Monday was our first day with the kids at Escuela Especial. We were greeted with some of the
biggest smiles and most embracing hugs I have encountered in my life, tied for 1st place with the children in Cambodia. Every one of our five students, Jen,
and I were in love immediately.
Lisa Marie has already fallen into this deep well of love, and shall not
return any time soon. Arriving at
this school is similar to a large homecoming after being absent from your loved
ones’ presence for quite some time.
The feeling that warms your heart and frees your soul. Suddenly I had no worries about my life
and responsibilities at home, and was soon to discover an entirely new world of
quandaries.
After the first session of hugs at Escuela Especial, Kevin
and I arrived in our assigned classroom, only to be warmed to the soul once
more. Yohaska, la maestra de grado
segundo, and 8 brilliantly smiling faces greeted us. Kevin and I were quickly
introduced to one of the most powerful personalities in the room: Yoysi. Yoysi is larger than life and LOVES the
boys. I’m not quite sure if one
would be trampled by her without clearing her path, but I have definitely witnessed some body
checks. That said, her eyes
sparkle with her smile and the love that radiates from her is endless. Even when she's scolding me for - well I’m
not usually aware of my wrongdoing - I can still feel an aura of love
surrounding her. I have found that the look and feeling I receive when we work together
is truly priceless. Kevin and I
also met Maura, Erikson, Ramon, Conchita, Lucelia, Jose Luis, Marling, Karlita,
and Karolina. These unique names
and faces will not soon be forgotten; I expect to long for these faces in the
months to come.
The first few minutes of the day were consumed with
introductions. While Kevin
introduced himself and became the new desire of the ladies, especially la
Conchita, Yojaska and I reviewed all disabilities and needs with each
student. One of her most pressing
concerns was for el Jose Luis. She
is trying to figure out if Jose Luis has a severe cognitive disability or
Autism. While I am thankful that
these students with disabilities have a place to go on a daily basis, they do
not receive instruction or therapy for a specified disability because many
cases remain undetermined. The
term “retardo” is commonly used to refer to most students. While I understand the meaning in
Espanol, it continues to hurt my heart every time I hear it. I could discuss these cases until the
cows come home, but without knowing a full history of the students, their
family story, and daily observations (for an extended period of time), I cannot
give definitive answers to the teachers in this school. This is difficult for a data-driven educator
to understand what exactly each student needs without understanding the
disability and having more time to observe. Yojaska is amazing, and does what she can for these
students. She is calm, collected,
and motherly when crayons are flying across the room, students are leaving, and
far too many undetermined noises are happening simultaneously.
Students in the aulas at Escuela Especial are of differing
ages and abilities, similar to Special Education classrooms in the Estados
Unidos, but here there are no TA’s, no requirements by law to assist children,
and absolutely no training for Special Education. Teachers that work in these classrooms are simply the most
patient regular educators to be found. They desperately want to learn teaching methods, gain
ideas, and better understand ways in which to help these students. This is when the frustration sets in;
how are the students to be helped?
I am thankful that this population has a school to go to, rather than
being ignored at home and seen as a curse. However, there could be so much more learning happening in
this school with the correct training and more people to assist the students
who need one on one. We have a long way to go, but at least Children’s
Global Alliance is a great start.
Monday was a thoughtful day for me; I left with a million
ideas of what could be improved at Escuela Especial. It is an overwhelming thought; where does it end? While talking with my team of
do-gooders, I found myself expressing that there is no way to ensure safety for
all students unless there is a government incentive and consequence for the
schools and families (there are small fines for cleanliness, but I’m guessing
this isn’t enforced regularly, especially in el campo). The amazing teachers we
have met are doing what they can, but have no support or training. It wasn’t long ago that the United
States was in the same boat. To
ensure that students with disabilities were not abused and attended school,
laws came into play. It wasn’t
until the 1970’s, though, that students with disabilities were required to
receive a “Free and Appropriate Education.” I believe it was the late sixties, but didn’t really come in full bore until the mid seventies, as this shift in thought takes a while to
catch on. It is interesting to see
the same paradigm shift happening before our eyes here in Rivas. It is exciting to be part of this
change. Thank you. Thank you to the ever-giving Lisa Marie
for creating Children’s Global Alliance, my always supportive family and
friends to help me get here, Vail valley businesses and community support, and
a thank you to our loving students who WANTED to come here and make a
difference. This story shall
continue….
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