I just wanted to share her progress with you. We've been working on tracing lines, sitting and attending to pre-writing tasks, colouring and using different writing materials. That girl is changing before my very eyes. Four weeks ago, she was just barely tracing lines, instead just wanting to make some marks on paper. I kept at it, asking to to follow the lines, helping her hand over hand to trace letters and lines, shapes and numbers, giving her different colours to experiment with, using crayons, pencils and markers and lo and behold, she did it. Yesterday she traced full page of different types of lines with a purple marker. By herself, no hand holding required. I showed her father, thinking that he might not realise the important steps she had taken, but no, he did. He was impressed. And happy! He adores her - which is not hard because she is a delightful little girl, but his ooh's and ahh's and the way he looked at her showed me what a proud father he is.
I have a lot of respect for him, because he gives her everything she needs. He will do anything to help her and has, I think, accepted her for who she really is, autism and all. And that's hard in a culture like this one, where imperfection like this is often seen as 'bad karma' coming back at you for something you did in the last life. So I'm glad he recognises her achievements for what they are - huge steps for a little girl who would willingly spend most of her time her own little world if she was allowed to.
And something else interesting has arisen here - my own acceptance of my skills. I've always had a good amount of doubt about whether I could really make a difference to these kids - there was always someone else there who I could give the credit to or just think that the kid was going to improve anyway - or not. But in this situation, it's me that's making the difference (I'm the only one here, working on these particular skills) and to see it played out in something so obvious as Feng Ying's learning to trace is something I have yet to come to terms with. I can't believe she's doing it, but she is - and I taught her that.
Cool.
4 comments:
It must be so rewarding.
Well done.
I have always had an overwhelming admiration for anyone who can do what you do with autistic children child. 99.999 percent of the world would just give up and put her in an institute. You are an amazing person. It is a gift and you are using it well.
Yes, very cool. You are cool. All those years ago, you showed me how to relate to these sorts of kids, and that really they are so special. Beyond Special.
I'm surprised you've lacked confidence because all I saw was someone very confident and capable and rock-solid in her commitment.
Awesomeness.
Mr S, it is. It's one of the best jobs I can think of.
Pete, thank you.
Melba, Thanks. All those years ago, I felt differently - I was young and oh so full of myself and just loving the job seemed to be enough. Those years we taught together we really something special - we had a great dynamic going, in spite of how hard those kids were to teach. Now it seems that's not enough. In the 20 years that have passed, things have changed and so have I. And here, I'm in the 'spotlight' so to speak. These people have sent me their children because they think that I will 'absolutely' be able to help their kids become more normal. My first thought is always "what if I can't help this child", how disappointed will the parents be. Even now, with the new student I've taken on, I don't know if I can help him - he's challenging because though he talks, he doesn't speak a single word of English and he's hyperactive. Progress is always very slow with these kids and sometimes, if you don't step back and look for it, you can't see how they've improved. But I think my belief that if you just give them some time and attention, they will improve regardless, helps them. I believe they can improve and they do.
And I think that almost everyone can do what I do - you just need to see the child beyond the disability.
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