The Ugly Duckling

As a special needs teacher in the States I realize everyday how special it is to have as child learn a new skill. I appreciate the smallest of achievements a child makes, knowing that this child’s fate could be very different. Still, each day, we don’t know what their future will end up looking like. One day their abilities could be halted by some unforeseen illness or accident. I don’t mean to think of the tragic scenarios, but when you are used to visiting children in hospitals you learn to understand every possible circumstance; no matter how bleak.

I truly love having this kind of knowledge though and this kind of viewpoint. I have always said that God gave me a special set of eyes that see’s things a little differently when it comes to kids with special needs, and it’s true still here in Korea. I sit in my classroom and watch my kids work, with such incredible varying degree’s of ability, and feel so lucky I am their teacher. There is a boy who has such a sensory complex who is constantly rubbing my arms, feeling my necklaces, and rubbing on my feet or legs when I wear tights to school. He is one of the cutest kids ever, and luckily it does not distract him from his work.  I admit he is the one I choose to sit next to when we go on field trips because I know he will snuggle with me, so this is a trait I love about him! I get touched almost every day by another little boy who I could guess would get a diagnosis of Autism if in the States. He is so smart but struggles so much with his behavior and is constantly reprimanded for it, so his special needs DO distract him from his work unfortunately. Something as simple as not having a coat hanger to hang his coat on when he gets to school will set him off for the rest of the day.

It’s sometimes difficult to have my ‘set of eyes’ in a country that does not understand special needs because I know the little boy with Autism does not understand what is happening with his body and probably never will. I encourage him in every way I can and try to avoid melt downs when I see his anxiety building up. I know God placed me in his class for a reason and I’m so glad I can be there to teach him that being different is OK. I couldn’t help but see the significance of my placement in his class when I read his latest book report.

He wrote about “The Ugly Duckling”. He did a beautiful picture, as he loves to draw, and then proceeded to give his summary of the story. The ugly duckling that others were making fun of and nobody liked was different for a reason; he was a SWAN! He then finished his book report with this sentence: “The differences are not ugly, it’s something special.”

I almost got choked up. Of all the children in my class to choose this book for their book report, this is the one he chose, and it speaks so much to his personal situation! I proceeded to write at the bottom of the report, “Yes, the differences make you very special!” and went on to tell him how much I liked his report the rest of the day.

I truly feel such a connection with him when I teach him and when I help him to continue to be successful each day. It’s amazing how much he teaches me in return about WHY I DO WHAT I DO. About why I worked so hard to come here, about why I fight for kids with special needs, about why I have such a deep faith. God sent me here for him, as well as my 11 other kiddos, and I remember that each day when I look into his eyes. One of my parents said it best in a note they wrote to me:

 

Yes. They teach us so much more than we teach them.