Despite what many think, teachers have a VERY hard and tiresome job. We need the summers off, we really do. However, I am in my last week of teaching summer school (thank the Lord Almighty!). Today, I managed to receive a grand total of six new scratches. Through the trials and frustrations of the day, my staff and I had an enlightening moment--almost Adam Sandler or Dumb and Dumber-esque. Before I share the story, let me give some background. Mikel, the famed vicious scratcher, is also Apraxic. This means the words she thinks in her head do not come out sounding the way they should. For instance, the phrase, "Hi, Mr. Nathan!" comes out sounding like "Gi, Gigger, Gafan" at best. Unless you are in the moment and understand contextually what is happening, you will be quite lost! It can be quite comical and gives us many moments of laughing at...I mean WITH Mikel.
At the end of the day, we were all sitting around playing a great round of "Memory." (One of my students, believe it or not, was kicking our tails!) Mikel was having an unusually rough afternoon. She spent much time watching the timer tick down, other students get rewarded with candy, and the seat of the time out chair. After an intense struggle in which I came quite close to actually spanking her little rear, Mikel FINALLY came to sit down with her class.
As we were sitting around, this dialogue occured (keep in mind Mikel and her odd speech).
Mikel: Ga, Git in gour.
Amanda (my teaching assistant, with a serious tone of voice): Libby, you know in movies when you hear other languages? Like Chinese or something?
Me: Yeah?
Amanda: Well, what to us is the word McDonalds, may take them four paragraphs to say.
Amanda (with just as straight a face as tone of voice): Mikel, what language DO you speak?!
We all cracked up laughing. Obviously, Mikel speaks English, yet at times we certainly do need subtitles to understand her. Oh the joys of special ed--behavior specialist, teacher, mentor, snot wiper, knee bandager, encourager, speech pathologist and now an interpreter! I wonder how many of those I could use on my next resume??
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4 comments:
Even if no one else comments, I will! That was a pretty good summation of a spec. ed. teacher's day. I certainly appreciate all that you put up with, but also all that you do to work with children who may not ever be able to thank you or even know what it is that you have done to help them. Kudos to you and all who work with you!
Do you pray for Mikel? You sound like a compassionate person in general but your posts about her sound less than compassionate.
Anonymous, I do indeed pray for my students on a regular basis. The posts re:Mikel are nothing more than comical exaggerations! Though the situations are real! I would NEVER spank my students even if it wasn't illegal. My students rarely see my frustration and when they do, I always ask forgiveness and realize I need to be praying harder. Special education is one of those fields that truly tests your patience and love for the needy. It is not an easy job day in and day out. We go into it because we love it, but we are still human and struggle with the same things as any other profession--being compassionate and patient. Think of it as the same struggles you'd have towards coworkers, clients, etc! I am sure there are people you struggle with extending grace towards...Mikel is a little more trying, so naturally I have to be the most patient with her. I guess I choose some of the more frustrating situations in my daily life to poke a little fun at!
If your next job is motherhood, you don't need a resume. That said, you will be prepared for anything, it seems. Your children are going to feel so easy by comparison...unless...well, never mind :).
I appreciate your ministry to these children whom many would not appropriate grace to deal with. Keep up the good work. Thanks for using your gift (even the one to see serious situations with a little bit of humor)for the sake of others, and God's glory.
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