Audra was not what you would call an enthusiastic student. I imagine most of her frustration and dislike for school came from not being understood and overlooked.

Often people didn't understand that she was "in there" and just assumed her sounds were meaningless, when in fact she was often trying to tell the teacher that she knew the answer!

Is it any wonder then that she preferred to be home with those who understood her then at school, where she was mostly bored.

It was a wonderful teacher named Bill, who changed her attitude about school ( but it didn't go down without a fight)

Audra started in Bill's class the fall of 1992 everyones expectations of her had been low, so when she got to his class and found that he actually expected her to do something worthwhile (like learn) she was not exactly happy. "Won't do it Can't make me" was her motto for the year!

Because this teacher had a disability of his own he didn't pity the kids in his class (like so many others) but rather expected them to do what they could ( a new concept for Audra when it came to school) So when he told her to do her work and she wouldn't she got sent outside to time out. Now this teacher was a bit of a yeller, but Audra was pretty used to that (our house was never quiet) and so she wasn't fazed by Bill yelling at her, as I was soon to know.

Audra had a kid on her bus who had MD, so everyday I would check in with him. "How did Audra's day go?" he replied "You should have heard Mr. S. yelling at her" Oh God I thought, and what was Audra doing? (I imagined her in tears) "She was yelling right back at him". "Oh God, I thought"

Her first IEP for Bill's class I was taken aside by him ahead of time. "I want you to know that the first 6 months are really bad" Okay I said, "No, he said I mean really bad!

So at the meeting the first 6 months report was filled with things like. "Audra is rude, she doesn't show respect, she doesn't co-operate, she doesn't do her work . " It was one of those times as a mom that I just wanted to melt down out of my seat and disappear under the table.

The good part was that with Bill, (after 6 months) Audra's attitude about school turned around completely, she no longer hated school, was making A's in many of her classes and was treated just like the rest of her classmates.

I don't know if Audra was ever one of Bill's favorite kids (I think she kind of got off to a rocky start with him) but he certainly was one of her favorite teachers and mine.

I am grateful for all that Bill did for Audra, her classroom aids and her augmenative communication aid. Without them she never would have had such a great last year of school!

Thank you Bill for not kicking her out of your class and if it means anything "I'm sorry"