There are times when you feel like you have entered the twilight zone. There are times when things that aren’t real feel just a little too real.
A few weeks ago I attended the 4th Annual TeachLivE conference and entered an all too real virtual reality that I was unprepared for. I was especially excited as they were going to unveil the new kindergarten avatar modeled after CJ. I had been working with the young, future PhD, also known as CJ’s former teacher, to develop him. I had provided evaluations, videos, photos and feedback to make him as real as possible.
I loved getting preliminary drawings and giving my input. He, once again, looked remarkably like CJ did back then. He does not wear green as back in the day, CJ did not always wear green. I had seen photos of the avatar and had heard what he would be able to do. He was still in development, but they were going to unveil him to the public.
The learned their lesson last year and I was NOT speaking. They mentioned who I was in the opening session and I waved my hand. No one would even remember. I was safe and incognito this time.
The breakouts began. They had stations in a large open area. Each station had it’s own screen for presentations and casual seating, but was open to the entire area. I sat front and center so I could take some video. I was really excited. I’m a pro at this. I’m ready.
It starts with a little girl and kindergarten CJ, who goes by Martin to protect the innocent. They were sitting on a rug in a kindergarten classroom. The little girl is vivacious and talkative. She “helps” and just can’t stop herself from answering for Martin. (Reminds me a little of me.)
They ask for volunteers. One of the PhD’s got up and interacted with them. She tried to engage Martin several times. He would hesitate and hem and haw. The little girl would interrupt to “help”. After three tries, the PhD just switched to the little girl.
I was a little disappointed. These were teachers, PhD’s, PhD’s who teach teachers. It was only the first one and they were only testing it. They weren’t set up to teach a lesson and not all of them deal with children this young or ESE students.
The second person got up and only tried once to interact with Martin.
A strange thing started to happen. I started to get upset. My Mama Bear was starting to rise. I wanted to step in and I wanted to explain. I wanted to protect the avatar.
Now my internal dialogue starts.
“It’s an avatar.” “It’s not real.” “It’s not CJ.” “They are not used to doing this with this avatar.” “These are professionals.” “These are only a few minutes each.” “This is not real.”
The third volunteer gets up. She actually kneels down so she is at eye level with them. The technology allows the interactor to see where you are and where you are looking. She starts out prepared to get both of them engaged. She tells them they are going to write a story together. She says it starts out, “Once upon a time.”. She asks Martin to think of a person, place or thing he sees. She quickly realizes she has given too many options. She ends up asking him what animal he has seen. The little girls keeps trying to “help”. The PhD keeps telling her that they are going to give Martin some time to answer. Martin rocked back and forth. Martin repeats, “See. See. See.”
I was so excited that she was going to be able to draw him out. She obviously has worked with this age. I was impressed. Then she decided to help him out. She says, “The animal starts with a C? It must be a cat”.
OMG! NO! NO! NO!!!
I take a deep breath and narrowly escaped my outburst. She is trying. There is a large group watching. I have no way of knowing her experience or expertise. I have myself under control now.
She now wants to know the cat’s name. Martin rocks back and forth again. He repeats, “Cat. Cat. Cat.” I’m holding my breath by now. The tears are welling up and spilling over. The PhD decides he wants the cat to be named Cat Cat. I jump up and run out. The bathroom is right behind me. I leave all my stuff there. I can make it. I can do this without making a scene. Or not…….
My voice breaks as I really start to cry. I run into a bathroom stall. I have been thrust back in time. It was a true PTSD moment. I had so many memories flood over me. I thought all this was safely filed away in labeled folders to only be opened when I needed some information.
I just wanted to scream at the screen, at everyone. I wanted everyone to see how he was trying. He had an answer, he just couldn’t get it out. I wanted to protect him. I wanted to make them all understand.
I got myself together. I come out of the stall and the UCF genius creator of TeachLivE was standing there. She was alerted to my breakdown. So much for no one noticing my “quiet” exit. She got it. I told her that they didn’t understand, that they weren’t listening. I was completely irrational trying to explain what happened. She got it on every level. Her son has Tourette’s and is now in college. She remembers her son. She knows, she really knows. While we were talking in the bathroom, because where else do you talk at a PhD conference at a University full of conference rooms, another PhD came in to check on me. Once again, my nice quiet exit.
The genius comforts me simply by getting it. She wants me to know how valuable this is.
Session 2-
Now I’m standing in the back as there are no more seats, which may be a better place for me. A PhD came up to me to tell me her future ESE teachers need this. She thanked me over and over. She said her teachers will do what the PhD’s did over and over and ignore the ESE child. She said this is a safe way for them to make mistakes and learn. I know all this, but it doesn’t stop the pain.
As the day goes on several people talk to me to thank me. They are really excited about the possibilities for this avatar and the others. I decide if the prospective teachers can manage even a fraction of the suspension of reality that I felt, it will be amazing. What if even one child can be spared the pain? What if even one parent can be reassured? TeachLivE just continues to change the world.
