Fabulous Morning Today, as a Guest Speaker, at St. John XXIII Catholic Elementary School
Endearing students and staff at St. John XXIII Catholic Elementary School in Mississauga, made my visit as a Guest Speaker, a fabulous one. I presented on the Relationship with Self and the Virtue of Love to all students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade Eight.
Mr. Mifsud had the gymnasium all set up for me when I arrived. With ongoing kind professional assistance, he was able to tweak the technology for optimal output too. Special thanks to Ms. Herceg for all her lovely support in the gymnasium too.
I am truly grateful to Mr. Carey, Principal, and Ms. Zucchet for inviting me to speak to these terrific students. They were a most gracious audience. Thanks to the help from the school’s awesome teachers, Exit Tickets and pencils were distributed amongst the students from grade three to eight, following the presentation. While students reflected, many enthusiastically raised their hands to ask me questions. I was more than delighted to answer them. On behalf of an appreciative school, I was eloquently thanked for my presentation by a couple of students.
Before the students left the gymnasium, completed Exit Tickets were kindly gathered by these same helpful teachers.
Below are excerpts from some of these Exit Tickets:
Today I heard/saw… “A beautiful presentation by Giselle.”
This made me think… “Everyone should be treated the same even though their different”
Now, I wonder… “Why we are the way we are.”
Today I heard/saw… “A sweet, loving, caring person.”
This made me think… “That I should love myself more …”
Now, I wonder… “Can bullying stop?????”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle’s perspective of how she went through hard obstacles in her life and how she’s able to go through it up until today.”
Now, I wonder… “How will I be able to accept the way I look and how to love myself for it.”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard that everyone is different and it’s not a bad thing.”
This made me think… “Why are people rude to others.”
Now, I wonder… “if I have been judged by someone.”
Today I heard/saw… “Today I saw that Giselle has a twin brother”
This made me think… “This made me think that everybody is different and not the same.”
Now, I wonder… “how would it be to be like Giselle”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard about hope.”
This made me think… “more about hope and love”
Now, I wonder… “What I can do to help people with hope.”
Today I heard/saw… “an inspiring presentation by Giselle Gaylie”
This made me think… “about the gifts and opportunities God has given me.”
Now, I wonder… “how I can make a difference to other people”
Today I heard/saw… “a committed public speaker”
This made me think… “that anyone can do anything”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard that you should be yourself. (Awesome Presentation)”
This made me think… “This made me think we are all special”
Now, I wonder… “If I could be just like you, and accept who I am”
Today I heard/saw… “A presentation about Giselle and how she faced her obstacles”
This made me think… “that anything can be achieved by anyone.”
Now, I wonder… “if I can make someone’s life a better and greater life.”
Today I heard/saw… “That even if you feel bad about yourself never let anyone bring you down.”
This made me think… “That anyone could do anything as long as they tried their best.”
Now, I wonder… “If Giselle could get through negative comments can everyone else do the same.”
Today I heard/saw… “about how people are different”
This made me think… “of how we can be positive and accept challenges”
Now, I wonder… “Can everyone be positive and be kind?”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle’s presentation about SELF and the virtue of love”
This made me think… “about how we could pass obstacles that God gave us like Giselle.”
Now, I wonder… “How Giselle is able to overcome challenges”
Today I heard/saw… “about Giselle’s struggles and how she overcomes them”
This made me think… “about how interesting technology has advanced”
Now, I wonder… “how Giselle gets around and how she moves and how she eats”
Today I heard/saw… “how Giselle lives and what she does.”
This made me think… “how we are all special and unique.”
Now, I wonder… “why God created us the way we are.”
Today I heard/saw… “How Giselle talk about how you should think that you can do anything”
This made me think… “That even though I think I can’t do something, now I know that I can and that I can try”
Now, I wonder… “If I can help people who need help.”
Today I heard/saw… “How important it is to love yourself and have self confidence”
This made me think… “of how blessed we are and how fortunate we are that we don’t go through a hard time like she did (speaker)”
Now, I wonder… “How I could gain self-confidence and how I could learn to love myself and see the good things in life like she did”
Today I heard/saw… “About how the speaker’s life is love and how she used love to get through it.”
This made me think… “About how my life is and how many other one not as fortunate as me.”
Now, I wonder… “How people face their different challenges and how it feels to have love in their life”
Today I heard/saw… “the wonderful stories of Giselle and how she dealt with obstacles”
This made me think… “This made me think how hard life is for people with disabilities”
Now, I wonder… “why some people can judge others with disabilities”
Today I heard/saw… “a powerful presentation”
This made me think… “that I should never take my life for granted”
Now, I wonder… “how I can make a difference”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle’s life story”
This made me think… “that I should be more thankful for what I have”
Now, I wonder… “If I will make better decisions in the future and appreciate everything I have.”
Today I heard/saw… “About Giselle’s life and how she was growing up”
This made me think… “About how much I take for granted and that I should be thankful for everything”
Now, I wonder… “how many people have Cerebral Palsy and if they had the help Giselle had.”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle Gaylie’s challenges throughout her life”
This made me think… “about how lucky I am and grateful for how I could do anything”
Now, I wonder… “how someone like me could help others make a difference like Giselle did”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle is a good person and so smart”
This made me think… “the people need to be more happy”
Now, I wonder… “Be more happy with my life”
Today I heard/saw… “Today I heard that Giselle is a nice, thoughtful, unique person.”
This made me think… “Today this made me think I should be thankful.”
Now, I wonder… “Now I wonder how it’s like to be a good person like Giselle.”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle present about her feelings on how she can’t speak and her challenges”
This made me think… “about how my problems aren’t true problems like Giselle”
Now, I wonder… “how I can develop the virtue of love and self”
Today I heard/saw… “A very powerful presentation that was very touching.”
This made me think… “This made me think that I should really appreciate what I have.”
Now, I wonder… “Now I wonder how I can make a difference.”
Today I heard/saw… “How one person can impact a group of people, no matter how different they are.”
This made me think… “That everyone has a purpose even if they don’t know it.”
Now, I wonder… “If the people who saw this presentation know they have a purpose”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard that Giselle doesn’t let negative comments get to her”
This made me think… “This made me think about how everybody is unique.”
Now, I wonder… “I wonder how long she had to face what she is going through”
Today I heard/saw… “that Giselle has a twin brother.”
This made me think… “how much time does she spend with her brother?”
Today I heard/saw… “how it would be like being Giselle?”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle Gaylie About her journey and learned new things and respect others”
This made me think… “Everyone’s different”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle teach us about how special we are.”
This made me think… “That am very special and different.”
Now, I wonder… “how long it takes her to communicate with her computer.”
Today I heard/saw… “that God will always be with us and to always have faith”
This made me think… “I think Giselle is a positive person”
Now, I wonder… “was Giselle bullied”
Today I heard/saw… “That you have to be selfless and kind all the time”
This made me think… “If everyone was kind, what will happen?”
Now, I wonder… “How would you change the world”
Today I heard/saw… “God never makes mistakes.”
This made me think… “why does God give some of us disabilities?”
Now, I wonder… “does God do this for a reason?”
Today I heard/saw… “be your self and no one is perfect”
This made me think… “Just be happy you are made by God”
Now, I wonder… “Everyone is different in their different way”
Today I heard/saw… “that no one is the same”
This made me think… “to never judge anyone that’s different”
Now, I wonder… “What will it be like if everybody was kind 😊”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard that it is ok to be different.”
This made me think… “Just because you are different doesn’t mean you cannot be normal”
Now, I wonder… “what would it be like if you were to talk”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard that love is very important.”
This made me think… “I think everyone should be loved even if they have a disability”
Now, I wonder… “I wonder if I can love more?”
Today I heard/saw… “That everyone is different”
This made me think… “People are special in every way.”
Now, I wonder… “What are your challenges? God Bless You.”
Today I heard/saw… “that everyone is different just the way you are”
This made me think… “never judge a book by its cover”
Now, I wonder… “how did you learn at school?”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle Gaylie”
This made me think… “We should love each other”
Now, I wonder… “Why do we have disabilities sometimes?”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle’s life”
This made me think… “that everyone is unique”
Now, I wonder… “How does Giselle learn in school”
Today I heard/saw… “That you should not take in what other people say.”
This made me think… “That challenges are really gifts from God.”
Today I heard/saw… “That I should listen and respect other people”
This made me think… “That I should do what I heard”
Now, I wonder… “If I can help anyone.”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle’s life”
This made me think… “That I can do anything”
Now, I wonder… “Is anything possible?”
Today I heard/saw… “I heard Giselle’s life story”
This made me think… “of when my mom loves me so much”
Now, I wonder… “If Giselle had a happy life”
Today I heard/saw… “Giselle Gaylie talk about herself.”
This made me think… “How to be a better person”
Now, I wonder… “How do I become better than I already am.”
Exit Sheets (one per class) from Junior Kindergarten to Grade Two were collected at a later date and their class’ reflections are noted below (in no particular order):
Today I heard/saw… “-I saw a person in a wheelchair -She did not talk -She used a computer to talk and speakers for people to hear -Do your best at everything you do and ask for”
This made me think… “-Every one is different -Every one is created by Jesus – We need to love ourself -We should love Jesus / God – We are all unique”
Now, I wonder… “-Do you go to the mall? -Do you work?”
Today I heard/saw… “We saw a lot of people helping Giselle. We saw a happy family.”
This made me think… “Giselle is lucky to have a loving family and we are lucky to have loving families.”
Now, I wonder… “What kind of great things Giselle will do next.”
Today I heard/saw… “-a very special person who helps people think about others”
This made me think… “-of the virtues we learn about (hope, kindness, love etc) -of Jesus (Jesus is a teacher just like Giselle)”
Now, I wonder… “-if we can follow Giselle’s example and help people to follow our virtues”
Today I heard/saw… “ * people helping Giselle play sports *Dad helping her walk *Heard her special computer *Graduation *Heard information about C.P.”
This made me think… “ * of another public speaker * not to bully other * how hard is it to be in a wheelchair?”
Now, I wonder… “ * how do you know when Giselle is awake? * Where did you get the device that helps you talk? * Is it hard to walk during therapy?”
An inspired audience is a blessing and I feel honoured to have had this opportunity today. Thanks to all the friendly staff, and students, who made me feel so warmly welcomed.
