POV: The Inclusive Child
An open letter from a BtG Teacher to the world…
Hello!
As an early intervention teacher at Bridging the Gap, my journey unveils a whole world of diversity in the lives of the young individuals I cater to. Two children may be at the same age but they could have a totally different pace in their development.
While we live in a society where inclusivity matters a lot already in terms of race, appearances and principles to name a few; how do we impart awareness and empathy to children in dealing with their “different” peers?
It all starts with a question…
Anna [not real name] is a 4-year old child who is quite bubbly, observant and expressive. She notices her peers would have different behaviour than hers and starts to be innocently curious…
Why does ____ like to play with doors?
Why can’t ____ talk yet?
Can I also use [jumbo markers] instead of [pencils] like him?
Why doesn’t ___ like the sound of the hand dryer?
The answers are for awareness…
I thought of it. Sometimes, most of us adults often think it would be a waste of time to discuss things to a little kid. We’d probably think that he or she will find the answers when he or she grows up anyway. Most of the time, we think we have too much in our hands already to entertain such seemingly nonsense questions. But it isn’t. It sure is not nonsense at all too.
I began to explain to Anna in an age appropriate way that she would understand how some of her peers develop differently than her.
“What things do you like? For ___, this is what fascinates him. This is what he enjoys looking at. Like for me, I like cats!”
“He is still trying and learning to express himself / do this [skill]. Before when you were younger…you couldn’t do some of this things too, but now you CAN! So your friend will get there too.”
“For ____, the sound of the hand dryer is quite overwhelming. For him, it might be too loud for his ears, just like the sound of the car. That’s why he tries to cover his ears when he hears it.”
Awareness births empathy…
The following days after I explain things to her proved that kids are never too young enough to understand, and therefore, be empathetic.
Anna has started to be mindful of her comments towards her peers and would even initiate to offer a hand when she feels they need a little help.
When she uses a hand dryer in the toilet, she would ask first, “Is ____ okay with it?”
Seeing some of her friends trying to achieve something (e.g. walking on their own, showing good effort on their writing practice), she would start to cheer for them and encourage them that they can do it.
Isn’t it beautiful?
There I realised, if we seize opportunities to help our kids take small steps to be inclusive with their differently-abled peers, we are making this world a better place.
As a Teacher, it brings such a joy in my heart to see that there is no age limit for someone to be taught about kindness. Not just that, it brings hope in my heart that I’ll see an individual who will grow up not only embracing diversity but also actively supports people with diverse needs. I’ll see a world that celebrates strengths and focuses on potential.
So to all parents, teachers and intervention providers, take time to impart awareness and empathy to our children. It doesn’t need to be in a grand way, but simple and small steps will do. Let’s start them young.
“I wish for a world that views disability, mental or physical, not as a hindrance but as unique attributes that can be seen as powerful assets if given the right opportunities” – Oliver Sacks
xx,
BtG Teacher