You probably remember "J", the autistic boy that I teach. He continues to tickle (and occasionally frustrate) me every day. Autistic kids are known for their poor social skills and their inability to connect with those around them. "J" often fits into this category. He subtly leans away from you when you bend down to work with him. He jumps if you touch him, and if you lay a hand gently on him, he will rub that spot when you move. His verbal skills follow along these lines as well. Ask him a question, and he may just repeat your words. Or he may recite the lines from a movie. In various voices. Or, he may just answer your question. You never know.
Today after Lauren showed up at my class, we went in the gym to check on the mega hot air balloon that the 7th grade is building (again). James saw Lauren and skipped right on over to her.
"Hi Lauren. How old are you?" he asked in his robot voice. (I haven't mentioned that he currently wants to be a robot. Or a dinosaur).
"Eight," was her reply. They continued to have an awkward conversation for a minute. Lauren and I turned to go, and James headed back to his spot near the stage. As we went out the door, James came (literally) skipping and jumping back toward us.
Throwing his hands up in the air he yelled, "Love you! Love you!"
Now, I'm not one to encourage sharing a lot of affection at school. In fact, out of necessity for a specific group of kids, I have to limit affection in order to teach appropriate boundaries. But this was not the time. This was definitely not the time. Sometimes, I believe that God lifts the veil just a little bit so that we can see directly into the hearts of those who can't speak for themselves. With tears in my eyes, I turned back to look in "J" 's eyes.
"I love you too kiddo. I love you too."
7 comments:
Wow. You put tears in my eyes, too.
That's so sweet. I've got tears in my eyes. Oh the tender mercies we get everyday!
Aren't we lucky to work with kids? I love all the autistic kids at our school. Great story. So tender.
I love it when you share these stories. What great work you do!
What a great story. I have a brother with Down's Syndrome and I really appreciate the teachers who took the time to really look into his eyes. I am sure "J's" parents love and appreciate you too!
oh how touching is that. that little breakthrough makes it all worth it..
My little treasure at school is Timothy. We just integrated him into my language arts class. He is typical aspergers and I love it!
I have a special place in my heart for kids with aspergers.
Post a Comment