The Head-Royce school walked its talk this past Spring when it admitted a new ninth grade girl named Alva G. Head-Royce purports itself to be a school that is all inclusive and welcoming of every person. Alva G., you see, is a girl with cerebral palsy and gets around in a motorized wheelchair. She chose Head-Royce because, even though it is on a major hill, it was the most wheelchair accessible campus in the East Bay. Here is a picture of me and Alva.
Alva Gardner and her Geometry teacher
Alva has no control of her right hand, but she does have command of her left hand. So she writes, drives, does everything with her left hand. These first couple weeks as her Geometry teacher have been a learning experience, but since Alva is SUCH a great advocate for herself, she has told me what she needs and with what she doesn't. For example, if I know our class is going to be working on diagrams or with lots of lists, I make sure to photocopy my notes for her, as her writing, is as she fully admits, atrocious and it is also difficult for her to write. I have learned that on short quizzes, she needs no special treatment, but when it comes to whole-period tests, she will need extra time. It is now habit for me to clear out the chairs around the table she sits and I also am the person to put things back into her three-ring binder and then put her Geometry binder in her backpack and get out her English/History binder and put it in the sidebag she has. Alva and I are becoming a well-oiled machine. I am so amazed that this young woman has such spark and determination to live a full life. If her first couple weeks here at Head-Royce are an indicator, she is going to kick some major booty during her lifetime.
Alva has no control of her right hand, but she does have command of her left hand. So she writes, drives, does everything with her left hand. These first couple weeks as her Geometry teacher have been a learning experience, but since Alva is SUCH a great advocate for herself, she has told me what she needs and with what she doesn't. For example, if I know our class is going to be working on diagrams or with lots of lists, I make sure to photocopy my notes for her, as her writing, is as she fully admits, atrocious and it is also difficult for her to write. I have learned that on short quizzes, she needs no special treatment, but when it comes to whole-period tests, she will need extra time. It is now habit for me to clear out the chairs around the table she sits and I also am the person to put things back into her three-ring binder and then put her Geometry binder in her backpack and get out her English/History binder and put it in the sidebag she has. Alva and I are becoming a well-oiled machine. I am so amazed that this young woman has such spark and determination to live a full life. If her first couple weeks here at Head-Royce are an indicator, she is going to kick some major booty during her lifetime.
No comments:
Post a Comment