The day has finally come that we got to go to Stella Maris School and present information on language disorders to the teachers. We had 6 groups present their presentations, which included the topics of Bilingualism/dual language, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and literacy. Upon arriving at the school, we met the teachers very briefly and then began our first presentation. The teachers seemed very eager to hear us present and seemed interested in the material as it pertained directly to the students in their classrooms.
When asked to come up to participate in a clinician-student role play, most of the teachers became shy and refrained from hopping out their chairs; this may have been due to fear of failure or embarrassment, which is understandable and something that I can also relate to. One question that was asked by one of the teachers was, "What is the role of a speech language pathologist?" This was a very important and broad question. We answered somewhere along the lines of: someone who specializes in a variety of disorders that include, but are not limited to, language, fluency, articulation, phonology, semantics, syntax, literacy, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. We also explained to the teachers that speech therapists can work with a variety of populations ranging from infancy to geriatrics, and in an array of work settings, such as hospitals, Rehab center, school, etc.
The teachers and staff of the school who knew we were visiting were beyond generous in that they were attentive to our every need and desired to make us feel as comfortable as possible. For example, while sitting watching our groups present material to the teachers, a female staff member came in and set a gigantic tray of chicken salad sandwiches down, along with fresh water packets, and juice. It was so sweet and interesting to see how they wanted to serve us although we were really there to serve them! It was truly incredible. I have never seen this type and degree of hospitality in the United States, at least not with individuals I have just met and who know very little about me.
After our first presentation set, we had a tasty Chinese style lunch that was quite different from our recent authentic dinning, but was still appreciated of course. Once we ate, some girls, including myself, went out with Dr. Al on the balcony and just observed all the students bustling about below during recess. The children seemed so excited to be out in the fresh air enjoying each others company, with some playing games of ball around the playground. Some students caught our attention and lighted up with joy as if we were famous superheros. They waved, smiled, and a few children even ran up the stairs to where we were to give us a hug and ask us questions. The students seemed so fascinated by us and were really endearing. I am glad that a few of us were able to interact with some students today even though we hadn't planned to necessarily. Seeing their excited, beaming faces made my day and really got me excited for the rest of the week of working with the students.
Getting back from the outside scene, we met the librarian who was also an extremely warm and hospitable individual. I, and a few other girls, shook his hand and then listened to him tell us about the library, the location where we did our presentations. The librarian was also kind enough to bring us johnny cakes and fruit juice during a second presentation set! Like I said before, the teachers and staff were so attentive to our needs and it was evident that there main agenda was making us feel as comfortable and welcomed as possible. Once all the groups finished presenting, we opened the floor for anymore questions teachers may have had concerning the content presented, the materials we brought, etc. Then we cleaned up the room, thanked the teachers for listening to us with a materials gift (classroom supplies) for their classroom, and said our goodbyes for the day.
Before getting on the bus, I went to the restroom where I met a woman cleaning the stalls. Although most people might just mind their own business or ignore janitorial staff, I wanted to at least say hi to her and ask her and how she was doing today--so I did. This woman actually was very personable and asked me how long I was staying here in Belize city, and said that she hoped to see me around again. I told I would most likely see her as my team and I would be working at Stella Maris School for the rest of the week. I thought this encounter was so different to similar instances I've had in America. For example, when I ask cashiers, janitors, restaurant servers, or really anyone whom I'm not previously acquainted with. "How are you?" their typical response is "good" or "fine," and that's that--end of story. However, I've noticed in Belize that people of various occupations actually seem sincere and interested to talk with others whether they've know the person for 10 years or 10 seconds. It seems to be a night-and-day paradigm.
Tomorrow we will going into the classrooms at Stella Maris School to work with students on both assessment and therapy. I am really excited to finally get to do therapy with these kids, interact with them and with their teachers, and ultimately encourage their development and growth in language and as individuals.
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