The Story of Dr. O's Spunky Super Heroes
The soaring swallow is Dr. O's symbol of resilience.
Special education, learning disabiliites, academic struggles, the test accommodations process, or the diagnostic assessment process can often leave parents or students feeling as if learning differences are highlighted to such an extreme, that the amazing gifts and talents each of us possess are overlooked. Dr. O's Spunky Super Heroes were created by helping individuals with learning differences to see that much like a super hero, we all have wounds and we all have super hero strengths too. It is these strengths that help us offset our learning differences and allow us to create a succesful path into adulthood. Dr. O originally intended for the Heroes to be only for her students, and she would hang a small note around a Super Hero Thinker listing a few of a student's strengths. She would tell them to keep their Hero by their study spot and never lose sight of their gifts. Pretty soon there was a need to recognize parents who work hard to keep the spirit of effort alive in their children and who nuture their strengths and gifts despite academic challenges (Super Hero Parent); Shortly, during a professional development workshop, it became clear that the abundance of teachers who instill resilience, hope and teach their students what they do well everyday, needed a super hero too; the Super Hero Teacher was born! Working side by side with the outrageously awesome professionals in her world, it was then apparent a Super Hero Detective was required: a special super hero for doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors and researchers who work to uncover their client's gifts. The soaring swallow on the front of each Super Hero is Dr. O's symbol of resilience. In the true spirit of resilience, Dr. O's Spunky Super Heroes are handcrafted by villagers in Thailand under the auspices of the Good Shepherd Sisters. Absolutely 100% of the cost of each Super Hero goes directly to programs for villagers living with HIV/AIDS and children with disabilities.
Interested in a Spunky Super Hero?
These Super Heroes seem to have taken on a life of their own! If you are interested in acquiring one or more for a friend, student, colleague or to honor your staff as part of a professional development workshop, please send me a note through my Contact Me page. Each Super Hero is hand made with materials easily accessible to the villagers in Nongkhai who are working under the ausipices of the Good Shepherd Sisters. The clothes are delicately made from beautiful handcrafted paper. Each Hero is available in shorts or a skirt. Colors are sometimes selectable, but each is gently packaged with the label seen below. The cost is $12 each. Discounts are available for larger quantities and ALL proceeds go to individuals with medical and learning disabilities through the Hands of Hope foundation.
