With 15 days left until school will be out for summer Sammy joins my classroom. Sammy has not been to school since October. He spends the first day in my room simply hiding his head in his arms saying ‘noooo', one of his few words. His world has been turned on end between moving to a new home and coming back to school he is overwhelmed. He is scared, low-verbal, autistic and I need to find out as much as I can about him before he goes on to kindergarten next year, so he can receive the best services possible. How to reach this child, to help him feel safe, to bring out the greatness that is hiding inside of him?
Day two, starts much the same as day one Sammy sitting in his chair and looking scared. At play time he shows interest in the computer center where a few other boys are playing SMART Lab games, but walks off quickly when one of them talks to him. Later after snack time we gather around the edge of the rug for large group. With it being so near the end of the school year we are using SMART Lab activities as a fun way to review all the letters we have learned this school year. Sammy in his seat playing with a fidget toy and is reluctant to participate, but occasionally he looks up at the board.
After the first round I decide to pull out all the stops and get him up to the board for a turn. I coax, I tease, I nudge, I even bribe a bit and slowly he walks to the board, shaking his head no the all the way, hand over hand I help him drag the uppercase and lowercase letter from each side to the middle. It’s a match! Flames burst from the dragon as the knight raises his shield and for the first time I see Sammy smile. He hurries quickly back to his seat and instead of picking up his toy he stares intently at the board. Around the rug we go again each child making a match, Sammy watching and smiling. When it is his turn again he jumps up from his seat and quickly comes to the board matching two letters. Yes, oh yes, as luck would have it they were the final two letters. Sammy steps back waiting to see the dragon shoot fire again and is ever so surprised as they also fly off together. Clapping he turns around and says “more?”
Over the course of the week I find that Sammy is very willing to participate in all activities on the SMART Board. Answering daily questions, no problem, he will drag his choice into the correct spot, or even surprise me by drawing his own choice. What’s the weather, was a chance to discover his hidden sense of humor as he dressed bear in snow clothes on a hot sunny day then with a grin said ‘nooo’ and changed him into shorts. Counting, song time, patterning, letters, numbers, vocabulary you name it if it involves the SMART Board Sammy is first in line to participate. At centers time Sammy is quickly at the computers asking for SMART Lab games. I find this a great time to help him gain vocabulary as I help him say the words one sound at a time to ask for the specific game he wants.
Sammy loves how this piece of marvelous technology levels the playing field and make him the same as his peers. He can participate in the learning activities along side his peers and be their equal. I watch as he transforms from a scared reluctant child to a child filled with confidence. No longer does he hang at the edges, he plays with the other children, he participates in activities, he tries new things. He has found his way to shine, his way to show the world all the greatness he has within. In those 15 days I learned a lot about Sammy but most importantly I was reminded that within every child is a desire to fit in, and to succeed.
