has a DOWN SYNDROME also known as
trisomy 21, a certain condition on which there is an extra chromosome to the 21 st
pair of genes, so instead of having 46 chromosome, they have 47. On which it
affects the childs Social, MENTAL, physical, and language development.
Mr./Mrs. Winston Maxino (her parents), were really shocked when they knew that
their child is confirmed of having a condition ( DOWN SYNDROME). At first they were
on the denial stage but as time goes by they already accepted the fact of whom she
is, and whom she will be in near future. According to the interview despite of Brinas
condition they never treated her as if she was special instead they allow them Brina
feel that she is normal, because they thought that they will not be here always to
comfort her when shes afraid or feels sad, or help her when time comes she
needed it, but instead they want Brina to be an independent one, ( and that was
special education is, we do not want our students to go with us forever but instead
we want our student to somehow be independent, productive and competitive like
what children without special needs are) so that she could carry herself on whatever
she wants to be. They also gave Brina REGULAR ROUNDS of Physical, Speech and
Occupational therapist. And also ITINERANT TEACHERS (also known as tutors) was
given to her. They expose Brina to more open environment and always tell her that
she has the capacity and guts to learn, also her teachers, doctor and some
specialist told her so, and through that it leads Brina to pursue more of what is
expected on her.
Though not stated ( maybe they were not aware of it) but I guess they engaged
Brina into early intervention programs, because according to interviews when she
was 8 months they already started giving her therapy from the given therapist and
as she grew old tutor, that trained her to cope into the environment , (Because
early intervention programs are designed for children with intellectual disability as
those intended to prevent Intellectual disabilities or those designed to further the
development of children who have already been identified as intellectually
disabled). Also before 2 years of age she was enrolled already to a REGULAR
SCHOOL, she is now on the placement of inclusion, on which she will receive regular
services as her classmate is having.
Some specialist told Brinas parents that she would not gone that far in her
education, and Brina would not live long, but instead of loosing hope , they used it
as a means of Encouragement for them to pursue of educating Brina and send her
to higher education. To cut the long story , Brina surpassed all the stages of
gradeschool and proved that doctors and specialists could not predict to what might
happen or be their child will, but its GOD who sees everything and can do
MIRACLES. But you know what is more of that?... BRINA achieved the HIGHEST
HONOR (VALEDICTORIAN), W O W!. Could that be really possible? Because if we
are going to analyze highschool curriculum was very difficult, because (1) it is the
preparation for college and what we are going to be in near future. (2) it teaches
students to use their and develop more deeper their HIGHER ORDER THINKING
SKILLS. (3) subjects are really difficult to understand, pre calculus, algebra,
chemistry, biology, or even memorizing Rizals work, think of it if a normal child
was already burdened by all of these how much more if a child who has below
average on thinking and possibly with delays?!. I remember one of the teacher
whom I really admire she said if the child at an early stage was sent to an EARLY
INTERVENTION PROGRAMS there would be possibility that the child might reach his /
her mental age as of his/ her chronological age. So probably this is what happen to
Brina because of intensive instruction given to her while she was young this end to
a desirable outcome to Brinas capacity to think and to construct ideas.
In addition, Based on what I have red and put its implication to this, due to this
kind of approach given to Brina she developed the so called SELF DETERMINATION
it is the ability to act autonomously , be well regulated, act in psychologically
empowered manner and in a self-realized manner. These leads child to be
independent , knowing his strengths and weaknesses and using that knowledge to
attain goals and also evaluating and revising your own behaviour. Best example of
these is an excerpt of Brinas statement to her speech to UST, she said my dad
says to me youre the BEST DOWN SYNDROME KID, that inspires me to try my
best always when challenges comes.
At the end she became popular and famous, for having this very SPECIAL event
that anyone could ever believed. For final words this critic review reveals a lot, this
also help me to think of purely possibilities, never doubt trying or involving them
cause just like Brina every child has their own right to be what they want to be, yes
it is very hard, but the thing is you did your part instead of looking at them and let
them feel that they cannot be productive and such a waste of time.
