At first, none of us really knew what to do. I couldn’t directly work with the kids so finding tasks for me was challenging. I soon learned that there was more to Speech than talking to cute kids all day long; there were many responsibilities and most weren’t necessarily fun. Paperwork and data collection were a much larger part of the process than I originally thought. Aubrey found small ways that I could help, starting with putting away the working folders in alphabetical order. Later, I was trusted to do more complex tasks like making flashcards and teaching materials, organizing records, preparing synthesized data, and checking inventory. I also got to observe the therapy going on nearly constantly in the room.
Watching the kids progress was a treat, especially a young girl enrolled in the Special Needs PreK who was beginning to overcome her struggles with language in general. When I first came, she would only say Si or mumble nothings and now she is much more vocal, even to the point of saying classmates’ names. Of course, she still has work to do. Her poor articulation makes it difficult for her to say all she wants and for people to understand her. On the opposite side of the spectrum are the kids who are stubborn or have plateaued for other reasons. One older boy has been working on reading out loud using the appropriate intonation for months, while a younger new boy refuses to engage. Aubrey has to work through disappointments and sometimes spends a long time brainstorming how best to help her students, even though see only sees each of the for 15 minutes twice a week.
As I saw the relationships Aubrey was able to develop with her students, one of my greatest fears regarding Speech Pathology was eased. My family has never had experience with mental disorders past common and easily controlled depression. I was uncomfortable with the thought of working with Special Needs students, and perhaps upsetting them, or otherwise provoking them because I did not know how they would react. Many of the students who need speech therapy are normal, but many also have additional struggles. Whatever the case may be, through seeing Aubrey work with each student, I realized that it didn’t matter if the student had a few struggles, they were still just a child. One of the biggest things I learned was that a mental disability does not make the person suffering from it stupid or less human, it just makes life harder for them. Oddly, many of these students with the worst problems had the best attitude about life and found joy in everything.
Every day I get little assurances that this career is right for me. A trend on social media is quizzes and surveys that help you discover more about yourself and I am only slightly ashamed to admit that I take nearly every single one I see. Two were related to what field or job I should have, the first one said I was well-suited to be involved in humanitarian related areas and the other pinned my career down: Therapist. Both seem to have somehow picked up how much I enjoy helping other people.
I knew where I was headed, but I didn’t know if I would actually follow through. This internship has allowed me to see the day-to-day activities, struggles, and triumphs I will face and that it’s worth the time and effort, just to help one kid gain the skills to communicate wants and needs with parents and develop normal relationships with their peers. I am committed to further my preparation for this career.Brigham Young University has a Communication Disorders undergraduate program I am excited to enter soon, and I plan to get my Master’s from Utah State just like Aubrey.
may2014
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