Liberty and responsibility in connection with school? Two concepts, which are divided one of each other. Is there any connection between them? Are they needed for life? Inevitable? Can we acquire them? Can we rate them? Are they measureable? I understand liberty as a disposition of my unique personality to decide what to do or not, to decide in relation to someone or something. However, liberty includes big committee in itself- the committee that I´ll take full responsibility for my opinions and specific decisions made by the same and still unique personality. Committee to take all responsibility and consequences in case of fault or fail. From the other angle of view, I sense liberty as a lack of forcing. The ability to decide independently and freely is preceded by very long process which includes huge number of little steps. I live for 17 years, and I realize a few of them.
I – as everyone of us- have been from my very early childhood influenced by someone or something, by the environment, that enclosed me. I cannot remember hospital as my very first home for a longer period, but my primal memories belong to my family. Here it is, where my formation process of the Human- social being – has begun. This human being should be conscious of the consequences of its doing. Just in the environment of love and acceptation I should face the first challenges. I had to learn to respect for parents, coexistence with sibs, and mainly, that there won´t be everything as I dreamed about. I had had to adjust the circumstances – that often has been really challenging.
Other important steps on my way to freedom and responsibility led to private kindergarden Lienka in Smolenice. It was quite challenging, but also very important objective for the pedagogues to face my bold personality, to form me. Beside many other situations I have been every single day dependent on help of teachers to overcome huge number of stairs. Not everyone has been able or willing to help me. My teacher’s willingness to get through these barriers with me, again and again, has shown me there are problems to be overcame. Sometime later I still appreciate their access even more and more. In spite it was no piece of cake for them at all, nor it was pleasing. That time I mainly enjoyed the kindergarten, but I have also received something what left deep mark inside me. When my early years had gone, I have joined primary school. There have been new challenges, new mates and even more stairs awaiting me. Altogether with curriculum I have acquired many competences. Even in that time I could make many decisions freely because my vicinity always asked and often accepted my opinion. Furthermore, it offered me to look further and made me grow personally. For example, in the second class my teacher provided me discreet option to explain my bad feelings and regarding behaviour. This small and tricky step taught me to work on my behaviour. After four years passed on this school, I have continued my studies on the 8-year form of gymnasium in Trnava. Day by day I have had to wake up earlier, travel to and come back from school, where I have often been on my own, because my parents were at work. During my childhood I have regularly exchanged school desk for hospital bed or doctor´s ambulance. Omnipresent stairs became second-league problem. Many of unforeseeable happenings gave me a lesson of deliberation´s and patience´s importance in complex solution of the issues that have always exceeded problems of my mates. My very important experience is, that I sometime must ask for help, provide the helper with needed instructions, and accept the help, also not optimal one. Something what is not rated but inevitable for life.
I have been spending my time with my hobbies too. I love travelling, photos shooting and meeting new people. Along the way I use to observe people behaviour and its consequences. One of the things I have noticed is that the easier way is often not the better one. I try to adjust my acts to this. A few years ago, I have taken up strengthening and doing sport. It is not easy and not ever I want to continue, sometimes I just desire to let it go. In the cases I most often think about my primary motivation and start considering the various benefits. I realize it contributes to my will building. Beside sport and strengthening I like foreign languages. Developing in this area has brought me more benefits than difficulties. I have many friends abroad that I can communicate with using technical means. Due to language abilities, I can also share my opinions, my feelings with them. Meeting youngsters and adults with disabilities has taught me that my skills, impressions, and experiences can serve and being helpful to others. I have chosen volunteering in the 3rd sector. I have efforted to take active role in international workshop “ABC of self-advocacy”. I could barely imagine what it was going to take for me. I have decided to engage in advocating of rights of people with disabilities. This act allowed me to speak on international forums that we cannot rate with mark, but they meant a lot for me. Thanks to school I could present my knowledge and experience from the area of rights of people with disabilities fluently in English. I could be equal discusser for many people from various Europe countries. I have done next step to the topic I want to study and be in charge with, in my future.
My family accepted me as I am and helped me to start off the way to freedom. I really appreciate ability to educate. Time spent in school and outside taught me a lot and tried my competence to decide. The most helpful were people, who had free mind. I am persuaded that we learn to free and responsible decision-making life-long.
Мore stories about the challenges in education and inclusion of students and children with spina bifida and hydrocephalus are coming soon in a special edition Multi-IN “The Path to Inclusion”