5 SERVICE HOURS:
I happily served the clients at the Developmental Workshop locally here in Rexburg. It was an incredible opportunity to see first-hand people of all ages who have different learning and physical disabilities. Everyone was so kind and I felt very privileged to be among such special spirits. The person in charge was saying how their recent objectives were being able to ask & answer basic questions. I was touched by their special spirits (hence my blog name) and felt very humbled to be among their presence. It was interesting to see the wide range of emotions and ideas that were expressed. At one moment, a client would be laughing jovially and super happy...then the next, they would be crying about something that another client said.
LEARNING DISABILITY: (ORAL EXPRESSION)
Man this was tough. It was putting what I saw on the Fat City video into a real-life application because I couldn't formulate what I wanted to communicate until after people would already have moved unto something else. I wasn't as embarrassed as I thought I would be when I asked the server at the restaurant questions about the menu because I normally do anyway, just this time it was a bit harder to do without using the letters /l/ and /n/ in any of the words that I would normally use to communicate. Asking for help at the library was kinda awk cause of course they're all students that work there and I felt afraid of being judged or treated differently, but they were kind to what I was asking for help with.
VISUAL IMPAIRMENT:
I've had glasses/contacts since I was about 8 years old, so I definitely know what its like not being able to see very well and struggle to keep up with the material being taught in the classroom. However, wearing those eye masks was a lot harder than I originally thought. I mean MASSIVE massive headache and feeling really disoriented. But of course this experience opened my eyes (lol) and I feel immensely more grateful that I need a light prescription, rather than having permanent blindness. As a future teacher, I'll be very conscious and careful as to how I give instruction at the front of the classroom and avoid blocking anyone's eyesight.
ORTHOPEDIC IMPAIRMENT:
On Memorial Day of last year, I broke my ankle four wheeling and was in crutches for what seamed like foreeeever (sandlot status). So of course I assumed that going around temporarily in a wheelchair wouldn't be all that bad, because I previously lived with limited movement and mobility. haha but BOY was I wrong. It was much more challenging and difficult because I was legitimately only confined to the chair and I realized how much I currently take for granted when it comes to independence and being able to get around day-to-day. The only similarity that felt normal was relying on other's assistance and help with things that I really could not do on my own.
FLUENCY DISORDER:
This experience was by-far my least favorite because my brother really does have a speech impediment of stuttering and it hit too close to home because it felt as if I was imitating him...he was bullied all through school and when he recognizes that other people are paying more attention to what he lacks more than who he actually is, he becomes nervous and his stutter is worse. With that being said, I completed the experience the best I would in a way that didn't make me feel like I was poking fun at his daily life and the challenge he's had throughout his whole life. People looked at me a little differently and it was like putting my feet in his tough shoes and skin.
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