Today we’d like to introduce you to Wayne Hall.
Hi Wayne, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I graduated from teachers college in Jamaica in 1991 and has always been passionate about teaching. When I migrated to the USA, I worked mostly in corporate America before eventually returning to the classroom. I migrated first to New York and then to the metro Atlanta area.
It is here in Atlanta that I made my return to the classroom. In Jamaica, I taught PE and so I was seeking employment in that area until a friend told me they were short of special education teachers. I decided to look into that area and it turned out to be one of if not the biggest blessing in my life. After working as a substitute teacher, I fell in love with the autistic population. That is students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). I worked as a paraprofessional for one year then as a teacher for the past seven years.
I was so encouraged by this connection I decided to pursue a Master’s degree in Special Education focusing on autism. I have since become a Registered Behavior Technician. I truly enjoy working with this population. Over the years, I have built a great rapport with the students, colleagues and parents. I also have first-hand experience of how much parents can benefit from parent teaching.
My experience has shown the great benefits of having the teacher and student on board in assisting an autistic child. This conviction led to the establishment of the website www.autismparentssupport.com. I have prepared evidence-based strategies tailored to assist parents in better understanding how to manage behaviors and other challenges present in a child with autism. It is a four parts presentation over four weeks that is geared toward paving the way for both parent and child to benefit. There is also a private social media group where we can exchange information regarding our individual experiences with autism.
It is extremely challenging being a parent of an autistic child and I simply wanted to help in any way I could.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I started as a substitute teacher. Then I was able to accept a paraprofessional position. Within a year, the teacher of the class decided to relocate thus making the position open. I expressed a desire to be the teacher and was accepted after interviewing with the principal and the assistant principal.
It has been an interesting journey. The world of special needs in general and autism in particular is very broad. There is so much information in the universe having to do with autism. It sure felt overwhelming at times. I was however committed to working with these students and eventually parents that needed assistance. I realized I needed to strengthen my knowledge base so I did the Master’s program at University of Texas Permian Basin. I was so intrigued by all the learning that I decided I needed to keep going. I then began taking classes to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). As part of the process, I became a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) working with Fairclough Behavior Services LLC.
My conviction remains strong that with some help parents can make their life a little easier and also complement what the school system does for their autistic child. I am happy to finally have a website and quality content available at www.autismparentssupport.com.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Besides being a teacher and RBT, I also host a radio show. It is called The Wayne Hall Show. It is aired Wednesday nights from eight until 10 PM. I use that platform to share information about autism and feature colleagues and associates who work in the field. The motto of the show is “where information meets music”. It can be seen on Facebook Live (@waynehallshow and @ Yardflow tv), YouTube (Wayne Hall Show page) and at www.thewaynehallshow.com. One can also listen at Fresh FM Radio London (Thursdays 10:30 PM UK time), www.reggaevibesradio.com, Clarke TV Network, Islandworldwide.com, Hype FM Radio, www.Viscosityblend.com and www.youchooseradio.com.
The official website is www.thewaynehallshow.com. Telephone number is 678 431 9390 and the email is waynehallshow@gmail.com.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I admire risk takers. I think I am very conservative in that department. It is something that I am currently working on. When I look through history, a majority of great success stories has been around someone who dared to take a risk or think outside the box. I applaud risk takers however at best, I have only tried some very calculated ones.
Pricing:
- $350 special now
- Standard rate $500
Contact Info:
- Email: waynehall@autismparentsupport.com
- Website: www.autismparentssupport.com
- Instagram: waynehallshow
- Facebook: facebook.com/wayne.l.hall.5
- Twitter: @waynehallshow
- Youtube: Wayne Hall Show
