"No, you are not ugly"

It must be quite a feat for her - in her rather petite frame - to carry a 12 year old boy to the toilet because he 'oversoiled' his diaper.

But she does it anyway.

It must be quite a feat for her to patiently keep answering repetitious questions from her students. (I know it must be a feat because I find it difficult sometimes to keep my cool when Huzaifah keep repeating asking me question which I'd already answered, probably hoping I would change my "no" to a "yes")

But she keeps her cool with her students all the time.

She has assorted mix of students. Some look okay physically but have little IQ. Some are in fact little in stature. Some are confirmed ADHD, others are autistic. They are all special, each in their own way.

It really touched me when she told me that this year, for Eid, she's inviting a few select students - those left at the Welfare Center by their own parents - to spend the Eid with her as part of her family in the kampung.

One of those left at the Welfare Center is a daughter of a well-to-do couple. A "Datuk" and "Datin". Asked if they would come and visit her on Eid, she replied to her teacher that no, her parents never spend Eid with her. They would only send some new clothes for Eid but never take her back home to at least spend one special day with her siblings.

"They are ashamed of me, Cikgu. The rest of my siblings are normal. I am not. I am ugly"

"No, you are not ugly. And there's nothing to be ashamed of. This year, you will come and spend Eid with me and my family. You are going to be part of my family, ok? My children will be your adik-adik, ok?"

#####

"Yes, I admit, it's not easy to be a teacher for a "special education" class. But being their teacher has taught me lots of things too. And it's difficult not to fall in love with them. I love them all, despite having to deal with stuff teachers in normal schools don't usually deal with. Stuff that usually are reserved for mothers for their small toddlers - cleaning them up, putting their clothes on, feeding them. But they are unique. Truth is they are not "kurang upaya", only "beza upaya." If only we, the so-called 'normal' ones could learn to appreciate them more..."

I have lots of respect for dedicated teachers like Diana.
I wish that all 'special education' children would get the love and attention of at least one teacher like her...