The following is a guest blog post by UR student MaryAnna Krewson, who serves as a tutor with RCCL’s LEAP program and as an academic coach with TOUR.
This summer I had the privilege of working as a teaching assistant in a high school classroom at Wildwood Summer Extension Program in Schenectady, New York. Founded in 1967, Wildwood School exists to provide “comprehensive services for children and adults with autism spectrum disorders, complex learning disabilities and other developmental disabilities”. During my six weeks of employment, the students and staff stretched me, pushed me, challenged me, and allowed me to directly witness and enter into the lives of those impacted by autism. Although some moments brought me tears of frustration and anxiety, the lessons I have taken away from my time at Wildwood have been invaluable and changed my perspectives on what it means to love others. As I love to write in bullet-point format, below is a list of six lessons I learned over my six weeks.
Stay humble.
As a newcomer to the summer extension program, it was both exhausting and embarrassing to keep making “mistakes” while on the learning curve. The first few weeks were emotionally and mentally draining. I felt more of a hindrance than a help as I learned the ins and outs of following behavior plans, staying alert to aggressions, and not taking the students’ behaviors personally. Being shoved, slapped, bitten, and yelled it takes it toll, but my coworkers taught me techniques to stay safe and stay smart. Relying on the experienced staff at Wildwood encouraged and supported me in this position. Never be too proud to ask for help!
Stay observant.
One of the risky aspects of working in this field is the unpredictability. So, I learned to pick up on repeated behaviors and precursors to aggression. For instance, students will display certain behavior or make a particular sound to signal an oncoming aggression. They are also able to pick up on nervousness or inattentiveness and use that to their advantage. One of the students in our classroom would often run out of the room when I prompted him to go for a walk. Since he recognized that I was a new assistant, he capitalized on my not being in control and bolted down the hallway. After several attempts at trying to catch up with him, I learned how to gain control of the situation. Now I stand at the door and wait for him to come to me first before we proceed into the hallway. When he realized I was “in command”, he stopped running (for the most part!) and walked by my side.
Stay empathetic.
You don’t know the stories and backgrounds of some of the kids. In training, we learned about a former home/asylum for students with disabilities where all kinds of abuse–physical, sexual, emotional–ran rampant. Wildwood is a safe haven for those that are different and disabled. While at school, the students are embraced and loved as they are, quirks and all. What happens at home is outside of our control, but we strive to accommodate their needs and idiosyncrasies. The speech therapist in our classroom informed me that parents of Wildwood students have been invited to family gatherings on the condition that “their child didn’t come”. Relatives, much less the general public, are not always understanding of children with special needs. It is not always easy loving this population, but they need our kindness and support.
Stay lighthearted.
The seven students in my classroom were all so wonderfully silly and playful in their own unique way. Some recited movie lines, others twitched and twirled their fingers around for hours on end, and still others danced a jig while naked in the bathroom. We laugh at our friends and family for their silly antics, and it certainly took some humor to get through the day.
Stay grateful.
“Grass is always greener on the other side.” When I first interviewed for the job, we were told we would hear back on the next Friday if we had received the position. No call on Friday. The next Thursday, I emailed the supervisor who told me she was just about to offer me the job. What a blessing! However, my initial excitement and thanks gradually turned into ungratefulness as I thought about getting up early for work and missing my free summer days. Some hours did drag at work, but having a job where I could give back to these students and enhance their well-being has truly been a privilege. It has opened up a whole new world of ideas as I prepare for a future career.
Stay hopeful.
It is easy to be discouraged about these kids’ futures. Who will take care of them when their parents are gone? How will they function in society? While I do not have a comprehensive grasp on all the available services and funding for students with developmental disabilities, it has been a blessing to see the fruit of all the work done at Wildwood to better the lives of these students. The fierce loyalty of the teachers over their students is inspiring: they refuse to give up on these children.