After some contemplation on which child to select from several of my prior experiences for this assignment, I have chosen to document “Carter.” I met Carter through my experience as a substitute educational assistant in my school division over the summer. I had met Carter in grade 4, and he has selective mutism. Before meeting Carter, I had never heard of selective mutism, but was quick to understand that Carter would only speak to individuals who he chose. This did not include his classmates, the teacher, or me. The only person Carter would speak to in the school was the EA I was subbing for who was, of course, not there that day.
Meeting Carter at first, he was somewhat closed off to me. Luckily the EA I was subbing for was filling in for a different staff member so she was in the school. The EA introduced me and tried her best to make Cater feel comfortable with me and that he could trust me. After this, Carter mostly communicated through hand signals and nodding his head “yes” or “no” when I would ask him questions like “would you like to use the red marker” or “is it time for a little break?” Before even engaging with Carter and assisting him with the school work, I knew that the first step was to build a relationship with this student. This included not only getting to know him, but telling him about myself as well. I wanted to make Carter feel cared for as a child and friend before I got into any academic-related content. This looked like following Carter’s lead and helping him at his own pace. I was also sure to offer breaks as the day went on when I noticed Carter wasn’t exactly following what the class had planned to do. I also had the opportunity to take Carter to occupational therapy with a few other students and work on coordination and just giving the chance for students to get a movement break. It was here when I saw Carter smile and open up for the first time. Although he hadn’t spoken verbally to me yet, I could tell by his body language and a little more bounce to his stride that he was feeling comfortable and confident. After this, we worked well together to work on some school work together.
My few experiences with Carter have allowed me to reflect on my teaching practices and what’s most important when dealing with students who may be seen as difficult. Working with these students is often the most rewarding experience. I now know first-hand that when we can bond with students on a more personal level where they feel loved and not just a void to be filled, we can open the student up and make them the most comfortable and confident in their acquisition. Although Carter hasn’t verbally spoken to me yet, I hope to have more experiences with this child and children like Carter to be that person of comfort for them where I know I’m doing my job.