Experience of Tutoring

Today, unlike any other day, was one that truly gave me a new perspective on life. I have never been more enlightened or filled with satisfaction and happiness of knowing that I have done something right. The experience of tutoring children, who have mental or physical disabilities, is an opportunity to be thankful for. I just look at this experience and reflect about things that I have done in my life. Although these children may have disabilities and lack characteristics and abilities that we have, the smallest and most minute details are striking to them. Their disabilities do not put them down, but rather raise their self-esteem up and create the strong, confident people that they are. Each minute detail is taken into consideration, and sometimes I think to myself why people of our time who have nothing wrong with them chose otherwise. After simply just rolling a ball back and forth from one player to another, the precision that these children have is quite remarkable. At one point, I even stopped playing just to admire these children's techniques and abilities. With each special child, even the more challenging tasks were taken and replicated perfectly. Instead of just rolling the ball back and forth, changing into a push-up position, and tossing the ball around your hand, the perfect amount of force was applied and the ball always reached the other side in an aligned path. The children have inspired me and demonstrated that even if, for example, you have broken your foot, you can choose to live in pain, or move on and ignore the pain. Just forgetting about the pain removes more than half of the issues that come your way.

Whether is be physical or mental disabilities, these characteristics do not define a person's character or even appearance. A person is defined by their personality and I can reassure you that all of these children are very good-hearted and welcoming people. When, as a class, we first met the children, one child asked us, "Hi, how are you all doing?" I instantly felt connected to these children and felt an ounce of gratitude that has instantly sparked joy into me. I felt a wake up call, a call to remind people like me, that whatever life throws at you can be avoided if you create your own path and work hard instead of taking the easy way out. These children definitely have a more difficult life than us, but they chose to life their lives filled with joy and happiness and never forget to have fun. If we all just life by that motto, maybe our society can change. Any decision, choice, action, and obstacle is created based on you. You can be the evil demon inside yourself creating obstacles to knock you down, or rise to the occasion as the angel and lift yourself out of your flusters and move on. Whatever you chose to do, remember to put your heart and soul into it, because you can never get back what has happened. I cannot even explain the amount of happiness I have gained throughout this experience. Even by reflecting on tutoring keeps me eagerly waiting on the tips of my toes, ready to help these Special ED children once again. I have gained a whole new set of friends, who have definitely changed my perspective on every detail that comes up every inch of the way.