Reflections from a Child
We asked two girls with verbal capacities in our Summer Conductive Education Program to tell us about it. They told us this while the non-verbal children smiled with glee:
Karmel
(Age 11 with cerebral palsy which primarily effects the left side of her body)
I really liked the summer conductive education program. I think I did the wall bars best. I found climbing the wall ladder the easiest to do. I also enjoyed stepping on the ladder on the floor. The sitting program was hard because I had to hold my fingers together and move my hands back and forth to lavender blue. We did hula hoops and dancing to music. We also made collages—I made mine out of clay and Abby made hers out of paper.
I would like to do two hours of conductive education each day. My gymnastics teacher said that I improved. I can hang from the bars and I couldn’t do that before. I’m working on pulling myself up.
Abby
(Age 11 with a brain injury and cerebral palsy which primarily effects her vision and the right side of her body)
I liked the conductor, Krisztina. She put on cds. I really like music. I liked having Karmel and Andi in the class with me. Having to use my right hand often and every day was hard. Stepping on the ladder on the floor was the easiest and fun. Sitting activities at the table were so fun, I couldn’t believe how fun it was.
I liked the speech program. It used mirrors and we did that in the morning. My mouth is very funny to watch. I started gymnastics. On the first day I was able to jump all by myself and I never did that before.
Libby
(Age 11 with a brain injury from birth that impacts all motoring functions, including speech)
Libby responded with giggles.
Libby was very engaged throughout the entire program. She clearly articulated her first three words—be, the, yea. We are very proud of Libby.
In closing, Abby and Karmel joyfully sang this song they learned while doing the motions with their hands:
Once I saw a little bird
go hop, hop, hop
and I cried, Little Bird, little bird
would you stop, stop, stop
I went over to the window
to say how do you do?
and he shook his little tail
and away he flew.
Students share their strength as well as their challenge.
Students inspire each other at work and at play.
Libby articulated her first three words.