Melody in Wikwemikong, Canada

Pulkkinen's Class

Pontiac School

Canada

Wikwemikong

(Melody #045B0414)

Pontiac School welcomed Melody with open arms and many students were curious about our visitor. Melody visited us during the grade six provincial testing week. She worked diligently to finish her test. Her practice for the Whiz kids team helped her be successful and keep up her stamina. During her stay we also went on a field trip to South Bay. We were able to find local medicines on our nature hike (ginger and mountain ash) and we saw 1000 year old fencing posts that had been used by the First Peoples of the area to coral caribou during their hunts. Melody traveled to a student's home and had the opportunity to go visit a traditional healing lodge. At the lodge she sat by the sacred fire for ceremonies. Use the following website - http://www.wikwemikong.ca/ - to find out more about our unique First Nations community.

We learned that it is important to be kind to everyone and include them in our activities. Learning the history and culture of a community can help people understand one another. Introducing Melody to the whole school through a morning announcement helped the school be aware of our visitor and started conversations among everyone. Through this we learned to focus on what people can do and not on what they can't do. We can make things possible.

Melody in Byron, Minnesota

Mrs. Aslakson's Class

Byron Middle School

United States

Byron, Minnesota

(Melody #052B0414)

Melody came to school at the end of our school year so the schedules were a little different. Melody joined our language arts class in the morning. It was a fun day since the upcoming students from the elementary school were over visiting and meeting their new teachers. We had many classes stop by to visit our room.

We learned about how Melody would feel at our school. We do not have anyone currently in our school that uses a wheelchair, but we have had many students on crutches. Our school is quite accessible since it is all on one floor. There are no stairs in our building, unless you need to get to the extra old locker rooms. Our classroom would be very accessible, if everyone made sure to push in their chairs. We have tables in places of desks. We measured the doors to make sure they were wide enough. The cafeteria could be hard for Melody because the lunch line is very crowded and has lots of turns. The tables are attached to benches, so she would have to sit at the end of a table. She might get bumped into since it can get busy in the aisles.

Melody in McKinney, Texas

Connolly's Cray-Crays

Walker Elementary

United States

McKinney, Texas

(Melody #061B0414)

Melody is enjoying our last days of school with us! She has attended our End-of-the-Year Celebration practice, taken a walk out to our courtyard and danced in a conga line on a beautifully sunny day in Texas!

We felt as if we were visiting an old friend with Melody. She made a lot of new friends as she headed to the library with us, sat in the middle of our rug as we concluded her book and rolled around our courtyard studying the various states within our country on our oversized painted map! We LOVED time with Melody - We adore HER!

Melody in Stittsville, Canada

Mrs. Babb's Grade 5 Class

Holy Spirit Catholic School

Canada

Stittsville

(Melody #044B0414)

Visiting a Grade 5 Class and playing on the playground with the students.

That each student is equal and deserves to be treated fairly.

Melody in Hopkinton, New Hampshire

Mrs. White's 4th Grade Class

Maple Street School

United States

Hopkinton, New Hampshire

(Melody #055B0414)

Melody spent the week with us and had many adventures. She went to a lacrosse practice, read books, played games and learned all about the state of New Hampshire.

We learned all about the challenges Melody might face attending our school. We did our best to include Melody in all activities and we understand how hard it is to be left out of things.

Melody in Houston, Texas

Mac Bechtol

United States

Houston, Texas

(Melody #050B0414)

Melody visited St. John's School in Houston, Texas. She enjoyed the day with the 4th graders. She rode on our swing in the front yard. It is a Live Oak which is green year round in Houston.

I love feeling a connection to other places in the world. I learned more about people like Melody. I learned it is hard for them in a different way. I also learned that a book can be taken to the next level! This was a fun experience. I wish I had gotten Melody sooner. I didn't have much time because it took so long for her to arrive in Houston.

Melody in Ramsey, Minnesota

Miss Ronsberg's 6th Grade Class

PACT Charter School

United States

Ramsey, Minnesota

(Melody #052B0414)

We were able to take Melody out to the playground, on a field trip to Fort Snelling in St. Paul, MN, and she even went to Portland, Oregon with one of the kids for the weekend.

The kids found it very interesting how inaccessible our spaces are, and how they never seemed to notice it before. It is so exciting to see the changes in their thought processes about including everyone and being aware of surroundings, thoughts, and words.

Melody in San Jose, California

McMo

Bagby Elementary

United States

San Jose, California

(Melody #024B0114)

CarWhi took Melody to Santa Cruz Saturday night. She writes: When we woke up Sunday morning (5/18), we had breakfast. Then my mom and my brother went home to go somewhere. My dad and I got ready to go paddle boarding. When we got to the beach, we took pictures, and got in the water. We taped Melody to the board, and got started. We paddled to the pier, and went under it. Under the pier, we saw starfish the size of my face, and many shellfish. When going under a pier, look for fishing lines, because you can hurt yourself by getting caught in them. Also, we went and saw the sea lions. One of them went under water, under my paddle board and came up behind me. Finally, we went back, and got ready to go the the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk!

It was hard at first because we had to leave Melody on the sidewalk at first so that we could hide the car keys, and my shoes in the rocks. When we went back to get Melody, we put the camera in the car.

Melody in San Jose, California

McMo

Bagby

United States

San Jose, California

(Melody #024B0114)

ScoSch Today, I talked with Alejandro, a 3rd grader at my school Like Melody, Alejandro has a motorized wheelchair which helps him get around. Mrs. McConnell, Melody, and I asked him some questions. Like… If he can go on to the playground? He said that he can get on because there is a ramp for him. He also plays on a baseball team! He said that he enjoys playing left field because there is more shade there! He gets to play in small group PE. In that PE they play volleyball, bocce ball, baseball, etc. After he hits the baseball, the other team has to wait until he drops the ball and then they have to move at the same speed Alejandro’s chair goes. He calls his wheelchair “my chair”. The only problem he has had here is that when he first got to Bagby he forgot what class he was in. His amazing chair can move up, down, and even reclines, it has blinkers, too! Alejandro has an aide to help him do things that are challenges for him. Some of the activities that the aide has to help him are... going to the bathroom, and putting his tray on his chair. His tray helps him write, eat, and it's a good place to rest his arm.

It was fun to get to know Alejandro better, and helped me understand what Melody would go through if she was a student at Bagby.

Melody in San Jose, California

McMo

Bagby

United States

San Jose, California

(Melody #020B0114)

When I got to take Melody home for the weekend, I was so excited! Then I realized, what would I do with her? Mrs. McConnell had an amazing idea that I should take her surfing! I agreed that was a great idea. First, AFletch took her home to go to the Winchester Mystery house. On Saturday at about 2:30 in the afternoon, AFletch came to my house and dropped Melody off. Later, we went to Bagby to help paint the wall ball walls. Melody helped spray paint the words “be safe”. After she finished, we thought that she did so good, that we bought her a snow cone. Finally, we went home and got in the car to go to Santa Cruz.

Things took a little longer managing Melody's chair.