As it happens every year, October is the month when we meet teachers who have been involved for many years in the education program for deafblind and multisensory impaired children. It is also a chance to meet new teachers who, at the beginning of this school year, started working in deafblind classes.
This activity, organized by Sense International (Romania) twice a year since 2001, represents a discussions platform where teachers receive updated information in the field of educating deafblind children. They also have the opportunity to share ideas and experiences.
The event, “Curriculum for Deafblind / MSI children – between Theory and Practice”, which took place October 28-29 in Bucharest, brought together 52 participants. Besides teachers from all over the country, the meeting was also attended by special guests, such as Mr. James Thornberry, Director of Sense International UK and Mr. Romeo Adrian Cozma, Inspector for Special Education from Bucharest School Inspectorate. On his first visit in Romania, Mr. James Thornberry had the opportunity to meet specialists, beneficiaries and decision makers involved in the projects implemented by SI(R) in Bucharest and Timisoara. 
The case studies and presentations held by national trainers and teachers working with deafblind/MSI children put special emphasis on practical aspects. Some of the topics presented included: sensory stimulation with the new born babies, learning by playing and sensory-cognitive educational activities with the little ones, interdisciplinary work, an  essential condition for applying the curriculum with the little multi-sensory impaired children, development of basic daily living skills, development of  mobility and orientation skills during the physiotherapy sessions. As a novelty element, the Wilbarger Protocol was described as an intervention technique for sensory defensive children.
The meeting was interactive, consisting of a workshop session on Vocational aspects for deafblind/MSI young people. Organisers and participants raised the issue of their future possibilities and opportunities for community integration following school graduation. Teachers suggested areas of activity and trades that could be appropriate for deafblind/MSI youth, presenting arguments to support their suggestions.
On October 29, participants visited the Kindergarten for Children with Hearing Impairments in Bucharest, where SI(R) set up the Early Intervention Support Centre and two deafblind/MSI classes. Participants were presented case studies showing the progress of most of the children who are currently benefitting from the intervention.
This is how the event ended to the guests’ delight! …
We are looking forward to the next one, in March 2012.