Tulia Story
Tulia is not your normal teenage girl. Her father left her mother when she was only 5 years old, but Tulia remembers him as if he was still a part of their lives. Tulia father is mentally challenged and he love to start fires and watch items burn to the ground. Sad to say Tulia have the same mental illness. At the tender age of 7 Tulia burnt down her mothers’ lovely home. Since the age of 7, Tulia has burnt down 4 homes and has lived in and out of mental intuitions.
Tulia now lives in an environment of bitterness and hatred. Her mother and stepfather resent her because of all the homes she has burnt down, therefore they have very limited involvement with Tulia and her education. Tulia stays in her room when she is at home.She has a younger sister, but her parent does not allow Tulia to be involved in her life due to her mental illness. Tulia mother wish Tulia could stay in a 4 level group home, but due to the mental health reform, Tulia must come home and receive intense in-home services.
If you meet Tulia you will never know she is mentally challenged, until she zones in and out. Her license counselor believes when she zones in and out, she is fantasizing on the next fire she will begin. Tulia counselor also believes that Tulia burn items to remember her father, because Tulia often complains about her paternal father not been a part of her life.
Due to Tulia mental illness all her assignments at school is individualized. Teachers must follow the guidelines in Tulia IEP (Individualize Educational Plan) written by a team which consist of a school psychologists, mother, stepfather, and social worker which is the law for mentally challenged students in state Tulia lives in. The teachers must use the IEP when they creates assignments for Tulia.
Tulia is placed in regular classes and not special needs classes because she comprehends and does not have a learning disability. As written in her IEP, Tulia teachers must understand that her medication will make her very dizzy, sleepy and she may have behavior problems at times. Tulia teachers must also understand that Tulia parent does not want to be involved in Tulia life.
Tulia strength is her desire to learn. Her dream is to become a teacher and help other students with mental illness like herself. She understand that she have a problem and with the right medication and counseling she will one day overcome her mental illness and will be an asset to her community. Tulia dream is to make her mother proud and love her again.
In my concluding Gardner expresses this in his theory of multiple intelligences. The multiple intelligence theory was developed as a psychological theory. Based on the theory of multiple of intelligences, Tulia is an intrapersonal. She gains her peace of mind from being along, but Tulia should never belong because she might commit suicide.
If there a person in your family that is mentally challenge, please do not push them away because they need love and understanding!
References
Howard Gardner (1983).The Frame of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences.
Basic Books (237-239)
Gardner, H. (1991). Intelligence in seven steps. New Horizons for Learning. (Web)
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