Anjan Satish’s virtual ‘Adarsh Drawing Classroom’ for disabled children gets thumbs up

Anjan Satish, a disabled artist from Kochi is teaching drawing and painting to children with disabilities through a WhatsApp group during this lockdown period. Over 25 parents are part of the ‘Adarsh Drawing Classroom’, a virtual classroom for disabled children of Kochi based special school named Adarsh Charitable Trust. Anjan’s classes are a hit amongst parents, teachers and students too.

One week of the 21 days lockdown to control spread of deadly Coronavirus is complete. By now, people have found out different activities to keep themselves engaged and happy. For children with disabilities, the lockdown period can be challenging. They are forced to be confined into the four walls of their home with very less activities to experiment on. Anjan Satish, a disabled artist from Kochi, is not letting this lockdown period become boring to disabled children at Adarsh Charitable Trust, a special school in Kochi. Anjan’s WhastApp group ‘Adarsh Drawing Classroom’ teaches basic drawing to students. Parents and teachers at Adarsh are super-happy and proud when they talk about this novel and creative venture.

An exclusive art group

There are over 240 children with various kinds of disabilities at Adarsh. Currently, they are all at home without any activities to indulge in. In fact, they cannot even undergo their regular therapy sessions. Each teacher at the school has been assigned tasks to identify a child’s interest and help them pursue it. Anjan, who is a drawing and computer teacher at Adarsh, decided to teach children drawing and painting.

In order to make things easier and accessible, ‘Adarsh Drawing Classroom’ group was started on WhatsApp. Parents are added to the group. Every day basic step-to-step drawing images are put on the group. Parents can show this to their children and teach them. For small kids, Anjan ensures to teach painting too.

Two to three drawings are posted every day. Classes usually happen at 2pm and parents give their feedbacks by 5pm. Anjan also makes sure to give remarks so that the child and parent are motivated.

A successful venture

Ever since spread of the deadly Coronavirus, Anjan has been into making various drawings and cartoons to spread awareness. He makes sure to post it on his social media too. But his latest venture of starting a WhatsApp group is a hit already.

“We started the group on 25 March. Currently, there are parents of over 25 students in our group who are very enthusiastic”, says Satish, Anjan’s father.

Since more parents from outside Adarsh wants to be part of the group, the admins are looking into expanding their venture.

“Do not sit idle at home during this lockdown period. Drawing and painting is an ideal way of relaxing mentally too. Make these children happy while sitting at home”, says Anjan.

The team at Adarsh plans to include children without disabilities in their next group where Anjan can teach drawing to them. Plans are already in the pipeline.

“These groups are helping children a lot. It is good for teachers, students and parents too”, says Vidyamol, a teacher at Adarsh.

Watch in Sign Language

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• Project Mumbai starts counselling service for parents of disabled kids to cope with COVID-19 related stress