When children enter school at 4 or 5 years old, their aspirations to be astronauts, princesses, doctors, teachers, professional basketball players, the president, and a plethora of other occupations is uninhibited by the academic rigor of the next 13-plus years of their lives. We learn fairly quickly that there are some things we excel at, and there are other things that are challenging to us.

Despite my average height and broad stature, when I was 6, I was certain that I would someday be Miss America. I brushed my teeth several times each day so I could have a gleaming smile that would capture the hearts of millions of little 6-year-old girls, just like me. Needless to say, I lost that dream somewhere before middle school, when I learned that my muscular build, broad shoulders, and inability to wear “boy Levi jeans” (because of my curves) wouldn’t even place me in the Miss Congeniality category, as I would have refused to cross a stage in a swimsuit and high heels.

As a kindergarten student I can remember a few faces and their exceptionalities. Theresa, a red headed girl had the ability to put her tongue up her nostrils. Despite a million tries, when I stuck my tongue out and tried to put it up my nostril my tongue got wider, not longer. Patty, the beautiful blonde could read just like the teacher and had beautiful printing skills. Raymond, the class athlete, could run circles around us, beat us to the slide, and make the merry-go-round go faster than anyone else. I could stand on my head longer than anyone else, and would have done it all day if it hadn’t been for the scheduled academic times. John was always the first one done with his art projects. His projects may not have looked as nice as the rest of ours, but I’m pretty sure in his eyes they were better than ours, because he was done, and we were not.

Acceptance of one’s self is the first step to accepting others. As we round out the school year, let’s encourage our children to celebrate their strengths, regardless of the category the strength falls under.

The school will continue to focus on math and reading, and our community can continue to aid students on building strengths outside of the school setting. Encourage children of all abilities to get involved, embrace challenges, expand their circles of friends, and learn something new every day. At the dinner table, talk about what went well today, what was hard, and how to make it easier next time. Educate yourself and our children about ability. My ability is different than your ability, which is different than his ability. Make it a point not to “diss” abilities.

My daughter did mission work in NY at a school for special needs students. One of the teachers told her, “We are all only temporarily abled.” I recommend we celebrate our abilities every day.

By Sara Stack
Special Education Supervisor