Derick is a loving and attentive father to his two children – Logan and Chloe aged 10 and 9. While they are lively, energetic, and spirited children, Logan and Chloe were both born with autistic tendencies – which was a struggle for both them and Derick himself. While unfortunate, the harsh reality is that some children can be cruel and unkind, which is especially difficult to understand for kids who are still young and growing up.
When Logan
was in Grade 2, he first realized that he was different from his friends, which
impacted Derick as a father who dreads the moment his children feel outcasted
from their friends. With this situation, Derick immediately took his intuitive
fatherly nature and assured Logan that he’s not different – just unique in his
own Logan-like way. Logan’s understanding of his condition paved the way for
Chloe’s confidence with her own autistic tendencies as he was the stepping
stone who supported her in breaking her barriers.
For Derick, “just looking at [his] kids [is] an inspiration
because [he’s] been learning so much with constant coaching, constantly
reminding [himself] this is how [he] interacts with them, how [he] gets the
most out of them, and how [he’s] supposed to act with them.”
With how
natural and instinctive it is for Derick to be with his children, his mother
encouraged him to pursue a career working with children and said “Derick, you’ve got patience, you’ve learnt
so much with your kids, and they’ve shown you many different pathways on how
you can teach and educate. It would be a shame if you didn’t do more in this
field.”
With the realization of his potential, Derick attended Sprott Shaw College to become an Education Assistant. Studying at Sprott Shaw was a rewarding experience for Derick because “there was a lot of classroom engagement [which] it made it a fun place to go learn – so all in all, it was a positive experience.”
Today, Sprott Shaw’s program helped Derick practice what he’s learned from experience with his children and apply it to a practical and sustainable life-long career in education.
