A look at the journeys of two Peter Hall students

William

For Kahnawake resident Rebecca Scott, enrolling her 7-year-old autistic son William in Peter Hall School three years ago was both the best - and most difficult - decision she ever made. While she wanted to keep him in the community, she realized he would have the best chance at a school adapted to his needs. 

While doctors predicted he would struggle with basic tasks and interactions, William, who is non-verbal, is now more communicative, using pictograms or his iPad, and is more social - “a goofy child with a contagious smile,” shared educator Menna Shawki. 

With greater familiarity with routine, “his anxiety level [has] dropped, and his confidence increased, resulting in a lot more engagement and cooperation,” observed Shawki. “He now identifies as part of the group.” 

Due to Peter Hall’s signature close collaboration between parents, teachers and support staff, goals are reinforced, and challenges addressed. 

“Things we were told he would never be able to do, he’s doing now,” observed Scott, such as riding his bike and being more autonomous. 

As a team, the family and educators are helping William reduce self-aggressive behaviours when frustrated, and working on taking turns, self-regulating and eating with others. He now has a greater capacity for waiting, as was evidenced in a recent family trip to Walt Disney World in Florida.

Scott finds comfort in the Māori word for autism, “takiwātanga,” or “in his/her own time and space,” an approach echoed by Shawki. It was in fact at Disney that William decided he was ready to become toilet trained; something had clicked. 

He is one of a handful of children bussed in from Kahnawake in Peter Hall’s new Indigenous student program. The family is excited to promote the CTV News and photo campaign on autistic Mohawk community members they are part of, showcasing the diverse faces of autism as well as the challenges in accessing specialized services. The exhibit was being planned for World Autism Month in April and at the Iroquois museum in Howes Cave, New York in October. 

“Advocating is a passion of mine,” said Scott. “I really believe there is an ability to [every] disability.”

Pato

A work visit to Montreal four years ago for Paola Lavín Gonzalez led to the discovery of Peter Hall School in Ville St. Laurent. The family ended up relocating so that her son Patricio (Pato) could benefit from the individualized services offered there. “Peter Hall has been life-changing for us,” she shared. “It went beyond our expectations.” 

Pato is now 9 years old, and his mother has witnessed noticeable improvements in his communication skills, emotional regulation and adaptability. 

Gonzalez empathizes with families who find themselves feeling hopeless upon getting an autism diagnosis. She has been very grateful for Peter Hall’s approach of creating individualized plans for each student, drawing on insight from educators, the family and specialists and culminating with a community of critical support. 

The Seesaw app has also been an invaluable tool for the family, “creat[ing] a powerful learning loop” between the involved parties, as described on the site, and updating all on goals and setbacks.

For instance, Pato recently changed medication and was sluggish during the transition. His teacher quickly noticed and inquired through the app if he had slept well, “even before I had dropped off the other two kids at school!” said Gonzalez. This attentiveness to behaviour changes has been a great help in Pato’s progress, particularly for primarily non-verbal autistic children like him.

“Pato has a lot of potential and learns quickly,” said educator Sukyung Cho. A mischievous child, “he will jump around until I do the ‘teacher glare,’ then sit and try again after a while,” she laughed. Cho has noticed he has improved in expressing frustration in more socially appropriate ways and communicating his needs and preferences. For instance, never a fan of boots, he can now indicate when the laces are too tight rather than experiencing severe dysregulation as before. 

Cho has also observed that Pato is calmer and more able to focus since the winter break. He understands the sequence of activities and frequently refers to the visual schedule in the classroom to see “what’s next.” 

Gonzalez describes Peter Hall as “a golden piece for every family who has the opportunity to go there.”