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Math is my favorite subject, and my teacher makes it really easy to understand.
I like going to the Speech School because they have nice teachers.
The Atlanta Speech School started as one woman's
vision. Katherine Hamm was her name and her son Ben was profoundly deaf and she
wanted Ben to learn how to talk
She moved to Atlanta and she was met by
many other parents saying, "I've got a son" or "I have a daughter" who's deaf
and how can he or she learn to talk
so in 1938 in partnership with the Junior League she opened a school for everyone else's children.
I like Ms. Weir because she helps me read stuff
I like to go to school every day
to read Curious George
They give me homework and I'm good at homework.
Today we're the nation's most comprehensive language center. We have four schools,
five clinics and a professional development center
focused on children and adults who are challenged around one area of language or another
we have the Wardlaw school which is a program for children with language-based
learning disabilities
we have the Kenan Preschool which is our community preschool program
we have a strong emphasis in Kenan on
language and literacy development. We have the Stepping Stones program which
is a preschool program for children with speech and/or language disorder
and we have the Hamm Center which is our program for children with hearing loss.
We measure our performance one child at a time. What did we do to impact the life
of a child
whose parents cross our threshold
with their child entrusted to our stewardship. My children
were both born hearing impaired. They were profoundly deaf at birth
and received cochlear implants at 12 months
My child came to the Speech School because at
18 months of age we were told he had some significant language
and speech delays.
I don't know if I would have known
what to do if it hadn't been for the Speech School. They gave them
their voices. They allowed them to
learn how to learn. When he initially came
his speech was largely unintelligible. Even as parents we couldn't understand
what he was saying
and up until coming to the Speech School we really didn't understand what was going on with him.
Since he's been his articulation has drastically changed.
We can have conversations with him; he can express himself. Our purpose is to have
a covenant
with each child and for each teacher to say
This is going to be the time and this is going to be the place
where you found your voice for a lifetime. I would really like to
be an inventor to help people learn mostly.
To help kids who have disabilities learn.
I've always wanted to do that. The Speech School is there
for children everywhere and that's the amazing thing about
this program. That they really have a goal of
helping all children find their voices, all children to become independent learners,
all children learn to go on and be successful in life.
I feel so proud and so privileged to have been a part of this movement with
the Atlanta Speech School and the Rollins Center and
having access to their research and how they've converted their research into
best practices that I can use in the classroom has made me more effective
and I know my students are on a path for success and to read to learn by third grade.
I like Mrs. Gahagan because she was very kind to me
and she taught me a lot of tricks. When I grow up I want to be a pediatrician
because you have to help babies when they're sick.
The first day I came was completely different from
my old school. It was a class of eight people.
I had so much one-on-one time instantly and my teachers
knew exactly how to teach me. The Speech School taught me how to be
my own self-advocate. That
it's okay to ask for help. It's okay
that I learn a little bit differently and I may need that extra time.
My learning disability
is not a weakness. They aren't a handicap. They're
just something about me
and that I can still keep going forward.
My children don't recognize that they have
any deficit whatsoever. They don't really even
see their cochlear clear implants as a disability.
They just think they're just like every other kid.
I could not be where I am right now
if it wasn't for the Atlanta Speech School.
I like centers. I like to draw pictures and read.
I want to be a veterinarian
because you get to help animals feel better.
A grandparent came up to me today and said
"We'll be forever grateful. You taught our grandson
how to read.
His life will be forever different and so will his grandchildren's."
Sometimes we get caught up in the moment, but when we
understand that
these moments mean a totally different future
for everybody who comes in contact with that child.
The impact is immeasurable. The opportunity
is unlimited. When you talk about children and their potential
anything is possible if we make the effort
on their behalf.
The Atlanta Speech School helped me find my voice.
The Atlanta Speech School helped me find my voice.
The Atlanta Speech School helped me find my voice.
The Speech School helped me find my voice.
The Atlanta Speech School helped me find my voice.