May 1st was a holiday in my youth, but some of its importance faded due to many factors. It was coordinated, colorful, and a great way to start spring. In one of my teaching jobs, it all started again for me with something simple: the Maypole dance. We started indoors when the weather was so cold, and then moved outside in March so that we could use a real pole and longer ribbons. It took long ribbons to include the space needed for the three wheelchair children.
When I was teaching, we used structured activities like that dance to bring children together. It was more complex than it looked—requiring timing, cooperation, and awareness of others. But it gave every child a place in something shared.
Through that structure, something important happened. Children who might otherwise have been left out were fully included. Other students began to see them differently—not as separate, but as partners. Friendships formed in a very natural way.
Over time, that experience grew into other opportunities. We included wheelchair students in group dances, and even connected with older students and community activities. I saw firsthand how structured inclusion can change attitudes, reduce distance between children, and help them understand each other in a real and lasting way.
I have to admit I miss those kinds of experiences now. Many of these activities have faded from schools over time. Some of it is due to changing priorities, tighter schedules, and limited resources. And I do think that as funding and support for these kinds of programs has decreased, so have the opportunities for this kind of shared learning.
What remains important to me is this: children of all abilities have the same hopes and potential. They simply may reach them in different ways. And when they are given the chance to work, play, and create together, they often discover far more in each other than anyone expected.
The world changed for a while in the direction of greater inclusion and shared experience. I hope we don’t lose too much of that as time goes on.
If this little memory touched your heart, please like, comment, and share. It helps so much more than you know.
You can find my books here:
https://www.amazon.com/author/kaiserlegacy
Thank you for reading and walking back through memory with me.
From My Heart to Yours as this is the first sign of spring
Marlene Z Kaiser
Leave a comment