First and Last Schools

The school year is coming to a close in many areas, but this week still had time for two more visits in very different venues.

Late Tuesday morning, I had my first college visit for the year. The class of seven Physical Therapy Assistant students were just two days away from graduation. I got to spend an hour with them and covered items related to spinal cord injuries and general tips for more complex needs.

Even with a small class, they asked good questions and seemed to be engaged in the discussion. I never know where the careers of these young people will take them, but I always hope I give some help. Two days after speaking with college students, I was in front of three classes of second graders.

My local Christian school runs a Spanish immersion program. Therefore, most grades have two sections of regular English instruction and one in Spanish. For the past few years, I have only had each section for 20 minutes. This made for concise visits, but I always felt like I was depriving the students from activities and learning. I requested 30-minute visits this year and it felt like it went much better, just more tiring on my part.

With the full-length time, kids were able to do both mouth and foot writing, briefly discuss other disabilities, and have time for questions. In the first class, one boy in the back of the room asked how they could best help someone with a disability. This eight-year-old asked something more thought provoking than the majority of college students I've had.

I answered that helping to open doors is a good start, but also just to see them like everyone else. If it's another child that has the disability, to play with and interact with them like any other kid, but be prepared to maybe do things differently.

In the last class, another boy was having trouble catching the concept of a spinal cord injury. I more carefully explained it being like a broken wire from your head to your legs. If it doesn't connect, no signal gets through. A few minutes later, he wondered why doctors just don't replace it. I guess my wire analogy was too literal, but just said that medical technology hasn't found a way to do that.

With that, my grade school visits are finished for the year. Not long after returning home, my caregiver and I lamented on it going too quickly. Yes, school visit days get busy, but they're a fun part of teaching the quad life and getting to spend time with kids. One girl asked if I had children and I gave my usual answer that I would like to, but don't. Instead, I just barrow a classroom full at a time.

The next few weeks look to be much calmer with only one note on my calendar for an appointment. Now it will be further concentration on web related work and starting to prep for a sermon in a few weeks. Maybe this fall I'll see if I can get to a few new grade schools so I don't go as long between school visits. Whatever comes, I'm thankful for God's care through it all.