Kisha Swaby: GingerLilly Children Transformed My Child
“At times, many of us are able to reflect back on our lives as students—whether in high school, middle school, or as far back as elementary school. We tend to recall various experiences that make us smile as we travel back to that lunchroom, auditorium, or that classroom of the subject we loved so dearly. Most of us, to this day, can still remember the names of those teachers who—through their genuine concern for our wellbeing and passion for their careers—influenced our lives and made us want to become better at learning, growing, and developing, not only as pupils but also as human beings.
Today, our 8-year-old daughter Kelsey, although non-verbal, has—in our opinion—begun the process of creating memories of her own student experience that she too will someday reflect on. Evidence of this is seen each morning as we watch our daughter eagerly await the arrival of the school bus to begin her day as a student of Class Y03, Ms. Berry’s class. It has been the most gratifying feeling to see her enthusiasm to get to school, but more importantly, to observe the progress she is making since having Ms. Berry as her teacher.
Although it has been about three years since our Kelsey transitioned from an early intervention program to a District 75 setting, we have been prayerful that she would come across a curriculum that would be similar to her preschool program—one that addresses her specific needs, meets her in her "here and now," challenges her inabilities, identifies her capabilities, and builds on them. One that intentionally exposes her to experiences that aid her cognitive, social, and day-to-day functional skills.
Ms. Berry’s curriculum has done just that.
As mentioned at the onset, we see the impact Ms. Berry’s hard work and dedication has had on Kelsey’s academic—but most importantly—developmental growth. Her approach is not only strategic, but it takes into account the whole student; it is holistic, it is deliberate. Lessons reflect each student’s ability to understand the curriculum and include one-on-one interventions tailored to reinforce their knowledge. Students are not pressured or rushed but work at their own pace while using cognitive, sensory, and social skills to learn.
The seriousness of the level of accountability to which Ms. Berry holds herself is not only evident but also appreciated. Her zeal is personal! She actively takes the extra step to utilize her knowledge of assessments to measure their progress, continually gauging each child to determine if they are mastering goals set in their IEP. She also evaluates students’ proficiency as it relates to their SANDI and FAST assessments. Using data from both tools, she moves forward with a plan as to what intervention she will use to aid her students in meeting their objectives. Ms. Berry’s comprehensive approach is impactful, as is her tactic in how she delivers her lessons. We are grateful for her hard work and can see the influence it has had on Kelsey.
Most encouraging is that Ms. Berry does not limit her students solely to the classroom experience, but she encourages social skills and community engagement through field trips such as bowling and going to the circus. These activities help our children engage with their peers, experience education outside of the classroom setting, and incorporate fun into the curriculum.
In addition, Ms. Berry inspires parents to take an active role in their child’s academic life. She acknowledges our worries and fears as parents of children with special needs—irrespective of our ability or inability to understand due to our diverse cultural backgrounds or language barriers. She keeps parents abreast of what activities the class is engaged in during the span of the week or month, whether it is a project about gardening or reading classic storybooks like Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Eric Carle—a book that, when read to my child at home, she was able to verbally identify phrases to "read along." This strengthened our family’s hope that one day she will be able to express herself through speech.
Ms. Berry is also approachable and transparent. She welcomes visits from parents, and she initiates conversations through the Class Messenger app or through notes. She keeps us in the know; as a result, we are able to experience our child’s classroom experience even though we are not physically there. Parents are recognized, listened to, and considered as part of a team.
In conclusion, Ms. Berry simply wants to see her students win! Her genuine concern for their wellbeing, coupled with her years of experience with the special needs population as well as her skills, passion to teach, and vested interest in them, is why my child has progressed. In my opinion, adopting her approach into the school’s general curriculum would be beneficial for all students. She has definitely set the bar!
Thank you, Ms. Berry.
— Kisha Swaby, Mother of Eight-Year-Old Kelsey