I must also be prepared in handling cases like her, which I will soon encounter as a teacher.Ībeel inspires people with learning disabilities like her, as well as people without these problems.Īs a person, I can relate to her desire of attaining her highest potential, however challenging it might be. As a teacher, I should be able to encourage her, so that she will not lose hope in herself. Abeel’s story sensitizes me to the unique difficulties of her learning condition. The meaning of self-actualization depends on their dreams and goals in life. Instead, people should manage to use them as learning experiences and sources of strength.Ībeel helps me become a better teacher in the classroom by encouraging me to improve my skills and knowledge, so that I can support students like her.Īs a future teacher, I want to help both gifted and learning disabled students to attain their self-actualization. Like Abeel, it is important to not be stunted by life’s challenges.

Before, I used to be very shy, but because of my family’s support and after finding good friends, I learned to enhance my social skills. I can relate to her feelings of social detachment. I am impressed that she does not let her disability become her personality. Writing provides her an outlet for her genius and anxieties. I find it very meaningful that despite being diagnosed with dyscalculia, Abeel manages to find inspiration through her creative talent and the support of her school and teachers. I can relate to her difficulties of feeling isolated, while striving to attain self-actualization furthermore, Abeel helps me become a more sensitive and responsive teacher in the classroom.Ībeel is a gifted student, but because of her learning disability, she is filled with panic and anxiety but through her determination and social support, she deals with her feelings of isolation. I expected to be able to relate to Abeel and her personal struggles, because we all have feelings of helplessness every now and then in our lives.

“My Thirteenth Winter” by Samantha Abeel (2003) helps readers understand what people like her go through every day as a person and as a student. To be gifted and learning disabled at the same time must be very difficult for the affected individuals, as well as their parents and educators. Challenges in the Path to Self-Actualization

My Thirteenth Winter by Samantha Abeel