A standout in educating our differently able youth Dionne McKenzie is a ‘Special Person’

Jan 24, 2010 News

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“I even have learnt to baby talk and pretend that I’m a child just so I can get through to these special children who have become like my own, but this is all part of the process of reaching and teaching them and letting them know that somebody cares.”

(By Mondale Smith)

Providing care, extra attention and educating about 221 of the nation’s deaf and mentally challenged children under one roof, is a challenging occupation. Those with the experience have opined that tending to each of these students is equivalent to taking care of five ‘normal’ children. But while some only talk of assisting, this week’s ‘Special Person’, educator Dionne June McKenzie, has taken the bull by the horns.
After teaching for 19 years, two years ago, the mother of one, in search of a more challenging pursuit became the Head Mistress of the David Rose Special School for the Handicapped.
At the institution, like her staff she plays the role of mother, teacher, counselor and baby sitter, and in some instances she has to administer medication when parents cannot be there to do so.
With the help of her staff, life is forever altered in the interest of a large fraction of the nation’s young and differently-able, and amongst her personal goals is to see the end to discrimination against a special group of human beings whom she has grown to love unconditionally.
This woman of substance reckons that she has about 14 more years before retiring from the school system and her ambitions are many to reach the greatest heights.
Ms. McKenzie recalled that after being appointed to the head teacher’s post of the institution she got dressed for the first day on the job and was all excited to report for duty.
The now paved road to the school was mostly slush mud but that did not dampen her spirit. “After skipping a few puddles, I made it to the gate of the school and there I was greeted by a male student in the not so usual manner.”

The burly youngster almost knocked her off her feet with excitement. The new ‘visitor’ to the institution would quickly become cognizant of the fact that it was his routine to wait and greet strangers.
One could but imagine the thoughts that initially ran through the mind of the smartly dressed woman who was a bit shaken. She did not know that his disability caused him to have little control over his muscles, and she fondly recounted, “If I did not brace myself we both would have fallen flat in the mud”. Later she found out that all he wanted was to give her a welcome hug but that was just the beginning of her greeting.
The rest of the day was anything but what she had come to expect from her almost two decades of teaching experiences in the regular school system. Though she always thought of herself as normal, she laughed when recalling that one of her new charges referred to her as a monkey.
Sitting in her office at the institution the amiable woman said “I don’t regret doing this job now but on that first day I admit that I questioned what I had done to myself.”
Ms. McKenzie had no major formal training in sign language, except for a three-month course and from books that she had read, so the first few days seemed “worse than hell” to adjust to the intense activities of the deaf and the mentally challenged students.
But after meeting with and accepting the counsel of Paulette Charles, a former head teacher, she learnt how to deal with the children and to make them comfortable. Since then she has won the hearts of the children who frequent her office because in many cases they “just want to say hello”.
“I do not regret taking on this challenge. It has helped me greatly with my patience and also caused me to understand the struggles that the differently-able and their relatives endure daily.”
The five-day work week of Ms McKenzie and her all-female staff, entails tending to the physical, emotional, mental and educational needs of students who are in need of special attention and this proves quite a task, particularly when some of the students do not get their medication.
“Some become enraged and start throwing things and running all over the place, and some even attempt to run onto the roadway when we take our eyes off them for even the briefest period.” There was one case of her having to abandon this interview to go after one student who had exited the gate and was headed up the road. “We have to go after them but we understand that all they need is love, some extra attention and care,” she said.
Her job has caused her to view life differently too. Some of her routine days of teaching include sitting on the floor playing with toys and talking to the imaginary friends of teenagers, whose abilities have only developed to that of a four-year-old child in some cases.
“I even have learnt to baby talk and pretend that I’m a child just so I can get through to these special children who have become like my own, but this is all part of the process of reaching and teaching them and letting them know that somebody cares,” she said.
However, she also spoke of the abuse the children face at the hands of the regular children because of their disability and says she longs for the day when legislation will be implemented to stop discrimination against the differently able. “This legislation to me would also help these children to get better treatment and education too,” she said emphatically.
Ms. Mckenzie said because of the blatant discrimination, some days a person caring for the children can become frustrated and not know what to do next to help the children, and then there is the challenge of helping the parents through their many issues too.
“Some (parents) have come in so frustrated by the discrimination meted out to their differently-able child and they cry and talk of suicide and ending the lives of their child too. This really hurts me but while I don’t cry easily I have the job of talking them out of such moods. Sometimes talking to the parents takes all day but I don’t mind because I have come to believe that all persons are created with different abilities,” the educator stressed.
After counseling ends, she spends extra hours looking after her administrative duties.
Dionne June Mckenzie was born and raised in Agricola and as the eldest of seven siblings she often played the role of mother. While she started out as a student teacher fresh out of school, she now holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Guyana. She enjoys long walks and occasionally lets her hair down at the Kitty seawall in the Atlantic Breeze during some much needed downtime. She currently resides in West La Penitence
Ms. McKenzie sees herself as just a regular woman but deeper than that her humble persona may have come from being instilled with strong Christian values, most of which she still applies to her family life even today. She respects as any other adult equally, as well as the spiritual and moral values of all other religions.
Not much of a politician, she avoids the subjects that lead along that line, but passes for a balanced individual in relating that “everyone has good and bad ideas and concepts”.
Above all of these, her heart however bleeds for the differently-able and the continuous discrimination they face, especially the lovable children. With a straight face that moves from being composed to one of conviction she is adamant that “It’s time the Disability Bill is passed! They are not disabled they are differently-able and they too have rights and should enjoy certain freedoms.”
TOPICS OF INTEREST
Not one to hold back on her thoughts she opined that the President’s aim to promote a Low Carbon Development Strategy is noble but carefully noted that sometimes the smaller things, even though related, are overlooked. “Promoting the LCDS and having the city’s dumpsite in flames, emitting carbon dioxide that stretches to region three, is contradictory. I know many persons would agree with that. Charity begins at home.”
Addressing women and young mothers she said that they should see the need for higher education as it makes one more marketable and ultimately independent. Ms. McKenzie was married for 13 years and having enjoyed the ‘best and worst of times’ in that relationship, she cautions that if love causes you pain continuously, leave it alone.
One who likes to look and feel healthy, she said exercising at least three times weekly has helped her immensely and she recommends it to all women. She also advises that women should not just seek to live longer but seek to live happier, healthier, and work assiduously to make each day count.
“You want to be healthy enough to baby-sit your grandchildren, don’t you,” she said with a smile, adding
“Avoid activities that will harm you, like smoking, excessive drinking and reckless driving.”
Her only daughter Martina describes her mother as one who does not complain all the time, and a down-to-earth, understanding, super-cool lady who would give her last to ensure that the less fortunate and underprivileged are comfortable. She also revealed that her mother, despite her busy schedule, is a friend who believes in education and has on many occasions sacrificed her last few dollars and walked to school so that she can be there for the children, her children.

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