This year will be the first in three years that I am not running around prepping for the beginning of a new school year. Aside from the stress and pure exhaustion, I find myself missing the anticipation of new students, organizing a new classroom, figuring out a new schedule… sharpening all those pencils buying smelly new white board markers and laminating visual icons.
I 150% love, love being a stay-at-home mom and count my blessings every single second I spend with my sweet girl (all right some midnight seconds I’m sure I’ve grumbled and stumbled sleepily down the hall to a crying baby). But as I pass by the bins of new school supplies in WalMart, I am missing those sweet kiddos at Clear Horizons Academy!
Clear Horizons Academy is a private school for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and similar learning challenges. I love the school, its approach, and all the people in it! Teaching there was a job that surely kept me on my toes, but the honor of being there was more than worth it. Check out ksl.com to see the latest news feature on our (I’m still attached, yes) spankin’ new school just completed this summer in the Provo, Utah area!! It is gorgeous. And huge! And just look at that playground! I’m in love with that sensory room!
The students at this school in hand with their parents, the teachers, and entire staff have taught me countless, valuable life-lessons I can’t imagine surviving without. They are a part of who I am now. Call that sappy or sentimental but it’s true. Sure, I was a “teacher” but honestly, I’m the one who has been “taught” the past three years.
Here is my list of some of those lessons (in no particular order). I’m sure there are 100 more but I’m already asking a lot of you to read 40!
- The child is first. Always.
- How to see that child first: for the incredible person he/she is.
- How important it is to look deeper
- How to think outside of the box
- The importance of observation… then action
- Sensory, sensory, sensory!! (Maybe shoulda been an OT?!)
- How to talk without words and listen without ears
- Autism is not a disease
- Wait time. Wait. Just wait. And then see beautiful things.
- How fun learning can be using DIR Floortime
- How to do hard things as a team
- That it’s okay to need a break
- Spit? Vomit? Other things? No problem.
- How to respond. Fast.
- How to look beyond meltdowns
- Sing. all. the. time.
- The importance of improv and throwing plans out the window
- How to walk where it’s safe
- How much one person can establish the mood
- How to handle those daily difficult situations
- How to pretend you’re not as stressed as you really are
- What to do when stuck in an elevator for 30 minutes… 🙂
- How to keep “tools of the trade” in your pocket
- Music is really, truly an inner language of the soul!!
- It’s all about rhythm!
- How to see 5 things going on at once… and then fix it (or at least try)
- How to look a head and prevent
- Can’t live without those super fun visuals!
- Laugh when you feel like crying
- Appreciate small successes, small matters
- Take it one rotation at a time
- Sanitize hands and then sanitize s’more
- How to truly forget yourself (and what you look like) and have FUN!
- Just how much people have, can and will endure for the love of a child!
- Just how much sweet parents have and consistently fight for their child!
- How it’s totally worth it
- Life is to be enjoyed, whatever goal you are working on!
- The importance of being motivated by love
- Seeing the world through different eyes
- It only takes one person to make a difference
I hope that one day I can figure out a way to thank my always-close-to-the-heart-students. Until then, I cherish the memories and love the lessons i’ve learned. I hope this school year will be incredible.
cactus in bloom 