When I am stressed, my body tries to warn me by experiencing sudden changes in my emotions, particularly my anger/frustration levels. I tend to become more sensitive and prefer to be alone so no one can bother me. I also find the things that I usually enjoy tiring, such as socializing with friends and family members. My body also tries to warn me by becoming more sensitive to external stimuli such as bright lights, loud noises, large crowds, etc.

I can imagine myself relaxing at a beach. I would see the sand and the beach waves. Also, I would see some shells, rocks, and tiny turtles crawling to the seashore. I would see the sun shining brightly. I would hear the water splashing back and forth, and I would hear birds chirping. Also, I would hear the wind blowing my hair and the palm trees. I would smell the salty water as I walk barefoot, feeling the powdery, soft sand. 

One thing that I learned from these mindfulness activities is that doing simple tasks can lead to desirable outcomes in student’s memory, attention, and mood. In particular, it can reduce stress and anxiety, by helping students to regulate their emotions. It can also help build patience and tolerance (Cole, 2020). Reading this article made me recognize the value and importance of mindfulness activities in our everyday lives, with or without LD. 

    

Another thing that I learned from these mindfulness activities is that I realized that I actually do these activities with my preschool students on a daily basis! For example, the students usually do movement breaks (e.g. Freeze Dance) after lunch which is a good way to promote happiness and peace of mind (Cole, 2020). In addition, it is a good way to release their excessive energy levels. We also encourage students to do some yoga stretches for their bodies to calm down to ease their transition into nap time.

^{Cole, L. (2020). 10 Mindfulness Activities for Teens | MentalUP. MentalUP.Co. https://www.mentalup.co/blog/mindfulness-activities-for-teens}

After a few days, I noticed that I’ve been using the stress ball on a regular basis. For example, I noticed that I’ve been using it more often when I listen to my zoom lectures. I also noticed that I became more likely to pay attention during class, and less inclined to use my cellphone. I also started making more stress balls for my younger siblings, and I also began to experiment by using different materials such as rice, sand, soil, lentils, etc. Despite using different materials, I still found it calming overall, and I would highly recommend it for people to try it. 

Compared to a fidget spinner, I personally find the stress ball more satisfying because of the cornstarch. I like how I can squeeze it or roll it around my wrists. In addition, I like how you can create one on your own and personalize it. For example, one of my staff members actually made one and inserted 2-3 marbles inside. I began observing my students' reactions when he used it for the first time. He was surprised to discover that they were marbles inside and he was proud to find all the marbles without asking for any hints. Over time, I discovered that this is a wonderful tool to keep him preoccupied during quiet activities.  

However, I noticed that all of the fidget toys were put in a container and were not easily accessible to all students. I usually get them at the office or at a tall desk where students could not reach it. In addition, there was only one student who usually plays with these fidget toys. This student is a three year-old boy who displays signs of ADHD and developmental delays. Although the staff is open for other students to use these fidget toys, other students need to ask for teacher’s permission and sometimes they are not allowed to use these toys because other teachers believe that they should focus on getting a good rest. However, sometimes I feel sorry for other students who also tend to have difficulty managing their excess energy during nap time. They are usually being called out by other staff for being “disruptive” and sometimes forced to lie down in their own beds.

I wonder if this scenario is also common in other schools and if it is, what would be a good strategy to encourage teaching professionals to promote an inclusive learning environment? I am new in my position as a support staff and I am terrified to raise my concern because other staff have worked here much longer than I did and some of them are my superiors. Although I have knowledge and some experience in working with neurodiverse children, I still need to continue being an advocate for students with or without disabilities and encourage my co-workers to promote inclusivity in the classroom. 

My best friend built friendships with students in other classes which I was completely fine with since I also have friends in different classes. However, I noticed that she was spending less time with me which made me feel upset. At first, I thought that it was a common thing in friendships and in other relationships to feel jealous. I tried to shake it off by trying to get to know her other friends as well. However, I noticed some different things over time.

Whenever I tried to join their conversations by asking questions, they would attempt to change the topic. Other times, they would continue talking about topics that I could not relate to as if I was not there. For example, I remember that they were planning a sleepover that I was not even invited to right in front of me. I tried asking them if I could go, but my best friend said that I can go to another sleepover some other time which never actually happened. 

My body froze. For a moment, I could not hear what ‘so-called friends’ were saying and just felt pain. I wanted to scream because I was so upset for being left out all the time. I wanted to dig a hole from where I am standing and just hide. I wanted to leave the situation so badly but instead, I pretended to be okay by listening to their conversation while my heart aches. As soon as I got home, I cried myself to sleep. Afterwards, my parents noticed my swollen eyes and told them what happened. 

My parents gave me what I needed by validating my emotions. They gave me time to verbally express what I had gone through even though I still kept on crying while talking. They also gave me advice on how to handle the situation by encouraging me to talk to my peers so they will know what they did. Lastly, my parents told me that I should not be afraid of losing friends because there are more good people out there that I haven’t met. In addition, they told me that sometimes it’s better to enjoy one’s company rather than trying to fit in with the people who make you feel invisible.

When students report feeling they are ‘on the outside’, one of the things I can do to change this dynamic is to become more aware when and where these types of situations may arise. For example, I noticed that this usually occurs during outdoor activities where preschool students have their free time. Some students would reach out to me for help when they are not being included in the game. Other younger students may need additional support by providing vocal prompts and I would also encourage other peers to invite others. I pay attention to both verbal and non-verbal cues. Also, I encourage both parties to communicate with each other so they can come up with a solution together. Another strategy that I commonly use is positive reinforcement. Children love being rewarded whether it’s verbal praise, high-fives, stickers, etc.

What’s your favourite reward when you were a child? Let me know in the comments below :)

For example, Quitnow Services offers free 24-7 individualized support to individuals seeking support in quitting tobacco. Youth may access these services by texting Quitnow to 654321 or calling 1-877-455-2233. Another example is the BC Smoking Cessation Program in which youth receive financial support to access quit-smoking medications such as bupropion, or varenicline. They also provide nicotine replacement therapy in which they provide free gum, patches, inhaler, or lozenges to youth for twelve weeks. Youth may access these programs by calling 1-855-744-6328 or sending an email to tobacco@interiorhealth.ca (Interior Health, n.d.)

Interior Health also offers school lesson plans and activities for K to 12 students. For example, Student Choice offers tobacco education resources for Grade 9 students in Newfoundland and Labrador. Another example would be Academy for Tobacco Prevention which provides school-based resources for Grades 4 to 6 students in Alberta to educate them about the benefits and risks of using tobacco products. Their lesson resources (e.g. powerpoint presentations, videos may be accessed through their website. 

My recommendation would be to start or continue providing resources that are tailored to certain groups. For example, I found an animated video from the Academy for Tobacco Prevention that educates Grades 4-6 students regarding traditional use of tobacco in Indigenous cultures. We can take into consideration how we can increase drug awareness in LD students, especially those children/youth who are using medications. These pharmaceutical drugs may interact with illicit drugs which may put these students at a greater risk for minor to life-threatening side effects.

Although I experienced frustration, I reminded myself that failure is always part of a success. One of my aspirations in life is to work for the United Nations to help children and youth worldwide. I started looking at their current job opportunities, internship programs and volunteer programs. I came across different volunteer job postings and sent my application. Fortunately, I got accepted to all the virtual volunteer positions that I applied for. 

This summer, I am looking forward to developing a trauma healing protocol with multidisciplinary team members worldwide to support youth victims of trafficking in Cameroon, South Africa. I am also looking forward to connecting with prospective Canadian donors/sponsors to fund ongoing/future projects that provide educational and healthcare services to marginalized groups in Pakistan. 

Maintaining optimism has helped me to persevere when facing obstacles in life. It has helped me to realize that this is part of the journey to success and greater outcomes require you to overcome bigger challenges. I also learned that instead of bringing myself down, I should focus on figuring out what the problem is, and how I can solve it. Also, I should learn from my mistakes/failures and figure out what I can do to improve. With my professional experience, I realized that I wanted to get immediate results without having the necessary skills/knowledge to become eligible for the jobs that I applied to. I also realized that since I am new to this career field, I must be patient with myself and take one step at a time. Lastly, maintaining optimism has inspired me to encourage others to become resilient. Although it is my first time to help vulnerable youth halfway across the world, I am looking forward to becoming a part of change and helping them in every single way that I can during these challenging times. 

Another strength that I discovered about myself is that like other LD students, I also have high emotional intelligence. I can easily recognize other people’s emotions especially when they are in pain. In addition, I can interpret verbal/non-verbal cues immediately and provide support if necessary. For example, there was one situation where one of my neurodiverse students was discouraged from having a partner because one of our former supervisors thought that he would be too disruptive. He was silent and I felt a heavy weight on my heart throughout the walk. Even though I did not look at his facial expression, I strongly felt that he was so disappointed from being isolated from his peers. 

One of the areas/skills that I still need to work on is how to take on an active role in advocating for students with learning disabilities. When I first started working as a support staff, I was extremely afraid of disagreeing with my superiors and I was afraid to speak up when something is not right. Over time, my colleagues noticed huge improvements in my student’s behaviour and recognized the difference that I can make. They were more open to change by taking into consideration my suggestions, and I became more comfortable in sharing my knowledge with students with learning disabilities. I still need to work on focusing on unleashing my own potential instead of trying to gain other people’s approval. I still need to work on taking the initiative to implement a more inclusive activity/program for these students instead of waiting for an opportunity to speak up. 

Another skill that I still need to work on is to become comfortable in asking for help from my colleagues. Although I usually provide one-on-one support to a student who displays signs of LD, my colleagues mentioned that I should not hesitate to ask for assistance or for someone else to take over if I feel emotionally exhausted. As someone with high emotional intelligence, I can be extremely tired from absorbing people’s energy and emotions especially when I am working with preschool students. I still need to work on becoming comfortable in asking for help. I also need to work on becoming more sensitive to what my body is telling me and prioritizing my own health and well-being before I support others. 

My plan to develop your skills for working with students who are LD is to first practice self-care by engaging in simple daily mindfulness activities. For example, walking barefoot on grass helps me feel grounded. I can go for a short walk to clear my mind from constantly taking on various energy and emotions. I am planning to make this a part of my daily routine by setting a daily mindfulness checklist. This strategy ensures that I can set a good example to students with LD and continue providing them high-quality support.

Another strategy that I can use is to make a list of my possible concerns and suggestions. I can start by writing down my observations in a notebook. This can help me become more aware of the areas that may require improvements in my workplace. This can also help me recognize if certain incidents happen on a regular basis such as students being excluded in certain tasks. I can also gather feedback from my colleagues to assess if they have information that I can also write down. This strategy ensures that I take on an active role in advocating for students with LD and promoting inclusivity in my workplace.