A Lesson for a Teacher
A West Virginia Walk Volunteer Explains What Motivates Her to Participate
By Leah Stout
Editor's note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the author exclusively.
A West Virginia Walk Volunteer Explains What Motivates Her to Participate
By Leah Stout
Editor's note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the author exclusively.
As a teacher, I hope to teach my students the components to be successful. But I soon discovered I could learn a lot more from my students. In 2000, a new graduate from West Liberty State College, I became a substitute teacher at Woodsdale Elementary. This is where I learned my first lesson from a very special student with autism.
Jamey Gallaher was a little guy who was the most stylish dresser in the class. He used a talker for communication and was not excited about writing or academics. What Jamey did love were car keys and rewards. I learned to use keys for math and rewards for verbal expression. Jamey responded and he enjoyed showing me his skills in writing his name and using his voice.
To see Jamey now, as a high school student, you would never believe at one time he relied on a communication device. I walk to thank Jamey for teaching me to find the right key to unlock the minds of autism.
Later, I started applying for jobs within Ohio County Schools and received a position as an autism specialist, where I was taught my second lesson in teaching. Matthew Lichwa was a first grader with classic autism and a whole lot of personality. He loved Thomas the Tank Engine, hated coming to school, had trouble controlling his behaviors, and worked hard to please others.
But he was a sweetie underneath the outbursts. So the educational team and his family began the journey of teaching Matthew appropriate behaviors and expanding his social and communication skills. We all worked together and now there is a young man who spoke in two-word phrases telling stories about his weekend. We watch a child who would have to be escorted in to the school building every morning walk in without assistance at all. We hug and shake hands with a student who would take out his aggressions the only way he knew how -- through hitting.
Now I walk to thank Matthew for teaching me to stay on track and to be patient, because staying on board is well worth it to get the results we all desired.
I then continued my education and received a master's in special education and autism. My job consisted of me traveling the county to assist teachers and assistants work with their students with autism. I met a young man in fifth grade and once he got to know me, he wanted to draw me a picture. He loved art and game shows but did not like eye contact or new social situations.
He drew me a picture of Wheel of Fortune, just like you would see on TV. Every detail was drawn in -- each individual light bulb around the puzzle, every triangle on the wheel, every peg to grab, every spoke on the wheel of the prize car -- but one thing was missing. Not one person had a face. Non-verbal expressions were not important to this child. But every little detail that we overlook was vivid in his mind.
His educational team worked hard to prepare him for middle school. They discovered why Zach did not like social situations, we taught him to understand non-verbal communication and to study the details of someone's face. I walk to thank Zach for teaching me to never overlook the details because they may help to uncover the mystery of an individual with autism.
I decided early in my career that I wanted to reach an even larger population of children, which led me to my current position as the special education coordinator for Ohio County Schools. I enjoy this position because I get to work with even more professionals, parents, and students. I still have a connection to the wonderful children with autism I meet and I get to watch the continuous progress they make because of the caring and hard working teachers, therapists, assistants, and most of all, families in the county. I look at my position as a support system for parents and teachers. I am doing my job efficiently if they feel comfortable contacting me to discuss ways to design programming or handle a concern.
I enjoy seeing those children who touched my life in such a positive way growing up into young men and continuing to make strides that will enhance their future. They are all such unique individuals with similarities of us all. They all can light up a room with their smile. They all can express how much they love you in their own way. They all have a sense of humor that shines. They all love to feel special.
Being a new mother, I reflect on the stories that I have heard since becoming involved with the Wheeling, W. Va., walk. The families I have met, the children who have tugged at my heart, and the volunteers who have devoted so much time to making our walk a success are the reasons why I continue to be involved and strive to make improvements along the way.
I listen to the stories and I hear the alarming rate at which autism is striking us and I think about how I would react. I do know that if I was faced with the diagnosis, other walk volunteers are the people I would want to surround myself with. I walk to thank each of you for teaching me to always have a positive outlook on what life serves you and to cherish the moments that you share with your loved ones.
Leah Stout is co-chair for the 2007 Wheeling Walk Now for Autism.
Jamey Gallaher was a little guy who was the most stylish dresser in the class. He used a talker for communication and was not excited about writing or academics. What Jamey did love were car keys and rewards. I learned to use keys for math and rewards for verbal expression. Jamey responded and he enjoyed showing me his skills in writing his name and using his voice.
To see Jamey now, as a high school student, you would never believe at one time he relied on a communication device. I walk to thank Jamey for teaching me to find the right key to unlock the minds of autism.
Later, I started applying for jobs within Ohio County Schools and received a position as an autism specialist, where I was taught my second lesson in teaching. Matthew Lichwa was a first grader with classic autism and a whole lot of personality. He loved Thomas the Tank Engine, hated coming to school, had trouble controlling his behaviors, and worked hard to please others.
But he was a sweetie underneath the outbursts. So the educational team and his family began the journey of teaching Matthew appropriate behaviors and expanding his social and communication skills. We all worked together and now there is a young man who spoke in two-word phrases telling stories about his weekend. We watch a child who would have to be escorted in to the school building every morning walk in without assistance at all. We hug and shake hands with a student who would take out his aggressions the only way he knew how -- through hitting.
Now I walk to thank Matthew for teaching me to stay on track and to be patient, because staying on board is well worth it to get the results we all desired.
I then continued my education and received a master's in special education and autism. My job consisted of me traveling the county to assist teachers and assistants work with their students with autism. I met a young man in fifth grade and once he got to know me, he wanted to draw me a picture. He loved art and game shows but did not like eye contact or new social situations.
He drew me a picture of Wheel of Fortune, just like you would see on TV. Every detail was drawn in -- each individual light bulb around the puzzle, every triangle on the wheel, every peg to grab, every spoke on the wheel of the prize car -- but one thing was missing. Not one person had a face. Non-verbal expressions were not important to this child. But every little detail that we overlook was vivid in his mind.
His educational team worked hard to prepare him for middle school. They discovered why Zach did not like social situations, we taught him to understand non-verbal communication and to study the details of someone's face. I walk to thank Zach for teaching me to never overlook the details because they may help to uncover the mystery of an individual with autism.
I decided early in my career that I wanted to reach an even larger population of children, which led me to my current position as the special education coordinator for Ohio County Schools. I enjoy this position because I get to work with even more professionals, parents, and students. I still have a connection to the wonderful children with autism I meet and I get to watch the continuous progress they make because of the caring and hard working teachers, therapists, assistants, and most of all, families in the county. I look at my position as a support system for parents and teachers. I am doing my job efficiently if they feel comfortable contacting me to discuss ways to design programming or handle a concern.
I enjoy seeing those children who touched my life in such a positive way growing up into young men and continuing to make strides that will enhance their future. They are all such unique individuals with similarities of us all. They all can light up a room with their smile. They all can express how much they love you in their own way. They all have a sense of humor that shines. They all love to feel special.
Being a new mother, I reflect on the stories that I have heard since becoming involved with the Wheeling, W. Va., walk. The families I have met, the children who have tugged at my heart, and the volunteers who have devoted so much time to making our walk a success are the reasons why I continue to be involved and strive to make improvements along the way.
I listen to the stories and I hear the alarming rate at which autism is striking us and I think about how I would react. I do know that if I was faced with the diagnosis, other walk volunteers are the people I would want to surround myself with. I walk to thank each of you for teaching me to always have a positive outlook on what life serves you and to cherish the moments that you share with your loved ones.
Leah Stout is co-chair for the 2007 Wheeling Walk Now for Autism.
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