Guide Dogs Show the Way, Students Learn Heart… Maesan Elementary's 'Together'
[News S=Cheon Ui-hyeon Reporter] The integrated education club 'Together' at Maesan Elementary School in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, visited Samsung Fire Insurance Guide Dog School on the 6th to conduct a disability empathy program with the theme of understanding visual impairment and respecting life.
The program was organized as part of the 'Warm School' project, a key integrated education initiative of the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education. Maesan Elementary has been building a school culture where students with and without disabilities learn together by operating integrated education clubs, collaborative teaching, and disability awareness education.
On the day, students learned about the training process and role of guide dogs, toured the guide dog facility, and learned how guide dogs assist visually impaired individuals in mobility and daily life.
Students also learned etiquette and safety rules to follow when encountering guide dogs. The focus was on understanding that guide dogs are not pets but companions that help visually impaired individuals live independently.
During this process, students with and without disabilities took time to care for and help each other while practicing consideration and yielding.
Jeon Ji-seung, a fourth-grader who participated in the program, said, "I was amazed to learn that guide dogs receive long-term training to safely guide visually impaired people on their way," and added, "I now understand that when I meet a guide dog, I should not call out to it or touch it carelessly, and I should be considerate of the person with the guide dog."
Lim Mi-kyung, principal of Maesan Elementary School, said, "This program was designed to help students specifically understand the daily lives and right to mobility of visually impaired individuals through guide dogs," and continued, "I hope that the value of integrated education—where students with and without disabilities participate together, considering and respecting one another—will naturally spread through this shared experience."