Summer school is coming to a close. It's 20 days with students we don't know. You do baseline testing part of the first week, work with the students for 15 days or so, then test again to see if they have maintained or I suppose, possibly even improved a little. I'm not an administrator -- all I know is that is the drill. From my viewpoint, you barely know the kids when they come to school and you are just getting to know them when they leave. They are there a short time, yet they still tug at my heart. Each child is unique and even in that short period of time, there is a certain bond you develop with them. They come into a new school, are given a new teacher and have no idea what to expect. From a teacher's point of view, it's sort of the same for us. The difference is, children with autism have difficulty adapting to change; it is incredibly hard for them to develop a new routine. By the end of the session, a certain amount of trust has been formed. You can usually tell because the kids are happy to come to school and sad to leave. The students who are non-verbal reach for your hand.
The other night I wrote out progress reports for my group of fourth and fifth grade students. All have autism; several have a comorbidity with other health issues. As I looked them over, I felt that much had been accomplished in our very short period of time together. In fact, it touched my heart to see the gains.
I don't talk about this to boast for truly, this is all about bringing glory to Him. How else can one explain the gains that were made by these students in such an incredibly short period of time. Believe me, although I am a good teacher -- I am not a teacher that could possibly cause these things to happen in 20 days. It is all about Him. Truly these are His miracles.
One of the first things we do before summer school is read a student's individualized education plan (IEP) and tailor learning to their needs. Most have reading, writing, math and social/behavioral goals. Our goal is to maintain what they have learned throughout the school year. This is no small task, as many teachers mark all of their goals for summer school; and students with autism have a good six to eight goals on their IEP's. Multiply that by the number of students you have and well, it's a lot of goals! So, in order to remember them, I write down the goals that I am focusing on lest I confuse the students and the goals; easy to do.
As I reviewed the IEP goals while writing their progress reports, I noticed that I had students writing -- real essays for the first time! They were using graphic organizers to brainstorm and write their thoughts down. Those children with behaviors -- those behaviors had decreased tremendously. A behavior mentor commented to me that one child I had would not touch Play-Doh, something that would help her keep her hands to herself. Hmmm, she not only played with Play-Doh in my class but Silly Putty as well, which she really loved! Some students could only stay on task for 5 minutes prior to coming to my classroom. They now stay on task for 15-20 minutes. Rarely, do I ever see such progress in a school year, let alone 20 days! As I went into my classroom this past week, I noticed friendships being formed. Again, children with autism enjoy solitary play; so to watch them have conversations, share food and toys and help one another is incredibly gratifying. This is something that sometimes takes years to happen; yet, my students were actually to engaged in "real" conversation. Not just the prescribed 2-3 exchanges but an entire conversation about a video game or story they had written.
This summer did not come without its price for me. I was hit, kicked, spit on, pinched, scratched until I bled, clothes pulled on until they were nearly torn and several attempts were made to bite me. Fortunately, having worked with children with autism, I do have extremely quick reflexes and was able to avoid being bitten. People are amazed that I am able to do what I do and remain calm and professional. Granted, from a physical standpoint, this was a rough summer. I am 54 years old and come home mentally and physically exhausted. I usually take a power nap. But then, I see how far these children have come. And frankly, so few people are willing to go into this line of work. I often hear, "How do you do it?" The truth is this is not a profession for the faint of heart. But also, I come from a different perspective. The question isn't "How do I do it?" but rather, "Why do I do it?" I believe that God uses me in my classroom. I always pray before I start my day, that it would not only be a good day but that God would be there with me; guiding my instruction and giving me the patience and knowledge that I need.
I have since moved on to working with high school students primarily with learning disabilities only because I believe that at age 54, I am unable to handle the physical toll that this job can indeed mete out on a teacher. However, I still work with children with all disabilities including autism, as they do come through my classroom periodically. I will continue (as long as the district allows me) to work with this very special group of children during the summer. They are some of God's most precious gifts. As with any gift, we just need to be accepting and allow God to bless us through them. And through Him, offer up our gifts and talents to likewise be a blessing.
"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:16 (ESV)
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