“ Throughout our visits , the second graders got to work and play with children who experience the world differently than they do , fostering a deeper sense of empathy , compassion , and connection .”
“ Throughout our visits , the second graders got to work and play with children who experience the world differently than they do , fostering a deeper sense of empathy , compassion , and connection .”
attending , joint attention , collaborative play , and understanding the rules of social interaction . In turn , our boys were presented with the opportunity to form meaningful connections with other children in the community and further develop their appreciation for difference . Throughout our visits , the second graders got to work and play with children who experience the world differently than they do , fostering a deeper sense of empathy , compassion , and connection .
Leading up to our visit , our boys met with Imani Hamami , the Community Outreach and Inclusion Coordinator at the Manhattan Childrens Center . Imani shared important information with the boys to prepare them for their first visit . The boys were excited to learn that they would be missing academic classes to play games with the boys and girls of MCC . Imani shared that people with autism spectrum disorder may have different levels of communication and social skills , and that people with ASD respond differently to the five senses ; some may be extremely sensitive to external stimuli , while others may be under-responsive . Imani emphasized that some of the things that are easy for our Saint David ’ s boys to do , like learning , playing , and making friends , may be very difficult for people with autism . Most importantly , the boys were reminded that no two people in the world are the same and each student at Saint David ’ s and MCC is unique .
Going into our first visit , several boys verbalized feelings of anxiousness : “ What if we have nothing in common ?” “ What if they don ’ t know how to play our games ?” These feelings quickly gave way to the joy and excitement of playing games like basketball , Don ’ t Break the Ice , and Marble Run . As is the case with most seven- and eight-year-old boys , some of their competitive nature came out , and in our early visits there were moments of frustration as the MCC students weren ’ t “ taking turns ” or “ playing by the rules .” As time passed , and our students continued to participate in Sophrosyne lessons surrounding kindness , empathy , and inclusion , there was a visible transformation in our visits . Our boys let go of their competitive edge , they showed more flexibility when it came to the rules , they softened their tone ( and lowered their volume ), and week by week , a true companionship formed between the students of Saint David ’ s and MCC .
In April , the month that is designated as “ Autism Awareness Month ,” I was speaking to a parent of a child with autism who lamented that awareness is simply not enough , but that they pray for acceptance and appreciation . This concept , which has been lost on many adults , was intuitive to our boys , who quickly found commonality through shared experiences , interests , and goals . In a display of true friendship , they set out to understand and to be understood , they lived the Saint David ’ s mission with kindness and empathy , and they made friends along the way .
If you are interested in learning more , or continuing the conversation with your child , MCC recommended the following books : I See Things Differently by Pat Thomas , My Brother Charlie by Holly Robinson Peete and Ryan Elizabeth Peete , and A Friend Like Simon by Kate Gaynor . •
Nick Imbelli ’ 99 is Assistant Head of Lower School and Lower School Sophrosyne Coordinator at Saint David ’ s School .
Summer 2024 • 19