Somehow, the larger question of "Why do anything if you're going to die anyway?"
is being solely reserved for kids who already have enough issues to deal with.
She also teaches her students everyday skills that human beings need to function, like mobility, toileting, hygiene, and self-feeding -- things that will make a gigantic difference in how much care they require later. But that means people like her wind up doing the job of a parent, teacher, and rehabilitation nurse all rolled into one. Did we mention that we think the people who do this are kind of heroes?
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Somebody get these people capes and raises, is what we're saying.
Some students, for example, spend a large portion of the day simply learning how to walk. "We're teaching my students to be as functionally independent as possible. They may not all walk someday, but we are giving them every opportunity to do so ... we also meet with the family and talk to them about what their specific goals and dreams are for their child, and do our best to make those happen." That means this kind of teaching isn't solely about test scores and college. "I am certain that some of my students who currently use walkers to walk are going to start taking some steps unassisted any day now. I can't wait." Yet when this teacher walks down the street next to a pro athlete, only one of them is going to get mobbed for autographs.
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