I Want to Pursue a Career in Speech-Language Pathology

675 Words2 Pages

“Maria, I just met a girl named Maria!” What does a song from West Side Story have to do with my academic and career goals in speech-language pathology? Plenty. Why? Because I really did meet a girl named Maria and the experience made an impact in my life. As a volunteer in a public elementary school, I had the opportunity to work with low to high functioning students in the special education classroom. The teacher asked me to work with Maria, a second grader from a monolingual Spanish home. Suffering from a neurological disorder that inhibited her speech and other physical movements, we worked on computer games, crafts, and other activities during the time I spent with her. While my volunteer time with her was short, the experience was profound. An intelligent young girl, Maria opened my eyes to the frustrations of communication struggles and physical disabilities as I witnessed first-hand the difficulties and limits she faced daily in the classroom. Nevertheless, I was encouraged. Many of the activities we focused on were challenging, but she approached them with perseverance. Her ...

More about I Want to Pursue a Career in Speech-Language Pathology

Open Document