As I look back on the process of choosing a career in education I can pinpoint several events or moments of realization that were important to my final decision of becoming a teacher. I had never actually worked with children, although almost everyone who knew me was prompting me to explore this career avenue. I was somewhat reluctant because my dad had been teaching for 25 years and seemed to hate it. I finally decided to test the theory that working with children might be right for me. I began searching for summer and afterschool jobs that brought me in contact with kids. These jobs, slowly but surely, steered me closer and closer to the teaching profession.
One event that was key in my decision to become a teacher was an experience I had while working as a counselor at a summer camp for students with disabilities called Camp Able. The camp catered to a wide range of individuals, ranging from grade school to adult, from emotionally disturbed yet physically capable to those confined to wheel chairs. The camp was located just south of San Diego on Coronado Island. The camp facilities were located in between the ocean on one side of the road and San Diego bay on the other side. The bay side included a picnic area and building right on the water, which was the main, headquarters and housed the bathrooms and canoe storage facilities. Just in front of the building was our bay swimming area where lifeguards watched as we helped individuals who might not be able to walk enjoy the freedom of swimming.
This particular event took place on a beautiful hot day in late June. A light breeze was blowing, but the heat was still stifling if you attempted to sit in the sun for any period of time. My group was assigned to the swimming area. Most of my campers were able to do things on their own this day except for one small boy named David. David was confined to a wheel chair that was permanently horizontal. He was not able to sit up on his own or even operate the chair by himself. He had to be fed and changed just like a very young child even though he was about eight years old. He was also very small for his age at around fifty pounds. His caretakers said that you could tell that he was a thinking human being at lunch, because that was when he would move his face and open his eyes. The nature of the camp, appropriately named Camp Able, was that all people had abilities, regardless of their limitations. I, having learning disabilities myself, embraced this idea that day and approached David’s caretakers. "I have some time now that the rest of the group is swimming. Would David like to swim with me?" They replied without much thought. "Oh I don’t think so. I really don’t think he’ll get anything out of it." I persisted, "I would like to try it any way. Would that be ok?" I could tell this would not be easy. "Well we don’t think it would be a good idea because David can’t support himself and he has tubes in his ears that can’t get wet". Nice try, but I knew how to counter that one. "We have been dealing with a lot of campers with tubes in their ears. Since we will have a life jacket on David, he will float high in the water, and that keeps his ears dry! Also I will be supporting him in the water the whole time. Could we try?" They stopped and talked to each other for a second and I took the opportunity to bolster my cause. I went to get a life jacket that might fit David. I could tell that they were preparing another excuse so before they could say anything I interjected, "I think that this life jacket might fit David. Could you help me try it on?" They looked at one another, scowled at me, and assisted me with the life jacket.
Getting the jacket on David was not easy. David was unable to help us at all. I supported his smaller than normal head as we maneuvered his tiny form into the unforgiving floatation device. During all of this abuse, he did not even open his eyes.
I gently carried David’s limp body down to the water and slowly lowered him in just enough so that his back and legs were submerged. He instantly squinched up his body, opened his eyes and looked directly at me as if to say what are you doing to me! That reaction prompted me to start talking to David as I would anyone else. "So that water sure feels good. It’s a great day for a swim." I explained that we were going to go swimming and explained how to kick and move his hands. I slowly lowered him the rest of the way into the water and he quickly settled down, but he did not respond to what I was saying and after a few minutes closed his eyes. "So we are in deep enough to swim now David. The way you swim is to kick your feet up and down and move your hands from front to back." No response. I slowly walked deeper into the water supporting David with one hand on the back of his head and the other in the small of his back. The cool water was a welcome relief to the scorching day and David seemed to be enjoying himself, although I don’t know why I thought that. I periodically prompted David to kick and move his hands, but he did not respond.
I continued with the slow walk in the water moving David across the glassy surface as I glanced at the beautiful scenery all around. Caspian Terns were fishing out in the bay and the occasional sailboat glided by. The water lapping at the shore added to the serenity of the scene.
I gradually returned my attention to David and almost mechanically prompted him again to kick. I casually glanced at his feet and almost dropped him I was so surprised. His feet were ever so gently moving up and down. He was kicking! Excitedly, with a huge smile on my face I said, "Great job David! You’re swimming!" I asked him to kick harder and his feet moved a little faster. I said, " Move your hands back and forth" and he started to wiggle his hands. I showed his caretakers and they seemed pleased but did not seem to recognize that he was actually swimming. I continued to swim with David until our swim time was over and we repeated this activity throughout the week.
My success with David that day was a pivotal point in my decision to work with children and ultimately pursue a teaching career. I learned from David that anyone, given the proper encouragement and assistance, can achieve great things. So when I am faced with a student that is having difficulty accomplishing a task, I look for the life preserver and prepare my hands to gently support them while they succeed at what seems to be an impossible task.
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