Theoisthe poster boy for living with autism
"At the start of this year I started off not even being able to get to school properly. But every day for the last two or three terms, it's been school, school, school." Theo Finderup
It used to be when Theo Finderup did end up going to school he would spend much of the day curled up in the corner covered in cushions.
The 11-year-old has autism and when under stress he would often retreat to his classroom corner for safety.
But in the past few months things have changed and Theo is now thriving in the class that once sent him into his shell.
He is hoping by documenting his experience he will be able to help others with autism.
‘‘At the start of this year I started off not even being able to get to school properly,’’ Theo said.
‘‘But every day for the last two or three terms, it’s been school, school, school.’’
The transformation has been so impressive the Vogeltown School pupil is working with a team of artists to produce a short film it is hoped will be used as a national resource in schools.
Theo - The Trigger for Change
details the youngster’s life with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which he was diagnosed with at age 10.
Di Hoskin of Resource Teachers’ of Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) said the film would be shared around educators, including the Ministry of Education, in an effort to bring awareness to how to interact effectively with children with ASD.
Hoskin began working with Theo at the beginning of the year and said his transformation was dramatic and needed to be shared with others.
The pivotal point for Theo came when Hoskin introduced him to a book called Gus the Asparagus,
which enabled him to make a connection with a character, who also lived with autism.
From there, Theo learnt to focus on his strengths and interests and develop a collaborative action plan where the wha¯nau, student and teachers worked together.
One strategy included filming Theo taking a new route to school. He was then able to replay the walk until it became familiar.
‘‘The transformation has just been huge,’’ Hoskin said.
‘‘From first seeing him in the corner and locking himself in the car and seeing him now.’’
Throughout the journey, she collected footage to track his progress. Initially she was going to create a montage to use as evidence when she reported back to her team but having seen the progress made by Theo and his peers at school she believed it could become a valuable resource.
So she enlisted the help of New Plymouth filmmaker Anand Rose, who said the film aimed to capture the spirit of Theo’s story.
‘‘This is a good opportunity to help other families who are in similar circumstances and to help teachers better understand.’’
Theo, who aspires to be an electrician, said he enjoyed the filmmaking process and hoped the final product would help other youngsters who lived with autism.
The film premieres at Event Cinemas in New Plymouth on Monday, December 11. A Givealittle page has been set up to support the film’s production costs.