Teacher Appreciation Week/National Teacher Day

[Georgie]

Sometimes this really is the most rewarding job on earth. In my class this year is a precious boy named Kevin who has severe Asperger's syndrome. It's a condition that it usually considered a form of autism. This child is very interesting, but I won't go into detail here. One of his major problems is lack of social interaction. He is, by and large, non-verbal; it took until February for him to say a few words to me. He doesn't speak or interact with the other children. Every single day at recess he stays right outside our classroom door and sifts the same pile of sand through his fingers over and over again. Lately he's been complaining to me that his fingers are cut and sore.(well, no wonder!) Since the sand seems to be have a sensory attraction for him, I asked his occupational therapist if she had something else he could play with out there. She gave me a mooshy squooshy sea urchin toy that he liked. When the kids went out to play, I noticed that one of the girls was carrying it. Before I could say anything, she said, "Kevin and I are going to play together." I watched from the window. She took Kevin all over the playground, climbing on the equipment, helping him by the hand over places where he was hesitant because of some of his physical limitations...they really PLAYED! It was a breakthrough. The tears rolled down my face as I watched them. It is the first time in his whole school career that Kevin has actually played with another child. These are the moments a teacher lives for.

[This message has been edited by Georgie (edited 05-05-2005).]