Hello Friends,
It has a been a very long time. And for this I do apologize! I have a really long list of lame excuses that I'm sure none of you really want to hear, so I will not post them. (If you do, let me know) ;)
As many of you know I work with Hard of Hearing children, and some times deaf children in the Alpine School District. I am an ASL aide and work with those sweet children who have low vocabularies. I love it. About a month ago, the most wonderful thing happened.
The child that I currently tutor has a fair amount of hearing, but this is only with the aide of hearing aides. Still, there are many unorganized sounds that have no meaning to her no matter how hard she tries to understand them. She is very intelligent. And is steadily becoming more independent.
Well, the other day (about a month ago) she asked to go to the rest room, and I let her. About 15 minuets later she had still not come back to class. I went to the rest room to fetch her, but she wasn't there. I went to her core class and she wasn't there either. In a panic I wandered the halls to try and look for her, but then I noticed an assembly going on in the cafeteria and decided to see if she had just joined them. As I went down the hall I found her hiding in a corner near the door trying to be sneaky and find out what was going on.
The American Fork Marching Band was setting up to play for the gathered kids. They were all lined up, and I knew that my student couldn't miss this! I pulled her from the door and led her into the back. I tried to explain to her what was going on, but she wasn't understanding me and the more I tried led to more confusion, but then they started to play. He jaw drop. She looked at me with the widest eyes.
"Teacher! What is that!"
I told her who they were, and suddenly it all clicked for her. She pointed to every instrument asking what that black one was or that little silver one, and why the gold long ones looked the way they did. Some were high and why was that and there was a wierd low sound what was that?! She had for the first time understood music. She had never really heard it before.
We ended up being 20 minuets late for math, and the Teacher was not at all pleased. Honestly, I didn't care. This was something that my student needed and I would do it again. The world is now open to her and she knows it.
I love my job, and can't imagine any other thing I would rather do. It is experiences like this that remind me that even though there are times I just want to throw up my arms and go home, that what I do is important and that I just need to plug along.
I will be updating very soon, because there is plenty that I now have to tell you about. And I even promise some pictures!!!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I still love this story every time I hear it. I imagine that the teacher would have understood if you had explained.
Either way, it's not your job to make excuses for your teaching style.
The way that your student's eye were opened to a whole new world previous unexplored for her, is completely exciting!
Woot- for Josie and the blogging!
Also- the word verification for this comment is 'blesses'. I thought that fitting as you definitely bless your students' lives every day.
Post a Comment