Without a doubt, Miss Lona is an exceptional paraprofessional who embraces the mindset of unconditional positive regard daily. She started as Adventure Boy’s 1 to 1 helper at school about 1 1/2 years ago, soon after he was diagnosed with Autism. At the time, he was in crisis with his behavior and sensory needs. He couldn't be in his general education environment most of the day. Because he was so dysregulated, he was frequently aggressive, was unable to follow most instructions and ran away often. He required absolutely constant eyes on supervision every moment he was awake. I was stressed out, exhausted, and worried about how we would ever help him move forward.
In a nutshell, Miss Lona saw his inherent value as a person even when he acted in ways that were completely unloveable. No matter how he behaved, she patiently guided him and treated each day as a new one. Having a fresh start every day is crucial for kids like Adventure Boy who struggle so much at school. She was an amazing collaborator, allowing me to follow through at home with the same behavior strategies, language, and positive reinforcement. Gradually, Miss Lona’s hard work (along with the rest of the team’s) began to pay off. Adventure Boy was able to return to the general education classroom with his peers for the majority of the day. He was able to walk through the halls without running away. Most importantly, he began to love going to school. This transformation is what prompted me to write the first book in the series, ”Adventure Boy and the School People.” So many people in our school building joined Miss Lona in showing Adventure Boy unconditional positive regard. They will always be heroes to me because as a mom, nothing in the world means more to me than my child feeling safe, loved and able to learn.
Adventure Boy still has his tough moments, but they are much less frequent than in the past. Miss Lona deals with them just as she always has, with unconditional positive regard. I am forever grateful that she works with my son!
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