People who patiently 'knock on the door' of young hearts with love
(Baonghean.vn) - If the "sweet fruit" of most other teachers is the success and achievement of their students, then for teachers of special education, the "sweet fruit" can sometimes be just a smile, a look, a very small progress... of the child.
Patient hearts
For many people, the first impression when entering aSpecialized classis a feeling of insecurity. That insecurity comes from the crying, the screaming, the fearful looks, the chaos, the loss of control... of the students, especially the students with mental and intellectual disabilities. Yet the teachers of these classes can easily control the situation and stick with that job for a long time. Their "miracle" is their admirable patience.
Sharing about her journey to this job, Bui Thuy Hang (from Vinh City) said: “I proactively chose the job of supporting autistic children after coming into contact with my friends’ children. There was a boy who fell and bled but did not know he was in pain, an extremely pretty girl who did not speak or smile, a boy who always hid in the corner of the house and repeated the same action over and over again… The painful tears of the fathers and mothers haunted me for a long time, until I decided to do something.”
Through her connections, Hang participated in supporting a special course taught by a leading Vietnamese expert on autistic education. After the course, Hang was accepted to work at an autistic support center in Ho Chi Minh City. “Unlike regular special education classes, there are courses where we take care of children full-time if parents need it. There, teachers act as family members and guide appropriate methods for each child,” Hang shared.
Like all other teachers of autistic children, I had a difficult time getting acquainted with them. I used to sit still all day next to a child, sway with another child for hours, run around with a child for days… Each child is a world with a closed door. It is the patience of “knocking on the door” and calm observation that has helped me gradually close the distance and enter that world - a world that is extremely clear, innocent and pure. The more I understand and love them, the more I want to be there to take care of them.
Teacher Dinh Thi Sa - teacher of the Intellectual Disability class, Nghe An Province Education and Vocational Training Center for the Disabled (Vinh City) shared: “Students with severe conditions often come to class with uncontrolled behavior, lack of cooperation, not only causing disorder but also not being able to control their hygiene. There are lessons that spend most of the time solving problems outside the curriculum. There are many students, each with a different style, so we have to be really comprehensive and flexible in the program. When we first accepted them, I taught them for a long time without seeing any progress, I was very discouraged.”
Besides working at the Education Center -Vocational trainingFor the disabled in Nghe An province, teacher Phan Thi Huyen also provides after-hours support to children when their parents request it. Having worked in this field for many years, Ms. Huyen has many happy and sad memories of her job. “Patience and understanding are the two most important keywords of this job. Only then can teachers overcome the countless pressures from students, parents, and even their own families,” Ms. Huyen confided.
In the professional stories of special education teachers, there will occasionally be situations where teachers are attacked by children for no reason when they lose control of their behavior... The stories of teachers getting scratched and bleeding while teaching are "normal". When telling stories of being beaten, all the teachers are cheerful as if nothing happened.
The "sweet fruit" she is waiting for
The job requires immense patience and unconditional tolerance, and most special education teachers are female. The result of their patience and love is the small progress of their students.
Ms. Thuy Hang still remembers clearly the small achievements that her students gave her. “I have been with them long enough to burst into tears the first time I heard them call my name, the first time they knew how to use the toilet properly, the first time they looked into my eyes and smiled… To do those seemingly simple things, it took us months, even years. Those moments were moments of bursting happiness, making me unable to forget” - Hang shared with tears in her eyes.
Similarly, Ms. Dinh Thi Sa confided: “If you ask me what makes me most proud, the first thought that comes to my mind is the image of students who have improved after being taught by me. Some of them have been able to take care of themselves after being with me, and some have even been able to find suitable jobs to support themselves. Indeed, when I witness the changes, even the smallest ones, in the students, I feel more motivated to stay in this profession.”
According to many teachers in this field, outside of teaching hours, they have to find a suitable way to relieve stress to balance their emotions. Ms. Nguyen Thi Uyen (Nghi Loc) said: "The child's condition can be severe or mild, but at any level, it requires perseverance and persistence. In severe cases, accompanying the child is a challenging journey for both parents and teachers.teacherand parents. When I am stressed and tired, I relieve stress by planting trees, arranging flowers, and reading books. Some of my colleagues also use similar methods to balance their mental state after class."
Another November 20th has come, perhaps not many special education teachers receive cards with wishes from their students. Once they have decided to stay and stick with this special teaching role, perhaps they do not expect such joy. For them, a normal teaching day and the small progress of their children, is probably a very big "miracle".