Friends Friday... Selma was one of Kyles first caregivers. We met her at his preschool and she has remained a dear friend. In Selmas words... It was love at first smile. His smile lit up rooms but those days, when he was 5-8 years old, he didnt smile often because he was very concerned with communicating his needs, wants, questions and observations but his body could not move the way he needed it to. Most of his communication consisted of crying, eye gaze and yes/no head movements. So when he smiled, it often meant we (his teachers/caregivers/family) had figured out what it was he wanted to communicate. Kyle had a lot to say and I worked with him as his one:one aide in kindergarten and first grade. My goals were to help him communicate using scanning and computer technology. I worked with his mom, speech therapists and teachers to teach him the alphabet and reading and writing skills using a goose neck head switch. I was only 19 when I started working with Kyle. I was a high school dropout with no definite plans for the future. My experiences with Kyle, his caregivers and family, helped me realize several things: I love children and I love to teach. Special education is my passion. Communication is priceless. Today Im a speech therapist working overseas with the children of the American armed forces. I am so grateful to Kyle and his smile for inspiring my dream.
Posted on: Fri, 03 Oct 2014 17:13:16 +0000
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