NORTH FOND DU LAC (NBC 26) — The Horicon Marsh in Fond du Lac and Dodge Counties is not an average classroom, but Treffert Way for the Exceptional Mind is not your average school.
Teachers say they take a different approach to learning. For example, students recently went on a bird watching excursion to Horicon Marsh, which tied into their learning about birds. There, the students observed wood thrushes, warblers, yellow warblers, red winged blackbirds, and gray catbirds."
“So typically, in a public school, the student really has to fit into that model, whatever their model is,” Dr. Ted Jedlick, the school psychologist, said. “We're the opposite of that where our school fits the child.”
The school is modeled after the work of Dr. Treffert, who was a Fond du Lac psychiatrist and researcher who specialized in autism spectrum and savant syndrome.
“We work on his six aspects, which is nurturing student strength-based education, working with their sensory, working to make sure they're taking the right education and it's individualized to them,” teacher Tim Williams said.
Jedicka said about half of the students have autism, but the school is open to all students.
“The model really fits for you know, whatever disability a student may have,” Jedicka said. “But it is a public school, so it's open to anybody.”
Amid the wood thrushes, warblers, yellow warblers, red winged blackbirds, and gray catbirds at the school's the recent bird watching visit to Horicon Marsh, students also practiced social-emotional learning.
“It helps a lot just being outside to get your thoughts out to other people helps you speak,” student David Pernu said. “You aren't being constantly told to be quiet like in a lunchroom setting. So, not only that, just being outside sunlight, the greenery, the wind really helps to just keep everything going smoothly.
Students say the Treffert approach is helpful to their academic and personal success.
“It's kind of a different standard every student has, because my teacher will have a different standard for me compared to a different student,” student Ben Wagner said.
And instructors say they try to cater to individual student needs.
“It is mainly with their interests and… the gift that they may have, whether it's art, music, computers, programming, you know, anything that brings joy to their life, things that that, that they're really excited to do on a daily basis,” Jedicka said.
The school currently has 60 students in grades K through nine, but Williams said they plan to open a high school in the fall that will take the same approach to learning.
