I'll Walk With You

         This week really made me reflect on and appreciate the acceptance that we have for all people here in the United States. It also made me realize that these ideas of acceptance do not exist fully throughout the world. As a country we have come so far and there are so many things that have had to happen to get us where we are today. Many great people fought hard for what we have today and our country has worked hard to always be moving forward. I think that it is oftentimes easy to find things that are wrong with this country then to look for the things that are such big blessings.
         
          One thing that had a big impact on me this week were the videos that we watched on the mental institutions in Serbia. The people that were put in these institutions were put in basically a jail. They were living in terrible conditions and were not getting the care necessary to allow them to grow, develop, and be happy. I believe that all human beings are special and that they have potential. In these facilities in Serbia people are not treated the way they should be treated. As I watched these videos I thought of my grandmother who has Alzheimer's and my sister who was born with a birth defect that was able to be corrected with surgery. As a family we made the decision of putting my grandmother in a nursing home and this was a very hard decision for my family. The nursing home that she lives in is decorated nicely, they have a nice nursing staff, they have all of her medical needs, and so much more. I can't imagine what it would feel like to put her in a mental institution in Serbia. It already is hard enough to have her where she is. Also one thing that I realized is that my little sister would have ended up in one of the institutions if we would have lived in Serbia. By living in the United States she was able to receive the medicine and care that she needed to overcome her defect and become a normal child. You would never know what she struggled with by meeting her today.

          One thing we have to remember though is to not judge. It took our country a long time to get where it is today. I am so thankful for all those who took a stand, worked hard, and gave their lives to make our country a better place. Other countries may get where we are someday.

        This week also helped me to realize that my philosophy of education will always be developing. I need to always be open to new ideas and learning. Things will change over time and that means that I will change as well. I realized that a philosophy is not just one idea. It is a lot of different ideas combined together. My philosophy needs to be adapted to meet all of my students needs and I need to make sure that I am not leaving a student out. I need to have love for all of my students.

        Also this week I gained a lot of interest in and respect for those with disabilities. As I listened to the song I'll Walk With You I felt the spirit so strongly. I had never thought of that song as a song to make us realize that we need to love those who are different than us. I as a teacher and a member of society need to be like Christ. I need to walk with all people like Christ did. I need to give my love to everyone. Isn't that amazing that Jesus was able to love everyone? We can do that to! We need to always be striving to be like Christ. Special needs kids are truly special spirits. They are so incredibly perfect and loving. I like to think of them as always being little children and that we need to have patience with them just as we do a little child.

        There may be things that still need to change and there will be things found along the way. It is important to remember that changes take time. I need to remember patience always. I need to remember those who fought for changes and myself try to make a difference by fighting for what I believe in. Kids who are different in any way deserve the same things that all other kids and people deserve. How will we always walk with everyone? It is possible.