Page 7 - The Binnacle

The following is Dawn’s words…

Scott says that he is the reason we are friends. He

forgets that I met you when Andy was home based

with Pearl and had class days with me. He forgets

that Timmy was in class when I was a special needs

assistant in the classroom. I returned to home base I Dawn used her magic with children to get the boys
think the year he began home base. I remember my to pose for this photo in 2000.

first visit with you and Scott. He would have nothing to do with me or anything I brought.

What he did was run from room to room, climb on the furniture, and stare curiously at me.

The philosophy of Head Start is: the parents are the child’s first teacher. This I take to heart

and firmly believe to be true. While I can come into the home for one hour and a half session,

as parents you have him 24 hours. So our relationship had already been established but our

bond formed when you began to trust me. You welcomed me in your home and slowly you

began to see that I was not to judge you or your parenting skills, rather I was there to help you

strengthen those skills anywhere I could. Helping you teach the basics to your child. With

Scott we needed to go one step back and get him to talk. Scott was nonverbal when I entered

the home but soon opened up. At my first visit I saw that Scott was an active child. I also ob-

served that Scott didn’t need to speak; he had brothers who spoke for him. Second visit, I

asked if he wanted to play with me and his mom and away he ran. So I began throwing a ball

in the air and bouncing it. I had him! Scott came closer and grabbed the ball. We were forever

friends then.

We began slowly integrating speech into play and slowly his vocabulary grew. Not just because
of me but because Aldea and Gary continued the concepts with him daily. My only fear by the
end of thirty two visits was that the LaParr’s wouldn’t like me. I turned their quiet house and
nonverbal child around. When I left, they had a child that wouldn’t stop talking. Sorry– not
sorry. I’m happy I could help them teach their child and make a difference. It takes a village to
raise a child and no one should ever feel like they are alone when there are so many resources
out there available for the asking.

7