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{SFTH} *No, No, Don't!* 8/27/01
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My thanks to everyone who had the chance to send birthday
greetings to Ami about a week or so ago. This list is made up
of some very special people, and for that we are extremely
grateful. May you all know how much Kristi and I appreciate
you...
Here is an email I received from Ami this weekend.
She asked me to pass along her thanks to all of you
who wrote to her and made her birthday a memorable one!
*****
Dear Coach Powers,
I just want to say thank you to every person who sent me an
e-mail for my birthday. Even though I didn't get to read them
until a week later it still meant so much to me. I was very
surprised when I saw hundreds of e-mails in my inbox. Then
when I read the e-mail that you wrote it meant even more.
Thank you so much. This will definitely be a birthday I will
never forget.
Love Always,
Ami
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"No! No! Don't"
By Lynne Graham
When the Principal approached me and told me I was
to have Christopher in my class my heart dropped.
Christopher had been at our school for three and a half
years and was the most challenging pupil his teachers had
tried to teach. I say "tried to teach" because although
Christopher was rarely absent from school no teacher
had ever been able to relate to him. No one had been
able to coax him to take part in class lessons, group times,
games or any other activity requiring him to relate to others.
No adult or child had been able tom break through the
barriers he had built around himself.
Doctors had labeled him "Intellectually Disabled".
Psychiatrists and Psychologists had labeled him "Autistic".
Teachers had labeled him "Challenging". His family had
labeled him "Just Chris." Other children had labeled him
"Weird". Now I was to have this weird, intellectually
disabled, challenging, autistic eight-year-old in my class.
Over the summer break I thought much about Chris. I read
as many books about Autism that I could find. I reviewed
my college notes on "intellectually disabled" students. I
revisited my lecture notes from a professional development
course I had undertaken on "Challenging Behaviors in the
Regular Classroom". My head was spinning with ideas,
thoughts, strategies, and yet I could not focus. Finally, I
decided to wait and see. Just wait and see how Chris
would react in my class. A new class, new classmates
and a new teacher may make some difference.
Unfortunately Chris was not the only child with problems I
was to have that year. Katherine would also be there.
Katherine had major emotional problems relating to an
abusive father. I knew this year was going to be different
in many ways and would certainly stretch my teaching skills.
Interestingly, although Chris took no part in class lessons,
group times or even individual times with a teacher, he
managed to learn. In fact, he had done very well in all the
academic areas. No one knew quite how to handle Chris.
Some days he would venture away from his desk and read
the display boards. Some days he would sit on the
edge of a group and watch them working together on some
task. But always, if approached, he would scamper back to
his desk and often under it. Perhaps the most difficult thing
about Chris was that he did not speak. He had never spoken
a word at home or school. The other children found this
strange and it was understandable that they withdrew from
trying to include Chris after a few weeks of seeming to
be ignored.
As I considered the very special needs of Chris, and
Katherine, I recalled reading about the benefits of a pet
for children in crisis. One day I smuggled a cute little
bundle of fluff named "Rusty" into our room. Rusty was a
tiny Maltese cross puppy. I had my story ready if the
Principal caught me --"Oh, I am bringing him in regularly
to weigh and measure". I was hoping if I labored the point
from an educational view it would get me permission to
keep Rusty in our classroom. After much talking, permission
was granted for a "trial period". To this day I'm not sure
who was on trial!
The children drew up a roster showing who was
responsible for Rusty each day. Someone would feed
him, another would walk him, and another would train
him to go outside. My only stipulation was that everyone
in the class must have a turn at each task.
On the first day Chris was to take part the children
watched him cautiously. Not they, nor I, were sure how
he would cope with this task. However, we were all
pleasantly surprised. Chris carefully carried out his
duty. Over the following weeks Chris and Rusty
became firm friends. Rusty would often snuggle up to
Chris or sit at his feet.
A few weeks later a deputation of students approached
me. "Miss G. we know you said everyone had to have a
turn looking after Rusty but we think Chris should take
him out every lunch time because he, (Chris), has no one
else to play with." So the roster was changed. I was
anxious to see what would happen when children from other
classes ran up to pat Rusty. I must admit to being a little
concerned for both Chris and Rusty. I could just see Rusty
taking off in one direction and Chris in the other so I
`staked out' around the corner and watched on.
The strain was obvious on Chris' face as he held tightly
onto the lead and tried not to look at the other children.
He would let one or two children pat Rusty and then run
off behind the bushes for a few minutes and then venture
out again. Slowly, ever so slowly, Chris began to relax
with Rusty and his hiding behind the bushes became
less frequent.
One day it became obvious Rusty was not well. He didn't
want to eat and just lay on the floor without taking much
notice of the children at all. I too was concerned, so that
night I took Rusty to the Vet. Rusty had eaten something
that had caused his problems. I must confess that I was
more than a little concerned. How would the children react
if Rusty could no longer come to school? How would they
react if he were to die? Then I felt guilty. If anything
happened to Rusty how could Katherine and Chris react.
Had all this been a bad idea? Would it push them back
into their private emotions? Would they be worse that before?
After a week of treatment, including two nights in hospital,
Rusty was able to come back to school! However, with
strict instructions that no one was to feed him anything
other that his specially prescribed food.
On his first day back Rusty enjoyed running around the
yard with Chris. They both made their way across the yard
to the area set aside for reading and other quiet activities.
As they were sitting at a picnic table one of the younger
children offered Rusty a piece of his sandwich.
"NO! NO! DON'T"! shouted Chris. He jumped up suddenly,
leaving the little boy crying. Just at that moment I came
around the corner. Tears streamed down my face as I
watched Chris put his arm around the little boy and gently
say "It's OK you didn't know, but Rusty can't eat that. It
might make him sick."
I was not alone in my crying. The other teachers who were
watching from the staff room window had tears too. Chris'
Mum and Dad cried, when told of the incident. I wish I had
had a camera and had been able to take a picture of the
faces of the other children too.
That was the turning point for Chris. His parents bought
him his own "Rusty". He would spend hours in the library
reading about dogs. The first project Chris ever completed
was about dogs. Sure, Chris still had problems relating to
others. He still rarely involved himself in class activities and
felt anxious around other people, but the barrier was
beginning to be lowered and Chris began to emerge from
his own little world.
What did this experience teach me?
Most importantly not to give up on any child no matter how
challenging they may appear. Don't become overwhelmed with
labels and diagnoses made by other professionals. Just be
yourself, be creative and let each child open themselves up
to you in their own time and in their own way. Try to see
behind the obvious, presenting behaviors to the roots of the
child's problem. Be patient and allow each child, those
labeled "challenging" or those who always behave
"normally", to open up and share a little of themselves to
you as their teacher and to each other as peers.
After all, teaching is far more than teaching the three
R's. Isn't it?
Lynne Graham (Melbourne, Australia)
grahamlc@ozemail.com.au
Write Lynne and let her know what you thought about her story!
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I have been a teacher in Melbourn, Australia for nearly 25
years now. I also taught in India and Bangladesh for some time.
I have qualifications in Special Education and am currently
working as a teacher of the Deaf. I travel around visiting
children with hearing impairment who are presently
mainstreamed. I have always enjoyed the challenge
of teaching children with special needs -- perhaps
more in the area of emotional behavioral problems.
Rusty is still with me and enjoys spending time with
my nieces and nephews and the little boy next door.
He was so lonely when I finished teaching full time
and could no longer take him to school, that I invested
in a cat. So now it's Rusty, Oscar, and me in our little home.
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From the Guestbook!
"The Summer of Hmmmm...."
This story brought back some pleasant memories of being with my Grandmother
and Great Aunt & Uncle. All I could have told you was that I was fairly
young but based on Dee Ann's facts the year must have been 1973 when I was
visiting my Grandmother who lived in Blue Island, IL and my Great Aunt &
Uncle in Palos Heights, IL. The sound at my Great Aunt & Uncle's house was
almost deafening. I remember asking what that constant noise was & was told
it was the 17 year locust. I would have only been 11 at the time and
remember being amazed at the constant hum and so many "bugs".
Dawn P. Bergen
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Thought For The Day:
"Live so that you wouldn't be ashamed to sell the family
parrot to the town gossip." --Will Rogers
Verse for the Day:
"What you have said in the dark will be heard in the
daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in
the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs."
Luke 12:3
Kid's Thought For The Day:
"Don't dive deeper than you have breath for."
Parent's Thought For The Day
"In spite of the seven thousands books of expert advice, the
right way to discipline a child is still a mystery to most
fathers and mothers. Only your grandmother and
Ghengis Khan know how to do it." --Bill Cosby
Coach's Thought For The Day
"A person can't brood over one mistake, or waste time
feeling sorry for himself, or take on any sort of
persecution complex. Today I realize that once
you have made a mistake, you must accept it, profit
by it, and then totally dismiss it from your mind."
(Bart Starr, former quarterback of some team in Wisconsin)
Deep Thought For The Day:
"Had it been invented any place other than Green Bay Packer country, it
would be called a teethbrush."
(Sorry, but a I had to run that one again!)
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REQUESTS:
Hi Michael,
After reading the two stories (The "Can Do" Girl, and Baby Look
at You Now) about my daughter, Lori, several of your readers
asked that we let them know when the baby arrived.
Well, we are very proud to announce that at 1:07 am on
August 18th, 8 lb. 5 oz, 20" long. Katie Lea made her grand
entrance into our world. She is perfect (naturally), and a
very good baby. She is only 8 days old today, Sunday,
August 26, watches intently as she is being talked to,
loves listening to Grandma's three foot tall waterfall in
the livingroom, and is already showing a preference to
any classical music with piano in it. I'm sure you
will hear more about our little Katie as the stories unfold.
*smile*
In His Love,
Susan Stevens
Summr@email.msn.com
If you missed Susan's stories you can read them in our
archives at: http://www.storiesfrommyheart.com
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_
/_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\ / THUNDER27@aol.com
/_/ \ "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
\_\/\ \ Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live for the Son
\_\/ of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
Galatians 2:20
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Video Imagery (Michael's Video Production Business.)
"I thought of you first after my family sat down to watch
the video we gave them. They loved it, to say the least!
Within thirty seconds my mom was crying and my
dad did too. They said it was the best Christmas gift
we could have given them!! You did such a beautiful
job! They were so surprised and so touched--they
really, really, really loved it. Thanks for helping to
make it so special to us all. My mom mentioned how
the songs were perfect for the video too!
Thanks again!"
Kelli-- College Station, TX
Let me make you a video from your pictures or home movies!
Check out this site for Michael's video production business!
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AOL Users click here: Video Imagery
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