There are some people who, though briefly we have met them, gave a considerable impact to our lives. We may have met them briefly, worked with them or even met them just once but they left a somewhat lasting impression.
Yes, these people are few and far between. In my career as a teacher, I have encountered students who made these impressions with me and very few of them, I worked with very briefly.
This thought came to me last night when we were on our way to our favorite fast food place. My youngest daughter said “orange” in a way that was familiar. Yes, she too remembered a student I once had, IT. It may have been the way he pronounced the word that daughter remembered but it was more than that to me.
IT has been “passed on” to the other special ed teacher in the center where I used to work due to scheduling problems. It has been more than a year since I saw him so it came as a surprise when my youngest daughter remembered him.
IT came to me by accident. He was not referred by a doctor. They came looking for me because his mother was referred to go to that center by an OT they have been seeing in another center. He has been diagnosed with autism but I think the parents are in denial about the condition, especially the father.
He was not too enthusiastic to learn at first. It took a Superman action figure “speaking” to him to make him sit down and do the tasks prepared for him. Later on, it took Mr Potato head to give the instructions.
Together we learned to write his name. Together we learned to do rote counting, reading the number words as we went along. Together we learned about colors and how these are colors names are read. Together we learned about shapes and how these can be drawn. Together we learned to sing action songs.
I am curious how IT is now and where he is placed in terms of school placement.
I am thankful that I got the chance to work with IT. I learned a lot from him and from his mom who is very understanding.
One more thought…
Children with special needs can not be grouped by POS systems like merchandise on display even if they have the same diagnosis because they are all different from one another.
They can not be labeled with precision and related sameness and compared with other children who have the same diagnosis.
On hindsight, perhaps IT was not given to me “by accident”, he was given to me on purpose.