Seeing the ability
“Seeing the ability" by Sharon, Special Needs teacher with a post graduate degree in Special Needs Teaching with additional pathway of teaching the profoundly and multiply disabled.
Sharon entitled her piece when she emailed it to me: “Knowing your abilities, Liz and Coraline”.
“I never see a disability; just an ability to face life head on in an inspiring way".
Sharon writes of her recent time in a mainstream college teaching students aged 16-25 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND):
“When with the students I felt totally blessed. The range of ‘abilities ‘was vast, which of course made this a challenging role too. The students taught me so much; mostly that nothing is a barrier. Patience is something else I learnt, don’t rush, just let things flow. There is always a way to find a way.”
“After Coraline was born, knowing that Liz would be receiving lots of messages, I wrote just once I think, stating that Coraline was a blessing, she would bring a new way of thinking and a new world would open to all of them.
And mostly not to see the disability but trust in the ability.
I assured her, as no-one had assured or reassured me, as one of my daughters has a disability, that Coraline would thrive and grow and be a little girl just like all others, there would be challenges, but most of all, she was exactly what Liz and Kevin were expecting. A baby for now, a child as she grows, and an adult when older. I love that Liz writes about trusting in life, so many pass this by!
To Coraline, as a toddler I would just say, enjoy being YOU.
Actually, now I have written that, I think I would say that all the way through her life.
Coraline enjoy being YOU.
There is no need to add anything. Coraline has so much from such dedicated parents and friends who are hands on. Yep, I am done.
I could write on and on about taking opportunities, not putting barriers up etc. etc., but actually all I want to say is Coraline enjoy being YOU.”
Full post here: Seeing the ability
#downssyndromeawarenessmonth #beyourself