Is Patience Innate?
Is Patience Innate?
Vijaya Mahadevan (Coordinator, Brindavan After School Remedials)
I often encounter this comment, “Oh you are a special educator? You must have lot of patience”! That evokes a gamut of emotions in me! And my immediate thought is, No, I steadily gained more and more patience after I entered this field.
All the qualities we associate with educators in general – patience, empathy, commitment, dedication to name a few, in reality become a part of us, as we immerse ourselves with immense joy and motivation in our work.
This multiplies manifold when we work with children with Special Education Needs (SEN). Here, the education involves a great deal more than academics. A greater responsibility is placed on us, when we work with children with diverse learning needs, for we need to make the classrooms non-threatening, empowering, instill a sense of well being and trust in them. We ensure that they have happy and memorable experiences in the school environment. We have to be cognizant of their socio- emotional, functional and life skill needs. And in some cases, guide them into a vocation suited to their aptitude, develop the required skill set so they lead independent and self sufficient lives.
It has been such a humbling experience working with our children and parents, to witness the struggles they go through, at the same time, so heartening to watch their metamorphosis to reach their potential with sheer hard work, resilience, unconditional love and support both from home and school environments.
I often think back and reminisce about the children I have worked with. A child with lack of clarity in speech trying his best to make himself understood, a child who struggled to articulate what he was trying to say due to a physical challenge, or a child who tried very hard to recall the words she knew, to answer a particular question – all that was required at that point, was someone, who would encourage and give them the time they needed. When this need was met and the tangible joy on their faces when they received appreciation from me was priceless! This left me to wonder, many a time, how could I have been anything but patient!
When I see our children venturing out into the world as smart, confident young adults unabashed and self advocates, the thought that reverberates in me is – let me reiterate, No, I did not enter this field because I had patience, I became a patient and empathetic human being because I entered this field!
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