Balancing Acts: When the Parent of an Autistic Child Becomes an Educator

Show Notes

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Ever wondered what it's like to walk in two pairs of shoes simultaneously? Meet Marlee Stevenson - first grade teacher by day, autism mom around the clock. Her journey with her nonverbal son Carson illuminates the powerful intersection of professional expertise and deeply personal experience.

Marlee takes us behind the scenes of a transformation that changed her family's life - the introduction of a communication device for Carson. "We had that same fear," she admits, addressing the common concern that technology might discourage verbal development. Instead, it "opened up so many doors" and dramatically reduced frustration levels. For parents considering this path, she shares a valuable insider tip: April offers significant discounts on communication apps like Proloquo2Go.

The conversation shifts to how parenting a child with autism has profoundly shaped Marlee's teaching approach. Her strategies - having backup plans, reading body language cues, providing clear step-by-step instructions - benefit all students but prove essential for neurodiverse learners. Her beach analogy brilliantly explains why inclusive environments matter: just as you can't truly understand the beach from descriptions alone, students need direct experience with diversity to develop empathy and understanding.

Perhaps most compelling is Marlee's candid discussion of self-care. "I told myself for years that I can't leave him," she reveals. "He was more important." Her journey to recognizing that "it's okay if I walk away" for short breaks offers permission many special needs parents desperately need. Whether it's 20 minutes alone in the backyard or a regular girls' night out, these moments of respite allow parents to return refreshed and better equipped to support their children.

The conversation concludes with practical classroom strategies for fostering acceptance, from children's books that teach inclusion to consistent communication between home and school. These approaches create environments where all students can thrive, regardless of neurological differences.

What might your classroom or home look like if you implemented even one of these strategies? How could clearer communication or intentional inclusion change a child's experience?

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What is Life in the IEP Tribe?

Join us as we dive into the world of special education with two educators who have walked the same path as many of you. In addition to teaching in self-contained and collaborative settings, our hosts bring a unique perspective to the challenges and triumphs of raising a special needs child. From classroom strategies to heartfelt family moments, they offer practical advice, empathy, and a community of support. Discover how their personal experiences can shed light on your journey and gain valuable insights into navigating the complexities of special education both in and out of the classroom. Welcome to the tribe!

Speaker 1: so hey, laura yes we
are in the month of april yes,

we are, and that means a couple
things that are very, very, very

exciting to me.

Number one school year's almost
over we're like right around

the corner we're pushing through
this last 33 days already for

we made a paper chain today.

Speaker 2: Yeah, oh, I should do
that.

Speaker 1: And I'm ready.

I'm ready for the summer,
because you know what, this

stuff gets kind of hard
sometimes, and so we all need to

rest.

But the other super cool thing
about April is that it is Autism

Awareness Month.

Speaker 2: Yes.

Speaker 1: Yeah, and so, of
course, you know we've shared

our story and talked about
Xander over and over and over,

and one of the things that
anybody that is involved in the

IEP tribe, anybody that is
connected to a student with

disabilities, knows that there
is an entirely large, huge group

of people that help it all
happen.

And it's not just a teacher,
it's not just a parent, it's not

just, you know, an aunt or an
uncle.

It does literally take an
entire tribe of people to help

our children with special needs
to be all that they can and to

progress to their highest
possible potential.

And so we have another great
guest today.

Yes, we do.

I'm super excited about this
one because, as a matter of fact

, I think, well, I'm going to
say our relationship but it was

you and her just started as a
teacher-parent relationship and

then it's blossomed into
something so much more.

That's true.

So, mrs Curtis, I'm going to
let you go ahead and introduce

our guest.

Speaker 2: Thank you, you're
welcome, all right.

So, like you said, this guest
started out as a parent of one

of my students, and she's still
a parent of one of my students.

However, it grew to a
friendship and then she came to

our school, and she's still a
parent of one of my students.

However, it grew to a
friendship and then she came to

our school and she was also a
co-worker.

She started as a para in the
special education classroom and

now she has decided to go back
to school and she has finished

that, congratulations and she's
now a first grade teacher.

So, like there's all sorts of
that, we got all sorts of things

bundled into one person.

So this is Marlee Stevenson and
we get the pleasure of teaching

her son.

Can I say his name?

Is that okay?

Absolutely, carson, and Carson
is just a fantastic kid.

I think he amazes us every day
with what he does.

Speaker 1: I heard a story today
that one of our parents was

telling me after school that he
was singing a song.

It was what's the lady's name
that does the videos I think it

was Miss Molly and he was
singing the song.

It's a sight word song.

Yeah, because she was telling
one of the other pairs about him

singing it and they were like
what really she said watch this,

put it on, and there he went.

Speaker 2: Marley, you want to
give a little bit of background

on why we might go.

What Carson was singing that
song.

Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely.

As a matter of fact, I think
I'm a little in shock, so I'm a

little speechless.

So Carson is completely
nonverbal.

The only word that he says is
mama, which is the best Right

but he has.

Now I was going to ask was he
singing it, was he humming it,

or was he singing it on his
device?

Speaker 2: No, it was more.

He was vocalizing the sounds of
the word he wasn't enunciating.

Right yeah so he was more doing
the humming.

Speaker 3: Which is super
exciting because mimicking is a

new thing, I feel like recently.

So Carson is eight, he's going
to be nine this year and he's

massive, he's really tall.

So when people meet him and
they realize that he does not

communicate except for on his
device, and then you hear a

story like that from his teacher
, you just kind of drop your jaw

and become speechless.

Speaker 1: Well, and I know that
the years that we've spent with

Carson kind of opened our eyes
to the importance of

communication devices and you
know early on with.

Xander.

Our concern was well, if we
give him a device, is he not

going to try his best to try to
speak?

And we've seen with Carson just
the huge difference it makes

from him being able to
communicate, not being able to

communicate, to communicate.

Speaker 2: Right.

Speaker 1: And we've even found
ourselves talking, of course,

about Zander and other students
too kind of questioning how far

can they go if we get one of
these devices in their hands,

and so thank you for that.

Speaker 3: Oh, absolutely.

I have seen a massive change
just the past school year where

he's really progressed, and I'm
glad that we decided, because we

also had that same fear and I
think that's a fear that a lot

of autistic parents have when
communication's sort of lacking.

Is that if we because I've
heard that before and we had the

same problem where if we give
him the tablet, will that

prevent him from wanting to talk
to?

us or eventually getting those
words.

But it has really opened up so
many doors and we've been able

to see how much he knows right
and I'm not even sure that we

really fully comprehend how much
he understands or knows.

But the fact that he uses it to
communicate, um, has just kind

of opened a lot of doors.

Like, I can drop him off now at
grandparents houses and I feel

more confident that he can use
his device to communicate with

him if he needs to he, he knows
his way around it, that is for

sure, and I know his speech
pathologist was talking about

conjugating verbs and I mean
it's just like what.

Speaker 2: So, yeah, he knows
his way around it and it's been

a fantastic tool for him and I
think that, like you said, this

year we've really seen him dive
into it and really that his

frustration levels have been so
much lower this year because he

can let us know what he wants.

And I mean before he's good at
pointing and signing to an

extent, but, as with a lot of
our students and children that

we have with autism, there's
also those fine motor delays.

So signing was hard for Carson
and so, yeah, that tablet has

been.

I think just changed his world,
I think.

Speaker 3: The road was slow.

I mean, I think you remember
when we started PECS and we had

the little binder and then we
moved.

We tried so many different apps
and I just want to throw this

out there because I don't know
if a lot of people know, but we

actually waited till April to
get Proloquo2Go and it has

honestly been the best.

I think we went through five
different apps all together five

different speech and we wanted
Proloquo2Go because his ABA

therapy used it and it was
really easy for Carson to

maneuver and comprehend and it's
very user-friendly.

You can add and subtract and
you can create files, and if you

need the same tab here over
here you can do that, but in the

month of April they do
discounts on it.

It was half off when we got it
initially in the month of April.

So for anybody out there who's
interested in the app, that

would be.

Speaker 2: This is the perfect
time to look and see what feel

they're having right now because
, it's pricey definitely, and I

think there's a lot of them that
are are actually running that

sale this this month and some
some maybe next month and, um,

we actually have a flyer.

Speaker 1: So we'll go ahead and
post one of those cool.

Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm glad you
brought that up.

Speaker 1: So now let's talk
about Marley.

Talk about Marley, we'll sit
and talk about our kids all day

long.

Speaker 2: So you've had, you
know, like you said, carson's

eight now.

So in the last eight years
you've had this experience, you

know raising him.

You know a child with autism
experience, you know raising him

.

You know a child with autism
and I know, like we've talked

about before, they don't come
with an instruction book.

Our typical child children
don't come with an instruction

book, much less our children
that are not typically

developing and children with
autism and autism being the

spectrum, it is that you never
know what you're going to get,

kind of thing.

And I know that you've done
research and you know you've

done a lot of things.

And so how has that experience
that you've had with Carson

influenced your approach when
you're teaching students with

autism in your classroom and
supporting students that are

neurodiverse that are in your
room students?

Speaker 3: that are neurodiverse
, that are in your room.

So I would just say, first and
foremost, having a backup plan.

Whenever I make a plan like
we're going to walk from here to

here, or a lesson plan, any
plan, anything I'm going to do

in my classroom, I just tell
myself I'm planning for A, but I

need B and C just in case.

And with lesson planning, very
specifically, I have to, like,

if I print out a worksheet, I
always have a backup.

Maybe this worksheet, the
directions, are too complicated

or maybe this isn't complicated
enough.

So I think that, knowing with
Carson, no matter what I do, I

always need to prepare for that.

What if, what if, what if this
is fantastic, or what if this

crash and burns.

And I think that's also really
built some patience in me and

flexibility and has really and I
bring that to the classroom

when I'm working with all of my
students, I just kind of see, I

watch, engage, what they're
doing and Carson, being

non-verbal, has also really
helped me with body cues and I

don't need to I I find it really
easy to tell when a student's

not getting what I'm doing or
when they're over exceeding, but

they're just appeasing me as
the teacher like, or when

they're overexceeding, but
they're just appeasing me as the

teacher.

Speaker 2: So watching for those
body cues has really kind of

been a different approach.

That I'm doing, what I'm
supposed to be doing and they're

getting it or not, has being
able to read their body language

and know these body cues helped
prevent some emotional

breakdowns with your students
that are um neurotypical,

neurodiverse.

Speaker 3: I would definitely
say yes because I, because of

knowing those, like having all
this experience and all these

years with Carson, and Carson is
very um, you know.

I mean because he's not going
to verbally say you're making me

mad or you're not giving me
what I want.

So he has cues of I'm about to
get mad at you or I'm about to

be upset, and I think that being
able to read that on other

people, or specifically students
, it has really helped me just

kind of know when to stop, like
if I'm pushing too hard.

It helps me see that, okay, I
need to take a step back because

they're getting frustrated and
I don't want to get frustrated.

And I think that that's also
something that built in is that

Carson kind of feeds off the
room.

And if I get mad at him because
he's mad now, we're all mad and

it's 10 times worse, whereas if
I can just take a step back and

I can be calm and collected, it
ends faster or it's prevented

altogether.

Speaker 2: Very good.

Yeah, I think that we find that
in our classrooms as well Is

that if that room is starting to
spin and if we join in on that,

then it's not a good thing.

Not a good thing.

So those two strategies are
fantastic.

Are there any other specific
strategies or accommodations

that you have found that have
been effective in working with

the students?

In working with the students,
and you know, especially the

ones with autism and help them
to thrive not only academically

but socially, because we know
that tends to be hard for our

students with autism.

Speaker 3: Very hard and I
struggle.

I still.

We're almost the end of the
year but, no, the social is hard

in a classroom, especially with
students who aren't around that

outside of school or on a
complete regular basis.

But some things that I've found
that have really helped build

the social interaction and the
academic in my class is pairing

students with peers who are
academically motivated and who

also are kind.

When I take my lower students
or my neurodiverse students and

I pair them with a higher
student who wants to succeed and

uses kind words and treats
others kindly, I find that the

rest of the students kind of
feed off of that and they see,

like look at how nice they're
being to him or her and then it

also kind of gives that
neurodiverse student a drive to

do the work when somebody is
helping them that they like and

respect and look up to like and
respect and look up to.

Some other strategies I use are
kind of just lots of visual cues

and very clear step-by-step.

Here's what I want you to do,
and I do that at home too.

I want you to go pick up those
shoes and then, once they're

picked up, okay, now go put them
on the shoe rack, like just

very step-by, step by step, and
here's what I want you to do um,

or if, then statements I use
those a lot in my classroom

because I use them at home and
taking that in there really

helps them kind of see where
where they're going.

Why am I doing this?

Speaker 1: that makes sense like
so.

For most of my life, my dad's
been a pastor, and one of the

things that he said over and
over and over was you can never

over communicate.

You can never, and so and that
is the exact point that you're

making is do everything you can
to make it as crystal clear as

possible.

Let's go ahead and set up our
kids for success and not try to

throw speed bumps out there, but
let them help them best

understand what it is that we
want them to understand.

Speaker 2: Right, and if they
don't, like you said, you say

the one thing, and if they don't
understand it that way, okay.

So how can I reword this for
them to understand what I'm

trying to get them to do?

Talking about your pairing, you
know, doing the peer pairing,

that, of course, Jared and I are
always inclusion, inclusion,

inclusion, and that's our big
thing.

What do you feel are the
benefits of having that

inclusion, having our typical
developing peers around our

neurodiverse friends?

What are the benefits that you
have seen?

Speaker 3: So, oh, that makes me
want to cry because I think

about when Carson goes to
resources with other classes and

the social interaction he gets.

I'm trying to think of how to
describe it.

You know, if you've never been
to the beach right, you lived in

the middle of the United States
and you've never been to the

beach before All you get is what
people tell you.

If I am constantly telling you
that the beach is different and

it's bad and there's sharks and
a whale might eat you, you're

not going to want to go and
you're not going to want to deal

with it.

But if I take you to the beach
and I show you that the beach

can be good and but it's
different right, You're used to

mountains and now I take you and
I'm showing you that it's good,

I think that's probably the
best way in this moment that I

can describe it is that by
creating inclusive classrooms,

other students are getting to
see that, just because the

student's a little bit different
, they're all still the same and

they see those how the typical
students act and what they're

doing, and they they learn from
that.

I think it's kind of a two-way
street that we all need to learn

how to work together and really
see that differences come in

size, shape, you know, mental
capabilities.

There's, um sorry, Carson's
back there waving, he just like

popped out and I think he saw me
talking to my phone, Distracted

me.

Um, I think that Carson's lucky
to have a brother who can

influence that at home too, but
there are some kids who don't

get that and they don't get that
outside interaction.

So in school might be the only
place that they see other kids

their own size, their own shape
doing things and that leads them

into seeing that, academically,
if I do A, B happens.

And the social skills I hate to
say that social skills over

academic skills is more
important, but in some cases the

social skills kind of influence
the academic.

Speaker 2: Right, absolutely.

The academic Right absolutely.

And we know that all children
will mimic other children and a

lot of times that the classrooms
that are not as inclusive have

behaviors that are not
necessarily wanted and so, like

you said, so being in that
general education classroom with

their typically developing
peers, they're more likely to

pick up on those behaviors.

And I think, the social aspect
absolutely, because if they

can't, if they don't know how to
be in that setting, they're not

going to be able to learn in
that setting.

So they have to be able to
socially acclimate themselves to

.

You know, if you can't sit and
listen, it's hard for you to

learn what's going on.

So a lot of times that's one
thing that I think we focus on a

lot is that the behavior, the
behavior has to come and then

they can be ready to learn.

Because if you're trying to
force them to do something and

they're just wanting to be on
the floor, it doesn't matter if

they scribble, scribble and done
and done.

And that, I think, is one of
the things that Carson has

taught us also, that you know,
just giving him this paper to

scribble on, or, you know, try
to get him to do if he's mad,

it's not, he's just going to do
whatever he needs to do to get

it out of his face.

Yeah, but if he sees, if he's
in a room and he sees other

people doing that, he's more
likely to do what they're doing.

Speaker 3: Yeah, he's definitely
more inclined to.

Speaker 1: And I think if, when
you start to look in a general

sense at society, who has the
opportunity to make the biggest

difference?

The one who can function
socially in different settings,

or you know the valedictorian?

I'm not discounting education,
right, but people can still be a

contributor to society if
they're not in the top third of

their class.

We can still make a difference
in the place that we live if we

can learn how to interact with
each other and support each

other.

That makes sense.

I like that whole beach thing.

That was good.

I'm going to have to steal that
one.

Speaker 3: I want to just say
that's not in my notes, I just

made it up.

You just made it up right off
the fly, even.

Speaker 2: So we talked before
about balancing the parent and

an educator and Jared and I same
thing.

However, Xander's a little
older, so I think he's 20.

Speaker 1: He turned 20.

We like officially, are
teenager-less.

Speaker 2: Yep.

Speaker 1: I'm sorry, go ahead.

Speaker 2: So, but I don't know
if, when he was younger, I mean

I think when I mean I was in the
education system when he was

younger, I was a para and, but
it would have been difficult

doing, I think, my job and then
going home and, and you know,

having that.

So what challenges have you had
in balancing the roles of being

, you know, both the parent and
an educator, when, and also when

trying to, you know, advocate
for Carson's needs in school,

because not only are these
people Carson's teachers but

they're also your co-workers.

So that's a double question
there.

Speaker 3: So yeah, okay, so
I'll start with the first part,

I think, because I think the
second part is going to be a

little harder.

I will say, in complete
transparency, I really really

struggled with it when I worked
in special education, when I was

in the special education room
all day long and then I would

pick Carson up and come home.

I really struggled with being
overstimulated myself, which

then led to him being
overstimulated Cause, like we

said earlier, he really kind of
feeds off the room and if, if

I'm like no, or if I even like
raise my voice the wrong octave,

it really kind of makes the
home life a lot harder.

That has been easier since I've
moved out of special education,

even though I'm still working
in education, but I really just

take time for myself and I think
, as a sped mom, as an autism

mom, a lot of people kind of
forget about that or they think

they can't do that, and I'm here
to say, yes, you can,

absolutely.

I told myself for years that I
can't leave him.

I can't, not that I don't
deserve 20 minutes to myself,

but he was more important and in
my mind there was no fine line

between that and some days it
might just be.

I come home, I get him settled,
I unpack and then I go sit in

my backyard for 20 minutes.

You know, brandon, just today's
his first day not on second

shift, so I have been coming
home by myself and being not

only teacher at schools with 17
kids, but in my backyard, or

sometimes I might go sit in the
garage, like where they won't

find me but that you can't do
the bathroom because they'll

find you in the bathroom if I
can't go to the bathroom.

Carson knows Carson can do the
lock somehow.

I don't know, he's a magician
but when Brandon's not on second

shift I really think that I try
to do like a friend's night

away.

I usually do girls' night Every
two weeks.

I try to just leave my house
without a child with me and it

took me a long time to realize
it was okay to do that.

That.

It was okay for me to leave him
for the evening or to just hand

him off to the other parent and
I know it sounds bad because

we're both the parent but I
think that a lot of parents of

autistic children realize that
they usually pick one, realize

that that the they usually pick
one and I am Carson's one.

He will walk right past dad for
every little thing in this

house and unless dad stops him,
he is.

It is always me, no matter what
.

So it took me a really long
time to just be like it's, it's

okay if I walk away.

And then at school it's a lot
easier, I think, for me to.

There's 17 of them.

They all interact with each
other and it was easier for me

to kind of set in place and walk
into that environment and just

remind myself that even at
school when I get a lunch break

or I get a planning period, it's
okay for me to decompress.

I don't have to go to the copy
room every time I get a break.

I can sit in my room and and
kind of like think about things

or just think about nothing, and
that way when I get home I'm

not so overwhelmed walking into
my parent role home.

I'm not so overwhelmed walking
into my parent role.

And then the second part of your
question.

Look, I tried to.

I tried to type something out
because I don't really think

I've faced a lot of challenges
needing to advocate for my child

because and I'll say that I
think it's because you guys have

done so well doing that and you
already kind of been there and

done what I'm doing.

So when we sit down to do IEPs
or when I think about what

Carson needs in school, there's
not a whole lot where I'm like I

can't say that because I'm a
teacher and let's face it, even

as a teacher I'm going to say it
anyway.

I'm just that kind of person and
I'm already upfront and

opinionated and very honest.

I don't really shut that down
between parent and teacher.

But I haven't necessarily
needed to do that.

I don't feel like because we
communicate really well, and

that's something that I could
throw out.

There is I've seen other
parents have challenges and

communication is really key.

Don't think that because
they're the teacher, it's the

end-all, be-all and what they
say is it.

As a parent, you have to make
sure that it's fitting and

you're communicating what you
think you want, what you think

your child needs and then being
on the same page.

So I think that that's what I
would want if I had challenges,

but I get to see you guys every
single day, all day Right, and

we've been communicating for so
many years that I think we're

all on the same page as far as
Carson's capabilities and what

where he's going to progress to
where we think he should

progress to great, what's up,
I'm down.

Speaker 2: I mean and we've said
this before we've been

fortunate that we've had
fantastic parents, and you

included, and I think I remember
the first time I had to tell

you that he had a bloody nose, I
was so worried.

He like OK, so I was helping
clean him and he fell off the

toilet and then hit the bench
and his nose got bloody.

You're like, oh, ok.

And so I think ever since that
conversation I was like, ok,

this is a parent that I can just
go to and say, hey, listen.

So and I know I've said so he
threw himself down and I got his

finger.

You know what I mean?

Yeah, so, but I mean that
communication is because then we

now we need to know what.

So what works for you, because
this isn't working for us.

And so, absolutely that
communication.

Other than that communication,
is there any advice that you'd

give to parents and educators
who are working to really try to

create that learning and
supportive learning environment

for their children?

Speaker 3: I really think that
just making kids aware that

there are differences out there,
I know at the beginning of the

school year.

So at home we are very open and
honest with Hunter.

I want to start there, because
that's my shorter answer.

At home, from day one, I mean,
obviously the boys are only 12

months and a week apart, so
Hunter already grew up with it.

But even as he was growing
challenges at home, you know,

like why can he eat chicken
nuggets for dinner and I have to

eat what you just cooked?

Or why does he get this and I
get this?

Or why are the rules different?

We really made it a point to be
clear as to why and that the

expectations for them are
different because of what Carson

can and cannot do and what he
can and cannot do, what Carson

can and cannot do and what he
can and cannot do, and that has

really helped.

And Hunter spreads that into our
neighborhood.

When kids come over to our
house you can hear him repeating

things that we have said to
explain that Carson's different,

and then bringing that into the
classroom and what I think that

teachers could do to foster a
more inclusive environment and a

more understanding environment.

At the beginning of the school
year there's a book called have

you Filled a Bucket Today, which
isn't necessarily about being

different.

It's about being kind and how,
if you continuously treat

somebody bad, their bucket's
going to be empty and then they

have nothing left to give
themselves.

And then if you say nice things
and you're kind to them, you

fill their bucket and then when
they leave and they're all by

themselves, they have a bucket
full of good things to think

about.

So one I think is really kind
of instilling kindness.

And then the Big Umbrella is my
favorite read aloud and I refer

to it a lot throughout the year.

So I read the beginning of the
year and that really talks about

we all fit under this umbrella
together, no matter what we look

like, who we are, how we think,
and I continuously refer to

these books throughout the year.

I bring them up and the visual
of the book talking about the

book.

Anytime that I notice maybe my
classes starting to nitpick each

other or anything like that,
I'll be like, hey, what about

these books over here?

And I'll pull them back out and
I put them on my board and I'm

like let's talk about what these
books meant again.

And we do that repeatedly, like
after break.

So today I brought it back out
and I was like, let's talk about

your buckets.

How was your bucket filled over
spring break and how was it

emptied?

And we use that and we turn and
talk and I think that really,

really helps the students in my
classroom see that.

Okay.

So maybe they don't like Lindy
Sue that much, but if I'm being

mean to her and I'm emptying her
bucket, then she's not going to

like herself and that really
has helped with creating an

inclusive environment in my
classroom.

That's fantastic.

Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, you know
and in this conversation we're

going to wrap up here in just a
minute, but there's been a

couple of things that were, I
mean, just stand out and were

huge.

And I would like to, just, as
we round this out, emphasize

first, parents, yes, make time
for yourselves.

You are going to be a better
parent to your child when you

make time for yourself, and I
don't know how many times, how

many conversations, um, that
we've had, or experiences that

we've had where there's this
okay, well, if I have a son or a

daughter with a special need,
that means you know that's it

for my life, that I'm just all
about them from now till the day

I pass and listen.

If you want to love your kids
properly, you've got to give

yourself time, right?

Because kind of like the bucket
if you're not keeping your

bucket full, you know how are
you going to help them.

And then the other one for
teachers just, man, do

everything you can to
communicate as clear and simple

as possible, not only to your
students but to the parents.

Right, let's make no
assumptions.

Go ahead and just lay it all
out, and when you can do that,

you can get to your desired end
quicker, because nobody's

playing any guessing games,
right.

So um any last thoughts, mrs
curtis, mrs stevenson, I don't

think so.

Speaker 2: just one thanks,
marley, for coming and talking

to us and um sharing your
experiences and someone those

things awesome that we get to
this relationship has grown from

just being Carson's mom to now
we're colleagues and you know

it's been fantastic and what's
it been Four, Four years now

that we've been with Carson.

Speaker 1: Yeah, I think this is
the fourth year.

Speaker 2: Yeah, and he's a
remarkable young man and if

anybody has met him, they know
that.

Speaker 3: He definitely teaches
me some really good life

lessons.

All right.

Speaker 1: Well, thank you again
, marley, for hanging out with

us, and we'll talk to you later.

Speaker 3: All right, see you
tomorrow.

All right, see you tomorrow.