I am new. I make lots of mistakes. I doubt myself. Sometimes I wonder if I should have stayed in the classroom because it doesn't seem like I am making any impact at all. And then I am given a day like today.
It started with the normal hustle and bustle and moved into controlled chaos as we gathered 1,100 kids for a school picture. The weather was beautiful. The photographer came early and climbed up on the roof. When we came outside, he was sitting above us, camera in hand, smiling and waving at us. When the Kindergarteners saw him, they gasped and asked the man helping us line up how the photographer had gotten on the roof. When he answered, "He jumped up there," the kids whispered, "We have a superhero taking our picture?" When it was time for the picture, I was told to stand in the front of the group on the side. A little first-grade girl with Cerebral Palsy sat in her wheelchair next to me. She gently reached up and held my hand for the picture.
When it was over, I escorted her to the elevator. She handed me the key and gave me instructions on working the elevator. When we got inside, she informed me of all the procedures to follow - she pushes the button, we put our hands in the air, say "freeze" and freeze in that position, and then she opens the door. As we continued down the hall, many of the older girls stopped us to give her hugs and ask her to play with them at recess. As we passed the 6h grade room, she told me about her brother in the class and how he is the best brother in the universe.
I was in awe of her. She has all the reasons in the world to be sad and feel sorry for herself, yet she had the biggest smile for everyone we met. Today she taught me that I have been the one with a disability. I have been focusing on all the bad without seeing the good. She sees life with all the good and none of the bad.
It started with the normal hustle and bustle and moved into controlled chaos as we gathered 1,100 kids for a school picture. The weather was beautiful. The photographer came early and climbed up on the roof. When we came outside, he was sitting above us, camera in hand, smiling and waving at us. When the Kindergarteners saw him, they gasped and asked the man helping us line up how the photographer had gotten on the roof. When he answered, "He jumped up there," the kids whispered, "We have a superhero taking our picture?" When it was time for the picture, I was told to stand in the front of the group on the side. A little first-grade girl with Cerebral Palsy sat in her wheelchair next to me. She gently reached up and held my hand for the picture.
When it was over, I escorted her to the elevator. She handed me the key and gave me instructions on working the elevator. When we got inside, she informed me of all the procedures to follow - she pushes the button, we put our hands in the air, say "freeze" and freeze in that position, and then she opens the door. As we continued down the hall, many of the older girls stopped us to give her hugs and ask her to play with them at recess. As we passed the 6h grade room, she told me about her brother in the class and how he is the best brother in the universe.
I was in awe of her. She has all the reasons in the world to be sad and feel sorry for herself, yet she had the biggest smile for everyone we met. Today she taught me that I have been the one with a disability. I have been focusing on all the bad without seeing the good. She sees life with all the good and none of the bad.
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