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From: Lynne Shields
Date: 10/16/00
Time: 11:44:19 AM
Remote Name: 199.217.208.162
Mike,
I am so glad to have read your essays. Thank you for sharing them via this conference. You write so powerfully that is possible to feel as if I'm there, in the second grade classroom, or watching from behind you as you throw the knife. I found myself crying as I read about how the children in your class showed their support and caring for you. I do hope that all SLPs visiting this conference will read this paper.
I read your exchange with Steve Hood in this threaded discussion, and I also have experienced difficulty in encouraging children to share the kinds of feelings you so eloquently write about as an adult, remembering. One eight-year-old covered his mouth and actually turned away from me in answering a greeting from me on his first day of treatment. It was easy to see that he felt shame about his speech, but it was not so easy for him to express that in words, to aknowledge that. I've had more success in using other ways for children to express their feelings, through play and art activities, as several others have addressed at this conference. The children seem to find it easier to show me how they feel. And, I do think that helping them to begin to express their feelings and learn that it is O.K. to feel that way is more important, in many ways, than to focus solely on the manner in which they are speaking. Your article confirms that for me.
Thank you.
Lynne