 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Recipient: Pamela Nagge
School: Hespeler Public School
Number of Years Teaching: 24
Pamela Nagge has been teaching for 24 years. For the past 7 years she has been teaching a program for autistic children between the ages of 10 and 14 at Hespeler Public. The program is called "Behaviour Communication Classroom".
As a child, Pamela read lots of books about the miracle of change in people. Her nurturing spirit was attracted to teaching and to hopefully being a miracle worker herself. In her classroom Pamela, together with a team of 3 EAs, teaches students how to manage their behaviour in a variety of situations within their family, community and classroom. Her reward is being able to sit down and listen to a child who initially demonstrated real extremes in behaviour and was a big challenge. To see that child go from entry level to academic success is amazing.
Pamela believes that her students learn from her that they don't have to be perfect to be loved. She also believes in introducing the broader school population to her students so they too can learn to love and be in communication with others who are considered different.
Victoria, a parent of one of Pamela's students wrote this:
We have a son. A son with Autism. Ms. Nagge has brought our son up 2 full grade levels in the year and a half that she has had him in her class. This is a boy that others tried to tell us was not capable of learning! The maturity and social progress that he has gained since entering this class amaze us as his parents, and our extended family as well.
Potential is not his problem. What we have needed is a teacher. A teacher who understands him, his disability and temperment, as well as his learning style. His need to be pushed and not to accept less than his best. Ms. Nagge has had to unteach all the avoidance behaviours he developed in his past placements. To break down all the walls that he has built, to show him that he can learn and that there is a reason for him to dream of the future, has not been an easy task. He may not remember to brush his teeth or hair. He may never understand the concept of making change or making sure his socks match. But Pam Nagge has given him wings to fly. She has given us hope that he will be seen as a person first, a person with Autism second.
Pam Nagge devotes her life to these kids. She goes so far above and beyond the expected and is successful where countless others have failed with these kids. I believe that an award like this will make her feel that others have noticed her efforts and help her know that even on the troubled and difficult days she is highly thought of and she does matter to these kids, their parents and families, and ultimately to society as a whole.
