Learning With Dan



Today's story is written by Ellie Braun-Haley.  A number of you on this list have 
grown to know and love Ellie over the past few months, and I wanted to share one 
of her stories, along with some info on her new books that are now out.
Thanks for sharing with us Ellie!

Learning with Dan

I was a dance teacher when I first began working with people who have
disabilities. It was actually a fluke (or maybe not, perhaps it was God
just opening a door for me.) I worked for a College teaching Jazz, Ballet
and Creative Movement. I also continued to do a fitness show for
television. It was a small city that I lived in and so because of the
television stuff I became well known.

 I had a phone call one day from a lady. She said that she had a young
woman living with her who had a mental disability but who seemed to have
a lot of rhythm and she really loved music. I was asked if I would
consider working with this young lady, tutoring her in a private dance
class. I decided that I should give it a try. My supervisor at the
College agreed to allow me use of the ballet studio for an indefinite
period of time while I designed a class for this young woman.

She and I had two or three classes which left me exhausted and seemed to
be quite tiring for her also. I generally have unlimited amounts of
energy so I was puzzled. I decided it was because we were working one on
one that the class was so totally draining. I phoned the woman who had
originally asked me to teach and said I felt that the student would do
much better in a group setting. Understand at this point I felt I had
resigned from the project. A short time later the lady called me back.
"Okay, I have three more students for you!" was her announcement.

I decided that since I was going to get quite serious about this I
should actually take some  courses in working with people who have
disabilities. I approached the College professor in charge of teaching
in that area and told him that I felt I should sign up for some of his
courses.

He said, "No, Ellie, I wouldn't do that if I were you!"

I questioned him about such an unusual statement. He said, "If you come
to my classes I am going to tell you all the things these people can not
do But if you go forward and attempt to teach them what you know, in
your own area of expertise, with an expectation for them to do it, many
of them will succeed.  Also if you do not succeed at teaching them all 
with one approach you will search for a new approach to make it work." 
I didn't take his course.

In a short time I had thirty students. These were teens and adults up to
the age of 40. They all had mental disabilities, but of course they all
had abilities and personalities that were specific, just as you and I.
In teaching them I learned. I learned how to find new ways to teach what
I already knew. I learned that this class of mine was quite similar to
all my other classes. I had the "stars" who would shine immediately. I had 
those that might take ten classes to learn the difference between right and 
left. I had students
that I immediately loved and others in whom I had to look for something
loveable. Soon the class had to be divided into two classes as we did
not all fit well into the ballet studio.

To each class I took with me my love of dancing and music. I was armed
with a  determination to successfully share this love with these new
students. I'm so glad no one told they could not dance. I am grateful
for the insight of that one teacher who told me to go and teach them
what I knew! We learned new steps together. We laughed together and we
shared a love of music and fellowship. When my family moved from that
city it was with a heavy heart that I bid goodbye to this fun loving group.

Years later, I was in another city and working for another College.
Again I was teaching a course for people with mental disabilities. I was still
learning from them!! I had one pupil, Dan, who didn't appear to get
much out of the class. He sat a lot and nodded his head and made sounds
in a hum hum kind of way. I never had eye contact with him. When left
the class to travel down the stairs to reach the main floor of the
building, he moved apprehensively as a blind person might do in
unfamiliar circumstance.

I did not feel successful as a teacher with Dan. One day his parents
met me shopping downtown and told me that they were so grateful that I
was teaching the class at the College. They said that my class was the
high point of their son's week. I pondered over that. Were they just
being courteous?

A week later, a blizzard held me up and I was later than usual pulling
into the school parking lot. Ahead of me by one row of cars, and over to
one side, was my student, Dan and his worker. In class Dan had
never moved at any great pace but that night I watched Dan as he got
out of the car I saw something I shall never forget. There was an
expectation about his movement. I could see his face as he moved toward
the building. He was gleeful and excited. I watched Dan run toward
the building in anticipation of his weekly treat, my class. I cried as it 
hit me that though I could not see in class all that Dan derived from the 
class, it surely meant a lot to him. Dan did indeed love the class. He was 
getting enjoyment out
of it. I was successful!!

Today when I teach courses at the College to students who are sudying in
Early Childhood Education, I remind them that children (and adults) all
learn in different ways. Some can stand on the sidelines and seem to be
unaware or disinterested and yet they can be learning at the same pace
as those who are in the middle of the activity. When I teach this, I
think, yes and this is true for those with disabilities too, for this
was true with Dan!  Dan taught me so much!

Teach with the wonderful enthusiasm that God has given you and you are
bound to reach your students. Tackle your job with a zest and love for
others and you will be successful no matter what your job involves.....

Ellie Braun-Haley
shaley@telusplanet.net
Send her an email if you enjoyed her story!

All the information on Ellie's three new books can be found at the following web site:
 Eagle Creek Publishers Home Page 
http://www.eaglecreek.org
Ellie's husband Shawn is also an author and has books listed there.

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REQUEST AND UPDATE:

Re: Jason McCrea Lewis

We have received the biopsy results on my brother's liver.   The news is not good. 
The mass found on his liver is a malignant tumour - he has cancer.

The news has devastated our family.  Please pray for us during this difficult time.  

Thank you

Marcia Lewis (MLewis3011@aol.com)

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Thought For The Day:

"Carve your name on hearts and not on marble."

Verse for the Day:

"The only letter I need is you yourselves! They can see that you are a letter 
from Christ, written by us...not one carved on stone but in human hearts."
2 Corinthians 3:2,3


Kid's Thought for the day:

"If you wait until you are sure you will never take off the training wheels."

Parent's Thought For The Day

"Authority without wisdom is like a heavy axe without an edge, fitter to bruise 
than polish."
(Anne Bradstreet)

Coach's Thought For The Day

"Let it never be forgotten that glamour is not greatness; applause is not fame; 
prominence is not eminence.  The person of the hour is not apt to be the person 
of the ages.  It is what the unimportant do that really counts and determines 
the course of history.  The world would soon die but for the fidelity, loyalty, 
and consecration of those whose names are unhonored and unsung."
(John R. Sizoo)

Deep Thought For The Day:

"Always remember you're unique, just like
 everyone else."




  _
/_/\/\    MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\  /    THUNDER27@aol.com   http://members.aol.com/Thunder27/index.html
/_/  \    "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