1-1 Premeier Issue FINAL PROOF.pdf Mar. 2014 | Page 18

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She trained in Montessori - an absolutely amazing method of honoring children’s
diverse learning styles; allowing them to learn
at their own pace, led by their own curiosity.
She taught Montessori elementary school. She
taught special needs kids in groups and one on
one. She worked with children with many other
medical conditions, not just autism.

What’s motivating this work that
only some have the patience and passion for?

“I love figuring out how to help
people be able to do things in the world; help
them be able to work; to develop functional
behavior; to, and this is important, to know
when and how to ask for help,” Diane said. “I
want them to have life skills, to be able to be
responsible.”

“It’s about the Joy of Learning. 95%
of that is what they come in with, but together, we make that joy stronger, help them
pursue what they like, help them discover different interests, take their skills to a different
level,” she said.

With each new job Diane was
filling in pieces of the puzzle. When she
worked in the sheltered workshop for differently abled adults, it showed her so many
things that they should have been taught
as kids. While working at the head injury
rehab, she saw that the systems and structures necessary to help them, were m