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Ashamed and Happy to be Wrong – An Update – She’s Worth It – Part 2

Hello all,

In the beginning of the year, I uploaded a post called, “She’s Worth It.”

It was about my experience with a student in my class who has been diagnosed with Autism. Last year, she was violent, verbally abusive, and often had the entire office staff chasing after her around the campus. It made for a very frustrating year for her teachers and the administration.

This year, she was enrolled in my class.

When the year started, she was beginning to demonstrate behaviors that began to worry me about what kind of year this was going to be.

The district paid for an outside company to come and work with the student, and this company provided this student with a full-time aide.

I have to be honest. I didn’t think that there was too much that anybody could do other than to serve as security for when the student got violent. I know that’s bad, but I’m being honest.

After a year of having this student in my class, however, I am ashamed and happy to say that I was wrong.

This student has been amazing.  There have been no violent outbursts. There have been no negative behaviors at all. It’s like she is a totally different student. 

Whatever this outside company did has turned an angry, violent, confused, hurting little girl into a happy, smiling, outgoing student.

I am amazed.

I’m sure the family is happy also.

I wish I could tell you exactly what this company did to effect this change, but I can’t. There was no magic treatment that changed things around.

I did observe, however, that the aide was always close by to offer help and to prevent any negative behaviors from growing out of control.

I also observed a sincere concern for the well-being of the student. The aide really cared for her, and the student responded by following her instructions – Which brings me back to my first post: She’s Worth It:  Please check it out here.

Thanks,

Sam

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