Nikole Thomas

PROFILES IN EDUCATION

Candace Braun

Name: Nikole Thomas
School: Eden Institute
Years Taught: four years
Subject/Age Taught: program coordinator for nine to 13-year-olds
Education: Princeton High School; bachelor's of science degree in biology from Rutgers University; enrolled in M.A.T program for special education at The College of New Jersey
Most Memorable Book: The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein
Person You Admire: Students at the Eden Institute: "They are my constant reminder that Eden is working, that this really is a good place to be and that our kids need us...Just seeing the daily progress of everyone here reminds me that we're improving their quality of life."

The goal of improving a child's quality of life is not only the reason Nikole Thomas went into teaching, it's what will keep her there for the long run. As program coordinator for the Eden Institute, a school for children with autism, she works with students who fill her with a feeling of accomplishment when they take even the smallest steps toward improvement.

Autism is a cognitive development disability that children are usually diagnosed with between the ages of six months to two-and-a-half years, said Ms. Thomas. Parents tend to notice the symptoms in their children if they aren't crawling or walking when other children are, or if they have trouble speaking. Children with this disability often suffer from "severe behaviors" or poor fine-motor skills. The severeness of the disability can be extreme, said Ms. Thomas, which is why many of the students work with faculty members on an individual basis.

Majoring in biology at Rutgers University, Ms. Thomas originally planned to pursue a career in medicine. While in college, however, she was encouraged to take on an internship at Eden, where her sister was working in the finance department. After graduating, she found herself right back at Eden, taking on a full-time position.

"I totally fell in love with the kids and the program," said Ms. Thomas, adding that before going there she had very little experience with children who had learning disabilities. "It definitely makes me look more critically at school systems now," she said.

There are approximately 50 students at the school, with about the same number of faculty members to assist them, said Ms. Thomas. As program coordinator she works with the children both during the school year and throughout the summer, helping monitor behavioral programs, classroom activities, communication with parents, and progress reports. She also conducts weekly staff meetings, trouble-shooting problems the teachers are experiencing while trying to reach a child.

"Our support staff is wonderful here. There's always people around to help bounce questions off of," she said.

The school's faculty works very closely with parents, keeping in touch with them daily through a communication notebook on each child's progress. Parents are invited to stop by and observe class and visit with their child any time; they are also encouraged to participate in the students' field trips, social activities, and holiday show.

"Most of the parents here are really involved and come here on a regular basis," said Ms. Thomas.

Basic Living Skills

Rather than taking part in a regular academic school day at Eden, students work on basic living skills, such as domestic tasks, and basic health and cleanliness needs. Because some students have poor fine motor skills, simple tasks such as unscrewing a toothpaste cap or brushing teeth can be difficult. Teachers can help by giving them toothpaste in a pump, or an electronic toothbrush, said Ms. Thomas.

As the children grow older, they are separated into vocational or academic programs, depending on where they appear to fit best. Some children have difficulty with tasks as simple as looking at a number and identifying it, in which case a teacher provides a three-dimensional view of the number. Other children can become advanced enough to use a graphing calculator.

Children in vocational programs work on skills such as filing and collating, and with Eden's help, can be matched up with employers once they reach adulthood.

As adults, some patients continue to live with their families and receive weekly, monthly, or annual visits from the staff at Eden. Others live on their own in nearby assisted-living apartments, while those with more severe problems are placed in a group home. Eden promises every child enrolled at the school the opportunity to receive services from Eden for life, said Ms. Thomas: "The support we offer here for our families is really fantastic."

Parents appreciate the efforts of the staff, as well. Recently Ms. Thomas was recognized as the 2004 Andors Teacher of the Year. Established five years ago by Leon and Toni Andors, the award is given annually to an Eden faculty member who has shown "exemplary dedication and professionalism." This teacher receives money from the Andors Fund which helps subsidize his or her salary, along with š100 to purchase materials and supplies for the classroom.

Confronting Issues

The biggest issue faced by Ms. Thomas and all the faculty at Eden is the way the school is viewed by outsiders, she said. The school has been criticized for certain procedures they take with children, such as putting them in restraints. But what those not connected with Eden don't understand, said Ms. Thomas, is that restraints are only used if children are a threat to themselves or others, and are only used as a last resort.

Every program at the school is approved by a human rights committee, with technicians constantly working to improve or alter them based on the children's needs, and holding reviews during their first 30, 60, and 90 days to assess if the child is in the right one.

Ms. Thomas said she encourages anyone with questions about the program to come in and observe what she and her staff are doing each day to help their students: "We're obviously all here to help these kids and we have their best interests in mind."

While working at a school where everyone has some type of disability can be disheartening and frustrating at times, the experience overall has been a very rewarding one for Ms. Thomas. Everything she does there comes together for her when she is able to reach a child, she said, recalling when one student, a nine-year-old girl, had so many high-intensity behaviors two years ago that she was unable to make eye contact or communicate properly with others, let alone work on basic living tasks.

Then something miraculous happened: "The other day she was walking with her teacher to the bus and when she got on, she turned around and looked right at her teacher and waved goodbye," said Ms. Thomas. "It's simple things like that that people take for granted in life, but it's so rewarding when it happens here. You really feel like you're making a difference for these children."