There she sat. Everyday in the same spot I last left her in the day before. And everyday she was wheeled to her same spot on the shared table. Anna was not able to talk, nor was she able to be easily understood most of the time she was there. Her moans and grumbles were all you could get out of her, rarely would you ever get out a tiny giggle from Anna, but besides that fact, Anna had the strongest, loudest, and most powerful voice.
She spent a lot of her time sitting alone with just her Ipad playing the same memorization and matching games over and over. Most of the human interaction she got was when they were helping her eat lunch, or taking her to the restroom. When I would talk to Anna, she shut down, crossed her arms and would not say anything. She’d cross her leg, one over the other, and turn away. Anna was one to always break out in fits, and I was one who witnessed a lot of those fits. When one would try to comfort Anna, she was yelled at by her “helping hand” to cut it out. When she was hurt or in need of something, she was told to “stop being so noisy, because she interrupting the class.” This was what I saw many and countless times, and this is what I just let happen many, and countless times.
Not only did she shut herself out, but Anna was constantly being shut out by others who didn’t understand her. She was shut out for being the person she was. And for things she couldn’t control, In this chaotic classroom full of people with needs, she was not helped out at all.
Anna was alone because others thought she was okay with that. Anna was never helped because others thought she didn’t need it. She was only left to her repetitive memorization, and matching games. She had her routine. She had her schedule. She had her exact spot. But was it “hers”? Was Anna really given her own opportunity?
My Anna had the strongest voice.
Anna was my voice.
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