Extraordinary 18/365

I am not posting the picture for today because it is of one of my students. I have a student with Asperger's syndrome - a form of autism. When I became first aware of this student, he was in 1st grade and lacked all social skills. His 2nd grade year was not much better - he had many breakdowns and did not listen to the teachers.

I was very nervous about teaching him during his 3rd grade year. At the beginning of the year, he was not very social and did not respond to me. Time goes on and he starts to open up to me and to his classmates.

Fast forward to this week. My class was leading the school Mass. As I am assigning parts, he insists that he wants to be an altar server. My aide said that she had seen him serve as an altar server at a different parish and that he did a great job. So, I got an okay from the priest. When I told him, he smiled from ear to ear!! Well, he did a fantastic job! He was very reverent and took each task very seriously. I think that he made quite an impact on the entire student body. I was so proud of him, so much that I had to hold back the tears. I have come to see him as a gift and blessing to me. I have learned so much from him.

For me, Project 365 is to celebrate the ordinary in my life. I must say, however, he is not ordinary but extraordinary.