Paraeducator, Windsor Middle School, Windsor, CA

by Carol Owens
(Windsor, California )

I am a retired psychotherapist and work as a teacher's aide in middle school. I have worked with a boy with aspergers since 6th grade. He is now getting ready to graduate to high school. It has been an amazing 3 years as he has learned to trust me. It is the first time outside his family, he has trusted anyone. I will go to high school with him to get him going and hope for him to be able to be on his own by January 2010. He is doing very, very well and I feel he will continue to grow up to be a very successful young man. He loves animals, of course, and I am sure he will work with them in some capacity. It's been quite a journey so far. I knew nothing about this disorder till this job with him. I have helped his parents to be able to trust I will always,with their help, be there for him in the school setting. He is a very bright boy and is learning the value of socializing as well. It's difficult, but he does it pretty well anymore.