Week 3

section 2.3

This relates to the academic presentation, but in a way that may not seem so obvious.

One lesson I have learned working with mentally handicapped people is that patience is key. This is always something I have been lacking in. When I want things done, I want them done now. When you work with special ed kids that is far from the case. There is one girl who I have worked closely with for the semester, and she is leaving on Friday because she will be 21. Although she will never know, she has taught me as much as I have tried to teach her. I have never experienced such raw emotion with anyone, and it can be overwhelming, but also refreshing. When she is sad, she is sad, but when she is happy it almost makes me cry because she is so content. I have never been able to express myself in simple terms, but she has helped me smile, even after she has made me frustrated. That is one of the rewards of working with these kids. They can make you love them, no matter what they have done.

I can't say that every moment has been loads of fun and exciting in the class, particularly when we have to do reading comprehension, but I would say that if I wasn't sure of what I wanted to do after college I would probably consider working with kids like this. People say I have a way with the kids, but I have also had practice with my own brother. It's not hard...just time consuming and exhausting. The mentality has to switch from a one that questions and finds answers to everything to just trying to get them to say the answer and understand it. Although my brain cells sometimes feel like they are dying (the owl is eating the mouse, what is the owl eating?) it is also such a reward to hear them shout "MOUSE!"

I suppose I will miss the girl and the way she greets me in the morning, but that's life.