Oklahoma Autism Center Summer Internships: Having the Right Tool in Your Toolbag

Posted Date: 07/11/2022

My family has a history of buying, remodeling, and/or restoring houses. We like to do
those things and improve the properties. We love to use the skills that we have learned in our
high school industrial arts classes and the tools that we have bought over the years. Willis
Colson was my industrial arts teacher, and he was a fantastic teacher. Those classes were
more than rewarding. I gained skills that are useful and not tied to traditional “book learning.”
It’s a lot of work, but we enjoy it. I remember a certain project that my wife and I were
undertaking at our house to remodel a bathroom. I went to my dad and told him about the
project. He suggested that I use his new “Handy Dandy Binford Scraper 2000”, lol. The right tool
made all the difference. The job went smoothly, but would have taken a great deal longer
without that tool.

If the only tool that you have in your toolbox is a hammer, you will see every problem as
a nail. In education our teachers have to continue to learn new skills and tools to respond to the
needs of the diverse learners in their classrooms. The degree and certificate that allows them
to teach is only the beginning. There is not a finish line for learning. As teachers of all
experience levels encounter new challenges and students, we have to give them those tools
and skills to respond effectively. Professional development is key to continuous progress of our
teachers and our schools.

Alva Public Schools hosted professional development for teachers that was centered on
supporting students with autism in the classroom June 27-30, 2022. The Oklahoma Autism
Center brought five consultants to Alva to work with twenty-four teachers and paraprofessionals
in preparation for the 22-23 school year. This was a fairly unique and cutting edge training.
Paraprofessionals and teachers were involved in several hands-on activities with the students
who will be in their classrooms next school year. The consultants modeled strategies and
supports to help manage the classroom to make it more effective and engaging. Teachers
simulated a typical school day for an hour and a half each day. Consultants modeled and
coached the participants while they used strategies and supports. Teachers, paraprofessionals,
and consultants debriefed and shared ideas after each session. The event included teachers
from Burlington and Cherokee. We are all so regionally isolated from services for students with
autism that it makes sense to pool our resources and work together to expand our expertise in
the area. Our goal is to make this an annual event that includes other area schools. Our hope is
to expand our own expertise while sharing with those teachers from Burlington and Cherokee as
well as expanding to other schools in the future. We are very grateful to the Oklahoma Autism
Center consultants; Tara Warwick, Marisa Singletary, Seth Kastner, Dayse Pena, and Caitlin
McLain, for traveling to Alva to share their knowledge and expertise with our educators, and we
look forward to working with them in the future.