Oh the Places You'll Go

 

 

Graduation season has once again come to a close.  I am overcome each year with fond memories of my graduation and excitement for those I love as they begin their journey.  I look back at that moment and remember just how grown-up I felt.  The minute I walked across that stage, I was an adult.  Granted, by law it would be almost 6 more months before I was the magical 18 years old that truly makes one a "grown-up," but I felt as though, going forward, I would be making decisions that adults make.  Where would I live?  What job would I have?  Where would I go to college, if at all?  Who would I date?  What would I eat and when?  You see, when you are 17, those are big thoughts.

But for some, graduation is not full of excitement.  For many, particularly those with significant disabilities, stress and depression sets in.  The routine and support of the school comes to an end.  The time with peers is no longer routine, but forced.  There is a lag between school services and those from other government agencies. 

It doesn't have to be this way.  Communities, employers, and colleges do want all people to be welcomed and valuable members of society.  ALL people.  Granted it may take more planning and thought and the participation may look different but it is possible.  You see, Dr. Seuss wrote his book for everyone.  Let's all build a dream together and make his words come true.

What do you think?

Gold Medal Winner

I am training for my first half marathon.  There are hundreds of half marathons every year but my friends and I carefully selected the one we are doing, for one very important reason.  After looking at calendars, work schedules, and travel options, we selected our run for the medal they give to everyone who crosses the finish line.

I wish everyone could choose their medal.  What would you do to get a gold medal?  Singing? A sport? Reading?  Gardening? Running? 

I have watched over the years as students tried for a medal presented at elementary continuation to all students who meet the requirements outlined in a 20 page packet on developing a 15 minute presentation about who they are as a learner, and leader.  I have also had the privilege of mentoring students through this process.  About half of my students really wanted to earn the medal and each one put in over 40 hours of work to create a presentation to present to a panel of tem teachers and administrators about themselves.  I have never been more proud than watching them each, take the stage and tell the audience who they are, not their disability, no once, but their strengths as a students and victories within the years they attended elementary school. 

Each time I watched a student be presented with their medal and watched the medal be placed over their head I thought, this is what it is to earn a gold medal.  This is everything.  Everyone should feel this.

Now I am by no means suggesting that everyone get a medal just for showing up.  I believe in earning your reward through hard work and determination.  But I am suggesting that there is something out there for each one of us, young and old, male and female, with or without a disability. 

Maybe it is as simple as seeing a medal that is fun, like the one I will earn at the conclusion of a 13.1 mile run.  Find your medal, go for it, and if you need a cheerleader, I am here.

 

Never Say Never

So many parents and family members have had to hear the news, "I'm sorry, your child has________"  This is often followed by a litany of statements beginning with "never" and "can't."

Your son will never be able to...
Your daughter can't....
You can't expect...
She never will...
He won't ever....

But this is doesn't have be the way it really is for your child.  I have been blessed by so many families who heard all those nevers and can't and responded with, "you want to bet on that?"

This young man lives in one of those families.  His parents were told he would never talk, it says so in all the medical texts in relation to his syndrome.  His pallet is misshapen but he doesn't "have the capacity" anyway.  His mom and dad had the courage and strength to not listen to the medical textbook, but rather, to listen to their son and their heart.  You see, he was constantly attempting to talk.  They got him a Vantage and he could use it to talk more fluidly than the salesperson but still, he wanted to talk with his voice. 

So, his parents set out to find a doctor that would try to repair his pallet.  They were judged by so many to "be in denial" or "refusing to hear what we know from medical science."  But still, they moved forward.  They had to travel several states away and spend the summer in a hospital and then rehabilitation and therapy, but they did it for him.  6 short months later, the journey was rewarded beyond anyone's hope.  Or at least, beyond the hope of those on the outside looking in.  For his parents, they were not surprised, just grateful.

Do you want to hear what love, courage, and strength sounds like?

If Only...

This summer break I have spent reading and working on my house as so many teachers in America so I haven't posted as much as I would like but do I do have another quote that goes out to all my colleagues.  My own thoughts will be coming soon.  Happy Summer!

http://drpinna.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/CrowdedERWaitingRoom.jpg

"If a doctor, lawyer, or dentist had 30 people in his office at one time, all of whom had different needs, and some of whom didn't want to be there and were causing trouble, and the doctor, lawyer or dentist, without assistance, had to treat them all with professional excellence for nine months, then he (she) might have some conception of the classroom teachers job."

Donald D. Quinn

Thank You

Thank you.  Thank you to each parent who suspended judgment and gave me a chance.  Thanks to the teachers who welcomed the students.  Thank you to administration for giving me a chance to do what I love.  Thank you to the paraprofessionals who let me try things and then, try new ones.  I always knew they were there to support me if my idea failed, and to run with an idea that worked.  Thank you to my team for the blood, sweat, and tears we shared.  Thank you to IDEIA for letting me teach these amazing students.

But most of all, thank you to each child who tried.  That is all any teacher can ask of you and you each did, not once, but day after day, after day.  I love you all.

Ripple Effect

I was in this great coffee shop today in a small historic town.  My husband and I ordered our drinks and then sought a table.  We passed a gentleman who uses a wheelchair and had a Dynavox attached with a mount.  My husband and I were thrilled to see him out in the community for we are both aware of how many individuals with physical disabilities become home bodies after high school for a variety of reasons.

My husband and I enjoyed our drinks and talked for a bit.  Then the true magic occurred.

The gentleman I spoke of backed up to the service counter and started talking to one of the employees, (without his Dynavox), and the employee talked back to him as a peer.  I wish I could express in words the magnitude of this conversation.  Ask an individual  who has a significant physical impairment or loves someone whose physical impairment is such to require a wheelchair and talker and they will tell you, this is not something experienced every day.  For some, it is only experienced within their own family, and for some, not even their whole family.

So often, individuals who are physically impacted, as is this gentleman, are spoken to as though they are eternally 2 years old.  The tone, voice pitch, and word choice, while meant to include the individual, are often degrading and insulting.  These are your peers, not your children.

In this coffee shop, they know that and for that, I'm eternally grateful. Maybe they are the pebble that dropped and the rings of knowledge will spread.

Those Who Can

A small gift to all the teachers in the world.

Those who can - make failure bear fruit,
bring fruit to seed and plant seeds
for tomorrow.

Those who can - turn injury to endurance,
endurance to dreams and give dreams
substance. 

Those who can - shape hate to awareness,
awareness to grace and crown grace
with compassion.

Those who can - massage fear to faith,
bend faith to courage and sculpt
courage into wings.

Those who can - subdue chaos with meaning,
define meaning as light and translate
light to vision.

Those who can - give knowledge reason,
fashion reason into tools, use tools as keys
so that doors become opportunities.

Those who can - give charity character,
invest character with strength and
free strength to ministry.

Those who can - define love by their acts,
spin their acts to hope and with hope
give children a reason to celebrate.

Those who can - teach.

Written by Gavin Kayner and published in Teaching K-8 March 1993
as true today as then

Kids Today...

We are bombarded with information about kids today.  Unfortunately it is usually not positive statements that follow the conversational starter: "Kids today..."

I came across a story that changes that,

in a BIG way.

This is real kids, doing really great things, for ALL members of their school community.  I followed up on this video by scanning the local newspapers and came across an article written by Tina Griego.  I love that the biggest concern his classmates had was that he would believe it was votes driven by pity rather than sincere votes of love that helped him win.

I tell you, kids today....

are amazing.

Gratitude

There is so much to be grateful for and celebrate, even in these hard economic times.  Here are my top 10 reasons to be grateful that I teach:

10.  I get to meet and know so many amazing families.

 9.  I am able to create a day that works for me and my students.

 8. The moment the “light bulb” goes on and a child suddenly “gets it.”

 7. A plethora of crayon draws, watercolor pictures, and love letters from students decorate the wall by my desk

 6.  I have 10 little faces great me each morning with excitement.

 5.  Meeting with parents at an annual IEP meeting (special education plan) to let the parents know their child exceeded our expectations

 4.  Watching students read to their friends and teachers for the first time.

 3.  Seeing a child stand on stage and sing with their peers after years of being afraid of crowds.

 2.  A parent being able to take their child to see Santa for the first year ever because the child knows how to handle waiting in line, greeting strangers, and sitting with someone in a costume.

1.     The laughter, giggles, and honest things kids say.