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Anne Sullivan: The Teacher of Helen Keller Essay

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Anne Sullivan was born April,14 1866 in Massachusetts. Her parents were Thomas and Alice Sullivan. Also, she had a little brother JImmie. Her parents who were originally from Ireland, made there way to the U.S during the Great Famine. Anne was only 8 years old when her mother contracted the virus Tuberculosis, and later died. Her father, being heart broke by Alice's death, sent both of his children to live in Tewsbury at an Almshouse. The Almshouse want the best place to live. It was overcrowded and had over 940 people living there at one time. Being chronically underfunded, Anne didnt like living there much, but it was really the only place she knew as home. She had dreamed of getting out, and going to School. On October 7, 1880, Anne …show more content…

They would do vocabulary words and then start a formal lesson. Helen had her baby cousin over one day, Anne noticed right off the bat how how he learned language by being spoken to. And by people talking to her constantly by fingerspelling everything they were saying into his hand. Anne got to thinking and decided maybe trying something different with Helen would be good for her. Within 6 months of using this new method, Helen learned 575 new words. After awhile, Anne decided it would broaden her teaching methods to enroll Helen at Perkins School for the Blind. And a few months later, thats exactly what she did. Not long after she regretted her decsion to enroll Helen there. She thought the resources at Perkins were really helpful, but didnt like her loss of independence with Helen like she did before. She wasnt able to work with Helen when she wanted to, but had to go by the school's schedule. So Anne came up with an idea. She took it to the head school board member Director Anagnos, and purposed the idea that Keller and Sullivan sometimes live at the school, and then stay some in Alabama. That a way she would be able to work with Helen, and Helen still be able to do her school work for Perkins. Helen Keller graduated from Perkins School for the Deaf and Blind. Anne Couldnt of been more proud of her. In 1956, Anne and Helen went back to the Perkins campus to participate in the dedication ceremonies

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