"My Sixth Grade Classroom presentation About Stuttering From: Christine Badgett -Richards Date: 01 Oct 2004 Time: 15:51:47 -0500 Remote Name: 213.48.181.57 Comments Hi Joanie and Autumn, I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed reading your paper. Autumn, you must have put alot of work into preparing for your presentation, and it sounds like you taught your class alot about stuttering. Your choosing to speak to your class about stuttering, even when you knew it might be a bit scary at first,has not only helped you, but will also help any other people who stutter whom your classmates may meet in the future. You may have even prevented another child from being teased or bullied.Congratulations to both of you on your great class presentation and paper. Best wishes, Chris Badgett-Richards Re: "My Sixth Grade Classroom presentation About Stuttering From: Joanie Cahalan Date: 12 Oct 2004 Time: 22:56:39 -0500 Remote Name: 68.13.56.93 Comments Thank you so much Christine. Autumn was a treasure to work with! I will certainly relay your message to her, and hopefully she can respond soon. Regards, Joanie Good for you! From: Louis Roden Date: 03 Oct 2004 Time: 12:45:47 -0500 Remote Name: 64.203.62.167 Comments Autumn! Congratulations on your presentation to your class! It was very courageous...I am so glad that you were able to make your classmates understand what stuttering was and how it affects you. You're the best! My Sixth-Grade Classroom Presentation on Stuttering From: Lindsay Gordon Date: 04 Oct 2004 Time: 14:30:23 -0500 Remote Name: 69.24.168.147 Comments I feel this article serves as a great educational tool for elementary schools. This presentation allowed Autumn to express her feelings about how her stuttering makes her feel and also how others reactions to her stuttering makes her feel. It also served as education in stuttering for Autumn's fellow classmates and teachers. By having Autumn who is a stutterer present this information it makes it more personal. Presentation on Stuttering From: Renae Christenson Date: 04 Oct 2004 Time: 20:00:12 -0500 Remote Name: 68.190.157.41 Comments Thank you both for sharing information about your presentation. Autumn, you must have worked very hard to prepare for your presentation. It sounds like you taught your class a lot and hopefully they will share the information they learned with others. I also think it was a great idea to share your feelings as you went through the process of making your presentation and actually giving your presentation. Because of it, others who are thinking about giving presentations can read your thoughts and know that even though they may be nervous, many positive things came out of it and you were very glad you went through with it! You should be very proud of yourself, you set a great example for others! Fantastic From: Michael Sugarman Date: 06 Oct 2004 Time: 08:30:11 -0500 Remote Name: 68.126.202.40 Comments Thank you for your courage and fortitude to help change how people view stuttering. Good luck in future presentations. We need more folks like you in making this a better place for people who stutter to live in. warmly, Michael Go For It....good words of wisdom! From: Kelly Ritter Date: 06 Oct 2004 Time: 22:37:39 -0500 Remote Name: 63.165.111.69 Comments Congrats on being so brave and having the nerve to speak in front of your class. It's always helpful to get your feelings out when you know that people think differently of you. Do you feel more respected now that you talked to your peers? Sounds like you have great support at home and in your school system! Re: Go For It....good words of wisdom! From: Autumn Williams Date: 14 Oct 2004 Time: 19:45:58 -0500 Remote Name: 152.163.100.133 Comments Dear Kelly, thanks alot!!!!!:) Your right people do think differently about me and I'am respected by my peers.Now that I'am in 8th grade and I go to the same Middle School as people in my 6th grade class when I see them in the halls and talk to them they really notice how well my speech is progressing.On th plus side they don't help me as much as I used to!!!! I just wanted to thank you because your right in so many ways!!!! Permission to publish From: Mike Hughes Date: 07 Oct 2004 Time: 06:52:20 -0500 Remote Name: 69.195.243.125 Comments Speak Easy Inc. is Canada¹s national charitable organization for people who stutter. Since 1984, we have been providing information and support to adult stutterers, parents of stuttering children, professionals in the field, and the general public. ³Speaking Out² is our monthly magazine in which we publish a wide range of articles/information about stuttering. Your ISAD Online Conference paper is interesting. It is worthy of reaching even more people. We would like your permission for us to publish it in a future issue of ³Speaking Out.² Judy Kuster, the chair of this Online Conference thinks that this is a good idea and has no objection. Will you please grant us permission? You can reply in this Question/Comments form, or e-mail us at: info@speakeasycanada.com. Thank you. Mike Hughes Ex. Dir. Speak Easy Inc. Re: Permission to publish From: Joanie Cahalan Date: 12 Oct 2004 Time: 23:02:13 -0500 Remote Name: 68.13.56.93 Comments Mike, I will get in touch with Autumn's mother as soon as possible. One of us will get back with you. I am thrilled for Autumn that you would like to share her story. Thank you, Joanie Cahalan Re: Permission to publish From: Angela Boyd Date: 14 Oct 2004 Time: 09:50:49 -0500 Remote Name: 216.81.134.33 Comments Hi there, I am Autumn's mom. I think it would be great to publish the article in your publication and I support it whole heartedly!!! Angela Boyd Re: Permission to publish From: Autumn Williams Date: 14 Oct 2004 Time: 19:49:35 -0500 Remote Name: 152.163.100.133 Comments Dear Mike, my parenst have said yes and it would make me very happy if you would publish my article!!!!Thanks a lot. A note from Keyon From: Gail Leger, Graduate Student Southern University Date: 07 Oct 2004 Time: 09:23:46 -0500 Remote Name: 209.215.150.254 Comments Keyon my speech student thinks Autumn was very brave for making a speech to her class about stuttering and writing this article. He does not get teased much at school and is doing a little better with his speech fluency. He enjoyed the article and would like to congradulate Autumn. Re: A note from Keyon From: Autumn Williams Date: 14 Oct 2004 Time: 19:55:40 -0500 Remote Name: 152.163.100.133 Comments Dear Gail Ledger, could you tell Keyon I said thank you and that his congradulation maens a lot to me!!!!!:) Sixth-Grade Classroom Presentation From: T. Jensen Date: 07 Oct 2004 Time: 17:18:48 -0500 Remote Name: 24.196.50.132 Comments Thank you for the wonderful article on your sixth grade presentation. I think you were very wise to understand that your classmates needed to be educated about stuttering. I once worked with a third grader who wanted to do a presentation to his class. We adults were very nervous about it and wanted to some of it for him but he said no. He was the smart one. He did a great job. The kids really listened to him. Thanks again. your experiences in speech therapy From: Heather Theriot Date: 09 Oct 2004 Time: 15:16:16 -0500 Remote Name: 205.188.116.84 Comments Hi Autumn! Your story was so inspiring! I am studying to be a speech-language pathologist right now in Lafayette,Louisiana. I was wondering what therapy methods do you feel have worked for you the most in therapy in helping your fluency: Do you feel it was actually working on your speech? Or was it working on your feelings as a person who stutters that made you feel you were making progress in your therapy? Stuttering Presentation From: Margo Kaufmann Date: 11 Oct 2004 Time: 09:34:45 -0500 Remote Name: 134.29.49.50 Comments Thank you Autumn and congrats on your presentation. Do you think talking about your feelings about stuttering and doing this presentation were an important part of therapy for you? This was an excellent way of letting your class know about your stuttering. Margo Presentation From: Amanda Simon Date: 11 Oct 2004 Time: 11:13:15 -0500 Remote Name: 134.29.12.19 Comments Thank you Autumn for taking a very brave step in expressing your thoughts and feelings about stuttering. Presenting to you class was a great way to educate others about what it is like for you, and I am really glad that taking this step has been beneficial to you. Best of luck and keep the courage! Congratulations From: Dick Mallard Date: 12 Oct 2004 Time: 09:42:05 -0500 Remote Name: 147.26.105.80 Comments Autumn, congratulations on your presentation. I know you will benefit from this experience for the rest of your life. Your wise clinician, Joanie Calahan, is an excellent speech-language pathologist. Keep up the good work. Dick Mallard Re: Congratulations From: Joanie Cahalan Date: 12 Oct 2004 Time: 22:53:42 -0500 Remote Name: 68.13.56.93 Comments Thanks Dick, so glad you saw us here! You are certainly the "wind beneath our wings" with all I've learned from you. Best always, Joanie Re: Congratulations From: Autumn Williams Date: 14 Oct 2004 Time: 20:03:40 -0500 Remote Name: 152.163.100.134 Comments Dear Dick Mallard, I had a blast having the pleasure of being tought by Mrs.Cahalan!!! I really enjoyed it!!!The things she tought me in 6th grade really helped me in 7th grade and now in 8th grade!!! Thanks Dick!!! Re: Congratulations From: Dick Mallard Date: 15 Oct 2004 Time: 10:12:45 -0500 Remote Name: 147.26.105.80 Comments Autumn, since you had a blast working with Mrs. Calahan, we should share stories about how much fun we had when she came here to work with us! She is a character. Dick Way to go From: Allison Micek Date: 12 Oct 2004 Time: 11:04:02 -0500 Remote Name: 138.86.178.39 Comments Autumn, What courage you had to get infront of your class to inform them about stuttering. I'm sure that not only did your presentation impact your life, but also all of your classmates'. You just gave everyone who stutters a gift by increasing the tolerance of stuttering in this world. Thank you. presentation From: Lori Friedrichs Date: 12 Oct 2004 Time: 15:24:50 -0500 Remote Name: 69.76.29.66 Comments What a cool little girl. She took charge of a difficult situation and changed people's perceptions. A little education goes a long way. Way to be brave!! Way to go Autumn From: Kevin Eldridge Date: 13 Oct 2004 Time: 08:33:34 -0500 Remote Name: 67.163.9.95 Comments Autumn, I am a speech-language pathologist and a person who stutters. As an adult, I really enjoy giving presentations. When I read your story, however, I tried to picture me doing what you did when I was in the 6th grade. It is impossible for me to picture. Your were/are a very courageous young lady. My hat is off to you. I'm so glad you did it. It is wonderful that you educated your classmates. FYI..It may be hard to believe, but people don't think about your speech near as much as you do. When I went to my 10 year High School reunion, I didn't stutter. But you know what? Not one of my friends noticed I was fluent. They remembered lots of fun things we did, but they didn't really remember me stuttering. It seems that they didn't really care that I stuttered, near as much as I did. If you can do it, then so can other kids! From: Judy Butler Date: 14 Oct 2004 Time: 13:05:42 -0500 Remote Name: 68.239.61.51 Comments Joanie and Autumn, Congratulations on your classroom presentation! You have become a valuable role model for other kids. There is a very famous PWS named Marty Jezer who says one of his affirmations goes something like this: "If another PWS can do it, then so can I." I hope that kids will read your paper and say to themselves, "If Autumn could do it, then so can I!" I hope SLPs will print copies of your paper to share with all the kids they know who stutter. When is a good time to do a class presentation? Did you wait for a time when everyone had do to a class report on something? How long did it take? I am an SLP, and the parents I see tell me they don't want to do a class presentation with their sons and daughters becuase they "don't want to make a big deal out of stuttering." What would you say to them? Thank you so much and I wish you lots of success in school and in life. :) Re: If you can do it, then so can other kids! From: Joanie Cahalan Date: 14 Oct 2004 Time: 21:54:52 -0500 Remote Name: 68.13.56.93 Comments Hi Judy, Thank you for your wonderful comments. To answer your first question... no, we didn't do our presentation as a class assignment. We actually prepared months in advance. It was a great learning experience for the both of us, as it was my first attempt at this as well. You've also posted a very thought-provoking question of what I would say to a parent who "didn't want to do a class presentation" and "didn't want to make a big deal out of stuttering." Of course my first thoughts are, the parents are not making the presentation. But of course I don't know enough about your student and if his stuttering is a big deal for him or not. I work with an 8th grader now who is more comfortable than not with his speech and is not willing to "advertise" his stuttering. However, I think Autumn and her mother can tell you first hand, or tell your parents first hand, how they feel about making a "big deal" of educating and enlightening Autumn's classmates and teachers about a very misunderstood communication disorder. In getting to know Autumn at the beginning of that schoolyear, I quickly became aware of just how much of a "big deal" stuttering was for her. We spent a few months exploring her perceptions about stuttering, and working on the traditional "toolbox" of therapy strategies before we began to even touch the presentation subject. I don't mean to speak for Autumn, but as I recall, the thought of talking about stuttering to her entire class was a huge deal in the beginning. But after the presentation and by the end of her schoolyear, the stuttering monster (that great "big deal") had shrunk considerably until all you could see was Autumn's sparkle! She became an empowered confident young lady who could look any peer straight in the eye and not feel the fear she felt just a few months before. And I couldn't be more thrilled and proud of her that she has carried this with her into her teen years....which as we know, are the most important years of our lives! This presentation was all really Autumn's deal. I gave her a "menu" and maybe some good old cheerleading, and from that, Autumn began to fly. I was very prepared to respect Autumn if she chose not to do this, but she was a very determined young lady, and was not going to let stuttering be that "big deal" anymore. The first thing I did was acquire classroom presentation materials and discussion outlines from the Stuttering Foundation of America. (You can order an entire classroom presentation packet for 10.00 which includes posters and individual pamphlets for each child in the class (#130). The SFA also has a booklet for 1.00 that helped us a great deal to plan how and what we would present what Autumn wanted her classmates to know. This booklet is called Stuttering: Straight Talk for Teachers #0125. I thank Bill Murphy for his inspiration and the seeds he planted for Autumn and so many other kids.) I also hope my friend, mentor, and colleague Dick Mallard sees your post and adds his words of wisdom in this discussion regarding your parents (and maybe others will as well). Watching Dick work with parents, and transform them right before my eyes was an experience I wish I could be around every day. (Dick lives in George Bush's back yard and I'm too far away from him!) I truly want to respect parents' thinking and wishes, but at the same time, it's important to know what their perceptions are about stuttering. If you don't have family support, you have an awfully tough hill to climb. I have worked with parents who are embarrassed (yes, they admitted it) that their child stutters. I'm sure you well understand how this transfers quickly and too often permanently to the child. I may have said too much, as I tend to do, and I don't know enough about your kids and their parents, but there is a world of help and support for you in your efforts to help your kids who stutter! Judy Kuster will help you get in touch with some great people. Speaking of Judy, (and I'm sure I can speak for Autumn here), we can't thank Judy Kuster enough for her tireless efforts in putting on the ISAD online conference, and for giving us this forum to share our experience and hope with children, teens, and SLP's like you Judy, and everyone who reads this. I hope other parents and professionals can add to this threaded discussion. Best wishes, Joanie The Advocate From: Renee Matherne, Southern Univeristy Date: 15 Oct 2004 Time: 12:06:59 -0500 Remote Name: 70.177.52.205 Comments You are an advocate for stuttering. The idea to educate your classmates, about yourself and others, Is AWSEMOE!! It is only through education that we can fight the hurting words from others. I hope you continue your advocacy. One can unite all!! Congratulations Autumn From: Mrs. Bonney Date: 18 Oct 2004 Time: 23:35:11 -0500 Remote Name: 68.229.180.253 Comments Autumn, I was so excited when Mrs. Cahalan told me about this site. I am so proud of you and what you have accomplished. You are an excellent role model, not only for others that stutter, but for all of your peers. I hope 8th grade is going great for you. Stop up and say Hi if you get a chance in your busy Jr. High life...:) Take Care, Mrs. Bonney An Inspiration From: Tiffany Gaines, Southern University Grad Student Date: 21 Oct 2004 Time: 08:58:31 -0500 Remote Name: 152.163.100.130 Comments You are an inspiration! It took alot of courage and confidence for you to get in front of your class and do a presentation. So many kids get teased by other kids who do not understand how this hurts. Great job and continue to strive to the top!!! Sixth Grade Presentation From: Southern University; Vickie Cavalier Date: 21 Oct 2004 Time: 11:00:22 -0500 Remote Name: 68.111.54.232 Comments This is an excellent idea to use with older students. It was encouraging to read about this student's courageous steps in informing others about stuttering. After the presentation From: Melanie Slagle Date: 21 Oct 2004 Time: 17:48:29 -0500 Remote Name: 66.165.27.130 Comments I thought your story was very inspirational. So many people give up trying anything new and scary because they are afraid of the outcome, so it is so great that you had the courage to go through with your presentation even though you were scared and wanted to quit. Most of the time, things turn out better than we hope. Now that you have seen the positive response to your presentation, do you think that you will ever have to educate your classmates and teachers again in the future? You said you wanted to be called on in class more, and I was wondering if that worked, knowing that teachers may be just as impatient as classmates can be. The best of luck to you in the future. You're an Inspiration From: Amy Toth Date: 22 Oct 2004 Time: 19:40:32 -0500 Remote Name: 68.44.97.219 Comments You're an inspiration! You were so brave to talk in front of your class, and it's wonderful that it had such a positive effect on you and your classmates. I'm studying Speech Language Pathology and it was great to hear your point of view. Thanks for sharing! The threaded discussion is now closed From: Judy Kuster Date: 23 Oct 2004 Time: 09:58:24 -0500 Remote Name: 134.29.30.89 Comments The live, threaded discussion part of the 2004 ISAD online conference is now closed. The conference paper and responses made here during the conference will remain online. Thank you for stopping by. Judy Kuster