Opening a window on a sunny spring day can prove distracting for anyone in school or at work. One might think it would be even more difficult for kids with autism to pay attention.
Autism is a developmental disorder often characterized by impaired social interaction, problems with communication, and repetitive or severely limited interests and activities, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Within minutes of opening the window, however, autistic-support teacher Jack DiFeo had his students at the Franklin Smedley Elementary School back on task. One boy, wearing a red baseball cap, was a little warm and just a little more distracted than the others.
All DiFeo had to do to bring him back to what was happening on the blackboard was to gently tell him that someone might need his help.
Forget about the MasterCard commercials, that was priceless.
Smedley principal Jim Cantwell and DiFeo’s co-workers will tell you that there are many moments like that every day in the teacher’s third-floor classroom. That’s why they nominated him for the Dr. Ruth Wright Hayre Teacher of the Year Award.
Although he wasn’t named a finalist for that honor, he also was nominated for the Rose Lindenbaum Award, named for the Philadelphia educator and supervisor who focused on special education and delinquent children during her career.
A veteran special-education teacher, DiFeo has been with the School District of Philadelphia for 24 years, including 13 at Smedley.
"You’ll see his rapport and respect and love of teaching every minute of the day, whether with a small group, an individual or a large group," Cantwell said.
Working with autistic-support students requires a great deal of diligence, patience and repetition tailored to the specific needs of each child, according to Cantwell.
DiFeo, 50, has years of experience doing just that.
According to school counselor Sandy Myerson, DiFeo stays until 5:30 or 6 p.m. every day, writing out different homework assignments and communication logs for his eight students.
"He has a very special way with children. He’s fatherly, and consistently present. Within a month he has them behaving and learning," she said.
Wearing white polo shirts and khaki pants, DiFeo’s eight students, all boys in the third, fourth and fifth grades, were well-behaved, encouraging of one another, and had good penmanship at the blackboard.
"They didn’t come that way. Every day we battled," DiFeo said.
In the beginning of the year, two boys in his class would throw furniture and hit a lot until they realized DiFeo wouldn’t tolerate that behavior.
"Today you couldn’t pick them out," he said.
DiFeo gave credit to his classroom assistants, Joanne Connolly and Patti McGeehan.
"I couldn’t do it without them," he said.
The parents are also very supportive, following through with reading and math homework four nights a week.
"That is also key," he said.
While DiFeo has had successes each day with his students, he’s also had students go on to be mainstreamed and receive top honors.
He also has made Smedley students more aware of autism with the Buddies Program that he started with the regular education students. Its goal is to decrease bullying, foster friendship and teach students to be more sensitive.
DiFeo explains to the "buddies" that the brains of children with autism don’t work the same way everyone else’s does.
"They experience the world differently and things don’t affect them the same way — sounds, noises, food is a big one. They’re very particular about what they’ll eat," he said.
The class gets to not only cook in an adjoining classroom kitchen but to shop for the menu as well with field trips to the Thriftway just blocks from the school.
The teacher rewards their work and behavior with stars that they can collect to earn little toy prizes. For students who have a more difficult time behaving, DiFeo lets them work for bigger prizes, such as a Flyers bobblehead or a Chia pet.
DiFeo first came to know kids with autism when he was a volunteer at the Woodhaven Center, 2900 Southampton Road, as a junior at Archbishop Ryan High School in the mid-1970s.
"Back then nobody knew that term," DiFeo said.
Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disorder, affecting one in 150 births, according to the Autism Society of America.
DiFeo agreed that there is better screening than ever before but nobody seems to know why it’s in such epidemic proportions. In addition to DiFeo’s class of eight boys, Smedley has a second autistic-support class for the younger children.
Early diagnosis can lead to better outcomes for children with autism. Symptoms include:
• Lack of or delay in spoken language.
• Repetitive use of language and/or motor mannerisms, such as hand-flapping or twirling objects.
• Little or no eye contact.
• Lack of interest in peer relationships.
• Lack of spontaneous or make-believe play.
• Persistent fixation on parts of objects. •• Source: Autism Society of America; www.autism-society.org Reporter Diane Prokop can be reached at 215-354-3036 or dprokop@phillynews.com