Reflective Journal #2

      
 

When I arrived at the elementary school I volunteer at, I was told that today would be slightly different because the teachers were all going to attend a funeral. There would be a sub and all of the sixth grade classrooms were going to be combined. Because of this, the normal routine of the classroom seemed rushed to me. I wondered if the students also felt that, although they were not aware of the situation with the funeral.

Henceforth, I shall call the boy with autism that I work with “Canyon,” and this is only because I recently heard that name and I love it. I also thing this is anonymous, yet at the same time it avoids the confusion of always having to refer to “that boy.” He deserves a name, after all. His teacher will be own only as Miss C.

I definitely detected a flash of recognition in Canyon’s eyes when he saw me Tuesday morning. He knew why I was there, and he knows that he can ask me for help if he needs it. He has needed me more than I ever thought he would, and he doesn’t seem bothered when I am standing close to him, or if I gently tap his shoulder to help him focus. I was told he would be upset if I was in his space, but so far he seems okay with it.

I noticed that Canyon was having more difficulty staying on task this week than he had been the previous week. When the children arrive in the morning, they look at the projector screen at the front of the class so that they know what they are supposed to start working on. Canyon never looks at it. I can tell that he is thinking other things. Sometimes he talks quietly to himself, and occasionally he smiles or laughs. I am always left wishing I could look into his mind and see what he sees. I have heard that he has a fantastic imagination. I never can ask him because we are in a quiet classroom.

I helped Canyon stay focused for the two hours that I was there. We moved from Miss C’s room to another teacher’s class, because the sixth grade does rotation in the morning. There, they talked about Johnny Appleseed. Canyon seemed interested in the story that was told to the students. I wondered if he simply likes storied in general or just to be read to.

During an assignment that required research online, Canyon was the only student who did not have to work on it. He was allowed to take his own iPad from his backpack and have free time instead. This was one more way that I noticed his education being different, or tailored, for him specifically. Perhaps the teachers know that he will not be able to do the assignment, even with my help? I don’t know, but he was definitely with his games. I said goodbye to him when I left. He didn’t respond.