MARCH 27, 2012
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Life Lessons from Room 507
As I scrolled through my Twitter feed the other day, I came across a tweet mentioning the campaign to end the derogatory use of the R-word. This tweet triggered my own memories and thoughts about my experiences working with students who have intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Throughout high school I had the privilege of working as a teacher’s assistant in Mrs. Baker’s multi-needs classroom, Room 507. As a highlight of my high school experience, I looked forward to this class period every day.
In class, there were a range of abilities. I worked with students who had Downs Syndrome, Autism, those who were confined to a wheel chair, and those who were non-verbal.
On most days, this classroom taught me more than my core curricular classes. To me, the derogatory use of the R-word is a completely invalid portrayal of the students I encountered.
The students of Room 507 taught me some of life’s greatest lessons - and led me to believe that everyone you meet has something valuable to teach you.
1. Love fully and blindly
When I entered Room 507 everyday, I was greeted warmly with hugs and smiles.