Understanding
by Ellen Edgerly
When Sara started back to school after her accident, she was in the ninth grade. Due to the severity of her accident, Sara had a tracheotomy and a g-tube, used a wheelchair, was nonverbal, and was accompanied by a nurse.
High school students would rather not be seen in the company of an adult—peers are the preference. So I knew this was going to be hard on Sara. I took it upon myself to invite all four of her teachers to our home to meet her and our family before the new school year started. It was my thought that if they saw Sara in her surroundings, some of their fears of teaching a student with her severe disabilities would subside.
Unfortunately, only one teacher accepted my invitation. His name was Thomas Albiginni, Sara’s English teacher. As soon as I opened the door to let him in, our golden retriever did his mad dash and jumped up on him with excitement. I thought to myself, "Not a good way to start out."
I introduced him to Sara’s siblings and then proceeded to walk him into Sara’s bedroom. I could tell by the look on his face that he was filled with apprehension. As I introduced him to Sara and her nurse, I read feelings of uneasiness, uncertainty, and sympathy that were not unfamiliar to me.
After our visit with Sara, Mr. Albiginni and I sat down to coffee at our kitchen table. We chatted a little, and then he said to me, “Mrs. Edgerly, you have a lovely daughter. But I am not sure what you expect of me as a teacher. I have never had a student like Sara in my classroom.”
I explained that all I would ask of him is that he give her the benefit of the doubt and the same opportunity to learn as all of the other students in his classroom. I also reassured him that he would have support to work with Sara in the classroom. She would have a teacher’s aide and, as a family, we would help her with her schoolwork at home. I also told him that our family was committed to giving her as much quality of life as possible, as we do for her three siblings.
One May afternoon of that school year, I received a call from Spaulding High School, inviting Sara and me to attend the Awards Night Function. As we sat in the audience and listened to the presentation, we were very surprised to hear Sara’s name called and an invitation to come up and receive a National Honor Society award.
Mr. Albiginni presented Sara with an award for “The Most Inspirational Student.” As a result of the relationship that began with that first visit to our home and developed throughout the school year, he became a good friend and one of her most important teachers.