Tags
cello, Classroom, Education, Eugene Friesen, family, Happiness, happy-ever-after, Inclusion (education), K through 12, poem, poetry, Special education, Student, teacher, Waiting for Superman, writing
I haven’t seen the documentary Waiting for Superman ~ yet. It seems that it has become part of the debate on the future of public education. Like Martha says ~ It’s a Good Thing. So is my personal Storehouse of Happiness. It’s stocked with memories of kids and classrooms, teaching and learning, singing and dancing.
It’s hard to explain where Happiness comes from. But come it does. And it writes its own story. I was lucky to be there for this Happy-Ever-After ending.
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The Knight and The Cellist
The boy approaches the microphone with a dignified stride. He nods to the cellist seated at center stage and then turns to address the audience that fills the art deco theater.
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“Hello,everybody! I’m Dustin. How ya’ doin’ this mornin’?”
Dustin grins, a smile too big for his face. The focus of 1000 pairs of eyes, this second grader relishes the spotlight. He recites his poem flawlessly, accompanied by the inventive improvisations of the cellist. When he finishes, Dustin bows like a seasoned thespian and extends his hand toward the musician. With a wave to the crowd, he makes his way back to the semicircle of folding chairs where his fellow poets hoot and holler.
Dustin finds joy in this community of fiercely curious children who love to read and write. But this moment is unique and rare for a boy like him; a boy who finds himself in the unlikeliest of circumstances, buoyed by the energy of the crowd in the theater.
Physically challenged and intellectually disabled, Dustin is seldom in the spotlight. He can write a few letters and recognize some numbers. His place in space is still a mystery to him; often an awkward movement or unsteady gait sends him careening into others. Part of his day is spent in the resource room; most of it is in the regular classroom where he learns the concepts of science and social studies by listening and participating in hands-on activities. Much of Dustin’s life journey is a struggle that demands faith and courage at every turn. He approaches the foreign and unknown with a stalwart and quiet resolve.
Dustin has a genuine curiosity and there is no end to his comments and questions. The bends and turns of his mind are bewildering at times, yet he sports a smile each morning, greets the day and his classmates with enthusiasm. Dustin is not just a part of the landscape. On the contrary, he is a dynamic and powerful force in the classroom.
For the school literacy celebration, Dustin dictated his poem, illustrated it in his writer’s notebook and presented it to the class. His poem, Sir Dustin, has all the elements that intrigue: a knight, a dragon, a princess in distress. And Dustin’s love for language makes for a passionate and dramatic delivery. During a classroom visit, professional musician Eugene Friesen (Cello Man) plays dark rhapsodies and pulsing rhythms while Dustin recites his poem. There is no doubt that the words and music mesh seamlessly. Dustin’s tale resonates with Eugene and is chosen for the writing celebration.
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On stage, Dustin stands front and center, basking in the applause. The experience takes him to another place; a horizon farther than he can see, a healing place without boundaries. This is an historic moment, in an historic place, made possible by an elementary school principal of heroic proportions. He’s a gentle man whose personal experience led him to promote inclusion for special needs students before mandates spewed from the legislature. He walks softly through the minefield of obstacles, anger, and dismay, recognizing the frustration and confusion that accompanies children challenged by the simple routines of an ordinary day. Deliberate and determined to have the mainstream curriculum accessible to children like Dustin, he empowers his staff with words of compassion and hope. A champion of inclusion, he is the voice of special needs students.
Is every day in the classroom a day of celebration? Hardly. Often the school day begins with complex problems. With astounding speed, the Inclusion Model can twist and morph into a classroom’s worst enemy. A group of special needs students in one room can compromise the quality of instruction. Even with capable instructional assistants, disruptions occur ~ outbursts, movements, the constant low-level conversations, admonitions and questions. Every disability presents its own problems; each student has a unique set of needs, often compounded by the lack of family support.
Everyone in education has the same goal: to protect the sanctity of the classroom so that all students can and will learn every day. There is reason to be wary of inclusion because it can alter the way instruction is delivered to the regular education students. It can sap an enormous amount of the teacher’s energy and consume mountains of time.
And, yes, inclusion also has moments of glorious joy and unfettered exuberance. The opportunities present in a classroom of eager learners are infinite. Every student has personal challenges, some greater than others, but in a room full of banter and chatter, children gleefully provoke and inspire each other.
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Lucky Dustin. Today is his day. A principal with conviction sits in the front row, admiring the grace and style of this glorious theater and a boy named Dustin. A knight in shining armor, who just happens to play the cello, joins him on stage. Cello Man’s swinging pizzicato and soulful melodies slay the fire-breathing dragon.
For Dustin, being a part of a community of learners makes a difference in his life. It delivers the unimaginable: a very Happy-Ever-After Ending.
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Toni
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Happiness Song # 12 Courtesy of The Ronnettes
