Every Child Is Special Every Child Is Special is a story about a 9 year old boy named Ishaan who cannot

read and write properly. He always fails his tests and did not seem to have done anything right at all. Because of these, his classmates always tease him, his teachers always complain about his grades, and his neighbors also complain about his attitude. Ishaans new art teacher, Mr. Ram Shankar Nikumbh who had seen Ishaans potential after identifying his problem managed to talk to Ishaans parents and patiently taught Ishaan how to write and read properly and explored his talent in painting. I was particularly touched by teacher Rams special sacrifices in helping Ishaan. He went out of his way to help him become a happy child again. If all teachers can be self-sacrificing like him, many children with problems like Ishaan could be helped. My big salute to teacher Ram! Ishaans parents were so obsessed in raising top, excelling children that they failed to see the other side of their childrens persona. Although they did not have the knowledge of what was going on with Ishaan, they were insensitive to his real needs. They misinterpreted his inability to perform well in class as indolence and malingering. It was teacher Ram, because he had worked with special children and was a dyslexic, himself, who had opened the hearts and minds of

Ishaans teachers, classmates and friends, and even that of his parents. The story tells us that there is always something good in the worse of a person. Sometimes, we just have to open our hearts so we can see properly what the real problem is, and accept, and believe that change is possible. It also tells us that if we fail in one task, it is not the end of everything. We may not excel in one field, but we may in another. Each of us is special. Every child is special.