Too Smart for School

Mari Arbach

BEFORE YOU READ:
This story is apocryphal. It has been told many times, but the details are not accurate. Still, it is an interesting story. It teaches a lesson. Do you know any stories (or fables) that may or may not be true but that teach a lesson?

The Teacher Said He Could Not Learn
He was ten years old when he was expelled from school. His teacher said he was stupid and unable to learn. He was always distracted in class. He acted like he didn’t hear what the teacher was saying. One day, the teacher handed him a letter asked him to deliver it to his mother. The letter was sealed.

The Mother Did Not Believe It
The child gave the letter to his mother. The letter said that the boy could not learn. He was expelled. When she read it, she was shocked and angry. However, the mother stayed calm. She did not show her anger. She told her son a white lie. She said, “The teacher says he is sorry, but you are too smart for the school. You need a special school, so I will be your teacher here at home.”

He Became a Famous Inventor
This mother became her son’s teacher. She worked with him until he became a young man who filled the world with amazing inventions. He is the scientist Thomas Edison, the inventor of the electric light bulb and many other inventions.

AFTER YOU READ:
1. What is this story trying to teach us? What is a white lie?
2. Read the box below and click on the link to find out more about Thomas Edison’s life.

Mari Arbach is an adult education student at Oakton College in Des Plaines, Illinois.

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My Big Gift

Gabriela Reyes

BEFORE YOU READ:
Describe a time you advocated for your child. What did you do?

Something Was Not Right
This story is about my young son and me. He is my third child. When he was born, he needed to stay in the hospital for a couple of days because he would not eat. That was not a good sign. During his first two years, he learned to eat and crawl the same as his sisters. But I noticed he did not speak. That was the first red flag. I knew something was not right with him.

When he started to walk, he fell a lot and that was the second red flag. His development wasn’t right, and it was time to look for help from a specialist. In Ciudad Juarez, where we lived, there were only two pediatric neurologists, and the waiting list was very long.

A Diagnosis
Finally, we got an appointment with a doctor, and the diagnosis was developmental delay. My son needed speech therapy and more tests. We didn’t have insurance for my son, and we needed to pay for all the tests, appointments, and medicine. That was a very hard time for my family. We also needed to find a school for him. Private school was very expensive, so he started going to a regular kindergarten. I didn’t see any progress in my son. I knew that I needed to find help from a different school and teachers.

I prayed to find a better life for him. I asked God, the universe, or anyone for an answer. I needed help to figure out how to move forward. After some time, I found the answer. It was a school called CAM in Mexico City. It is a special school for students with learning disabilities. I met a wonderful teacher. Her name is Maritza.

She taught me strategies and exercises to stimulate all the senses in my son’s body and brain. It was hard work for me because I took him to therapy Monday through Friday, and I continued going to my job every day.

Joy in the Journey
This was the beginning of learning about Special Education. It is wonderful to learn about my son’s condition. When I understand what he needs, then I can do more for him. It has been a beautiful journey for me and my family. I walk with other people that are going through the same thing, and we support each other. It is complicated, but there has been a lot of joy in this journey.

AFTER YOU READ:
1. According to the article, how did Gabriela advocate for her son?
2. Note the vocabulary words in bold italics. If you’re not sure what they mean, use context clues to figure it out. Try using them in your own sentences.
3. Writing practice: Use this graphic organizer (https://tinyurl.com/parentsadvocate) to collect details from the stories on pp. 30-37. Write an essay about how parents advocate for their children.

Gabriela Reyes is a student at Ysleta Community Learning Center in El Paso, Texas. This piece was originally pub- lished in Issue 59 of The Change Agent.

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Invisible Disease
My Daughter, the Type 1 Diabetes Warrior

Blanca Chavez

BEFORE YOU READ:
1. Think about the different ways you can use the word hit. I hit the ball with a baseball bat. I got hit with a large bill. I got hit hard by the flu.
2. What do you think a “Type 1 Diabetes warrior” is? Read the box on p. 35 for more on diabetes.

We Got Hit
In 2020 when the Coronavirus hit the world, another disease hit my daughter.

My daughter Megan was only 11 years old when she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. She almost died that year because her body collapsed with something called diabetic ketoacidosis. She was in intensive care for a week. It was very painful. We didn’t know anything about this disease. We thought it was our fault because we thought “diabetes” was related to a poor diet.

However, Type 1 Diabetes is not related to lifestyle. It is an autoimmune disease. The immune system attacks cells in the pancreas, and then the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin. The body needs insulin to process sugar. We needed to learn so much information in a short time. We had to learn how to check the sugar level in her blood and then give her the right amount of insulin. We felt overwhelmed and devastated. I wondered how I didn’t notice that my daughter was sick. But diabetes can be invisible.

Supporting Our Warrior Daughter in School
To navigate this disease, we didn’t just learn about how to manage it with medicine. We also had to learn how to support our daughter in school. We noticed that her teachers didn’t know too much about this disease. Fortunately, our doctor told us she could get a 504 Plan. This is a document that describes the accommodations and modifications a school should provide to a student with disabilities.

We met with teachers and the nurse to create a plan that fits my daughter’s needs. Now they know how to handle any emergency. They know that sugar highs and sugar lows can come in any moment. She needs to go to the nurse to check her sugar, and then she might need a snack or a dose of insulin. If her sugar is too high or too low, she can fall into a diabetic coma and die. She also needs to drink water and go to the bathroom whenever she needs to. This disease is so unreal because in one moment you can see Megan playing around and in the next second, she can die if she doesn’t monitor her sugar levels.

Going to school with an invisible disease makes Megan feel vulnerable. She has to deal with the sugar lows and the highs, she needs more time to complete tasks, and she has to deal with bullies. She told me she feels like she is walking on a tightrope all the time. This struggle has made my daughter Megan into a Type 1 Diabetes warrior. She has overcome all her limitations, and next year she will graduate from high school.

AFTER YOU READ:
1. Look up diabetic ketoacidosis, autoimmune disease, and 504 Plan and learn about them.
2. According to the author, what makes her daughter a warrior?
3. How did the author advocate for her daughter at school?
4. Have you ever had to advocate for your child at school? Describe it.

Blanca Chavez is a student at Ysleta Community Learning Center in El Paso, Texas.

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Help for Children
A Mother Finds Help for Her Own Child and, in the Process, Advocates for All Children

Angelica Lagos

BEFORE YOU READ:
1. Look at the chart and read the definition of bipolar disorder on p. 25. Explain it in your own words. Why is it called “bi” + “polar”?
2. The state capitol is where the state congress meets to make laws (also known as bills). Sometimes community members give testimony for or against the laws. This is called advocacy.

Something Happened to My Daughter
I immigrated to the United States in 1999 with my oldest daughter Flor. She was three years old. She was a happy, friendly girl who loved animals. I wanted to give her a better education and more opportunities.

Flor grew up quickly. She did well in kindergarten and elementary school. But in high school, Flor started behaving strangely. I thought it was because of her age. I thought it would pass. One day while I was at work, the school counselor called me and told me my daughter was having problems. The next day, I went to my daughter’s classroom and sat in the back of the room to watch. I didn’t understand why my daughter couldn’t stay still. She walked around the classroom and looked at everyone very anxiously. Then she told me that “they” were going to wait for her after school.

I spoke with my daughter’s counselor about these threats, and I thought they would do something to keep her safe. The next day, my daughter didn’t want to go to school because she knew “they” were going to hit her. She was nervous and anxious, but she went to school anyway. When class ended, two students were waiting for her, and they hit her. When the school called me at work again, I couldn’t believe it. I had trusted them to keep her safe, but they let my daughter get hurt.

Finally, A Diagnosis
My daughter was feeling ill. She didn’t sleep well at night and started hearing voices and seeing strange things. The next day, I took her to the emergency room. She was very ill. She didn’t sleep, she did not recognize me, and she said everyone was bad and she didn’t trust anyone. She was in two different hospitals for five weeks. The doctor diagnosed her with severe bipolar disorder.

It’s difficult when you have a child with a mental illness. I didn’t understand anything about the education system or where to look for extra help for my daughter. And the teachers did not understand my daughter. They thought she was rebellious and didn’t want to study. My daughter ended up hating school, the teachers, and the students. Then the school expelled my daughter. I think they didn’t want to deal with her.

Advocating for Our Children
I would like to invite all families with disabled children to join the fight for better support for our children. We should call on our elected representatives to make our schools better. There should be mental health professionals at the schools, so that students with special needs or disabilities can get their needs met.

In March 2023, I went to the state capitol in Oregon with the Salem/Keizer Coalition for Equality (https://www.skcequality.org/). I gave my testimony so that they would pass a law that would give more funds for mental health. Our advocacy worked, and the bill was approved. Now there is more funding to support families with disabilities.

If my daughter had had the proper support from mental health professionals, the school would have detected the symptoms of bipolar disorder and not expelled her from school. She would have graduated and been able to go to college and achieve her goals.

Our Journey Has Been a Long One
For many years, she took medication and saw a therapist. She took medication to be calm, to sleep, and to wake up. My daughter’s mood changed. She was sometimes sad and sometimes happy. She laughed, cried, and screamed. I didn’t know when it was okay to talk to her. Everything bothered her. Her character changed. She was always afraid to go out. She couldn’t be in the park or in public places. When we went out to a family birthday party, she never wanted to stay very long.

It took a long time for me to understand her illness. I loved her very much, but I was suffering right along with her. It drove me crazy that I couldn’t help her. I am so grateful to God and my family who were there for me and my daughter during the most difficult times. I also thank all the health professionals and counselors who supported my daughter.

Today my daughter is doing well. Years of medication and therapy helped her. Now she doesn’t take any medication or see a therapist. She is happily married and has three boys. One of the boys has autism, and he will start school in the fall. She has already found an organization to help him succeed. She knows what to do to help her son.

AFTER YOU READ:
1. The author says her journey with her daughter has been a long one. What are some of the key moments in the journey?
2. How did Angelica’s desire to help her own child end up benefitting other children? Be specific.
3. Is there a bill or a law that you think would help your child and maybe other children in the community? Is there a community organization fighting for this law? If so, how can you connect with them? Write a letter to your congressperson explaining what you think about a current law. Find the name and address of your congressperson here: https://www.congress.gov/members

Angelica Lagos is from Tulancingo, Hidalgo, Mexico. She is currently an ESOL student at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon. She likes to spend time with her four beautiful daughters. She volunteers at the daycare at her church and at Hope Station Community Services which helps those in need. She wants to go to college to learn more about how to help women and children.

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New Experience With My Daughter’s Diagnosis

Magdalena Reyes

BEFORE YOU READ:
1. Diagnosis (noun) is when you or a doctor figure out the name of the condition or disease you have. For example: I was tired all the time, and I didn’t know why. The doctor finally gave me a diagnosis. She said I have Lyme disease.
2. Were you ever surprised or scared by a diagnosis in your family? Try using diagnosis and the verb form (to diagnose) in sentences.

At First, I Was Scared
How would you feel if you got a note from your child’s teacher saying that your daughter had something wrong with her?

When my daughter was nine years old, the school met with me to talk about why my daughter was having problems in school. She was bored during some activities but full of energy for other activities. Then the teacher told me that my daughter might have ADHD and needed to go to a specialist. At first, this scared me because I didn’t know what it was. I had a lot to learn.

Meeting with a psychologist was new for me. I was nervous because in my culture, I had never heard of ADHD. And I had never visited a psychologist. I thought that it was for people who were crazy, and I felt sad about the diagnosis. I have a friend who explained to me that many children have this problem and that medications can help. But I was still scared.

In my country, we did not think a child like this is a problem. The elders said this child is smart and creative and a hard worker. My grandmother told me that children like my daughter were allowed to do what they wanted to do. They would do very well in what they set out to do. That was years ago—a different time and place.

Looking for Ways to Help My Daughter
In the U.S., ADHD is treated as a problem. After some studies the doctor diagnosed her with ADHD. So, I started to look for ways I can help my daughter. I did not feel comfortable giving her medication. The doctor prescribed it, and I picked it up. But then I decided not to give it to her. I decided to change her routines. I made sure she exercised, slept well, and had only healthy food. However, I was very frustrated because I didn’t see any change.

So, I talked with her. I said we needed to try the medication. I was afraid of how the medication would affect her, so I asked her to tell me how she was feeling. The first day was okay, but on the third day she had no energy. On the fifth day she was like a zombie. When I asked how she felt, she said, “Good.” But that was not normal for my daughter. She was just “good”? Normally, she was full of energy and joy.

I thought, “Oh, no. This is not my daughter. I need my daughter back.” So we started looking for other alternatives to medication. I found an organization in Santa Rosa that helps families and children. I attended the weekly meetings. They helped me with strategies to help my daughter. We worked together. We signed up for swimming class, Mexican folkloric dancing, and martial arts.

Many Strategies
In the house, I put notes for everything to remind her what she needs to do. For example, on the bathroom mirror, one note said, “Don’t forget to brush your teeth.” On the door, I put a note that said, “Did you wash your hands?” I put a bracelet on her wrist that said, “This is for you to help you remember to bring your jacket home from school.”

We developed other strategies. For example, I made a little bag for her that she could carry on her shoulder. The bag contained all the important items she needed to remember to bring to school. When it was time to do her reading homework, I set the timer for 10 minutes. When the timer went off, she could move around or do something else. Then she would read again for 10 minutes. Even though she does not like to read, she understands why it is important in reading.

When my daughter started middle school, she got a 504 Plan. This plan is for children with learning differences. With this plan, she could get more time to finish her assignments. In high school she had problems because the 504 Plan ended. She didn’t have enough time to finish her tasks, and her grades went down. Finally, she graduated from high school.

A Parent’s Pride
She continued with her education. She went to college. Now she has a job, and she is very organized and smart. Now, she helps me with my education at SRJC. She is like my tutor. Every child is different. As parents, we have an important role to help our child succeed. I love my daughter and I am very proud of her.

AFTER YOU READ:
1. Based on the text, how does Magdalena’s perspective as a parent evolve over time?
2. Share a time your role as a parent or family member evolved over time. Try using presentation software (like Google slides) to tell the story. Use pictures and text.
3. Study how the author uses quotation marks. Write down some rules about how to use them.
4. What do you think of how the elders would have described someone like the author’s daughter? (See the 4th paragraph.)

Magdalena Reyes is a student at Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) in Santa Rosa, California. She is from Michoacán, Mexico, and she has been living in the U.S. for 27 years. She got her high school equivalency in 2019, and she is staying in school to improve her English.

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