A special needs student has been coming to the library for the past several weeks guided by her teacher who tells her each time to bring her books to the checkout desk to check them in and then again to check out one or two more. Although I thank her each time for bringing me her books, and even though her teacher has instructed her each time to say something specifically appropriate such as "Thank you," she doesn't appear to respond to anything that I say to her. After she had visited the library a couple of times, I asked her teacher something about her disabilities in the hope that I might help her in some way and was told that her disabilities include visual, social skill, and communication problems. He also told me that she loves books, so I asked about her interests in the hope that I could help her find something she would enjoy.
When she has arrived in the library each week, I have had a specific book ready for her on a variety of topics--dogs, planets, rabbits, etc. Each time, she takes the book, and holds it tightly to her chest. Her teacher instructs her to thank me, and sometimes, if I listen very carefully, I may hear a slight sound that I assume is her thanks.
Today when this young girl returned to the library to exchange her last week's selections for something new, I showed her my most recent choice for her, a book about hamsters. I also went on to tell her about Joe Dirt, the hamster that our son, Joey, rescued from abuse and then brought home to live with us. As she stood next to me, her instructed "thanks" was, again, barely audible, but when I looked at her, I saw that she was moving her lips as though she was blowing me two kisses and then repeated the action. As I kissed her on the cheek, I was so moved by her own personal expression of thanks.
Although I don't recall the exact moment that I decided to become a teacher, I do know that my decision was made sometime between my sophomore and junior years of college. I also believe that certain of my own teachers influenced that decision. In the course of the past 30 years, I have found that teaching is seldom easy, is often frustrating, but is also very rewarding. On a few, rare occasions, I have even wondered if I had made the right choice. Today, however, I have no doubts about my decision to become an educator--I know it was absolutely the right decision!
When she has arrived in the library each week, I have had a specific book ready for her on a variety of topics--dogs, planets, rabbits, etc. Each time, she takes the book, and holds it tightly to her chest. Her teacher instructs her to thank me, and sometimes, if I listen very carefully, I may hear a slight sound that I assume is her thanks.
Today when this young girl returned to the library to exchange her last week's selections for something new, I showed her my most recent choice for her, a book about hamsters. I also went on to tell her about Joe Dirt, the hamster that our son, Joey, rescued from abuse and then brought home to live with us. As she stood next to me, her instructed "thanks" was, again, barely audible, but when I looked at her, I saw that she was moving her lips as though she was blowing me two kisses and then repeated the action. As I kissed her on the cheek, I was so moved by her own personal expression of thanks.
Although I don't recall the exact moment that I decided to become a teacher, I do know that my decision was made sometime between my sophomore and junior years of college. I also believe that certain of my own teachers influenced that decision. In the course of the past 30 years, I have found that teaching is seldom easy, is often frustrating, but is also very rewarding. On a few, rare occasions, I have even wondered if I had made the right choice. Today, however, I have no doubts about my decision to become an educator--I know it was absolutely the right decision!
2 comments:
Thats so sweet mamma!!! I do hate though that we live in the same house and I have to learn about your day off of your blog! I still love you! By the way do you want to go to E-ville Saturday? Just kidding! I will ask you in person!
Donna,
You made my day. I have been so consumed with the moving, packing, and arranging, I have forgotten the joy of students. I think I hear them coming now!
Susan
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