ADLC Social Studies teacher, Nicola Ramsey, implores teachers to share their stories, by shedding some light on a few of her own:
“One student used to phone every day. Sometimes he had a question, sometimes he was making stuff up just to talk. He was a funny kid and we had some laughs. It wasn’t until he moved to the next grade that he told me his story. He lived in a small town. He had cerebral palsy. He was in a wheelchair. His personal needs weren’t being met in his school so his mom enrolled him with ADLC. He was a whiz with computers and he loved online learning. He did not want to tell his teachers of his disability because he didn’t want to be judged. After high school, He moved to an assisted living facility in Edmonton and enrolled in post -secondary. Shortly thereafter, he set up his own company , and he went, by wheelchair, to people’s houses and fixed their computers.
Another student lived on a farm. He was in my English class, then Social 30, and then in my little ADLC book club years ago. His dream was to become an astrophysicist. Every now and then I would hear from him when he needed a letter of reference. He kind of dropped off my radar until today, when I discovered he is a PhD Candidate in Astrophysics at a University in the Netherlands.
Two years ago, my friend called me. Her husband had the opportunity to work in London for six months. One of her kids was in grade 6, one in grade 8, and one in grade 10. Their local school jurisdiction would not return her calls about options for her kids. I gave her our toll free number, she and her family moved to England and all three kids completed their courses.
Don’t hide your light under a bushel, my friends. You do important work. Every day, you work with kids who have their own unique stories. Many of them will reach their goals because you or someone like you, helped them get there. They will not reach their goals by sitting in a desk in a classroom surrounded by their friends with a teacher in front of them. They will reach it because ADLC is there.”
Candlelights shared in the Flickr Creative Commons Pool by Lisa Widerberg
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