Teacher Education Programme: Understanding Kids With Arthritis

To educate school teachers about the daily challenges that children with arthritis have to deal with as they live with a chronic disability and the resulting pain, joint swelling and stiffness, fatigue, and lack of mobility, together with the taking of regular medication. This often results in time off school, depression and low self-esteem, and isolation from their peers. All of these factors impact significantly on their ability to concentrate at school and learn.

As arthritis affects only one in a thousand children most teachers have no experience or appreciation of the day to day fluctuations of what these children can do and achieve.

When teachers understand the issues that these children face and the limitations that they have they will be better equipped respond to them appropriately and maximise the opportunities for providing them with the best possible education.

This aligns with our mission which is to improve the lives of children in New Zealand with arthritis through support, encouragement, and education, to enable them to step confidently into their future.

Historically we have many examples of improper treatment of these children by teachers who simply do not understand what the children are going through. Often the outcome in these situations is that the children do not want to go to school which exacerbates the problem.

The outcome of developing this education programme for school teachers will be a better education for all children afflicted with arthritis.

GIVE A LITTLE TO KWANZ & BE IN THE DRAW TO WIN A GARDEN DESIGN

Bayley LuuTomes NZ's international Gold award winner Landscape Designer, has made KWANZ a very generous incentive offer for people to donate to KWANZ on Give A Little.

Bayley has made a very generous offer to design a garden makeover. The design is up to the value of $5,000 for one family, anywhere in New Zealand. (This is to design a garden, not to build or supply materials)

1/ Only those that donate will be eligible for the garden makeover design.

2/ To be in the draw for the garden makeover design the person must donate to the Give A Little campaign as follows:

A donation of $20 will get you one chance in the draw.

A donation of $40 will get you two chances in the draw.

A donation of $60 will get you three chances in the draw.

A donation of $80 will get you four chances in the draw.

A donation of $100 or more will get you five chances in the draw.

3/ The Give A Little site allows people to donate anonymously. If the person that donates want to do this on the site that is fine, but in order to be in the draw for the garden makeover design they need to email Robyn Clark (executive.kwanz@hotmail.co.nz) and advise when you made the donation on the site. It will then be cross-referenced on the Give A Little site.

4/ When the campaign is over the draw will be made in public - time and place to be advised.

5/ This prize will only be available if KWANZ reaches the Give a Little KWANZ target of $10,000.00 (Ten Thousand Dollars).

6/ The garden design voucher prize will be eligible for 12 months from the date it is drawn.

7/ The voucher is based on a standard flat section approximately 600m2.