Fresh out of college, with a degree in Speech Pathology, I landed my first real job. It was as a teacher to a special needs population of students. I was asked to participate in a revolutionary early intervention educational program for kids with severe communication problems. Little did I know that this extraordinary year would entirely transform me and my understanding of the world.

What I learned is that each of us has our own way of communicating, our own way of reaching others. But we can only do this if we’re invited into a community of genuine love and listening.

Solitary Genius is my recollection of this remarkable year. I met and fell in love with a group of children (all of whom were entering school for the first time) of undeniable intelligence who simply needed a different kind of educational support to be heard and to succeed. What they needed—and what I provided—was teaching from the heart. As these children blossomed, so did I. This is the story of helping a group of silent, solitary geniuses find their way into the larger world. As I did this, I also found myself.

Mo Marshall grew up in New Jersey, the fourth of ten children. She graduated in 1997 from Loyola College having studied Speech Pathology. After teaching in Maryland, she moved to New York and worked in entertainment, real estate, interior design, and finance. She lives in Manhattan and is working on her next book.