a t-shirt. I did not have anything to put under her head, so I tried to put my hands between her head and the floor. Kneeling down, I looked up at the concerned faces of the other students, processing the scene during which no time seemed to have passed. "Let's give Tina some room, some air," I said. I wanted to get up and call security, but was still frantically thinking what to do about her head.
"Tina," a deep, soothing female voice said. "I think I need me a little lay down, too." Rachel is a sixty-ish grandmother who has struggled with her writing and comprehension of every assignment the entire semester. It can't have been easy for her to get down on the floor, but down on the floor she came, laying down right next to Tina and giving me her soft leather handbag. Her voice and expression were incredibly calming, and I took the handbag and put it under Tina's head. Rachel lay her head right on the floor. "We'll just set here a bit, me and Tina. Now go on, y'all." The seizure was already abating. I rose and told the students yes, you all should go. You can ask me any more questions about your rewrites via email. I went to the phone by the door and called security.Tina was fine. Thankfully she did not hit her head on the tables, and was only bruised from her fall. I remain so awed by the quiet wisdom of Rachel, who knew what it must feel like to be on the floor surrounded by worried eyes. Rachel, who got down on the floor with Tina and somehow made it seem like no big deal. Rachel, who struggles academically in spite of her hard work, and who wants to get a college degree to inspire her grandchildren. Rachel, kind and wise and caring Rachel. I am so glad she was there.
--Bella
I would guess that Rachel has a child or grandchild with epilepsy.
ReplyDeleteAs an epilepsy mom, I, too, am glad for Rachel's kindness, wisdom, and caring in this setting, and for the example she set for the other students in the class. If my son should ever have a seizure in one of his college classrooms, I hope there's a Rachel there to help.
The world is a much better place for having people like Rachel. And for you, too, Bella. I'd have had a much harder time of it if it happened to one of my students.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely story - and what a welcome reminder that there are multiple kinds of intelligence, and Rachel has one of the ones that count for a great deal in life, for the possessor, and for those around hir. I guess we'd call it something like emotional/interpersonal intelligence.
ReplyDeleteI also find myself wondering whether Rachel has ever been tested for learning disabilities. Maybe her difficulty understanding things in an academic context stems from that context being unfamiliar for her, but when a student has motivation, shows every sign of working hard, and is a quick study in other ways, but struggles despite all of the above, I wonder.
It also occurs to me that it's a major comfort for a professor to know there is at least one other adult in the room. The chronological age of that adult is irrelevant (I've had some very wise 18-year-old students and some pretty flaky middle-aged ones), but the presence is a comfort, and can be crucial if anything serious happens. Students who are military veterans, trained medical personnel, or both seem to be especially good bets to fill this role, but I can think of others (e.g. one bartender, and most students who were also parents).
DeleteThank you for sharing that wonderful story. I seem to have something in my eye . . ..
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bella.
ReplyDeleteI feel that in many real ways, we academics are broken. We spend so long as students; we relate more to dead mathematicians than live contemporaries; we are selected for our abilities to focus like lasers on specific problems and relentlessly beat them to death.
ReplyDeleteWe've all had that strange feeling of suddenly being the grown-up in the room, and feeling completely unprepared for it.
Some times more than others, I guessl.