“One Child” written by Torey Hayden is a wonderful book but reading it comes with tears and anger felt by the reader. One Child follows the true story of a child named Shelia. Shelia was six when she came into Torey’s life, and she was a very disturbed little girl. She tied a three-year old boy to a tree and set him on fire before coming into Torey’s life. Torey was a Special Education teacher for students with quite severe disabilities when this book was written.
Shelia was supposed to end up in a mental hospital but ends up in Torey’s classroom instead. When she first arrived, she was nonverbal. Torey used her patient, caring and compassionate personality to teach Sheila verbal skills although it didn’t come without challenges. Although Torey learned that Shelia is very intelligent and tests off the charts compared to her same age peers, her social and behavioral struggles are what kept her in Torey’s classroom. One time during the novel, Shelia takes the Goldfish from the fish tank and pokes their eyes out with a pencil. Despite the many naughty acts that Shelia was involved in, Tory remains calm and continues to teach Shelia what is and isn’t appropriate.
Also, throughout the novel, the reader will learn what horrifying things Shelia has encountered in her personal life at such a young age. The reader will understand where Shelia comes from and her behavior will make a little more. Torey Hayden is an exceptional woman and most certainly saved Shelia’s life and the lives of other students as well in her many other true books she has written about her students.
As a Special Education teacher, this book really hit home for me. Some of things that happened to Shelia really upset me. It is still hard to realize how terrible this world can be sometimes and how teachers can be a child’s saving grace. I absolutely give this book 5/5 stars. It is a must read for high school or beyond but be sure to have the tissues ready!
Shelia was supposed to end up in a mental hospital but ends up in Torey’s classroom instead. When she first arrived, she was nonverbal. Torey used her patient, caring and compassionate personality to teach Sheila verbal skills although it didn’t come without challenges. Although Torey learned that Shelia is very intelligent and tests off the charts compared to her same age peers, her social and behavioral struggles are what kept her in Torey’s classroom. One time during the novel, Shelia takes the Goldfish from the fish tank and pokes their eyes out with a pencil. Despite the many naughty acts that Shelia was involved in, Tory remains calm and continues to teach Shelia what is and isn’t appropriate.
Also, throughout the novel, the reader will learn what horrifying things Shelia has encountered in her personal life at such a young age. The reader will understand where Shelia comes from and her behavior will make a little more. Torey Hayden is an exceptional woman and most certainly saved Shelia’s life and the lives of other students as well in her many other true books she has written about her students.
As a Special Education teacher, this book really hit home for me. Some of things that happened to Shelia really upset me. It is still hard to realize how terrible this world can be sometimes and how teachers can be a child’s saving grace. I absolutely give this book 5/5 stars. It is a must read for high school or beyond but be sure to have the tissues ready!