I truly do consider it a privilege to work with the students that I do. Their ‘challenges’ are the reason that I have a job.
In my job as a Special Education Assistant, the only thing I do not like is my title … nobody wants to be called ‘special’ because everybody knows that the word ‘special’ in this context really means ‘different.’
The guest post for today is an audio link to a broadcast from Focus on the Family (www.fotf.ca). The link is of Ben Glenn speaking about the challenges in his life, including ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and Dyslexia. It is called Living With ADD, and in his story I can see the experiences of a few students with similar challenges. I can see the rejection, I can see the confusion.
Thankfully, I do believe that today school staff, psychologists, doctors and parents communicate much more clearly to students about the challenges that they have been diagnosed with. We still tell them they are special, but we tell them they are special, not because of their diagnosis, but because they have value as a person, and, as a Christian, we share that they are made in the image of Creator God.
Numerous times I have offered my own perspectives on those with challenges, or special needs (Beautiful Disorder). I have also offered my perspective on the parents, and especially the moms of children with special needs (Moms That I Admire), as well as their perspectives on having a child with special needs (Things Not To Say To A Parent Of A Child With Disabilities). What I love about this audio of Ben Glenn is that it is from the perspective of a person with special needs challenges, and it is so worth hearing his voice.
itsawonderfilledlife 