Special Schools...

 One bright sunny morning Carol and I arrived at a special school. We had taken art materials  hoping that each child would make a postcard.  As we greeted the children I wondered how these children whose arms, legs and brain worked differently than ours could  make art.  

The staff were keen and ready.  They had made a special morning tea for the occasion.  They were determined that each child would be represented at the art exhibition we planned.  We spoke to the children.  A couple responded verbally while others  spoke with their eyes or facial expressions. 

I watched as the carers patiently encouraged the children to make a mark on the page. One carer drew around the hand of a  girl, placed a sticker on the girl’s finger, guided her hand onto the page, then pressed her finger onto the page.  As the sticker stuck to the drawing the girl giggled in delight.  The carer repeated this process four more times as the girl continued giggling. 

One boy had a seizure.  A carer quietly made him comfortable, observed him and timed the seizure.  When he recovered she continued helping him with his art.  During the morning five other children had seizures.  One child was taken to a quiet place where he slept for the rest of our stay.  Another boy did not respond quickly enough.  Oxygen was bought into the room for him.  We were told that he had a bad weekend and the staff were concerned.  He still did not respond in the way the staff were happy with.  They called the ambulance.  During this time the other carers went about the business of art making, while talking and laughing with  the children.  A girl coughed regularly and after each cough the carer would use the suction machine to clear her throat. The girl continued her art piece as if nothing was unusual about this procedure.   

I was in awe of the dedication of the staff.  I have also worked in this field.  I was interested in how long the staff had worked at this school.  The answers ranged from 6years to 25 years.  A carer in her mid 20’s who had worked there for six years answered when  I asked her why she  stayed  when she could get a better paid job “I could work in an office but every day when I go home after work I know I have made a difference to someone’s life.”  

Later that day I reflected on what some other support workers had said to me in the past about using the creative arts with their clients.  “But they can’t do anything” they had all said.  At this school I saw a different scenario. With the patience of the staff all the children had made a mark on their piece of paper.  There was laughter in the room and smiles on the faces of the children as the staff encouraged them, put the pencil in their hand, or the stickers on their fingers.

I had witnessed something special.  It was “unconditional love” in action.  

Special schools.  Special children.  Very special teachers and carers.

                                     Denise Dillon Bolland